CLUTCH CABLE PUTS SMITH OUT OF THE FINALS
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/M_Smith_831831.jpg" alt="M_Smith_831831" align="right"borders="0"/>
Reigning NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion and current point’s leader, Matt Smith took his Nitrofish Buell into Memphis with the point’s lead and he hoped to keep it that way at day’s end.
Not only was Smith focused on trying to maintain his point’s lead, but the Nitrofish rider had three bikes in his stable to worry about throughout the weekend as well. Smith had not only his own bike to run, but had teammate Angie McBride’s as well as for the first time GT Tonglet. Tonglet was aboard one of Smith’s Buell’s as well.
Smith got all three Buell’s in the field as he qualified his Buell in the third position for Sunday’s eliminations. Smith had to square off against Mike Berry first round, and with both his teammates taking out Countdown to One contender’s, Steve Johnson and Chip Ellis first round, Smith knew he too needed to win and that he did.
Smith now had Three-time Champ, Angelle Sampey, Smith and his cool and collective personality remained calm as he left on the Champ and outran her, Smith would find himself in the semi-finals for the second consecutive week. This time he would run up against the guy directly behind him in the point’s standings, Eddie Kraweic.
With Smith’s Nitrofish Buell in the staging beams, he soon realized that he had big problems. As the clutch cable broke on Smith’s bike he would be unable to hold the bike back as it would take off, which forced Smith to redlight by .005 and end his day.
“We are disappointed,” said Smith. “Our bike was running great and I thought we had a chance to win this thing. It sucks that the cable broke, but there is nothing I can do about it at this point. We ran well up to this point and we still have the point’s lead, so we will just have to wait it out until the end of the month when Vegas rolls around.”
Smith goes into the last two races of the 2008 season with a 42 point lead over Eddie Kraweic. The Pro Stock Motorcycle class will have three weeks off as they wait for Vegas and Pomona on the schedule.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/M_Smith_831831.jpg" alt="M_Smith_831831" align="right"borders="0"/>
Reigning NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion and current point’s leader, Matt Smith took his Nitrofish Buell into Memphis with the point’s lead and he hoped to keep it that way at day’s end.
Not only was Smith focused on trying to maintain his point’s lead, but the Nitrofish rider had three bikes in his stable to worry about throughout the weekend as well. Smith had not only his own bike to run, but had teammate Angie McBride’s as well as for the first time GT Tonglet. Tonglet was aboard one of Smith’s Buell’s as well.
Smith got all three Buell’s in the field as he qualified his Buell in the third position for Sunday’s eliminations. Smith had to square off against Mike Berry first round, and with both his teammates taking out Countdown to One contender’s, Steve Johnson and Chip Ellis first round, Smith knew he too needed to win and that he did.
Smith now had Three-time Champ, Angelle Sampey, Smith and his cool and collective personality remained calm as he left on the Champ and outran her, Smith would find himself in the semi-finals for the second consecutive week. This time he would run up against the guy directly behind him in the point’s standings, Eddie Kraweic.
With Smith’s Nitrofish Buell in the staging beams, he soon realized that he had big problems. As the clutch cable broke on Smith’s bike he would be unable to hold the bike back as it would take off, which forced Smith to redlight by .005 and end his day.
“We are disappointed,” said Smith. “Our bike was running great and I thought we had a chance to win this thing. It sucks that the cable broke, but there is nothing I can do about it at this point. We ran well up to this point and we still have the point’s lead, so we will just have to wait it out until the end of the month when Vegas rolls around.”
Smith goes into the last two races of the 2008 season with a 42 point lead over Eddie Kraweic. The Pro Stock Motorcycle class will have three weeks off as they wait for Vegas and Pomona on the schedule.
