CLERMONT, Ind. – On a brutally hot day at Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis, former NHRA Full Throttle Series Pro Stock Motorcycle champ and U.S. Nationals winner Matt Smith threw down the gauntlet in the form of a 6.954 second run at 190.97 mph. The run was good enough to launch him to the top of the PSM charts after Friday’s only qualifying round and enter Saturday as the provisional top qualifier.
The 57th Annual Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals is going to be a busy event for the King, N.C., native. He’s riding and tuning his own Haltech/Redline/Affliction Buell, tuning the bikes for his wife, Angie, and Matt Smith Racing’s third entry, Michael Ray, as well as driving a Pro Mod for his dad, Rickie, who was cleared to race here himself last week after a vicious crash at Bristol in June.
“Today has been exciting,” he said, addressing the media after his run. “Michael’s bike didn’t shift, but it left good. Angie’s bike rolled the beams, but she still went (7.140). She probably wouldn’t went .02 or .03. And in the Pro Mod, we shook, so I just let out of it. I don’t have enough laps in it to drive out of that, so I’m not going to do that right now.”
The main story was the nearly 110 degree heat that caused Angie to literally pass out at their pit after her run. “It’s miserable out there because it’s so hot. Those fans, they’re high quality to sit out there in the sun like that.”
While Matt is looking for his second win of the season and first No. 1 qualifier of the year (and the 19th of his career), the 13-time Nationals winner doesn’t think his current time will be the one leading the field come Monday’s eliminations.
“We should see something better as the weekend progresses,” he said. “The weather is supposed to get cooler. It’s pretty hot out there and the track is slick. I’m sure we’re going to see some .80s. All in all, we had a great lap. We didn’t have a great lap in the Pro Mod car, but I’m just happy I’m doing both.”
In the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series, Matt is driving a 2011 Camaro sponsored by IDG. He is currently 21st on the board. Rickie is qualified ninth in his brand-new ’11 Jerry Bickel-built IDG Camaro after a 6.248 second run.
Sponsor Matt:Matt is providing a unique opportunity to be a sponsor for his Matt Smith Racing Buell for the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at zMAX Dragway, his home track. Sponsoring Matt Smith for the Sept. 15-19, 2011, NHRA Full Throttle Series event at zMAX Dragway gives fans an invitation to the MSR Pit Party Sept. 15, 2011, at the track, the opportunity to sign the bike, an autograph from Matt & Angie Smith, and the opportunity to participate in a group picture with Matt, Angie, the MSR Buell, and other sponsors. If fans are unable to attend the MSR Pit Party, Matt or Angie can personally sign the bike for them. For more information, click HERE.
Spectator gates at the Big Go open Saturday at 7 a.m. EDT with the Pro Stock/Pro Stock Motorcycle sessions kicking off at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. and the last two qualifying rounds of the weekend set to run Sunday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. 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.
Fans of Matt Smith can find updates and photos of Matt Smith Racing at MattSmithRacing.com, Facebook.com/MattSmithRacing, and Twitter.com/MattSmithRacing. Videos of Matt and Matt Smith Racing can be found at YouTube.com/MattSmithNHRA. For information regarding sponsorship opportunities with Matt Smith Racing, please e-mail [email protected].
The 57th Annual Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals is going to be a busy event for the King, N.C., native. He’s riding and tuning his own Haltech/Redline/Affliction Buell, tuning the bikes for his wife, Angie, and Matt Smith Racing’s third entry, Michael Ray, as well as driving a Pro Mod for his dad, Rickie, who was cleared to race here himself last week after a vicious crash at Bristol in June.
“Today has been exciting,” he said, addressing the media after his run. “Michael’s bike didn’t shift, but it left good. Angie’s bike rolled the beams, but she still went (7.140). She probably wouldn’t went .02 or .03. And in the Pro Mod, we shook, so I just let out of it. I don’t have enough laps in it to drive out of that, so I’m not going to do that right now.”
The main story was the nearly 110 degree heat that caused Angie to literally pass out at their pit after her run. “It’s miserable out there because it’s so hot. Those fans, they’re high quality to sit out there in the sun like that.”
While Matt is looking for his second win of the season and first No. 1 qualifier of the year (and the 19th of his career), the 13-time Nationals winner doesn’t think his current time will be the one leading the field come Monday’s eliminations.
“We should see something better as the weekend progresses,” he said. “The weather is supposed to get cooler. It’s pretty hot out there and the track is slick. I’m sure we’re going to see some .80s. All in all, we had a great lap. We didn’t have a great lap in the Pro Mod car, but I’m just happy I’m doing both.”
In the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series, Matt is driving a 2011 Camaro sponsored by IDG. He is currently 21st on the board. Rickie is qualified ninth in his brand-new ’11 Jerry Bickel-built IDG Camaro after a 6.248 second run.
Sponsor Matt:Matt is providing a unique opportunity to be a sponsor for his Matt Smith Racing Buell for the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at zMAX Dragway, his home track. Sponsoring Matt Smith for the Sept. 15-19, 2011, NHRA Full Throttle Series event at zMAX Dragway gives fans an invitation to the MSR Pit Party Sept. 15, 2011, at the track, the opportunity to sign the bike, an autograph from Matt & Angie Smith, and the opportunity to participate in a group picture with Matt, Angie, the MSR Buell, and other sponsors. If fans are unable to attend the MSR Pit Party, Matt or Angie can personally sign the bike for them. For more information, click HERE.
Spectator gates at the Big Go open Saturday at 7 a.m. EDT with the Pro Stock/Pro Stock Motorcycle sessions kicking off at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. and the last two qualifying rounds of the weekend set to run Sunday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. 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.
Fans of Matt Smith can find updates and photos of Matt Smith Racing at MattSmithRacing.com, Facebook.com/MattSmithRacing, and Twitter.com/MattSmithRacing. Videos of Matt and Matt Smith Racing can be found at YouTube.com/MattSmithNHRA. For information regarding sponsorship opportunities with Matt Smith Racing, please e-mail [email protected].
