From Skyline Speedway
Stewart, OH — (June 15, 2012) — Some things never change, and that is something that Danny Smith likes. The former World of Outlaw star and multi-time track champion at various venues around the nation was again the class of the OVSCA sprint car field. For Smith of Chillicothe, it was his fifth Skyline Speedway win and third in a row in the potent OVSCA sprint series.
Smith’s Maxim/Coors Light/Kears/JD Engines powered #4 started on the pole as a result of a last lap pass of Aaron Higgins in the qualifying heat race. Smith and Nathan Skaggs paced the field to the green with Smith narrowly taking the lead into turn one. Skaggs hung close for a couple laps then Higgins made it a three-way race before Smith began to stretch out the lead.
Smith was dominant from the fifth lap on in the green-to-checkered run, lapping several cars multiple times and lapping all cars up to fourth place finisher Jimmy Stinson. Local fans have had the luxury of having such an opportunity to watch one of the all-time greats behind the wheel, sawing on the wheel with uncanny precision.
Higgins and Skaggs had runs worthy of a win, but despite their awesome efforts, they had to settle for second and third respectively.
Rounding out the top ten were Smith, Higgins, Skaggs, Jimmy Stinson, Kory Crabtree, Wes McGlumphy, Dave Dickson, Josh Davis, Greg Mitchell, and Brian Benson.
For much of the race Crabtree, McGlumphy, Dickson, Davis and Mitchell battled for a shot at fifth, sometimes zooming three abreast around the Skyline high banks. Brian Benson was the hard charger in the sprints moving up five positions from 15th to 10th. The torrid race lasted six minutes and 12 seconds.
Breathing in an extra gulp of air and with a sigh of relief, Smith acknowledged, “This was tough! It was a demanding track tonight…a little different than what we are used to. We had it loose enough to run through the tacky parts and tight enough to run through the slick. Tonight experience paid off.”
410 Sprint Cars (16)
Fast Time: Aaron Higgins 11:81
Heat One: Danny Smith, Aaron Higgins, Kory Crabtree, Wes McGlumphy, Mark Imler, David Smith, Bob Tucker, Trey Gustin
Heat Two: Nathan Skaggs, Jimmy Stinson, Greg Mitchell, Dave Dickson, Josh Davis, Eric Martin, Brian Benson, Benny Hickle
Feature: Danny Smith, Aaron Higgins, Nathan Skaggs, Jimmy Stinson, Kory Crabtree, Wes McGlumphy, Dave Dickson, Josh Davis, Greg Mitchell, Brian Benson, Eric Martin, Bob Tucker, David Smith, Mark Imler, Trey Gustin, Benny Hickle