Smith Focused on Chasing All Star Championship as Series Resumes This Sunday
Story By: SHAWN MILLER / INSIDELINE MEDIA
Photos By: TRENT GOWER / RACERSGUIDE.COM
PORT ROYAL, Pa. – April 6, 2017 – Ryan Smith is ready to put all the bad luck that has plagued the new Leidig/Warko/Smith racing team to start the year in the rearview mirror as he resumes his pursuit of the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions title this Sunday when the series returns to action at Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe, Ohio.
Smith battled tire issues with the team’s trailer coming home from Florida in February. Then last Saturday, just as the team was getting ready to head to Port Royal Speedway, there were issues with a tire on the truck. During the feature event that evening, Smith experienced tire problems on the race car.
“All you can do is laugh about it and hope all of that is behind us,” Smith said. “The good news is we got to shake down the car Saturday and we had speed.”
Smith won a heat race in his familiar No. 94 from the pole position to advance into the feature redraw. He pulled the No. 2 to start the main event on the outside of the front row.
“I settled into third and caught Doug (Esh) and Greg (Hodnett) once they hit lapped traffic,” Smith said. “On lap times we were right there with Doug and Greg, but then the caution came out and I had a right rear tire seal over. Both rear tires were from last year; the right rear was new and the left had a few laps on it. I decided to change them last minute before the feature and didn’t get a chance to sipe them. After the caution it didn’t matter what I did the car was just junk and I was backing up fast so I decided just to pull off. Without a caution who knows, but I think I could have run at least third.”
Smith was credited with a 20th-place result.
This week Smith and the team have been hard at work preparing the No. 59 sprint car that they raced in Florida to start the season for Sunday’s All Star event. Weather permitting, the team will also compete on Friday at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., for one final tune-up.
“We would like to race Williams Grove Friday, but the weather isn’t looking good,” he said. “We went through everything on the No. 59 car and it’s ready to roll and hopefully Mother Nature will cooperate with us.”
Smith placed second during his most recent race at Atomic Speedway.
QUICK RESULTS –
April 1 – Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pa. – Heat race: 1 (1); Feature: 20 (2)
SEASON STATS –
6 races, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 1 top 10, 2 top 15s, 3 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa. (tentative) and Sunday at Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe, Ohio, with the Arctic Cat 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
APPAREL –
Visit http://www.RyanSmithRacing.com to view the latest apparel options, which include t-shirts and hoodies.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – S&S Speedways
S&S Speedways is owned by Ryan Smith’s parents. It is a family fun center located in Stroudsburg, Pa. For the novice to the racing enthusiast, S&S Speedways showcases an indoor track that assimilates dirt racing with side-by-side action generating lots of smiles. S&S is open 7 days a week offering public racing and private parties by reservation. The lobby offers full track viewing to watch the racing plus video games, a snack bar, pool table and S&S merchandise is available. For more information, visit http://www.SSSpeedways.com.
“S&S is a great place to bring the family during spring break or on the weekends to have fun in a great environment,” Smith said. “I also have to give a huge shoutout to my parents for helping the Shark Racing Team out by lending them their toter to keep them going on the World of Outlaws tour. That’s just the kind of people they are … willing to help others, especially in the racing family.”
Smith would also like to thank The Warko Group, Auto Electric of Jupiter, Fla., G.L.T. Electrical, CnB Chubby, Fighting Angels Foundation, Quality Roofing Supply, Armbruster Racing Photos, Thunder on the Hill Racing Series, HP Engines, X-1 Race Cars, Rick’s Auto Body, TGP Photography, 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.
