Catchfence

The #37 Spraker Racing Team unloaded at historic South Boston Speedway for the K&N Pro Series East event with a car that was competitive from the very first laps that were turned on the track. Having never seen this tough ½ mile track, Andrew Smith proved he was a quick study as he continually improved his time in the first practice session, ultimately posting the 6th fastest lap with the car in race trim. The second session involved some addition refinements and ultimately a “mock” qualifying run which put him up near the top of the charts – it was now time to prepare for Time Trials.

By the luck of the draw, Andrew would have an early spot in qualifying, which was a distinct disadvantage. His time would hold up for eighth starting spot in the field of 26, with the top ten positions separated by only a tenth of a second.

Knowing that the 150 lap event would require a great deal of patience, Smith settled into the top-ten and maintained his rhythm for the first 100 laps. At this point, he began to notice a change in the handling characteristics of the car which culminated in a blown right front tire that put him in the wall on lap 110. Andrew brought the car to pit road to the attention of the Spraker Racing crew who replaced the tire and pulled away the sheet metal. The #37 re-joined the field, but had lost laps as a result of the on-track incident and damage to the car. Andrew managed to pick up a few positions in the waning laps, to salvage a top 20 finish.

After the race, a disappointed Smith commented: “The team brought an awesome car to the track, but when the tire went down, I just couldn’t keep it off the wall. We had a great run going – we’ll just have to hold our head high and look forward to the next race.” Car owner, Jeff Spraker, noted: “After practice and qualifying, we knew we were in a position to have a great run here at South Boston. Andrew adapted to the track very quickly and drove a smart race until we had the tire issue. It’s unfortunate, but we’ll move forward as a team and hope for better luck next time!”

The next event for Andrew and the Spraker Racing Enterprises team will be at Iowa Speedway on May 23rd.

- Spraker Racing Enterprises Press Release