R.D. Smith, the driver of the RDS Motorsports Dodge truck, has cleared a tremendous hurdle in major league stock car racing. Smith who participates in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, received word that his team has been accepted as a member of the Dodge Motorsports ‘Run with the Ram program. Smith’s #79 truck was one of the ten Dodge Rams that arrived at the Martinsville Speedway last week to qualify for the NAPA 250. Each of the ten Dodge teams made the event on the time they posted during qualifying. The Martinsville race was a landmark for the most Dodge Rams ever in a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event, and Smith was also the youngest driver to secure a spot in the starting lineup. Several personnel changes have also taken place at Smith’s RDS Motorsports team this season. The new crew chief is Ralph Wingfield Jr. Ed Blair has come on board as the team manager, and Mike Congdon is now the Director of Marketing and Public Relations. Smith’s father, Rodney, owns the team and is a real estate mogul in the Burlington, NC and Myrtle Beach, SC areas. ‘I’m excited about the potential of this team and the factory backing from Dodge. We have great people in place, our goals are mutual and our equipment is excellent. We are now at a point where we can show what we’re made of, he said.(RDS Motorsports PR)(5-3-2000)
