Ben Smith didn't know if he was going to be running for points this year.

As it turns out, he might collect two go-kart track titles.

Smith, 13, of Center Township already has clinched the Junior Box Stock title at Pine Hill in Shippenville.

Entering Sunday's race at Slippery Rock Speedway, Smith has a 17-point lead with two races remaining.

"When I won my first race out this year at Shippenville, I thought I could do it," said Smith, an eighth-grader at Butler Junior High School. "That just got things moving and then it just sort of happened."

At Pine Hill, which is runs races on Saturdays, Smith competed in the 13 races and won by 12 points. Oddly enough, he won only one race.

At Slippery Rock, he's fared much better, with six wins out of 14, but it wasn't as easy as it sounds.

"Over a month ago, I started winning at Slippery Rock and pulled ahead in points," said Smith. "That gave us the thought that we could win this."

Smith gradually has increased the number of races he has run in his four years of racing.

A trip to Lernerville Speedway in Sarver helped fuel Smith's interest.

Seeing Brian Swartzlander's No. 83 car, he thought it looked nice - and he thought Swartzlander could win that night.

Swartzlander did win, and Smith has taken the number along for his ride.

"We built a yard kart to ride all around the yard," said Smith's father John.

Smith ran in the Rookie Class his first year in racing, winning seven of the eight races he competed in at Slippery Rock Speedway.

He didn't run enough races to earn a points title that year, but he moved up to Junior Box Stock the following year.

"He's run about 25 races a year now," said John Smith. "We're running almost every weekend."

"My first two years, I ran about half the races (at Slippery Rock)," said Ben Smith. "I finished third in points both times. Last year, I didn't run all the races and finished fourth."

Smith had never raced for points at Pine Hill, but with a full slate this season, he will have totaled about 30 races by season's end.

Now in his third year in Junior Box Stock, the season becomes a little easier as it rolls along, Smith said.

"In the beginning it's easy," said the young driver said. "Everyone is off their game and you can hold your own.

"Then you get to know people and know what they do to pass.

"It definitely takes more skill," he added.

Despite his age, Smith doesn't just do the driving. He's involved in every aspect of his kart.

"If I didn't go to the track, he could do everything himself," John Smith said. "We have scales to change the percentages and he can do all of that. He changes tires and even helps others at the races."

Smith will try to get a taste of his future racing this season but will most likely remain in his current division another season.

"I'll try and race the last race this year at the next division (the Senior Lites for 15-year-olds), then stay here for another year in this division," he added.