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Coming off of a very frustrated week in Englishtown the week before, Matt Smith and Chris Rivas were looking to run much better at the inaugural running of the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in Norwalk, OH.
Running well in each qualifying pass on Friday and Saturday, Smith would take the top spot for the third time this year. Running a 6.965 et at 189.60 mph, Smith would qualify in the No. 1 position for the seventh time in his short career.
Facing off against Matt Guidera first round, Smith would cut a good light and run a 7.023 et to take the win. In the second round he had Peggy Llewellyn. Knowing he needed to be on his game, Smith cut a stellar light and hung on for the holeshot win.
In the semi’s, Smith would face off against the No. 2 rider in the points, Angelle Sampey. Needing to make a statement and keep his points lead, Smith knew he had to nail the tree. Cutting another great light and leaving on Angelle eight hundredths, Smith would advance to the finals on yet another holeshot win.
Running his fifth final in just seven races, Smith would come up against the champ Andrew Hines. With Hines putting down low elapse time each round on Sunday, Smith knew what he had to do in order to win. As Smith left on Hines three and a half hundredths and gained another two hundredths on him in sixty feet, it looked as if Smith would stay out front for the win until the bike wouldn’t come out of second gear.
“All in all, we had a good weekend,” said Smith. “We had some problems today with the tire shaking during first, second and third round, but after changing a few things it was smooth sailing in the finals until it wouldn’t shift. We gained some more points this weekend and I couldn’t be more excited about that.”
Smith’s Torco teammate, Chris Rivas also ran well this weekend. Qualifying in the fifth position with a 7.001 et at 189.07 mph, Rivas would go into raceday on Sunday with high hopes.
Facing off against former champ, Geno Scali in the first round, Rivas would do his job well and leave on Scali four hundredths while outrunning him two hundredths on the track. Advancing to the second round, Rivas knew he would have to step it up a notch as he would have to run the Army bike of Angelle Sampey.
Cutting a great light, Rivas would leave on her four hundredths. But as his bike would slow up he would lose the round.
“We definitely had a better weekend than the last,” said Rivas. “Matt and Evan have given us all the tools we need to run well and I think things are finally starting to gel over here. Hopefully next time out we can go a few more rounds.”
Smith remains your points leader as he stretched his lead to 79 points over second place, Angelle Sampey. Rivas remains in the seventh position as he fights to stay alive in the top-eight. Catch them in two weeks as the Pro Stock Motorcycle’s head to Denver, CO July 14-16.
Smith and Rivas Finish Well in Norwalk
Coming off of a very frustrated week in Englishtown the week before, Matt Smith and Chris Rivas were looking to run much better at the inaugural running of the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in Norwalk, OH.
Running well in each qualifying pass on Friday and Saturday, Smith would take the top spot for the third time this year. Running a 6.965 et at 189.60 mph, Smith would qualify in the No. 1 position for the seventh time in his short career.
Facing off against Matt Guidera first round, Smith would cut a good light and run a 7.023 et to take the win. In the second round he had Peggy Llewellyn. Knowing he needed to be on his game, Smith cut a stellar light and hung on for the holeshot win.
In the semi’s, Smith would face off against the No. 2 rider in the points, Angelle Sampey. Needing to make a statement and keep his points lead, Smith knew he had to nail the tree. Cutting another great light and leaving on Angelle eight hundredths, Smith would advance to the finals on yet another holeshot win.
Running his fifth final in just seven races, Smith would come up against the champ Andrew Hines. With Hines putting down low elapse time each round on Sunday, Smith knew what he had to do in order to win. As Smith left on Hines three and a half hundredths and gained another two hundredths on him in sixty feet, it looked as if Smith would stay out front for the win until the bike wouldn’t come out of second gear.
“All in all, we had a good weekend,” said Smith. “We had some problems today with the tire shaking during first, second and third round, but after changing a few things it was smooth sailing in the finals until it wouldn’t shift. We gained some more points this weekend and I couldn’t be more excited about that.”
Smith’s Torco teammate, Chris Rivas also ran well this weekend. Qualifying in the fifth position with a 7.001 et at 189.07 mph, Rivas would go into raceday on Sunday with high hopes.
Facing off against former champ, Geno Scali in the first round, Rivas would do his job well and leave on Scali four hundredths while outrunning him two hundredths on the track. Advancing to the second round, Rivas knew he would have to step it up a notch as he would have to run the Army bike of Angelle Sampey.
Cutting a great light, Rivas would leave on her four hundredths. But as his bike would slow up he would lose the round.
“We definitely had a better weekend than the last,” said Rivas. “Matt and Evan have given us all the tools we need to run well and I think things are finally starting to gel over here. Hopefully next time out we can go a few more rounds.”
Smith remains your points leader as he stretched his lead to 79 points over second place, Angelle Sampey. Rivas remains in the seventh position as he fights to stay alive in the top-eight. Catch them in two weeks as the Pro Stock Motorcycle’s head to Denver, CO July 14-16.
