2022 NHRA Pro Stock MC Denver Results

| July 18, 2022

Matt Smith has now gained 34 NHRA Pro Inventory Motorbike gatherings but none of his former victories were being anywhere close to as dominant as his most recent get at the NHRA Mile-Superior Nationals in Denver, July 15-17.

By Kevin McKenna | Images by Matt Polito

Racing in the skinny mountain air at Bandimere Speedway, which sits 5800 toes over sea level, Smith manufactured the bold final decision to park the Suzuki that he’s been racing this time in favor of the Denso Buell that he rode to very last year’s championship. Smith figured the V-twin blend would give him a distinct gain about his rivals.

He was suitable.

Through qualifying, Smith established the track document with a 7.10-next operate and then powered his way through four difficult rounds on race working day in 95-degree warmth. Smith concluded the working day by beating Reed Motorsports’ Suzuki’s Joey Gladstone with a 7.09, properly in advance of his opponent’s in any other case aggressive 7.16.

“I made the final decision to race a Suzuki up listed here for a pair of explanations,” Smith explained. “First, we really do not have a great deal of sections and pieces appropriate now, so I definitely have a person very good motor and with two races in a row, I simply cannot hazard hurting it. Definitely, the Buell is the bike that won this race past 12 months, and I know it pretty well. I figured it would be superior to carry it out.

“We experienced range a person, won the race, and established both ends of observe history,” Smith claimed. “I can’t talk to for considerably additional than that. Now, I detest to place this bike back up in the trailer when we go to Sonoma up coming 7 days, but I’m fairly dedicated to the Suzuki system. I actually haven’t designed up my mind but.”

With this kind of a huge edge about the rest of the field, it could possibly have been sensible for Smith to sense additional pressure, but he insists in any other case. He was targeted on the undertaking at hand and was in no way critically challenged as he built his way previous Marc Ingwersen and three-time planet champ Angelle Sampey to attain the last. Smith’s slowest operate of the day was a 7.12 and that was nevertheless more than sufficient to address Sampey, who slowed to a 7.25.

“I had a terrific bicycle, but there had been a lot of quickly Suzukis out there,” Smith claimed. “Joey [Gladstone] ran a 7.15 and Eddie [Krawiec] ran 7.14, so they were being rapid. I said from the beginning that those people fellas would be fast, but they just skipped the tune-up a small. It’s not easy to race up right here on this mountain. At times it normally takes a number of runs to get the hang of it. The Suzukis will be superior up right here subsequent 12 months. I ensure it.”

As for Gladstone, the closing spherical reduction was his second in as lots of races. The Reed Motorsports rider also went to the last at the Norwalk, Ohio, round past month and he appears destined to acquire his very first NHRA occasion in the near future.

Gladstone rode earlier Ryan Oehler, Krawiec, and Smith’s wife, Angie, to get to the closing. Versus Angie Smith’s Denso Buell, Gladstone made his greatest run of the weekend with a 7.15, although Smith’s bicycle slowed after a throttle-situation sensor reportedly malfunctioned.

“I seriously would like I’d have run Angie in the remaining, but her bicycle slowed up,” Matt Smith claimed. “Her bicycle was each and every bit as great as mine and she could easily have received this race but it was just poor luck. The good news is, we place a Denso Buell in the winner’s circle and that is most important.”

With the acquire, Smith has officially get over his sluggish start to the period. He’s climbed to third area in the Tenting World NHRA standings and is just 19 points behind leader Steve Johnson and nine factors at the rear of second-ranked Sampey. Gladstone has moved to quantity four and is just 46 details out from first area.

The NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle class now goes from the slowest monitor on the tour to a person of the quickest, Sonoma Raceway in Central California. There are 3 races remaining ahead of the commence of the Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoff to ascertain the period winner.

2022 NHRA Pro Inventory MC Denver Success  

Final

1. Matt Smith  (Bue)
2. Joey Gladstone (Suz)

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