From CL Motorsports
HOLMESVILLE, Ohio. – September 6, 2012 – If there is one track across the nation that Stevie Smith feels he has a score to settle with, it’s Port Royal (PA) Speedway. The extremely fast half-mile oval has been a source of frustration throughout the year for the driver of the #19 CL Motorsports/DDNi/CJB Motorspports/Spectro Oils KPC. In three starts, the “Black Bandit” has crashed during the feature, didn’t transfer out of the B-main and finished second after leading 25 laps.
“Port hasn’t been kind to us this year,” said Smith, a native of New Oxford, Pa. “Our cars have been fast every time we have went there. Luck of the draw, small mechanical woes and misunderstandings have cost us some great finishes.”
Smith and the #19 team first tackled the track situated near the Juniata County fairgrounds on April 28. After timing in second overall and maintaining a strong presence throughout his heat race and dash, Smith spun during the opening laps of the feature event and was hit hard by on coming traffic. A collapsed nose wing prevented Smith from qualifying during the teams next visit on May 24. Without a lap in time trials, Smith had to start his heat race and the B-main at the tail of the field. The #19 car did not make the feature.
By the time Pennsylvania Speedweek had started, Smith and his team carried a lot of momentum into the track and nearly won back-to-back features.
“We had won the Mitch Smith Memorial the night before at Williams Grove Speedway,” said Smith. “We pretty much led the entire race at Port Royal until a late yellow came out. There was a lap car between (second place) Tyler Walker and myself. I didn’t know that the lap car elected to drop to the tail of the field so I didn’t protect the bottom like I should have when we restarted. Tyler got by us in turn one and set sail. It was very frustrating because I knew we had that race nearly one and a simple misunderstanding cost us the victory.”
With only one weekend left at Port Royal Speedway on his schedule, Smith is looking to the 45th AB Autoglass Tuscarora 50 sanctioned by the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions as redemption for a season of frustration at the track. The weekend consists of a opening night event, the Night Before the 50, on Friday, September 7 and then the $10,000-to-win 45th Annual AB Autoglass Tuscarora 50 on Saturday, September 8.
“I won the Tuscarora 50 last year with the Zemco Racing team and it was one of the
highlights of our year,” said Smith, who also won the event in 1988. “It’s the last big event of the season for the track and is a favorite among sprint car drivers. There is also some extra money on the line as lap leaders and the mid race leader will get bonuses. Port Royal is a wide open and very fast track. I would venture to say it’s one of the quickest places we go. Anything can happen in a second so having a keen sense of your surroundings is crucial. Luckily, we’ll be racing there Friday night before Saturday’s main event so we can fine-tune our setup. Port Royal, like Attica Raceway Park, is a place where we feel as if we’ve lost a few wins this season and we’ll go out this weekend with the intent to even out the score a bit.”
Following the 45th Annual AB Autoglass Tuscarora 50 at Port Royal Speedway, the #19 team will set its sights on the Jim Ford Classic, a $10,000-to-win event, at Fremont (OH) Speedway on Friday, September 14 and Saturday, September 15.
Pit gates for the Night Before the 50 and the 45th Annual AB Autoglass Tuscarora 50 will open at 3 p.m. with time trials beginning at 7 p.m.
For more information about Port Royal Speedway, please visit www.PortRoyalSpeedway.com
For more information on CL Motorsports and the Black Bandit, please visit
www.TheBlackBandit.com
Stay in touch with the Black Bandit and CL Motorsports
The Black Bandit and CL Motorsports are committed to providing their fans and media partners with the most up to date information. Please visit www.TheBlackBandit.com for more news and content. For media and PR information, please contact Kyle Luetters at kluetters@clmotorsports.net. You can also follow along on these social media sites: