(Photo by DB3 Imaging)
Inside Line Promotions – WILMOT, Wis. (July 27, 2015) – Last weekend was anything but an easy one for Ryan Smith, whose longest trip of the season with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions got off to a slow start.
“It was a rocky trip,” he said. “We broke down on the way out to Michigan. We got almost to the Ohio border on Thursday night and our truck started overheating. There was water running out of the bottom of the radiator.”
Following a stay at a truck stop and a hectic Friday morning, the team made it to Hartford Motor Speedway in Hartford, Mich., as qualifying began.
“We rolled into the track at 8:15 p.m. on Friday night and made it just in time for time trials,” he said. “They were pushing the first car out. We rolled our car out, changed the right rear tire and I suited up. I just made it. I had watched some videos so I had a pretty good idea of what we’d need. Luckily we were ready to go when we unloaded. The All Star guys gave me an extra lap to get some heat in the motor. Plus, it was nice having two heat races.”
Smith qualified 11th quickest and with a low car count the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions used a duel heat race format to determine cars for the dash.
“I was able to try some things on the car,” he said. “It was a big monster half mile and it was hammer down. I think we could have run a little better if we had our big motor in, but I’m trying to save that if we do have a chance to go to Knoxville.”
Smith won his first heat race and advanced from sixth to fourth place during the second heat. That earned him a spot in the dash, where he ended fifth to start the main event on the inside of the third row.
Smith battled for a top five throughout the feature before placing sixth.
He made his debut at Wilmot Raceway the following night, when Smith qualified sixth quickest and finished third in a heat race to earn a spot in the dash. He picked up a position during the dash to start the main event on the outside of the second row.
“I was up to third late in the race and started reeling in (Dale) Blaney and (Cody) Darrah,” he said. “I had the bottom rolling real well. I think it was going to get pretty good, but we had a yellow and I got too tight on the restart. We definitely would have been third and who knows what would have happened (if there wasn’t a late caution). We were in heavy lapped traffic. Those guys were running the middle to the top and getting stuck in traffic. I was sneaking by guys on the bottom. I think we would have had a shot at it.”
Smith posted a fourth-place finish, which marked his ninth top five of the season. He ranks seventh in the championship standings and is only 10 points out of sixth place.
Smith is slated to compete this Tuesday at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa., with the Thunder on the Hill Racing Series before All Star races on Friday and Saturday at Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe, Ohio, for the Open Wheel Championship and Sunday at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway in Imperial, Pa.
QUICK RESULTS –
July 24 – Hartford Motor Speedway in Hartford, Mich. – Qualifying: 11; Heat race #1: 1 (1); Heat race #2: 4 (6); Dash: 5 (4): Feature: 6 (5).
July 25 – Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, Wis. – Qualifying: 6; Heat race: 3 (2); Dash: 4 (5); Feature: 4 (4).
SEASON STATS –
40 races, 2 wins, 9 top fives, 15 top 10s, 21 top 15s, 29 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Tuesday at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa., with the Thunder on the Hill Racing Series; Friday and Saturday at Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe, Ohio, for the Open Wheel Championship and Sunday at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway in Imperial, Pa., for the 2nd annual Sprint Monster with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.RyanSmithRacing.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RyanSmithRacing
Twitter Race Updates: https://twitter.com/DeniseS_SS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanSmith.TheKunkletownKid
Instagram: https://instagram.com/denises_ss
VIDEO –
Here is a link to Smith’s first career All Star Circuit of Champions victory on April 4 at Attica Raceway Park: https://youtu.be/nBIxI_tNFyc
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Fighting Angels Foundation
Children with Angelman Syndrome (AS) do not talk and many struggle to walk. They have difficulty eating and sleeping. Every year, individuals with AS die due to complications from seizures, however large pharmaceutical companies are not focused on the search for a cure. Despite the rarity of AS, a cure for this disorder is not only possible, but probable. We know what causes Angelman Syndrome. We know that, despite its devastating effects, it’s an incredibly simple disorder involving only one gene. And we know that curing AS will have a profound impact on other related and rare disorders, such as Prader-Willi, Rett and Fragile X Syndromes, as well as much more common disorders such as autism and Alzheimer’s.
Fighting Angels Foundation, Inc., is an organization dedicated to support and fund research and raise awareness of the rare neuro-genetic disorder Angelman Syndrome as well as serving and protecting the needs of the 1 in 15,000 individuals affected by this disorder. Our inspiration is Joseph (Joey) Paul Moretti Jr. FAF focuses its activities through yearly fundraising events and the support of public donations from generous individuals and companies to help fund its cause. Fighting to Talk, Fighting to Walk, Fighting for a Cure is our motto! For more information, visit http://www.FightingAngelsFoundation.com.
“We need to find a cure for kids like little Joey who have Angelman Syndrome,” Smith said. “The Fighting Angels Foundation is a great foundation that raises money to find a cure for this syndrome. Hopefully in the near future there will be a cure.”
Smith would also like to thank Warko Group, S&S Speedways, Quality Roofing Supply, G.L.T. Electrical, CnB Chubby, Armbruster Racing Photos, Thunder on the Hill Racing Series, HP Engines, Pancho’s Racing Products, GME Steering and Vahlco Racing Wheels for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on Jul 27, 2015
- Article Date: 7/27/2015 by Inside Line Promotions