Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/229152
INTERVIEW P120 NHRA PRO STOCK CHAMPION MATT SMITH Smith not only races the bike, but he also builds his own engines and works as his own crew chief. we knew we had the team. "I think that parity in the class is so equal it's not even funny," Smith said. "NHRA added 10 pounds to the Buells this winter and they slowed the Harleys down. As a whole they slowed the whole class. Their goal was to get everybody back to the level of the Suzuki team and that's what they did. Even though a Suzuki did not win a race this year, they were still strong qualifiers and they went to final rounds. They just need to do a better job on tune-up and if you look at all the results I guarantee you that none of the Suzuki teams tested after the first race of the year. I don't think any of them did. If they want to get better on Sunday, they have to test more throughout the year to be more consistent on Sunday. Still, I think what we had this year in terms of rules was very fair." A second championship now secure, Smith has begun to evaluate his place in the sport and he's indicated that his riding career might be much closer to the end than the beginning. He not only has offers to work solely as a crew chief, but he'd also like to follow his father's lead by racing on four wheels in either the Pro Mod or Pro Stock class. Smith has sporadically raced a Pro Mod car and feels comfortable driving at over 240-mph. Even if Smith does decide to race a car, for any length of time, he plans to always keep a Pro Stock Motorcycle team up and running. His goal is not only to help others achieve their dreams, but to stay abreast of the rapidly changing technology in the bike class. "I see that [Pro Mod car] thing happening," Smith said. "I have done everything I have ever wanted to do on a Pro Stock Motorcycle. I've won 17 races now. I've got two championships and I want to drive a car so I can see myself getting off the bike and just running my team. I could see me tuning two or three bikes and then racing a car at the same time. As long as I can make ends meet, have riders who bring mon- ey or sponsorship, I'd be glad to do it. The biggest thing is that I've accomplished what I want to accomplish. I want to see other people on my team win races and win championships." "I made a mistake in 2009 when I rode for [Don] Schumacher by not fielding a motorcycle of my own." Smith said. "We raced Angie's bike three or four times throughout the year but that wasn't enough. We lost all our research and development. If I am going to race a car I have to field at least one bike or we will be two or three years behind in technology again. For all of the talk about his future plans, those who know him realize the greater likelihood is that Smith will return again in 2014 for a shot at his third NHRA championship. Should he be successful, he will join an exclusive fraternity of riders that includes icons Dave Schulz and John Myers, Andrew and Matt Hines, Angelle Sampey, and Eddie Krawiec who have all won three or more titles. "That's probably true," said Smith. "I mean there's nothing wrong with going out there and trying to win another championship. I know our team is capable of it and if it's not me I hope it's one of my teammates. There's no reason why we shouldn't be just as fast this year as we were last season." CN