CLERMONT, Ind. – After barely missing the Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway last year, NHRA Full Throttle Series Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Angie Smith was determined to get into the show this year. Thanks to a 7.012 second ET on Sunday, her best of the weekend, Smith is qualified 12th for the Big Go on Monday.
“I’m excited!” Smith said in the Matt Smith Racing pit after the final round of qualifying. “It’s an honor to be here and it takes a lot of hard work to get here and to be here and to race on Monday. We did it. We didn’t do it last year, but we did it this year.”
With Matt Smith, her husband and a former winner here, Angie was confident she had the bike necessary to race in the biggest event on the NHRA calendar. There’s still some concern about the way her Buell is reacting at the starting line, however.
“My hubby did a good job tuning,” she said. “We’ve just got to get the bike to leave the starting line. We’re still struggling at the 60 foot, but hopefully we’ll have it figured out for tomorrow. I have to race Hector (Arana) Jr., so hopefully we’ll have a little something for him.”
Arana qualified fifth with an ET of 6.950 seconds at 193.65 mph. Andrew Hines edged out Matt Smith for top qualifier honors during the final run on Sunday. Matt had been the provisional polesitter with the 6.954 he ran Friday night, but Hines topped that with a 6.909 Sunday afternoon.
Eliminations will start Monday at 11 a.m. For more information on the Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals or for tickets, visit NHRA.com.
“I’m excited!” Smith said in the Matt Smith Racing pit after the final round of qualifying. “It’s an honor to be here and it takes a lot of hard work to get here and to be here and to race on Monday. We did it. We didn’t do it last year, but we did it this year.”
With Matt Smith, her husband and a former winner here, Angie was confident she had the bike necessary to race in the biggest event on the NHRA calendar. There’s still some concern about the way her Buell is reacting at the starting line, however.
“My hubby did a good job tuning,” she said. “We’ve just got to get the bike to leave the starting line. We’re still struggling at the 60 foot, but hopefully we’ll have it figured out for tomorrow. I have to race Hector (Arana) Jr., so hopefully we’ll have a little something for him.”
Arana qualified fifth with an ET of 6.950 seconds at 193.65 mph. Andrew Hines edged out Matt Smith for top qualifier honors during the final run on Sunday. Matt had been the provisional polesitter with the 6.954 he ran Friday night, but Hines topped that with a 6.909 Sunday afternoon.
Eliminations will start Monday at 11 a.m. For more information on the Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals or for tickets, visit NHRA.com.
