Carlsbad’s Smith Wins in Cleveland

R.K. Smith survived a wet track and a determined challenge from Kim Baker to win Saturday’s Sports Car Club of America race at the Cleveland Grand Prix road course.

Smith, of Carlsbad, was driving a Corvette. He took the lead in a home-straight charge on the fourth lap, and held a commanding lead through most of the race on the runways and taxiways at Burke Lakefront Airport.

After a red flag on the 23rd lap, Baker and Smith swapped the lead several times until they chased each other off the track in Turn 5 with less than two minutes remaining in the hour-long race.

Both cars returned to the track, and for a few seconds it appeared Baker would have the advantage. But Baker’s Corvette had a flat tire and spun 360 degrees as it accelerated to the track and never recovered.

“He came up as I was going into the corner, and we both ran off the road,” Smith said. “I was glad to see the checkered flag.”

FOOTBALL

The San Diego State football team officially begins its 1992 campaign today when the freshmen and newcomers report at 2 p.m.

The rookies begin practicing at 8:30 a.m. on Monday.

Veterans report Thursday, media day is Friday and full team practices begin Saturday.

“This is an exciting time of year,” said SDSU Coach Al Luginbill, who stays in the dormitories with his players during training camp. “We’ve got some tremendous challenges in front of us. Also, some tremendous opportunities.”

Luginbill expects all of the freshmen to redshirt, but that is the case every season. Marshall Faulk and Darnay Scott showed last fall that sometimes Luginbill’s plans fall through.

The Aztecs, coming off of a 28-17 loss to Tulsa Dec. 30 in the Freedom Bowl, their first bowl appearance since 1986, finished 8-4-1 last season.

They open the 1992 season against USC in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium on Sept. 5. They then continue what might be the most difficult schedule in school history--certainly the most difficult three-game span--with a Thursday night game at Brigham Young on Sept. 10, followed by a trip to the Rose Bowl to face UCLA on Sept. 26.