From John Rittenoure
TULSA, Okla. (May 20, 2022) — TULSA, Okla. (May 20, 2022) – It was a family affair in Friday nights AmeriFlex / OCRS IMCA Sprint Car main event at the New Tulsa Speedway.
Danny Smith and stepson Kyle Clark battled for the top spot. But dad got the last word passing Clark for the final time late in the 30-lap feature to pick up the win.
It was the 12th OCRS career victory for Smith and became the eighth different winner of 2022.
“I will probably have to eat dinner some where else,” laughed Smith of what life at home will be like in the coming week. “I get to talk some trash for another week.”
Clark led for most of the race before dad caught him at the halfway point. Smith tried to mount a pass for the lead on the high side of lap 15 and at one time slightly bumped Clark.
“He changed his line and I ran into the back of him,” Smith said. “But it was not hard enough to make him mess up. He was just a sitting duck. When you are in the lead you are not going to change that, and I was back there having to race people and move around a lot. I attacked the corners at different angles.”
Smith would sling shot Clark in the corners but could not hold the lead. Finally a slide into the lead held and Smith raced to victory.
“That is the difference in 30 years of experience,” Smith smiled. “It was an old mans track. I don’t cut him no slack.
“He has not got to race much with all the engine problems. It was good to get out here and have some fun.”
Clark settled for second after leading most of the race.
“Being the leader is sometimes the worse thing because you don’t know what to do,” said Clark. “I think the cautions hurt me a lot. I started seeing him about halfway and started changing my line. I probably should have kept doing what I was doing and might have won it.
“I would diamond the corners and he would slide me. He had a better car.”
Clark feels next time will be different.
“I will give him this one, but I won’t give him the next one,” said Clark.
A pair of champions finished behind the duo. 2018 champion Alex Sewell finished in third ahead of defending AmeriFlex / OCRS champion Joe Bob Lee in fourth.
Oil Capital Racing Series
the New Tulsa Speedway
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Friday, May 20, 2022
Schure Built Suspensions Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 8-Alex Sewell[2]
2. 17E-Blake Edwards[1]
3. 08E-Elizabeth Phillips[7]
4. 8X-Austin Shores[3]
5. 7F-Noah Harris[6]
6. 45-Jason Cole[4]
7. 2-Whit Gastineau[5]
Lightning Wings Powder Coating Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 9$-Kyle Clark[1]
2. 55-Johnny Kent[2]
3. 8R-Ryker Pace[3]
4. 22-David Stephenson[7]
5. 38-Jimmy Forrester[4]
6. 31K-Ross Moore[5]
7. 22T-Frank Taft[6]
Smith Titanium Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 5-Joe Bob Lee[1]
2. 26M-Fred Mattox[2]
3. 50Z-Zach Chappell[3]
4. 20S-Sheldon Barksdale[6]
5. 22M-Rees Moran[4]
6. 12M-Mitchell Barros[7]
7. 22Z-Zach Campbell[5]
Car Fleet Heat Race #4 (8 Laps)
1. 77-Dean Drake Jr[1]
2. 5$-Danny Smith[4]
3. 16S-Steven Shebester[3]
4. 22C-Charlie Crumpton[2]
5. 88-Terry Easum[5]
6. 29L-Lane Goodman[6]
Hoosier Racing Tire B-Main (12 Laps)
1. 22M-Rees Moran[6]
2. 7F-Noah Harris[2]
3. 8X-Austin Shores[1]
4. 88-Terry Easum[4]
5. 22C-Charlie Crumpton[3]
6. 38-Jimmy Forrester[5]
7. 22T-Frank Taft[10]
8. 31K-Ross Moore[8]
9. 22Z-Zach Campbell[12]
10. 45-Jason Cole[9]
11. 12M-Mitchell Barros[13]
12. 2-Whit Gastineau[11]
13. 29L-Lane Goodman[7]
AmeriFlex Hose Accessories A-Main (30 Laps)
1. 5$-Danny Smith[3]
2. 9$-Kyle Clark[2]
3. 8-Alex Sewell[1]
4. 5-Joe Bob Lee[6]
5. 26M-Fred Mattox[9]
6. 22-David Stephenson[8]
7. 16S-Steven Shebester[14]
8. 55-Johnny Kent[7]
9. 88-Terry Easum[18]
10. 8X-Austin Shores[17]
11. 38-Jimmy Forrester[20]
12. 8R-Ryker Pace[12]
13. 17E-Blake Edwards[10]
14. 22M-Rees Moran[15]
15. 22C-Charlie Crumpton[19]
16. 08E-Elizabeth Phillips[4]
17. 20S-Sheldon Barksdale[11]
18. 50Z-Zach Chappell[13]
19. 7F-Noah Harris[16]
20. (BF) 77-Dean Drake Jr[5]