Matt Smith Goes Back-To-Back At
NHRA Gatornationals
T
he landscape of the NHRA
Pro Stock Motorcycle class
has changed dramatically in the
last few months with the intro-
duction of the new four-valve
Suzuki cylinder head and the
loss of the Factory Harley-Da-
vidson team, but one thing that
has remained constant is Matt
Smith's ability to win races. The
reigning and four-time Camp-
ing World NHRA Drag Racing
Series Champion kicked off
the 2021 season at Gainesville
Raceway, March 12-14, with a
convincing victory aboard his
Denso EBR. Six months after
winning the Covid-delayed 2020
Gatornationals, Smith earned the
27th title of his career when he
stopped Ryan Oehler in Sun-
day's final round. Smith rode to
a 6.785 elapsed time to easily
cover Oehler, who ran 6.869 on
his Flyin' Ryan EBR.
"I knew I just had to race my
lane," Smith said. "This Denso
EBR was running on mean this
weekend. I was not getting
the E.T. I wanted, but we were
running the big speeds. I also
have to thank Cory [Reed] and
Joey [Gladstone] for loaning
me a front wheel and brakes.
I wouldn't have won this race
without you."
Smith qualified number two
with a solid 6.76, slightly behind
the pace set by Angelle Sampey
on the new Vance & Hines/Mis-
sion Foods Suzuki. Smith rode
his way to the final by defeating
IN
THE
WIND
P28
Defending champ
Matt Smith kicked
off the 2021 NHRA
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Championship with
dual wins at Gainesville.
PHOTOS: MATT POLITO
