SMITH LEADS FOUR-WIDE BIKES ON FRIDAY
Sat, 2010-03-27 13:00
Forget the challenges of qualifying four wide and the associated intricacies, Pro Stock rider Matt Smith is focused on getting the 
job done he fell short of last September at his home track of zMax Dragway.
Smith, from nearby King, NC, lost in the first round at the NHRA Carolinas Nationals and for the hometown favorite, that was a bitter pill to swallow for the last seven months.
“I wanted to win this race really bad last year and we weren’t able to pull it off,” Smith lamented. “This weekend I have another opportunity. Maybe I can stay No. 1 and win this race.”
DIALING BACK IN – Forget the challenges of qualifying four wide and the associated intricacies, Pro Stock rider Matt Smith is focused on getting thejob done he fell short of last September at his home track of zMax Dragway.
Smith, from nearby King, NC, lost in the first round at the NHRA Carolinas Nationals and for the hometown favorite, that was a bitter pill to swallow for the last seven months.
“I wanted to win this race really bad last year and we weren’t able to pull it off,” Smith lamented. “This weekend I have another opportunity. Maybe I can stay No. 1 and win this race.”
Smith nailed the top spot in his first run of the event with a 6.904 elapsed time at 193.16 miles per hour. He admits the potential was present for an even quicker run during the second session had mechanical issues not impeded his progress.
“We went right down the track, the bike just didn’t have any high gear,” said Smith. “We would have been the quickest of the session if that hadn’t happened.”
The performance went a long way towards erasing the shortcomings of not only the 2009 race but of those two weeks ago at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. Smith tunes at least four other Pro Stock bikes in competition and in Gainesville, they all made early exits.
“We had problems with all of the bikes we were working with in Gainesville,” said Smith. “So we stayed over and found some problems and got them right. We ran fast and if I can get Doug and Angie to ride right, they will be right up there with me.”
Right up there with him constitutes being in a zone and that’s where he’s staying in the midst of the harried nature of four wide racing.
“I just concentrate on my lane and with those four blue bulbs up there telling you what everyone else is doing; it’s easier to do that,” said Smith. “It’s just like racing a traditional race. It’s very easy and self-explanatory. I was .023 [reaction] on the first run and .024 next.”
job done he fell short of last September at his home track of zMax Dragway.Smith, from nearby King, NC, lost in the first round at the NHRA Carolinas Nationals and for the hometown favorite, that was a bitter pill to swallow for the last seven months.
“I wanted to win this race really bad last year and we weren’t able to pull it off,” Smith lamented. “This weekend I have another opportunity. Maybe I can stay No. 1 and win this race.”
DIALING BACK IN – Forget the challenges of qualifying four wide and the associated intricacies, Pro Stock rider Matt Smith is focused on getting the
job done he fell short of last September at his home track of zMax Dragway.Smith, from nearby King, NC, lost in the first round at the NHRA Carolinas Nationals and for the hometown favorite, that was a bitter pill to swallow for the last seven months.
“I wanted to win this race really bad last year and we weren’t able to pull it off,” Smith lamented. “This weekend I have another opportunity. Maybe I can stay No. 1 and win this race.”
Smith nailed the top spot in his first run of the event with a 6.904 elapsed time at 193.16 miles per hour. He admits the potential was present for an even quicker run during the second session had mechanical issues not impeded his progress.
“We went right down the track, the bike just didn’t have any high gear,” said Smith. “We would have been the quickest of the session if that hadn’t happened.”
The performance went a long way towards erasing the shortcomings of not only the 2009 race but of those two weeks ago at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. Smith tunes at least four other Pro Stock bikes in competition and in Gainesville, they all made early exits.
“We had problems with all of the bikes we were working with in Gainesville,” said Smith. “So we stayed over and found some problems and got them right. We ran fast and if I can get Doug and Angie to ride right, they will be right up there with me.”
Right up there with him constitutes being in a zone and that’s where he’s staying in the midst of the harried nature of four wide racing.
“I just concentrate on my lane and with those four blue bulbs up there telling you what everyone else is doing; it’s easier to do that,” said Smith. “It’s just like racing a traditional race. It’s very easy and self-explanatory. I was .023 [reaction] on the first run and .024 next.”
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