Since seemingly Will Smith was a baby in a crib, he had one goal in mind – get a license to drive a Top Fuel dragster.

He can now check that goal off the list.

“Quite the experience,” Smith told Competition Plus about receiving his Top Fuel license while driving Larry Dixon’s Top Fuel dragster. “Definitely a sigh of relief, meaning of getting the goal accomplished, of getting it done. But I still don't think it's quite set in yet. But I couldn't have asked for it to go any better, honestly. Exceeded my expectations.”

Now, the intention is for Smith to debut in the Top Fuel ranks at the The Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals are Aug. 31-Sept. 5 in Indianapolis.
 
“So yeah, we're going to debut at Indy, and before I proceed with that, I sent off all my license stuff last week, so I don't know if NHRA has received that yet,” Smith said.

If everything falls into place Smith will be racing in Indy with the help of Dixon.

“We're going to make our debut together there, and we're going to do it with the help of what Larry and I call the band of brothers, basically I've got multiple partners helping me out, helping us out to reach this goal of running Indy,” Smith said. “What's really cool is, all of my partners, they're either racers, huge race fans, they're all very successful business people, and some of them have been with me for years, some are first-time partners, but they've all followed my story, and have been impressed by that, and they want to be a part of it. And the people who are partnering with us for this race, this is a big story, and they want to be a part of it, and I want them to be a part of it. So the car, like I said, will have multiple companies on the side, but we plan to come out and run strong, and do our best, and we'll just see where we end up on Monday (Sept. 5).”

Dixon is glad to be part of Smith’s Top Fuel dream.

“It's refreshing and hopefully having some fun and just trying to pass off some of the things that I've learned through the years,” Dixon said. “So far I've enjoyed myself a lot.”

Smith will be aided by a robust list of marketing partners including McKinney Motorsports, Schepel Buick GMC Cadillac, Greenbrier Excavating & Paving, TeaCo Geophysical. Western Beef, Former Top Alcohol and Top Fuel star Bill Mullins, Fabstar Industrial, Asphalt Consultants Trucking, Gallegos Family Racing, Frederick Line-X and ProThings Apparel.

While Smith is a novice to Top Fuel, he’s no stranger to piloting a dragster.

In 2017, he upgraded his NHRA licenses to Top Alcohol Dragster. Driving the famed Hirata Motorsports, A/Fuel Dragster, which burns the same nitromethane fuel as a Top Fuel entry, Smith earned the upgrade in the minimum three passes.

Smith drove for Hirata Motorsports from 2018-2021 in the TAD ranks.

“To me, there was a lot of similarities in many ways,” Smith said about the Top Fuel and TAD entries. “Strapped in the car, when it fires up, it to me felt a lot of the same. Procedurally, it's almost a clone of one another, in my opinion. Going up for the first run, it's like that fear of the unknown. You don't know what it's going to feel like. But standing on the gas, the initial launch is everything Larry (Dixon) told me it would be. He said, ‘It's going to be a lot like the A Fuel car.’ And he said, ‘It's just going to keep going." And that's exactly what it did.’

“So yeah, at 150 feet out, 200 feet, it's like, ‘Okay, let's party.’ The clutch starts coming in and you're rocking out. But like I said, procedurally, everything was basically the same. So having four years of experience and about 150, 155 runs in an A Fuel car, I felt like it prepared me very well to make that transition as seamless as possible.”

Despite all his Top Alcohol Dragster experience, Smith acknowledged he was ready to expect the unexpected when he got behind the wheel of a Top Fuel dragster.

“You talk to certain drivers, and everyone has their own way of describing the experience,” Smith said. “And obviously, I wasn't fearful of it or scared of it. It's just like, so who's right and who's wrong, or who exaggerates more than others or maybe not as much?

“But it's just anything new. I'm a cross my Ts, dot the I kind of guy. I want to know as much as I can about whatever it is I'm doing, so when I do it, I can do it to the best of my ability and not look like a rookie doing it. Which we all strive for perfection, and I didn't expect to be perfect, nor do I ever, but I try to do the best I can to strive for that. But yeah, it was just almost indescribable.”

Dixon said he had never been part of aiding another driver get a license in this capacity.

“I could probably count on one hand the people that I've actually signed a license (for),” Dixon said. “So yeah, to take it a few steps further and actually have them in your car and running, yeah, definitely. But Will's through, I mean, I've known him for close to 15 years and his Top Fuel (goal) has been on his target and he's wanted to go this route. He's always asked questions to move up. I think our paths are similar from the standpoint it hasn't been easy, but you do whatever it takes to get to where you want to go and he's doing it and everything that I've seen, not just licensing two weeks ago, but through his career he's done everything the right way.

“I have a burning desire to be involved in drag racing and it really doesn't matter where and what capacity. I cheered as hard as possible when my dad was racing when I was standing on the starting line when Snake was driving and helping Steve Johnson at various points of our friendship. And it's no different now. I just love drag racing. I definitely have spent more time on the outside of the car than inside the car throughout my life, believe it or not. So, it's just, yeah, I'm excited for him and where hopefully he can go with his career.”

As Smith mentioned earlier, the baby steps of transitioning from TAD to Top Fuel went smooth.

“Driving for Hirata Motorsports for four years, what we did there, I didn't see a whole lot of difference in what I did this weekend with Larry (Dixon) in the Top Fuel car. I really didn't. From setting the fuel pressure at a certain number and how the burnout is executed, everything just seemed to be the same, honestly.

“The only thing I saw different was hand signals between the guys, but everybody, no matter what type of car, everybody does that differently. So, I felt like it was really and truly almost the same, actually.”

With his Top Fuel license now in hand, Smith discussed what his immediate plans are.

“The goal is Indy. I'm working on securing funding for that. I know it's right around the corner, but I have made some progress with that, so that's definitely the goal. Big picture, looking to get a race or two in for this year, and then focus on 2023 and securing enough funding for multiple races.

“I've said many a times, my goal's been standing on the gas in a Top Fuel car, but it wasn't to stop there. It wasn't, get the license and OK, move on to something else. No, it's use the license and put the right program together that's competitive, that's marketable, and do it with the right people and the right resources. And really show the value of drag racing, of NHRA Top Fuel drag racing for marketing partners. Because I believe there's a ton of value for companies to be involved in our great sport. And it's taken some time to try to put this together, but I can assure you when we do come out, it'll be the right way. And I just going to do everything I can to keep it going.”

Smith’s understanding of marketing isn’t just hot air.

While working for a couple of high-profile professional drag racing teams during and after high school, Smith completed a four-year study at the University of Alabama, earning his bachelor’s degree in marketing -- a pursuit he hoped would come in handy in reaching his goal as a skilled, marketable NHRA Top Fuel dragster pilot.

“Well, let's first say this. The cost increases astronomically to run a Top Fuel car compared to an A-Fuel car. Both are expensive, but let's be real. It takes a lot of money to run a Top Fuel dragster. However, personally, I see there's a lot more opportunity to find funding. I think there's a great value, as I mentioned, be in a professional category and the FOX TV deal. Just, I think there's a lot more to offer there with the Top Fuel car.

“So I think, I don't want to say it's easier, because finding money for anything these days is hard. Working for PDRA, being a part of a series, it's tough. But I think from a value standpoint of what we can provide, I think it puts us in a different category.”

Surprisingly, Smith had no anxiety getting his Top Fuel license in Dixon’s dragster. Dixon has won multiple NHRA Top Fuel championships in 2002-2003 and 2010 and is considered one of the greatest Top Fuel drivers in NHRA history.

“100% calmness,” Smith said about getting his license in Dixon’s dragster. “It was almost crazy how calm I was in the car. And trust me, every thought I had was exactly what you just said. Larry and I go way back. We've been friends a long time. He's been a hero of mine when I was a young kid watching him before I knew him. And I'm sitting in the car, strapped in, getting ready to make the first run. And I just sat there and collected my thoughts.

“And I'm like, "Here I am strapped in, a Top Fuel dragster, 11,000 horsepower. And I'm looking right out front to see Larry Dixon standing there. I'm sitting in Larry Dixon's car. And I'm about to embark on this journey of stomping on the loud pedal and trying to get a license. And that's when it all came together, it hit me, it's like, "Wow, we're doing this."

During the licensing process, Smith said he knew things were coming together as he had hoped.

“I can honestly say, as I told Larry after the third run, when I got out of the car, so after I made the runs that we needed for my license, he asked me how I felt and I said, ‘I feel like I belong in that seat,’” Smith said. “I said, ‘I don't mean that to sound too cocky or nothing like that, but I feel great. I feel like that's what I was made to do.’”

“He looked at me and grinned, and he said, ’That's great.’ And I said, "So, for whatever that's worth, I feel very comfortable and confident in this car and in my ability to get it from point A to point B to the best of my ability. And it was just that feeling of, ‘Hey, this worked out for a reason, and I'm blessed.’ I stress that all the time. I say it all the time. People probably get tired of hearing me say it, but I'm so thankful and blessed for the opportunities to be doing this with Larry. I couldn't ask for anything better.”

Smith walked through his process of obtaining his coveted Top Fuel license.

“Given I obviously have a Top Alcohol license, we just had to do an upgrade, which is three runs,” he said. “The first run took it to the eighth mile, shut it off. Ran good numbers to the eight. Then we obviously had to make two full 1000-foot runs and we went 3.94 (seconds) at 313 mph on the first full run.

“And that really surprised me. I guess when you hear, ‘Oh, you went 313,’ it's like, ‘Holy crap.’ But it was a great run. And I think what was so impressive to me about everything was the fact of when the guys pulled the engine down, Larry told me that seven of the bearings looked like they could go right back in because it didn't even take the coating off the bearings. And I'm like, ‘Wow, just run 313 miles an hour and you got seven rod bearings that could go right back in.’ It's pretty cool.”

Smith’s final lap was an even quicker elapsed time.

“We had to come out Sunday morning and make our last final run and went 3.87 (seconds) at 309 mph,” Smith said. “So, it was two great runs. We've got something to work with. And when we are able to go racing, we definitely have good baselines, and it's time to get after it and see how quick we can really go.”

Smith’s already imagining what it would be like if he can qualify for in Top Fuel at an NHRA national event.

“The world. It would mean everything to me,” Smith said. “I don't think I could really put in words what it would truly mean, but that is the goal. I've always believed in, ‘Hey, if you can play the game and you can get qualified, you can win the race.’ I've seen many a times many winners come and even on their debuts, come from the bottom half of the field and take it to the finals or win the race.

But I'm just looking at it, taking it one step at a time. But to qualify for a national event to me would be the icing on the cake for me. Then of course your goals change and it's like, ‘Okay, well, it's to win a race, and this and that.’”

Smith then took a moment to digest how long it took to get to this point in his racing career.

“But I don't know if I can really come up with the words to let you know how much that would truly mean to me,” Smith said. “Because it's about a 30-year dream. And I dreamed of that day since I was 2 years old just to drive one. But to enter a race and qualify, I would feel like I was world champ, probably.”