[coverattach=1]Racing in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, has just one goal before the season ends at this weekend's 45th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals: to win his first race for DSR.
Smith, who has scored 10 national-event victories in 21 final rounds and the 2007 world championship since 2004, is winless this season despite a number of strong performances riding the quickest Suzuki in the class. He has set a national record and qualified No. 1 twice, but has only one runner-up finish to his credit. Winning this weekend would help him garner the third spot in the final point standings.
"I think we're going to be third or fourth," said Smith, who is fourth entering the event, 38 points short of third (Andrew Hines). "We're right on par for that. We're hoping we can put the Nitro Fish Suzuki in the winner's circle so that we can close out our season on a high.
"We want to win, but we're going to be fine. We're focusing right now on next year. We're going to have everything where we need it to be for 2010, and hopefully we can finish this season out strong and start out next season even stronger.
"We've had a long year and we want to start out fresh, begin at zero and go from there."
Smith is the 2007 Pomona 2 PSM champion, and low qualifier at this event in 2005 and 2008.
MATT SMITH QUICK FACTS:
* No 4 in Countdown to 1 playoffs after four of five PSM events
* No. 4 in PSM 2009 "regular season" point standings, following runner-up finish in season-opening Gainesville, Fla., event, semifinal finishes in Houston, Atlanta, Englishtown and Sonoma, and six quarterfinals
* Led the standings through two of the first three events
* Clinched a spot in the 2009 Countdown to 1 playoffs in Brainerd, Minn.
* Qualified No. 1 in Pomona 2 in 2008, lost quarterfinals to Chris Rivas
* Is the 2007 Pomona 2 PSM champ, and low qualifier at Pomona 2 in 2005 and 2008
* Set national elapsed-time record in Houston 2009 of 6.865 seconds. It has since been eclipsed
* Has two No. 1 qualifiers in 2009 (Gainesville and Indianapolis)
* 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 16 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 126-80 in 97 national events
* Career-best elapsed time: 6.865 seconds (Houston 2009)
* Career-best speed: 194.63 mph (Atlanta 2009)
* Lives in King, N.C., married to fellow PSM rider Angie McBride
* Born Nov. 11, 1972
* Son Tristan (9/12/96)
SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, Nov. 12 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, Nov. 13 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 14 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 15 – Pre-race ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Nov. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 15, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA Race Day, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 15, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog feed):
Friday, Nov. 13, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Saturday, Nov. 14, 9:30 – 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, Nov. 15, 10:30 - 11 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
Smith, who has scored 10 national-event victories in 21 final rounds and the 2007 world championship since 2004, is winless this season despite a number of strong performances riding the quickest Suzuki in the class. He has set a national record and qualified No. 1 twice, but has only one runner-up finish to his credit. Winning this weekend would help him garner the third spot in the final point standings.
"I think we're going to be third or fourth," said Smith, who is fourth entering the event, 38 points short of third (Andrew Hines). "We're right on par for that. We're hoping we can put the Nitro Fish Suzuki in the winner's circle so that we can close out our season on a high.
"We want to win, but we're going to be fine. We're focusing right now on next year. We're going to have everything where we need it to be for 2010, and hopefully we can finish this season out strong and start out next season even stronger.
"We've had a long year and we want to start out fresh, begin at zero and go from there."
Smith is the 2007 Pomona 2 PSM champion, and low qualifier at this event in 2005 and 2008.
MATT SMITH QUICK FACTS:
* No 4 in Countdown to 1 playoffs after four of five PSM events
* No. 4 in PSM 2009 "regular season" point standings, following runner-up finish in season-opening Gainesville, Fla., event, semifinal finishes in Houston, Atlanta, Englishtown and Sonoma, and six quarterfinals
* Led the standings through two of the first three events
* Clinched a spot in the 2009 Countdown to 1 playoffs in Brainerd, Minn.
* Qualified No. 1 in Pomona 2 in 2008, lost quarterfinals to Chris Rivas
* Is the 2007 Pomona 2 PSM champ, and low qualifier at Pomona 2 in 2005 and 2008
* Set national elapsed-time record in Houston 2009 of 6.865 seconds. It has since been eclipsed
* Has two No. 1 qualifiers in 2009 (Gainesville and Indianapolis)
* 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 16 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 126-80 in 97 national events
* Career-best elapsed time: 6.865 seconds (Houston 2009)
* Career-best speed: 194.63 mph (Atlanta 2009)
* Lives in King, N.C., married to fellow PSM rider Angie McBride
* Born Nov. 11, 1972
* Son Tristan (9/12/96)
SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, Nov. 12 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, Nov. 13 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 1:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 14 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 15 – Pre-race ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Nov. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 15, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA Race Day, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 15, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog feed):
Friday, Nov. 13, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Saturday, Nov. 14, 9:30 – 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, Nov. 15, 10:30 - 11 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
