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Fifth Place in PA Speedweek has Smith Excited for Rest of the Season

(Photo by Trent Gower Photography)

Inside Line Promotions – SELINSGROVE, Pa. (July 4, 2016) – Ryan Smith is very encouraged with his team’s results during Pennsylvania Speedweek. The team recorded four top-five finishes with a new car and finished fifth in the final Speedweek standings.

“We were in contention to win a few of those shows and that has us very excited for the rest of the season,” he said. “I’m sad to see Speedweek end, but at the same time I’m wore out. However, after seeing Danny (Dietrich) win the deal and him saying it was because of the races he competed in during Ohio Speedweek, I wish we would have been able to do that.

“Had we not missed the show the opening night at Lincoln I feel we would have finished in the top four if not the top three in Speedweek points.”

After missing the main event on the opening Speedweek night while trying to work the kinks out of the new chassis, Smith recorded a fifth-place finish at Path Valley Speedway in Spring Run, Pa.; two nights later he was taken out by a lapped car while leading at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa. – only 15 laps were scored when rain hit and the rest of the feature will be concluded later in July; and the following night he scored a runner-up result at Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, Md., during the first half of the busy week.

Last Thursday at Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pa., the Warko team got off to a rocky start by qualifying 23rd fastest. However, Smith advanced to fourth place and a transfer position in his heat, but he had to start 20th in the feature thanks to the qualifying result.

“We were just way too tight during qualifying,” he said. “But we passed cars in our heat and a lot in the feature and finished 11th.”

Smith traveled to Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., on Friday. He set fast time during qualifications, finished fifth in his heat race and ended sixth in the main event.

“That’s probably the first time in my career I set quick time at Williams Grove,” he said. “They were expecting rain and prepared the track for that, but it never rained. It took rubber in the feature, which made it extremely hard to pass.”

Smith returned to Port Royal Speedway last Saturday. A better qualifying effort – eighth – and another second-place heat race run started Smith 10th in the feature.

“Again, we went forward and got another solid top five,” he said. “We’re timing well and racing well. We just have to make the right call in the features. We’re just too tight, but we’re not that far off.”

Speedweek wrapped up Sunday at Selinsgrove Speedway, where Smith qualified well, posting the fifth quickest time. Another second-place heat race performance put him fifth in the feature starting grid.

“Once again, we made the wrong call on the adjustments and were just too tight and finished seventh,” he said. “With the old car we had to make such big changes to get it to react. Now we have a car that adapts quickly … the box isn’t that big in terms of changes we have to make. We will get there. I’m confident of that.”

Smith will be at Lincoln Speedway this Saturday with the possibility of competing the previous night at Williams Grove Speedway.

“We’re not sure on Williams Grove yet,” he said. “Lincoln has double features with a make-up feature.”

QUICK RESULTS –

June 30 – Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pa. – Qualifying: 23; Heat race: 4 (7); Feature: 11 (20).

July 1 – Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa. – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 5 (4); Feature: 6 (6).

July 2 – Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pa. – Qualifying: 8; Heat race: 2 (2); Feature: 5 (10).

July 3 – Selinsgrove Speedway in Selinsgrove, Pa. – Qualifying: 5; Heat race: 2 (3); Feature: 7 (5).

SEASON STATS –

35 races, 0 wins, 8 top fives, 20 top 10s, 28 top 15s, 30 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Saturday at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pa.

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 – The Warko Group

The Warko Group has experience in all aspects of the construction industry including commercial, industrial, institutional, medical, educational, and multi-family housing. They offer contractor services, such as roofing, architectural sheet metal, heating-ventilation-air conditioning, ductwork, mechanical, process piping, plumbing, plant maintenance, and H.V.A.C. Service. The Warko Group’s contracts vary from plan and specifications, negotiated contracts, public projects, design build, service agreements, and private work. For more information, visit http://www.TheWarkoGroup.com.

“Rob Warko gives us everything we need to go racing,” Smith said. “When we were struggling he made it possible for us to make the changes we needed to get us back on track. I can’t express how much I appreciate him and everything The Warko Group has done for my career.”

Smith would also like to thank G.L.T. Electrical, CnB Chubby, Fighting Angels Foundation, S&S Speedways, Quality Roofing Supply, East Coast Helicopter Tours, 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.

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