Mike Landry finished 11th in the Sport Series feature Saturday, just good enough to clinch his first division championship at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway – by one point.
Landry came into the night with 595 points, needing to finish within four spots of Chris Smith, who was second in the points with 586. That’s exactly how it played out as Smith finished seventh in the feature – four spots ahead of Landry.
The title is another notch in a smooth progression of accolades for Landry since he started racing at the track four years ago.
“I got rookie of the year my first year and the following year I got most improved driver,” Landry said. “Then last year I finished eighth in points and this year I got the championship.”
During the final night of racing, Clyde Hennessey almost ended Landry’s title run on lap 27 of 35. Hennessey came down on Landry, who was on the inside of the corner, causing him to spin out.
Landry was able to recover but had to pit.
“It got real stressful,” he said. “I was pissed off when he got into me. The fender was rubbing on the tire, so we just changed the right rear and went back out.”
When Landry came out of the pit he was at the back of the back, a position that would have put him second in the points behind Smith.
On lap 30, however, he started to make some passes. With two laps to go he need to get by one last car, the No. 24 of Marty Adams.
“He overdrove the corner and I passed him on the inside,” Landry said. “I have to than him later.”
Landry commutes an hour and 30 minutes from Oakland to race at Beech Ridge every weekend, a commitment that earns him praise from track owner Andy Cusack.
“He’s been a real standup guy,” Cusack said. “He has been terrific. He makes a sizeable commitment to get here. He and his girlfriend are great people. We never have a problem with Mike.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
