Over the years Matt Smith traveled many roads with his championship-winning father, Pro Stock and Pro Mod standout Rickie Smith. This year the roles have reversed, with the elder Smith tagging along with his Pro Stock Motorcycle-racing son.
 

“I went everywhere I could go with him,” Smith said. “St. Louis was the first race of mine that he’s missed this year.”

Matt didn’t fret about his father’s absence during the NHRA O’Reilly Midwest Nationals at Madison, Illinois, near St. Louis. He simply went out and claimed the maximum points allowable on the tour. Where was dad? He was at an ADRL event at South Georgia Motorsports Park near Valdosta, Georgia, where he went to the Pro Nitrous final.

Over the years Matt Smith traveled many roads with his championship-winning father, Pro Stock and Pro Mod standout Rickie Smith. This year the roles have reversed, with the elder Smith tagging along with his Pro Stock Motorcycle-racing son.
 

“I went everywhere I could go with him,” Smith said. “St. Louis was the first race of mine that he’s missed this year.”

Matt didn’t fret about his father’s absence during the NHRA O’Reilly Midwest Nationals at Madison, Illinois, near St. Louis. He simply went out and claimed the maximum points allowable on the tour. Where was dad? He was at an ADRL event at South Georgia Motorsports Park near Valdosta, Georgia, where he went to the Pro Nitrous final.

Meanwhile, back at Gateway International Raceway, Matt could do no wrong en route to the winner's circle. Just to think, there was a time when he felt that a clear-cut win without controversy was impossible.

The Torco Race Fuels-sponsored rider is learning how fruitful being in control of your own destiny can be since parting with previous team G2 Racing last year. Two weeks ago a win, a national record, and the lead in the class point standings confirmed his decision.

“The way my season has started is like a dream come true, ” Smith said. “We are running the best of everything and it shows. We’ve worked hard on our motors, the clutch and it is really paying off.”

Smith has also gained assistance from Mark Stockseth, who is known for his Pro Stock ties and assistance to Rickie’s operation. He is also a business partner in Matt’s program.

According to Matt, there’s a lot of automobile technology applicable to his V-twin engine program. That has been a factor in Rickie’s involvement, and to a point, the involvement of engine builder Sonny Leonard.

Couple that with the fact that George Bryce and George Smith of G2 Racing are now producing turn-key competitive bikes, and you will understand why Matt has decided that his days as a Suzuki rider are in the past. Purchasing a turnkey bike from G2 provides him some semblance of factory support.

“Riding the V-twin bike is fun,” he said. “I will never go back to a Suzuki. That’s nothing bad about Suzuki … I raced them for years. I tried to get factory support but couldn’t.”

Matt can’t help but notice how strong of an impact the turnkey programs are making. Regardless of how well prepared they are, he says the separating factor is nothing more than hard work and experience.

“I wouldn’t say that Suzuki is dead because of the increasing amount of these turn-key programs,” he said. “I think you just have to work hard. George Bryce and the whole G2 group have such a good package that you can buy from them. Yes, it’s a lot of money but it takes money to be out here to race.

“The Suzukis will still continue to be fast - Angelle ran a 6.94 in St. Louis, and I’m sure there is some left. All in all I think the Buell is a very good package. Vance & Hines is really struggling right now, but they will be back. They are world champions and it is just a matter of time before they find it again.

“We do our own research and development. We bought the chassis from George and the motor from S&S. We went through the motors and did everything to them. We spent a lot of time in research and development as well as money just working on ports and valve train design. We have picked up a lot.”

Smith points to the success of those who have followed the turnkey route such as newcomer Peggy Llewellyn and seasoned veteran Hector Arana.

“They are already running 7.05s and 7.06s, which is awesome,” he said. “To go to that next level, you have to go in and do your own stuff.”

Matt admits that his success has come through having all the components working in perfect synchronization. It’s not one area that is performing better than the other. It’s the complete package. The package gets its main boost in the first part of the track.

“If you’ll look, we didn’t run that much faster from the eighth-mile to the finish line than a lot of the other people out there,” he said. “We did most of it at the 60 and 330. I really have the bike working right now and add in the fact that I shifted the bike well.” 

Matt added the only part lacking was in the reaction time department.

“I was letting out the clutch and the reaction times just weren’t there,” Smith said. “We had killer sixty-foot times, but the bike would just not react.”

Matt noted in the St. Louis press conference that he rides with blinders inside of his helmet and his opponents would quickly fall out of his sight line after second gear. By the 330-mark, he has a definite advantage. He cautions that he’s not the only one capable of running quick early, however.

“I’ve seen Angelle go 4.40 [in the eighth-mile] in Gainesville,” he said. “We ran a 4.39 and a 4.38. The Suzuki’s can do it. You just have to have the total package. The rider has to shift on time and the person making the clutch calls has to do his job. On my part, I am both of those guys right now. If I have anyone to blame it will be me.”

Matt chuckles when he thinks about the one thing he seemingly had no control over early in the season – getting beat by the girls. He lost twice to Karen Stoffer, both times in the final round.

“You’ve had these girls win the first couple of races, so it plays in your head a bit,” Smith said regarding his triumph in St. Louis over Angelle. “You get beat by a few in a couple of races and it starts you to thinking. You wonder if this luck is going to change any time soon.”

Smith now sits atop the POWERade Series point standings, with a 53-point lead over Stoffer. St. Louis marked his first win of 2007, the third of his career.