The streak continues as Spirit Auto Center Speedway continues to search for its first repeat winners in Micro Sprint competition in the 2017 season.
Bear, DE driver, Matt Smith, has been in the thick of the chase every week but finally raced to the checkered flag first to capture his first win of the season in 600cc Micro Sprint competition. It was Smith’s third win on the quarter mile track where he collected a single win in each of the last two seasons. He now has a lot of weeks left to add to that win total before the season’s end.
Travis Hill and Jon Keller led the field to the green flag with Hill quickly taking the lead. Smith moved up to third and then secured the runner-up position following a lap five restart. Multiple minor incidents brought the racing to yellow flag conditions throughout the race, closing up the field for every restart. Not a situation that any race leader wants to see!
Hill endured multiple restarts with Smith starting along side each time. Hill led Smith, opening night winner, Rob Vivona, Jermain Godshall and Sam Locuson at the half way mark. Hill led one more circuit before Smith executed a winning slide job in turn three, completing lap twelve as the new race leader.
Smith raced the remaining laps unchallenged as the top five battled for positions right up to the checkered flag. Vivona took second from Hill with two to go. Hill finished third followed by Godshall and Locuson who was making his first start of the season.
Three Friday night events have produced three different winners – Rob Vivona, Luke Thomas and now, Matt Smith.
Fifteen year old Ryan Heim raced to a career first win in the 270cc Micro Sprint feature event after racing three wide for the lead on a complete restart to begin the twenty lap event. Heim raced ahead of Alex Swift in the Andreas No. 90 until Chris Locuson took over the runner-up spot on lap eight.
Locuson spent the second half of the race reeling in the race leader. Heim was closing in on lapped traffic as he took the five to go sign. Locuson continued to close until the first turn of the final lap when Locuson exited the track with mechanical failure. Heim raced to the checkered flag for the win that he will never forget followed by Swift, Steve Coslop, Tyler Reinhardt and Colin Bustard.
The fifteen year old Heim is in only his second season of competition. Heim fought a loose condition as he raced in the closing laps.
Alex Swift, Tyler Reinhardt and now Heim have been the three different winners in the 270 Micros this season.
Nate Smith opened the night of racing by winning the first Rookie Feature for the 600 Micro Sprints. Smith took the lead from Justin Murphy as they exited turn four and headed to the checkered flag. Billy Calvert finished second, ahead of Murphy at the finish line.
The rain arrived as the Slingshot feature event made its way on the track. Officials were forced to cancel the rest of the racing program. The Slingshot and 4 Cylinder Enduro feature will be added to the show on May 26th.
The Spirit Auto Center Speedway will be dark this Friday night with action returning on Friday, May 26th.
600CC MICRO SPRINT FEATURE (20 laps): 1. Matt Smith, 2. Rob Vivona, 3. Travis Hill, 4. Jermain Godshall, 5. Sam Locuson, 6. Kyle Spence, 7. Jon Keller, 8. Nick Havens, 9. Jim Tippin, 10. Justin Murphy, 11. Brandon Pavel, 12. Rich Mellor, 13. Billy Calvert, 14. Kyle Melvin, 15. Amanda Onimus, 16. Kristy Hicks, 17. Joe Dopke, 18. Rich Afflerbach, 19. Nate Smith, 20. Rich Keller, 21. Mike Linderman, 22. Joe Bednarek, 23. Mike Fillbrunn, 24. Sam LaMothe
270CC MICRO SPRINT FEATURE (20 laps): 1. Ryan Heim, 2. Alex Swift, 3. Steve Coslop, 4. Tyler Reinhardt, 5. Colin Bustard, 6. John Blanda, 7. Brandon Shipley, 8. Luke Fogg, 9. Chris Locuson, 10. Ross Holler, 11. Decker Morrow, 12. Tyler Grau, 13. Rich Keller, 14. Brandon Ewing, 15. Billy Gray, DNS – Ryan Wozunk, John Wagner, Jr.
600CC MICRO SPRINT NOVICE DIVISION FEATURE (8 laps): 1. Nate Smith, 2. Billy Calvert, 3. Justin Murphy, 4. Kristi Hicks
Upcoming Events
Friday, May 19 – No racing
Friday, May 26 – 270 & 600 Micros, 4 Cylinder Enduros and Slingshots, plus 5/12 make-up features for SS & 4 Cylinders, racing at 8pm
Sunday, June 4 – Poker Series Hand #2 – 270 & 600 Micros, Slingshots and Xcel 600 Mods, racing at 6pm