This MNR Review is presented by Monday Night Racing.
The Interstate Batteries Monday Night Racing Pro Series kicked off its first race of season six on Monday, Nov. 7, with Garrett Smithley taking the victory in the Car of Tomorrow at virtual Talladega Superspeedway.
In case you missed the broadcast, you can check out the full race here, as well as the race recap from Frontstretch‘s Brandon Hauff. Also, head on over to the Frontstretch YouTube channel for the post-race show.
There was quite a bit to take from the Proceller8 300, from Smithley getting back in virtual victory lane, to newcomers making a splash, to reigning MNR champion Presley Sorah’s strong finish. Let’s take a deeper look into these and what we could expect from future events this season.
1. 3 S’s: Smithley, Sorah & Schildhouse Shine
Smithley claimed the win after staying mostly behind the frontrunners all evening. On the final restart, he saw an opening and took the lead from David Schildhouse.
It was Smithley’s first win in the league since July of last year and the fourth of his MNR career. It’s also one that was not easy to obtain, as he had to avoid multiple crashes, including one in the last two laps. Additionally, he had to get around Schildhouse, who appeared to have control of the race before the last restart.
It was a bit of relief for Smithley, as he will now race for the title when the playoffs begin in January.
As for Schildhouse, he seemed to have carried over some momentum from last season after winning at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the season five finale in August. He was up front early and often, taking turns for the lead with Adam Cabot and others throughout the race. He overcame a speeding penalty and found his rhythm with the Cup Series’ Car of Tomorrow, showing he’ll once again be a championship contender this season.
Like Schildhouse, season five champion Sorah also maintained momentum, on paper at least. Sorah finished fourth, overcoming a lot of bad luck. From missing his pit stall to getting caught up in incidents, it looked like Sorah was not off to a great start in defending his title. However, he persevered and threaded through the final crashes to take home a top-five finish. If he keeps this up, he’ll be a championship favorite once again.
2. What About Some Other Series Regulars?
NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Anthony Alfredo found himself battling for the lead in the last half of the race. He first went side-by-side with…
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