Simmons Clutch In Second Straight New Egypt Crate Classic Win
For Immediate Release
New Egypt, NJ - Cream Ridge, NJ’s Ryan Simmons picked up his second straight Mr. Crate Classic victory at New Egypt Speedway on Saturday night in the 4th Annual event held for the Ice Less LLC Crate Modifieds. Simmons held off a mid race charge from Jim Housworth and was able to pull away to his fifth career Ice Less LLC Crate Modified win in the extra distance event at the Ocean County D-Shaped oval.
Aaron Weaver led the field of Ice Less LLC Crate Modifieds to the green flag with Robby Dunn on the outside pole. Dunn would lead the first trip around the speedway and held the lead for the first four laps until he would catch the inside guardrail in turn two with his left front wheel pushing him up the race track allowing third place starter Ryan Simmons to get underneath him down the backstretch with Simmons prevailing with the lead. Simmons would click off consistent laps building his advantage to up to 10 car lengths when the only caution of the event flew on lap 15 when Joe Nappi came to a stop in the second corner. When green replaced yellow Simmons jumped back out to the lead but the man on the move was Jim Housworth who had now settled into the second position. Housworth would stalk Simmons through lapped traffic mounting a challenge for the lead at one point. Once Simmons hit clean air and was able to change his line he would stretch out his lead over Housworth running away and hiding for his second straight win in the Mr. Crate Classic. Housworth held on for second with Ryan Heim, Jeremy Martino and Joe Toth rounding out the top five.
“I knew if I just kept my nose clean for the first few laps that I would have a shot there at the end, thirty laps is a long race for us, I was pretty proud of Robby (Dunn), he was holding his own. Once he clipped the inside wall he gave me an opening. As soon as I saw it I wasn’t going to lift because I got to beat him, he’s one of my best friends. After that lap 15 restart I had to pick a new lane because I knew Housworth was coming and where I was running was starting to kill me, once I moved down a lane I started to pull away those last five or so laps. We did a great job as a division tonight with only one caution in 30 laps, we showed that we deserve to be in the spotlight,” said Simmons post race.