smtp webmail function taking 30 seconds to execute

We recently upgraded our exchange to 2010  but now the .net script takes 30 seconds to finish. It sends the email right awway but the page doesn't finish with the thank you until 30 seconds. With 2003 it worked fine.  Looking for any suggestions on what could cause this? The server is at an offsite facility and the 2003 server was in house.

WebMail.SmtpServer = "relay.mail.com";
WebMail.SmtpPort = 25;

 var customerEmail = Request["customerEmail"];
 var customerRequest = Request["customerRequest"];
 try
 {
 // Send email 
WebMail.Send(to:"testemail@testemail.com", subject: "Help request from - " + customerEmail, body: customerRequest ); 
 catch (Exception ex )
 {
 <text>@ex</text> 
}
} 
//take 30 seconds to get here
thank you for sending

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