MINERSVILLE, PA – Mark Smith out of Sunbury, PA dominated the field at Big Diamond Speedway, earning the 5th win of his season, but his first with URC in 2021. The no. M1 was fast all night and it was enough to land him in victory lane on Friday, May 21 during the United Racing Club’s first of two appearances Big Diamond Speedway.
It was a beautiful night in Schuylkill County where twenty-two sprint cars signed into the back gate to compete for the win and the $1,500 prize. Mark Smith blew the field away in hot laps with a time of 13.566 which would stand as the quickest lap of the entire night. Heat race action was intense as there were several battles for lead and redraw positions. When the dust settled, M. Smith, Tyler Ross, and Joe Kata went on to win their respective heat races.
After the top twelve drivers redrew, Joe Kata out of Goshen, NY and Ryan Kissinger of Bloomsburg, PA would lead the field to the green for the 25 lap feature. Kissinger shot out to the early lead however by lap two Mark Smith took control of the race from the fourth position as drivers behind him battled for position. Kata, Kissinger, and current point leader Jason Shultz put on a show for the fans as they jockeyed for position within the top 5. It wasn’t long before Smith caught the tail end of the field and starting slicing through lapped traffic with Shultz in hot pursuit.
With about 11 to go, Kyle Smith would bring out the caution after hitting one o of the large tractor tires around the inside of the speedway, ending his night. However, this would bunch up the field and allow someone to have a shot at Smith for the top spot.
Smith rocketed away until another caution flew late in the race. The cautions never seemed to phase Smith as he held onto his lead and went on to win the 25 lap main event. Jason Shultz, Tyler Ross, Ryan Kissinger, and Josh Weller rounded out the top 5 after Joe Kata, who crossed the line fourth was disqualified for an illegal wicker bill.
“The track was pretty racey I thought, you could move around quite a bit” said Smith after his win. “I was probably a little too patient with the lapped cars, I wasn’t sure how big of a lead I had and I had to be careful with the lappers.”
When asked what makes him so dominate at Big Diamond, Smith said, “it’s a small place, unique in its own way, but those big euc tires in the middle there they can sneak up on you once in a while but it’s the same for everybody.”
Mark would like to thank Rich Mar Florist, CRC, NGK Spark Plugs, Quality Roof Seamers, CSI Shocks, Ryder Racing Engines, NRG Controls, Simpson Racing Products, and Mach-1 Racing Chassis, as well as his crew, family, and friends for helping get the M1 to victory lane.
The next race on the schedule for the United Racing Club Sprint Cars is the 8th annual Kramer Kup on June 5 at Selinsgrove Speedway. The Kramer Kup honors the memory Kramer Williamson who tragically lost his life in 2013 at Lincoln Speedway behind the wheel of a URC Sprint car. Mark Smith has won 5 of the last 7 Kramer Kup races, with Robbie Stillwaggon and JJ Grasso winning the other two.
Photo Credit: Jesse Carberry
Contingency awards:
KSE Hard Charger – Robbie Stillwaggon +8
Ultra Shield last redraw spot – Josh Weller
ISC Racers Tape – Josh Weller (4th)
Seals-It – Robbie Stillwaggon (6th)
Rod End Supply – Adam Carberry (8th)
Ultra Shield – Mike Thompson (11th)
King Racing Products – Joey Amantea (15th)
DMI – Kevin Darling (last in feature)
Feature Laps Led by:
1 Ryan Kissinger
2-25 Mark Smith
RESULTS – MAY 21, 2021
HEAT 1 (8 LAPS): 1. M1-Mark Smith[2]; 2. 47-Adam Carberry[4]; 3. 63-Josh Weller[5]; 4. 17G-Devin Gundrum[3]; 5. 11T-Mike Thompson[8]; 6. 9D-Kevin Darling[6]; 7. 42-Jesse Pruchnik[7]; 8. (DNF) 5Z-Zack Burd[1]
HEAT 2 (8 LAPS): 1. 5-Tyler Ross[2]; 2. 35-Jason Shultz[1]; 3. 7X-Ryan Taylor[7]; 4. 22-Troy Betts[4]; 5. 89-Robbie Stillwaggon[5]; 6. 32-Kyle Smith[3]; 7. 1-Jake Hummel[6]
HEAT 3 (8 LAPS): 1. 10-Joe Kata[1]; 2. 66-Ryan Kissinger[4]; 3. 11-Ryan Stillwaggon[3]; 4. 55-Dallas Schott[6]; 5. 34-Andy Best[5]; 6. 88J-Joey Amantea[7]; 7. 10X-Ryan Smith[2]
A-FEATURE (25 LAPS): 11. M1-Mark Smith[4]; 2. 35-Jason Shultz[3]; 3. 5-Tyler Ross[5]; 4. 66-Ryan Kissinger[2]; 5. 63-Josh Weller[9]; 6. 89-Robbie Stillwaggon[14]; 7. 55-Dallas Schott[12]; 8. 47-Adam Carberry[8]; 9. 22-Troy Betts[11]; 10. 34-Andy Best[15]; 11. 11T-Mike Thompson[13]; 12. 11-Ryan Stillwaggon[7]; 13. 42-Jesse Pruchnik[19]; 14. 17G-Devin Gundrum[10]; 15. 88J-Joey Amantea[18]; 16. 7X-Ryan Taylor[6]; 17. (DNF) 1-Jake Hummel[20]; 18. (DNF) 32-Kyle Smith[17]; 19. (DNF) 9D-Kevin Darling[16]; 20. (DNS) 5Z-Zack Burd; 21. (DNS) 10X-Ryan Smith; 22. (DQ) 10-Joe Kata[1]
TOP 10 URC DRIVER POINTS (as of 5/21/21)
- Jason Shultz – 697
- Andy Best – 635 (-62)
- Dallas Schott – 593 (-104)
- Adam Carberry – 570 (-127)
- Ryan Stillwaggon – 534 (-163)
- Josh Weller – 510 (-187)
- Mike Thompson – 470 (-227)
- Kevin Darling - 381 (-316)
- Derek Locke – 364 (-333)
- Ryan Smith – 357 (-340)
TOP 10 URC OWNER POINTS (as of 5/21/21)
- Ritter Racing – 697
- Mark VanVorst– 635 (-62)
- Dallas Schott – 593 (-104)
- Adam Carberry – 570 (-127)
- Robert Stillwaggon – 534 (-163)
- Lenox Thompson – 470 (-227)
- Josh Weller – 397 (-300)
- Kevin Darling - 381 (-316)
- Derek Locke – 364 (-333)
- Ryan Kissinger – 347 (-350)
- Casey Robicheau on May 23, 2021
- Article Date: 5/21/2021 by Casey Robicheau