Ryan Smith Named ARDC Rookie of the Year

Ryan Smith Named ARDC Rookie of the Year
KUNKLETOWN, PA. – Ryan Smith earned a pair of awards Saturday night  
at the ARDC banquet. Fighting through a long season of American  
Racing Drivers Club midget races, the first-year competitor ended the  
year fifth overall in points and easily Rookie of the Year honoree.

“It was awesome,” said the excited teen-age driver. “Our goal was to  
win races this year but we had a handicap that was killing us Next  
year, our goal is to win races.” The ARDC season resulted from a  
casual offer to drive the Burke Trucking car early in the season.  
Ryan’s cool demeanor and skill behind the wheel led owner Shawn Burke  
to offer the ride full-time for 2007 with the goal of earning Rookie  
of the Year title. And win it they did!

Ryan’s year started with an outstanding repeat Slingshot win in the  
Gambler’s Classic in Atlantic City and never stopped from there.  
Smith also won the Slingshot race in the 2006 Gambler’s Classic and  
is now eligible for a three-time winner bonus in 2008.



His 2007 season included a top five in the National Midget Driver of  
the Year Rookie standings and a very gratifying 38th in national  
Midget standings, against stars such as Dave Darland, Levi Jones and  
Bobby East.



Ryan is the first driver to score double USAC Ford Focus Midget  
championships in the same year, winning both the Northeast and the  
Florida crowns for the 2006 season. He competed in three different  
divisions in the 2007 season, capturing the micro sprint nationals  
with nine feature wins joined by numerous top five finishes for that  
crown.


Ryan’s last race in the season was the ARDC Midget closer as  
Susquehanna on October 27, where engine problems relegated him to a  
15th-place finish. Since that race, he has been concentrating on  
school, where he is studying engineering at a community college and  
plans to transfer to a four-year university to continue his  
engineering studies. “I love the math and physics aspects of  
engineering,” he commented.

Tentatively, his next race will be in a 600cc Micro Sprint car at  
Fort Wayne, Indiana’s indoor track, but the car is still under  
construction. He also will run the Atlantic City ‘Gambler’s Classic’  
staged in conjunction with the Area Auto Racing News annual convention.

Ryan is being helped in his career by training from Future Stars in  
Racing Academy. The Academy helps prepare young drivers for success  
outside the car in public speaking; sponsor presentations; working  
with the media and behavior on and off the track. Future Stars in  
Racing is the exclusive driver development partner with the ASA Late  
Model Series. Marketing partners include Safety-Kleen, Awesome  
Racewear and Sunbelt Web Solutions. The Academy features a staff with  
decades of experience in all aspects of motorsports. To learn more  
about Ryan Smith and the Academy, go to www.futurestarsinracing.com.



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