CONCORD, N.C. – Being a racer means traveling all over the country, sometimes spending weeks at a time without sleeping in their own bed. So when the show comes to the home track, things are supposed to be easier. Right?
Not so much.
North Carolina native Angie Smith’s day at zMAX Dragway for the NHRA Full Throttle Series’ second stop of the year here was a stressful one without a doubt. She kicked off the first round with an ET of 6.901 seconds. Had that stuck, it would have been the fourth-fastest of the round. Unfortunately, the run was disallowed after one of the timing cones was hit by the rider in the opposite lane, Shawn Gann.
With air temperature hovering in the high 50s and track temps averaging around 75 degrees, the track was in a giving mood Friday. Unfortunately, rain was in the area and there were concerns Angie wouldn’t be able to make a second pass. There was also the added concern that inclement weather on Saturday could prevent any further qualifying.
Fortunately, the track didn’t go into a rain delay until after Angie’s Q2 pass 6.920 seconds at 190.46 mph, ending her first day of the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals fifth on the PSM qualifying ladder.
“First day’s been pretty good,” she said Friday night. “We kinda regrouped (after the first round) and I was pretty mad about it because you drive it the best that you can and you only have two shots. I did that. I went fast and it got thrown out.
“In the second run, I went out there and showed them that the .90 wasn’t a fluke. They didn’t throw it out for any reason or any stupid reason. All in all, we had a pretty good day. A .90 and a .92 is pretty darned good for the first day at Charlotte.”
Angie’s team owner, tuner, and husband Matt Smith finished the day second on the charts with a run of 6.871 seconds. Former class champion and current No. 1 seed in the PSM Countdown to 1 Eddie Krawiec finished the day as the provisional top qualifier with a lap of 6.833 seconds at 196.70 mph.
Not so much.
North Carolina native Angie Smith’s day at zMAX Dragway for the NHRA Full Throttle Series’ second stop of the year here was a stressful one without a doubt. She kicked off the first round with an ET of 6.901 seconds. Had that stuck, it would have been the fourth-fastest of the round. Unfortunately, the run was disallowed after one of the timing cones was hit by the rider in the opposite lane, Shawn Gann.
With air temperature hovering in the high 50s and track temps averaging around 75 degrees, the track was in a giving mood Friday. Unfortunately, rain was in the area and there were concerns Angie wouldn’t be able to make a second pass. There was also the added concern that inclement weather on Saturday could prevent any further qualifying.
Fortunately, the track didn’t go into a rain delay until after Angie’s Q2 pass 6.920 seconds at 190.46 mph, ending her first day of the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals fifth on the PSM qualifying ladder.
“First day’s been pretty good,” she said Friday night. “We kinda regrouped (after the first round) and I was pretty mad about it because you drive it the best that you can and you only have two shots. I did that. I went fast and it got thrown out.
“In the second run, I went out there and showed them that the .90 wasn’t a fluke. They didn’t throw it out for any reason or any stupid reason. All in all, we had a pretty good day. A .90 and a .92 is pretty darned good for the first day at Charlotte.”
Angie’s team owner, tuner, and husband Matt Smith finished the day second on the charts with a run of 6.871 seconds. Former class champion and current No. 1 seed in the PSM Countdown to 1 Eddie Krawiec finished the day as the provisional top qualifier with a lap of 6.833 seconds at 196.70 mph.
