REMEMBERING MARTY SMITH
P80
Feature
Smith was never the same rider after
the Houston crash and later admitted that
his heart wasn't into racing anymore. His
six-year run with Honda came to an end,
and he was all set to retire when Suzuki
came along and gave him an offer he
couldn't refuse, a lucrative two-year deal
where he'd race alongside teammates
Danny LaPorte, Kent Howerton and Dar-
rell Shultz in 1980 and '81. Smith was still a
threat to win races and finish on podiums,
but, in reality, he was no longer a threat to
win championships. He officially hung up
his boots at the age of 24 with little fanfare
after the '81 season.
When asked in a 1980 interview with
Cycle News what he liked best about rac-
ing, he answered: "I've had a lot of good
experiences about racing. I can't pinpoint
one thing, but just winning is a really good
experience in itself."
(Left) Smith relied heavily on his smooth
riding style and rarely took risks on the
bike. (Right) Despite following the 125cc
national circuit in 1974, Smith kept up
with his schooling and graduated high
school the same year.
