What won the race: Second-starting Garrett Smith of Eatonton, Ga., traded slide jobs with Sam Seawright until Seawright slammed the turn-three wall on lap 33, allowing Smith to power away to win Friday's 40-lap Finn Watson Memorial at Rockcastle Speedway. Smith raced unchallenged after the final restart, beating Cory Hedgecock to the checkers by 1.551 seconds for a $7,553 payday and his third career Schaeffer's Spring Nationals victory in the series debut at Rockcastle.

Quotable: “That was a pretty bad ass racetrack right there. You can’t ask for much more than that,” Smith said. “(Sam Seawright) got a good run on me down the back straightaway and was able to slide me. He actually moved up and kinda showed me that you could run up there, because when I was out front I was just trying to save my tires. I would hit those bumps and get tight across them. On that last restart I just kinda said, 'You know, screw it,' and I was gonna go for it.”

Key notes: Smith secured his second Spring Nationals victory of the season after ending a 13-month drought with March 28's triumph at Buckshot Speedway in Claton, Ala. ... Smith officially led twice for 25 laps (1-15, 31-40) although he and Seawright had several unofficial lead changes following the lap-31 restart. ... Seawright led once for 15 laps (16-30) before hopping the turn-three cushion and slamming the wall on lap 32. He then limped around to start lap 33 before drawing the race's fourth and final yellow flag; he did not continue and was credited with 10th. ... Cory Hedgecock inherited the runner-up spot on the lap-33 restart and held off Jimmy Owens in the closing laps. ... Carson Brown overcame a lap-28 tangle with Josh Rice to finish sixth. ... Rice's complete nose was ripped from his car and became lodged in the turn-three guardrail, causing a 20-minute red flag for cleanup; Rice drove his car back to the pits and was credited with 12th. ... The Rice-Brown incident set up the frenetic late-race battle between Smith and Seawright. ... Other than the cautions that eliminated Rice and Seawright, the 40-lapper was slowed two other times, including on lap seven when Camaron Marlar spun from sixth after contact with an infield tire and collected Justin Rattliff and Michael Chilton, among others; Rattliff retired while Chilton and Marlar continued for a handful of laps before pulling off. ... Dillard Hatchett slowed from 12th on the ninth lap and pulled out. ... The race honored Thurman “Finn” Watson of Campbellsville, Ky., the father of track champion Jeff Watson and a former Kentucky racer who amassed more than 300 victories in a career that spanned 38 years. He died in 2013 at the age of 66. ... The 40-lapper lasted 40 minutes with eight starters completing the distance. ... Cyle Forgy scratched.

On the move: Ricky Weiss of Headingley, Manitoba, started 15th and finished fifth.

Winner's sponsors: Smith’s Longhorn Chassis carries sponsorship from Terminal Maintenance & Construction, The World Famous Cadillac Ranch, Atlanta Paving & Concrete Construction, Senior Life Insurance Company, Schaeffer’s Racing Oil, VP Racing Fuels, Boswell Oil, K&N Filters, Go Lithium Batteries, Bilstein Shocks, National Auto Parts and ShopGarrettSmith.com.

Points chase: After Rockcastle: 1. Garrett Smith (1,290); 2. Wil Herrington (1,284); 3. Cory Hedgecock (1,078); 4. Michael Leach (870); 5. Cody Overton (754).

Current weather: Clear, 61°F

Car count: 22

Fast qualifier: Garrett Smith

Time: 14.631 seconds

Polesitter: Jimmy Owens

Consolation race winners: Justin Rattliff

Next series race: May 10, Lake Cumberland Speedway (Burnside, KY) $10,053