[coverattach=1]KING, N.C. (July 7, 2009) - Riding the Nitro Fish Ultimate Gear Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle for Don Schumacher Racing, Matt Smith is still looking for his first victory of the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. This weekend's Mopar Mile-High Nationals in Morrison, Colo., outside of Denver, the event Smith has won the past two years, would be the perfect time to score that triumph for a three-peat.
Smith, who has reached the final round once and the semifinals three times this year, earned those wins riding a Buell and would like nothing more than to see a Suzuki in the winner's circle this weekend at Bandimere Speedway.
However, he has to overcome the dominance of the Harley-Davidsons along the way. "I think the V-twins have a big advantage on the mountain," he said. "I don't think a Suzuki has won there in probably six or seven years. It's definitely a V-twin track.
"We're going to take this DSR Nitro Fish Suzuki and try to put it in the winner's circle. I'd like to go three for three. We have to get all our little bugs worked out, but it's coming. We're getting closer and closer. Hopefully, Denver will be our turning point for the year.
"I think the Harleys will be even stronger than they have been all season,” added Smith, the 2007 PSM national champion, “but hopefully Steve (crew chief Tartaglia) has something up his sleeve. I told Steve at the beginning of the year that Denver is the one place that I want to win. We all want to win Indy (the U.S. Nationals), but I told him, If we can win only one race and we can't win Indy, I want to win Denver, if only because we're on a Suzuki and I've won there the last two years. It would be a good deal for Suzuki and DSR to win that race."
As for any changes that need to be made to race at mile-high altitude, "We do a lot of adjustments to the jetting, gear ratios and timing, but we do not build special engines for Denver,” he said.
MATT SMITH QUICK FACTS:
* No. 3 in PSM 2009 point standings, following runner-up finish in season opening Gainesville, Fla., event, semifinal finishes in Houston, Atlanta and Englishtown, and three quarterfinals
* Led the standings through two of the first three events
* Is 118 points behind leader Eddie Krawiec; 48 points behind second-place Andrew Hines
* Mopar Mile-High PSM winner in 2007 and 2008
* Holds Bandimere Speedway elapsed time record of 7.326 seconds, set in '08
* Qualified No. 3 in 2008 Denver, won event over Steve Johnson
* Set national elapsed-time record in Houston 2009 of 6.865 seconds. It has since been eclipsed
* Was No. 1 qualifier in Gainesville 2009
* Won 2007 PSM championship, winning four races in nine final rounds
* Was No. 1 seed in 2008 NHRA PSM playoffs, earning 20-point bonus
* No. 3 in 2008 PSM point standings
* Came close to claiming his second straight PSM crown in 2008 after leading the standings for the last six of seven events in the playoffs. A mechanical problem in the final event of the season dropped him to third
* Collected a career-high seven No. 1 qualifiers in 2008
* Debuted in the PSM class in Gainesville, Fla., in 2004
* Is the son of NHRA Pro Stock racer Rickie Smith
* Has 10 career national-event wins in 21 final rounds, and was low qualifier 15 times since joining the class on a limited basis in 2003
* Became a full-time competitor in the class in 2005
* Career round win-loss record is 115-71 in 88 national events
* Career-best elapsed time: 6.865 seconds (Houston 2009)
* Career-best speed: 194.63 mph (Atlanta 2009)
* Lives in King, N.C. - single - engaged to fellow PSM rider Angie McBride
* Born Nov. 11, 1972
* Son Tristan (9/12/96)
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, July 10 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 4:45 and 7:15 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 11 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3:45 and 7:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 12 - Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at noon.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, July 11, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 12, ESPN2 and ESPN 2 HD will air NHRA Race Day, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 12, ESPN2 and ESPN 2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog feed):
Friday, July 10, 10 - 10:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, July 11, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, July 12, 12:30 - 1 a.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, July 12, 10:30 - 11 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
Smith, who has reached the final round once and the semifinals three times this year, earned those wins riding a Buell and would like nothing more than to see a Suzuki in the winner's circle this weekend at Bandimere Speedway.
However, he has to overcome the dominance of the Harley-Davidsons along the way. "I think the V-twins have a big advantage on the mountain," he said. "I don't think a Suzuki has won there in probably six or seven years. It's definitely a V-twin track.
"We're going to take this DSR Nitro Fish Suzuki and try to put it in the winner's circle. I'd like to go three for three. We have to get all our little bugs worked out, but it's coming. We're getting closer and closer. Hopefully, Denver will be our turning point for the year.
"I think the Harleys will be even stronger than they have been all season,” added Smith, the 2007 PSM national champion, “but hopefully Steve (crew chief Tartaglia) has something up his sleeve. I told Steve at the beginning of the year that Denver is the one place that I want to win. We all want to win Indy (the U.S. Nationals), but I told him, If we can win only one race and we can't win Indy, I want to win Denver, if only because we're on a Suzuki and I've won there the last two years. It would be a good deal for Suzuki and DSR to win that race."
As for any changes that need to be made to race at mile-high altitude, "We do a lot of adjustments to the jetting, gear ratios and timing, but we do not build special engines for Denver,” he said.
MATT SMITH QUICK FACTS:
* No. 3 in PSM 2009 point standings, following runner-up finish in season opening Gainesville, Fla., event, semifinal finishes in Houston, Atlanta and Englishtown, and three quarterfinals
* Led the standings through two of the first three events
* Is 118 points behind leader Eddie Krawiec; 48 points behind second-place Andrew Hines
* Mopar Mile-High PSM winner in 2007 and 2008
* Holds Bandimere Speedway elapsed time record of 7.326 seconds, set in '08
* Qualified No. 3 in 2008 Denver, won event over Steve Johnson
* Set national elapsed-time record in Houston 2009 of 6.865 seconds. It has since been eclipsed
* Was No. 1 qualifier in Gainesville 2009
* Won 2007 PSM championship, winning four races in nine final rounds
* Was No. 1 seed in 2008 NHRA PSM playoffs, earning 20-point bonus
* No. 3 in 2008 PSM point standings
* Came close to claiming his second straight PSM crown in 2008 after leading the standings for the last six of seven events in the playoffs. A mechanical problem in the final event of the season dropped him to third
* Collected a career-high seven No. 1 qualifiers in 2008
* Debuted in the PSM class in Gainesville, Fla., in 2004
* Is the son of NHRA Pro Stock racer Rickie Smith
* Has 10 career national-event wins in 21 final rounds, and was low qualifier 15 times since joining the class on a limited basis in 2003
* Became a full-time competitor in the class in 2005
* Career round win-loss record is 115-71 in 88 national events
* Career-best elapsed time: 6.865 seconds (Houston 2009)
* Career-best speed: 194.63 mph (Atlanta 2009)
* Lives in King, N.C. - single - engaged to fellow PSM rider Angie McBride
* Born Nov. 11, 1972
* Son Tristan (9/12/96)
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, July 10 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 4:45 and 7:15 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 11 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3:45 and 7:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 12 - Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at noon.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, July 11, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 12, ESPN2 and ESPN 2 HD will air NHRA Race Day, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 12, ESPN2 and ESPN 2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog feed):
Friday, July 10, 10 - 10:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, July 11, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, July 12, 12:30 - 1 a.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, July 12, 10:30 - 11 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
