Saturday’s Ready-Hosting.com 200 was a high point in this year’s season for Brad Smith and his No. 26 Ford. The Dearborn, Michigan native has had his ups and downs so far in 2003, but this weekend everything seemed to click for the Brad Smith Motorsports team as they finished 13th, three laps down to winner Frank Kimmel.

Smith qualified 27th during Thursday’s session at the 1.5-mile oval. He felt so good about his car that he opted not to take to the track during Friday’s practice, concentrating his efforts on preparing the car for the race. As the green flag waved on Saturday, the car was running just a little tight. Brad radioed to his crew and they were able to make a wedge adjustment and correct the car during an early caution period. Smith later called in that the car was “perfect.”

Halfway through the race, however, it looked like his luck might be running out. Brad wasn’t able to get around debris from a wreck in turns one and two. He felt like something was dragging so he drove into the pits, where crew chief Jeff Smith quickly inspected the car and sent it on its way with what he felt was a vibration in the exhaust system. The car and driver both stayed intact for the duration of the event’s 134 laps, for a finish that helped make up for the bad taste left in their mouth earlier in the week with a 28th place finish at DuQuoin.

“I feel like this finish really helped bring the team together,” said team spotter Mark Vandenboom after the race. “I know we were disappointed after DuQuoin. To be able to follow that up with the best finish of the season felt pretty good.” Saturday’s run ties Brad’s career best superspeedway finish. His best overall career finish was 12th, at Winchester in 2002.