INTERVIEW
2016 AMA PRO FLAT TRACK CHAMPION BRYAN SMITH
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done it you don't have to worry about tripping,
you can just focus on winning. You know you can
do it. You have done it. Now you're just looking at
doing it again as opposed to how in the hell you
are going to do it."
TASTE OF CHAMPAGNE
Now that the path to champagne has been plot-
ted, Smith heads into 2017 with confidence, even
though the series heads into a bit of an unknown.
The GNC class will be racing only twins, which
has always been Smith's preference, and for the
first time in long time it will be on TTs and short
tracks. He'll still be with Howerton and his team,
on new machinery with factory Indian Motor-
cycles, and for the first time since 2003, with a
teammate—2013 Grand National Champion Brad
Baker. Completing the wrecking
crew, his rival, Mees, will also be
on an Indian.
That doesn't bother Smith; in fact, he looks
forward to it.
"I'm really excited for that because I've heard all
the way up until two weeks ago that it was a drag
race to the finish line and 'Smith's got so much
straight-line; that's why he beat you,'" Smith said.
"Not that he rode it to the corner better—it's never
that. It's always that the Kawasaki is so fast. So to
be on the identical bike as some of the guys that
say that the Kawasaki is the only reason I beat
them will be good, because it'll show them and
myself who's better. There'll be no excuse at that
point."
Now that Smith has tasted championship
champagne for the first time, you can bet that he
wants to taste it again. Even more. CN
Smith and his tuner Ricky Howerton
finally got to spray the champagne at
the end of the 2016 championship.
"ONCE I KNEW THE APPEAL BOARD
WOULD BE MADE UP OF OUTSIDE
INTEREST, AND THAT THEY COULD SEE
ALL THE FACTS, I KNEW THEY WOULD
SEE THAT WE WERE IN THE RIGHT…"
