Post by jkelly57 on Sept 9, 2006 3:51:00 GMT -6
Smith Survives For 550 KTSA 75 Win
By: Pat Mayberry
Sixteen year old Texas Super Racing Series rookie sensation, Cody Smith, survived a night filled with sixteen cautions to capture his second win of the season in the 550 KTSA 75 at Thunder Hill Raceway. With his win, Smith and Tommy Gural enter the final two races in a virtual dead heat for the championship. Houston Motorsports Park and Thunder Hill Raceway will be exciting places to be as one of these two drivers will likely capture their first series championship with the four year old touring class.
Smith was fast in practice all day and close to the top of the leader board in every practice session. As the cars went out for qualifying, defending series champion, Chris Schild, was looking to regain his spot on top of the qualifying leader board. His time of 15:655 looked like it would stand up until Smith, who qualified last, broke off a very quick 15:588 to take his second pole award of the season and pick up the five bonus points. “Qualifying was real important and we really wanted to pick up that pole and get those bonus points,” said Smith. “We were the last car out and were very happy with the 16:58 we ran.”
As the drivers drew for inversion position, lady luck was with Smith as he drew the number one, assuring his spot at the front of the pack to start the race. “We knew with that draw we could do what two other guys this year have done here and go wire to wire. The car was really good and. if we could just stay out of trouble, we knew we would have a shot at the win tonight,” added Smith.
Racing delays were rampant all night from other classes pushing the race start time back to nearly midnight allowing track conditions to change drastically. The cars were impounded after qualifying and unable to be touched and the changes to the racing surface started showing up immediately as it appeared that every driver had a handful of racecar to deal with.
As the green flag flew, Smith missed a shift and four cars blew by him, but the first of many yellow flags flew over the field forcing a complete restart. On the second restart, Smith was perfect and led Bobby Joe New, Tommy Gural, Chris Schild and Ian Webster across the stripe for the first lap.
On those rare times that drivers weren’t under caution, Smith and Bobby Joe New appeared to be the class of the field, but a pack including Gural, Schild, Ian Webster and Kyle Sirizzotti were just a fraction off the pace. Lap 64 saw the only challenge Smith would have when he pushed up high just enough that the veteran, New, was able to get a peek under him. The two cars touched and spun and when all the dust cleared the official call was that New had not established position and was sent to the back of the field and Smith was given his spot back.
“Coming out of turn four I was kind of wide,” explained Smith about the incident. “Going into turn one Bobby Joe got underneath me and then we touched. I spun up into the grass and didn’t see what happened to him. I think he drove in just a little too hard. The car was a little loose after the wreck due to flat spotting the tires, but once they were round again everything was fine.”
From that point, Smith was able to hold his line and took the checkers in a green, white, checker finish. Following Smith under the double waving checkers was Tommy Gural, Teresa Gural, Bill Hamilton, and Chris Schild to round out the top five. “We’re just glad this one is over,” added Smith. “We’ve been working hard on it all week and just happy we won tonight.”
The KMAC Sports Hard Charger of the Night award went to Teresa Gural who improved her starting position of fifteenth to third to take her third top four finish of the season. Next stop for the series will be in six weeks at Houston Motorsports Park. When asked about the long break and team plans Smith mused, “We’ll probable refresh the engine during this break. The plan for these last two races is to try and stay ahead of Tommy and get those top fives.”
With all the work teams will have to do between now and then, the down time will be appreciated for sure. To follow the point race and all the other series news, please visit www.manracingpromotions.com.
Name: Cody Smith
City: LaVernia, TX.
Age: 16
Years in racing: 2
Chassis: Dillon
Body: Five Star - Monte Carlo
Engine Builder: Longs Machine
Brakes: Wilwood
Shocks: Pro
Sponsors: RTM Construction Company, LTD., Longs Machine, Oval Components
Time of race 1:00:40
Margin of victory: 0.384
Cautions: 16
Unofficial Results pending tech and scoring review:
1. Cody Smith
2. Tommy Gural
3. Teresa Gural
4. Bill Hamilton
5. Chris Schild
6. David Snokhouse
7. Craig Sellman
8. Leland Waddell
9. Ricky Gavin
10. Robert Walton
11. Bobby Joe New
12. Adam Haugh
13. Mike Cullen
14. Gary Chancellor
15. John Fernandez
16. Kyle Sirizzotti
17. Ian Webster
18. Shane Harris
19. Jay Turner Jr.
By: Pat Mayberry
Sixteen year old Texas Super Racing Series rookie sensation, Cody Smith, survived a night filled with sixteen cautions to capture his second win of the season in the 550 KTSA 75 at Thunder Hill Raceway. With his win, Smith and Tommy Gural enter the final two races in a virtual dead heat for the championship. Houston Motorsports Park and Thunder Hill Raceway will be exciting places to be as one of these two drivers will likely capture their first series championship with the four year old touring class.
Smith was fast in practice all day and close to the top of the leader board in every practice session. As the cars went out for qualifying, defending series champion, Chris Schild, was looking to regain his spot on top of the qualifying leader board. His time of 15:655 looked like it would stand up until Smith, who qualified last, broke off a very quick 15:588 to take his second pole award of the season and pick up the five bonus points. “Qualifying was real important and we really wanted to pick up that pole and get those bonus points,” said Smith. “We were the last car out and were very happy with the 16:58 we ran.”
As the drivers drew for inversion position, lady luck was with Smith as he drew the number one, assuring his spot at the front of the pack to start the race. “We knew with that draw we could do what two other guys this year have done here and go wire to wire. The car was really good and. if we could just stay out of trouble, we knew we would have a shot at the win tonight,” added Smith.
Racing delays were rampant all night from other classes pushing the race start time back to nearly midnight allowing track conditions to change drastically. The cars were impounded after qualifying and unable to be touched and the changes to the racing surface started showing up immediately as it appeared that every driver had a handful of racecar to deal with.
As the green flag flew, Smith missed a shift and four cars blew by him, but the first of many yellow flags flew over the field forcing a complete restart. On the second restart, Smith was perfect and led Bobby Joe New, Tommy Gural, Chris Schild and Ian Webster across the stripe for the first lap.
On those rare times that drivers weren’t under caution, Smith and Bobby Joe New appeared to be the class of the field, but a pack including Gural, Schild, Ian Webster and Kyle Sirizzotti were just a fraction off the pace. Lap 64 saw the only challenge Smith would have when he pushed up high just enough that the veteran, New, was able to get a peek under him. The two cars touched and spun and when all the dust cleared the official call was that New had not established position and was sent to the back of the field and Smith was given his spot back.
“Coming out of turn four I was kind of wide,” explained Smith about the incident. “Going into turn one Bobby Joe got underneath me and then we touched. I spun up into the grass and didn’t see what happened to him. I think he drove in just a little too hard. The car was a little loose after the wreck due to flat spotting the tires, but once they were round again everything was fine.”
From that point, Smith was able to hold his line and took the checkers in a green, white, checker finish. Following Smith under the double waving checkers was Tommy Gural, Teresa Gural, Bill Hamilton, and Chris Schild to round out the top five. “We’re just glad this one is over,” added Smith. “We’ve been working hard on it all week and just happy we won tonight.”
The KMAC Sports Hard Charger of the Night award went to Teresa Gural who improved her starting position of fifteenth to third to take her third top four finish of the season. Next stop for the series will be in six weeks at Houston Motorsports Park. When asked about the long break and team plans Smith mused, “We’ll probable refresh the engine during this break. The plan for these last two races is to try and stay ahead of Tommy and get those top fives.”
With all the work teams will have to do between now and then, the down time will be appreciated for sure. To follow the point race and all the other series news, please visit www.manracingpromotions.com.
Name: Cody Smith
City: LaVernia, TX.
Age: 16
Years in racing: 2
Chassis: Dillon
Body: Five Star - Monte Carlo
Engine Builder: Longs Machine
Brakes: Wilwood
Shocks: Pro
Sponsors: RTM Construction Company, LTD., Longs Machine, Oval Components
Time of race 1:00:40
Margin of victory: 0.384
Cautions: 16
Unofficial Results pending tech and scoring review:
1. Cody Smith
2. Tommy Gural
3. Teresa Gural
4. Bill Hamilton
5. Chris Schild
6. David Snokhouse
7. Craig Sellman
8. Leland Waddell
9. Ricky Gavin
10. Robert Walton
11. Bobby Joe New
12. Adam Haugh
13. Mike Cullen
14. Gary Chancellor
15. John Fernandez
16. Kyle Sirizzotti
17. Ian Webster
18. Shane Harris
19. Jay Turner Jr.