Sizzling July pace keeps Mansfield truck driving ace on top

Ryan Smith (Pic: Paul Horton Motorsport Photography)

The Knorr Bremse sponsored MAN rookie, in only his second year of Class A racing in the British Truck Racing Championship, is storming ahead in the standings.

At Donington Park hundreds of his fans turned out to see him start the race weekend well, qualifying in second place with a time of 1:27.716s and a top speed of 81.22mph.

The first race on Saturday saw Smith on pole position and from the lights going out he led the race from start to finish in a faultless display.

A reverse grid format for race two put Smith at the back of the grid with 10 trucks in front of him.

But by the end of lap two her had made up five valuable places and was in sixth position, gaining an extra place on lap three and fourth position by lap six.

A close battle took place from then on in, Smith getting into third position by lap eight and holding it to finish in 1.27:779s with a gap of around 11 seconds on first.

Sunday saw again Smith start from middle of the grid on row three.

Things got interesting as Smith was hit from behind and had a very close encounter with the pit wall, causing a red flag as the race was stopped.

But he managed to take the restart and flew through the pack, finishing the 10 lap race in second place despite having six flat spotted race tyres.

In the next race he started on row four alongside Stuart Oliver, dropping to eighth position before going on to secure fourth.

And in the final outing of the weekend he started in seventh.

By the end of lap one he was in fourth position and pushing David Smith, Powell and keader David Jenkins on lap two.

Smith retired putting Smith in second place, pushing Jenkins.

He stayed in second with some close racing until a fantastic move on lap eight put him in first position where he remained to take the chequered flag on lap 12.

It was an excellent race weekend with results to match and it put the Mansfield man on 190 points, top of the championship standings where he has sat for four months.

The next event is at Silverstone in just over a week’s time where he will be keen to further his championship lead