SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Ryan Smith showed up at Selinsgrove Speedway Saturday with his eye on the coveted Kramer Cup trophy, and took it home after a wire-to-wire victory in the 30-lap race honoring the memory of late Hall of Fame sprint car driver Kramer Williamson.
Smith, at the wheel of the Heffner Racing/Red Robin No. 72, also ended up with $3,937 in prize money including contingencies.
Smith blasted into the sprint car lead from the pole and was followed by Troy Betts, Michael Water, Curt Michael and Chad Layton. The caution flew on lap two for Kyle Reinhardt.
Walter got a jump on Betts on the restart and moved to second, leaving Betts and Michael to battle for third.
Smith, a veteran who spent several years with the ARDC midgets and All Star Circuit of Champions, sliced his way through the traffic and opened up a straightaway lead, but in the waning laps started to slow.
This allowed Mark Smith – who had come from the back of the pack – to draw close, but Ryan Smith held on by just .416 of a second over Mark Smith, Walter, Michael and Layton.
“With about five to go we got into some mud in the second turn and the wheel packed up.” Ryan Smith said. “It was really shaking, plus I was having trouble getting by the lapped cars. I saw Mark (Smith) was in second for the last two laps, but I didn’t know how close he was.”
Michael, Mark Smith and Josh Weller won the sprint car heats.
Coleby Frye became the first repeat super late model feature winner of the year in that division’s 25-lap, $2,000-to-win race.
Shaun Lawton of Bloomsburg pulled off the hat trick with his third consecutive win in the 15-lap pro stock feature, while Brad Kling of Mount Union won the 20-lap Mid-Atlantic modified feature in the division’s only appearance of the season at the track.
The finish:
1. 72-Ryan Smith ($3,937), 2. M1-Mark Smith, 3. 33W-Michael Walter, 4. 5G-Curt Michael 5. 35-Chad Layton, 6. 22-Troy Betts, 7. 63-Josh Weller, 8. 77-Derek Locke, 9. 29-Jason Shultz, 10. 99K-Cody Keller, 11. 11A-Austin Bishop, 12. 7-Ed Aikin, 13. 66-Ryan Kissinger, 14. 49-Mallie Shuster, 15. 11-Jim Shuster, 16. 1-Jake Hummel, 17. 91-David Quackenbush, 18. 5Q-Ryan Quackenbush, 19. 5N-Brian Norrnhold, 20. 08-Jason Clauss, 21. 1W-Kyle Reinhardt, 22. 47-Adam Carberry.