(Photo by Rick Rarer)
Inside Line Promotions – PORT ROYAL, Pa. (Sept. 15, 2015) – Ryan Smith got off to a great start last weekend during the 48th annual Tuscarora 50 at Port Royal Speedway.
Smith qualified fourth quickest overall – third in his group – on Friday during the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions event at the half-mile oval before he placed second in a heat race, which locked him into the dash.
Smith then pulled the No. 1 during the random dash draw to garner the pole position for the dash, which he won to start the main event on the inside of the front row.
“Friday was good,” he said. “We were consistent all night and took advantage of a good dash draw to put ourselves in contention to win the main event.”
Smith ran second for the first eight laps of the feature before taking over the top spot on Lap 9. He then maintained the lead for the next 13 laps before a fellow competitor found a better lane.
“It was my race to lose and I lost it,” he said. “When you’re leading like that you don’t know what’s going on behind you. I didn’t get my wing back quick enough. I was losing drive out of turn two, but I didn’t want to give up my entry into turns three and four. Brent Marks surprised me. I didn’t see him coming and didn’t expect that. Once I gathered it up I got rolling again.”
Smith stayed within striking distance of Marks and he pulled to the rear bumper of the leader in turns one and two on the final lap. Unfortunately, a caution waved as the drivers were on the backstretch and Smith was preparing to make a last-ditch move for the win.
“I figured he was going to go to the middle or the top and I’d have to slide him,” he said. “If it wasn’t for that last yellow it would have been interesting in turns three and four. He had clean air on the restart and I wasn’t able to do anything.”
Smith recorded a runner-up result, which was his 13th top five of the season.
He returned to Port Royal Speedway on Sunday after the Tuscarora 50 was postponed a day because of rain. Smith timed in 21st quickest overall and he finished where he started – fifth – in a heat race to lock into the 18th starting position for the 50-lap feature.
“It was my kind of race track, nice and slippery,” he said. “I think we could have ran top five. I passed two or three cars going into turn one on the start. I saw (Greg) Hodnett spinning around. I had a lane around the top to get around him, but he kept it going and I had nowhere to go. I hit him with my left front and flipped.”
Smith was unable to restart the race following the collision.
He will return to All Star action this Friday and Saturday at Fremont Speedway in Fremont, Ohio, for the Jim Ford Classic.
QUICK RESULTS –
Sept. 11 – Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pa. – Qualifying: 4; Heat race: 2 (2); Dash: 1 (1); Feature: 2 (1).
Sept. 13 – Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pa. – Qualifying: 21; Heat race: 5 (5); Feature: DNF (18).
SEASON STATS –
54 races, 2 wins, 13 top fives, 22 top 10s, 32 top 15s, 41 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday and Saturday at Fremont Speedway in Fremont, Ohio, for the Jim Ford Classic 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 – Warko Group
Warko Group, which is based in Reading, Pa., focuses on general contracting including plumbing, electrical and HVAC.
“This is the second year that Rob Warko of Rainbow Roofing and Warko Group and I have been partnered for our race team,” Smith said. “He puts as much focus and energy in his business as he does the race team, which leads to success on and off the track.”
Smith would also like to thank S&S Speedways, Quality Roofing Supply, G.L.T. Electrical, Fighting Angels Foundation, 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 Sep 15, 2015
- Article Date: 9/15/2015 by Inside Line Promotions