Bike Fails Smith at Chicago

Matt Smith is glad that this past race weekend is over. The Chicago based track didn’t treat the 2007 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle Champ very well.

Struggling a bit during qualifying on Friday and Saturday, Smith mustered out a 7.061 et at 187.42 mph, which put him in the fourth position for Sunday’s eliminations.

Going into round one, Smith had to face off against Shawn Gann. Cutting a great light, Smith looked as if he was a shoe in to win first round when he was two bike links out on Gann past half-track. However, when Smith went to put the bike in high gear the Nitrofish Buell would not shift, therefore Smith lost the round, his first round one loss of the year.

“I am very frustrated. Very, very, very frustrated,” said Smith. “We keep having these shifting problems with the bike and it makes me so mad because I can’t figure out why. We will go home and evaluate everything and we will be ready for them in Englishtown.”

Smith still fits second in the Championship point standings heading into Englishtown, New Jersey in two weeks.