Matt Smith Now Unsponsored

[Wayne]

Unfortunately there is a segment of the population that has deemed themselves the authority to decide when it's time to use the race card. And in the last few years they've used several decks of them.

+1320
Very true Randy!!!
Sad But True!!!

 

[Wayne]

How can anyone question the man's business ethics? He has brought a lot of money into the sport of drag racing. Some long term, some medium and some short (race to race). If it all stopped today, you just say thanks for the help and if we can ever work together in the future, great.

Many act as if once a name goes on a car they are indebted to the team forever. Life, and drag racing, doesn't work that way. Many teams have one race deals, and if you need a contract, the person on the other side isn't worth the time it takes to write it down.

Just an old man's opinion.

Thanks Virgil!!!

As I recall, when The Sheik & AJ got together & formed Al-Anabi, there were several Maters who voiced their dis-pleasure with "foreign" money coming into "OUR" sport!!!

I'm just happy that they are still spending some money in NHRA!

 

[Muddy]

How can anyone question the man's business ethics? He has brought a lot of money into the sport of drag racing. Some long term, some medium and some short (race to race). If it all stopped today, you just say thanks for the help and if we can ever work together in the future, great.

Many act as if once a name goes on a car they are indebted to the team forever. Life, and drag racing, doesn't work that way. Many teams have one race deals, and if you need a contract, the person on the other side isn't worth the time it takes to write it down.

Just an old man's opinion.

Except for the first sentence you could be talking aboout Evan Knoll

 

[Paul]

I already said I was mistaken and apologized to you Paul.

Chris, we crossed wires, I was juggling so many balls today that I didn't see your post by the time I was done with mine since I did it in spurts, I also apologize for the confusion my tardy post caused.

Its a pretty complex situation, perhaps Virgil is right, be happy with anyone that plops down some money into the sport under any terms. Things change, they can never be the way they used to in the earlier years of the sport, it gets hard to take some times.

With all the dough he has though and the fact that the motorcycle team likely was the smallest financial burder you think he could have scraped up some loose change to let them finish the season, that's what I would have tried to do but that's easy for me to say, I'm not the one writing the checks.

I actually like international competition in drag racing, I'm not against that. I loved the McGee motor program and one of my favorite races was watching Graham Cowin make it to the finals with a low buck program against Kenny Bernstein's high dollar team at the 87 Winternationals. He blew it up big time trying to beat Kenny and got a huge ovation from the fans (me included) on the return road for his efforts that day.

But those guys did it the "old school" way, working hard to build up their teams and cars and going head to head with the US teams.

I'm not so warm on someone just coming in with a fat checkbook and just buying there way to the top, I just don't have much respect for that approach, whatever country they come from, especially if they decide to bail out on some of their teams mid season.

I'm not proposing anything like don't let "checkbook" teams like this race but boy do I love seeing the Al-Anabi cars get beat, I guess that's good it makes the races more exciting for me.

 

[Jim]

I'm not so warm on someone just coming in with a fat checkbook and just buying there way to the top, I just don't have much respect for that approach, whatever country they come from, especially if they decide to bail out on some of their teams mid season.

Do you know what the commitment to Matt Smith was?

Jim

 

[NYNitro86]

Smith Family related but Rickie's got a fractured knee from the Accident yesterday, that'll probably put him on the shelf for awhile. If Matt doesn't get a new ride for PSM, maybe he can try to get an NHRA Pro Mod License to run his Pops's Car (well he won't have to worry about beating his wife again and again and again in PSM despite getting saved from the Doghouse by winning E-Town)

 

[JL]

I read somewhere that Tutterow and JR Todd were among the group impacted by the cutbacks, yet they were in Kansas in Al-Anabi livery... Interesting in my opinion.

 

[M&M]

Smith Family related but Rickie's got a fractured knee from the Accident yesterday, that'll probably put him on the shelf for awhile. If Matt doesn't get a new ride for PSM, maybe he can try to get an NHRA Pro Mod License to run his Pops's Car (well he won't have to worry about beating his wife again and again and again in PSM despite getting saved from the Doghouse by winning E-Town)

For peoples information Matt owns all the bike stuff,truck and trailer. KH did not own anything in the PSB class. He was just a sponsor.

 

[MHayes]

For peoples information Matt owns all the bike stuff,truck and trailer. KH did not own anything in the PSB class. He was just a sponsor.

OK, didn't know that was even questioned?

 

[Rat]

so a good r/u. What happens now, he's been sponsored constantly and his dad. I say if he could keep his bike runnin as good as last weekend, doesn't he have enough coin from the championship and the last few to support himself the rest? Problem is alot of the time his bike is just "there"

 

[Pete]

I read somewhere that Tutterow and JR Todd were among the group impacted by the cutbacks, yet they were in Kansas in Al-Anabi livery... Interesting in my opinion.

McAmis' explanation on Competition Plus stated "all of the teams have all of their equipment and can run the cars anyway they see fit. The only thing that got pulled is money. Its not like they asked people to rip logo's off or anything like that."

 

[matt Smith]

I am the only team that got cut that owns there own stuff... Every other team that got cut KH owns the cars, or motors,or rigs... They have been told they can use the stuff just keep it up.... My deal is alot different and can explain later... Matt

 

[none]

They can use the stuff just keep it up?? That sounds like a deal to me.

 

[Prix-Mo]

They can use the stuff just keep it up?? That sounds like a deal to me.

Yep sure would be, I guess that's why we haven't heard any complaints about the changes from those affected.