Jake Crum captures SMART Modified Tour title
Jake Crum (right) was crowned the SMART Modified Tour’s 2026 points champion after winning the Friendly Tire 99 at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Oct. 17. Pictured with Crum is SMART Modified Tour director Chris Williams.
Temperatures dropped in Western North Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 17, but the action on the racetrack was red hot as North Wilkesboro Speedway played host to a tripleheader of action that included the season finale for the SMART Modified Tour.
Danny Bohn entered the Friendly Tire 99 on top of the SMART Modified Tour points standings by three points over both Jake Crum and former Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman, while Brandon Ward was nine points back in fourth place and Burt Myers was 21 points back in fifth.
Justin Bonsignore was the fastest qualifier, but the top eight redrew their starting position. Newman drew the pole and led the opening lap when the race started, but third-generation driver Luke Baldwin passed him and led until the lap 30 stage break.
All of the drivers pitted for tires and fuel before returning to their positions on the track for the restart, with Paulie Hartwig III passing Baldwin on the restart and remaining in the lead until a caution on the 51st lap.
James Civali took over the lead on the restart and stayed out in front until Baldwin passed him on the 62nd lap, although Civali moved back ahead on lap 71. Two laps later, Civali made slight contact with Baldwin and proceeded to collect Kyle Bonsignore and Carter McMurray as all three crashed into the turn two wall.
A red flag brought the race to an immediate halt, and after it resumed, Baldwin had to pit from the lead because of a flat right front tire. Crum was able to inherit the top position with Patrick Emerling just behind him, Newman in third, and Bohn in fourth as the stage was set for a 25-lap shootout to determine a race winner and a points champion.
Emerling passed Crum on the restart and led for one lap, but it was Crum who ultimately retook the lead and held it for the remainder of the race. The rest of the top five, in order, consisted of Newman, Bohn, Sean McElearney, and Jacob Perry.
Crum also won the season-long points championship ahead of Bohn and Newman, who tied for second.
“It’s been a long time since I have won a championship or a big race before this year,” Crum said. “This is our third win this season. Next week my wife, Annabeth, is going to win the Crate Modified championship to cap off a dream year.”
The Carolina Crate Modified Series (CCMS) ran its next-to-last race of the season to open the day, with Hartwig winning the pole before a redraw inverted the fastest three qualifiers. Gary Young Jr. started on the pole and led the opening three laps before Hartwig took the lead.
Matthew Nance, making his first start in a modified series, started second and put on a show the entire way. Nance has spent the last two decades making his name on the dirt tracks across the country, and this was only his third time racing on asphalt. However, Hartwig was the class of the field and was only slowed by 10 yellow flags before taking the checkered flag ahead of Nance in second and Young in third.
The victory was Hartwig’s third career win at North Wilkesboro, while points leader Annabeth Crum was involved in a late-race crash but battled back to finish 12th. The CCMS will cap its season tonight (Saturday, Oct. 24) at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont.
The Carolina Mini Stocks ran a 30-lap feature, with the winner cashing a check for $3,000. Seventy-two drivers from multiple states and forms of racing attempted to make the 30-car field, which included the fastest 24 qualifiers and the top six finishers in a 15-lap “last chance” battle. Billy Andrews finished ahead of Kevin Jackson to win the “last chance” race.
Robert Arch started on the pole and led the opening five laps before Bobbie Tumbleston III took over the lead, although the first seven laps were slowed by four caution flags. After that, Arch retook the lead and drove away from the pack, but his engine blew up on the 21st lap to end his day.
Tumbleston inherited the lead and beat Shane Canipe to the checkered flag, Isaac Harris was third ahead of Myers, and Chuck Wall rounded out the top five.
“Racing a mini stock at Wilkesboro is like driving a go-kart on wet grass, but it was a blast,” Myers said.
Tri-County Speedway in Hudson will wrap up its season with races tonight and Oct. 31, while Hickory Motor Speedway’s final race of 2026 will be the annual Fall Brawl on Nov. 7.
