SMITHLEY 24th AT WATKINS GLEN

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – This time Garrett Smithley rode all the way home.

       After a disappointing debut at Watkins Glen International last season – a race in which overheating problems sidelined him early, Smithley responded with a 24th-place finish in Saturday’s Zippo 200 over the Glen road course. He finished one lap behind the lead group.

       “It felt good to bring the car home and to run well,” Smithley said. “I’m still relatively new at road-course racing, so we’re still learning the ins and outs of it all. But it was a fun race day.”

       Smithley is 22nd in Xfinity driver points.

       Kyle Busch won the race, and Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

       The Xfinity Series rolls on to another road course – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – for an Aug. 12 race.