VOL. 53 ISSUE 50 DECEMBER 20, 2016 P115
It wasn't the first time Smith had a season of
highs and lows, so he knew that the outcome
could have very easily gone the other way.
"Obviously, I'm thankful it worked out the way it
did, but it was real easy for it to not work out that
way," he said. "From just the crash in Peoria and
in Charlotte with the steel shoe falling off—just
amazing how dramatic it was. You couldn't ever
plan for that stuff."
YEARS OF
DISAPPOINTMENT
There were so many years of disap-
pointment for Smith—many years of
bad luck, many years of being nearly
there, many years of no crown. So to
really appreciate his story, you have
to look at those bad-luck, close-but-
no-cigar years. The one that stands
out most is the Calistoga Half Mile
in 2014, when Smith went into the
penultimate round with a nine-point
lead on Mees; he left with a 13-point
deficit. In a freak deal, the oil sight-
glass of Smith's engine got cracked
by a rock, resulting in bits of smoke and eventually
the black flag, which he ignored. He finished the
race in second, but was later DQ'd for not respect-
ing the black flag and pulling off the track. This bit
of bad luck ultimately cost him the title. Mees went
on to win his second AMA Grand National Champi-
onship by three points.
A disqualification nearly put an end to Smith's
title hopes this year, as well. Right before the
Like all champions, Smith is dedicated to his sport.
series headed to the final two rounds of the sea-
son on the mile tracks—Smith's specialty—Mees'
team protested Smith's rear wheel which did not
conform to AMA rules at the Central NY Half Mile.
However, Smith's team had previously gotten writ-
ten approval from the AMA's technical director to
use that wheel, so Smith appealed the disqualifica-
tion. The appeal went to an independent appeal
board where Smith proved his case and won.
"Obviously I would have lost the championship if
that disqualification would have stood," he said. "I
was disappointed that they even disqualified me, but
I was thankful that AMA Pro let me appeal it. It was
almost like, when that happened, and they actually
DQ'd me, that was kind of when I thought my bad
luck finally showed up for the season. Like, this is the
time I get screwed out of another championship."
