Angie Smith puts Victory Gunner in Denver field, will now race husband Matt
DENVER – NHRA officials tried to joke with Victory Motorcycles rider Angie Smith after they learned she would 
have to race husband Matt in the first round of the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals on Sunday at Bandimere Speedway.
But Angie got the last laugh.
“They said, ‘Is he sleeping on the couch tonight?’ ” she said. “And I said, ‘No, he’s not even sleeping in the motorhome tonight.’ ”
Jokes aside, the Smiths are thrilled to have both Victory Gunners in the field in Denver. That’s the second time in a trying season both Gunners have qualified but also the second time in the last three races.
“I was thrilled when I turned the corner and the NHRA guy gave me the thumbs up, and I knew that I got in, so I was happy,” Angie said. “The unfortunate news was that I have to race my husband, but it doesn’t matter. As long as our Victory Gunners are in on race day, it doesn’t matter. We are there, and we have worked hard to be there. It’s tough out here now, so we are happy to be there.”
Angie faced a pressure situation to get her Gunner into the No. 12 spot. She had been bumped out of the field by Melissa Surber in the final qualifying session, but moments later, Smith followed Surber with a brilliant pass of 7.276 seconds at 180.45 mph to snare the No. 12 qualifying spot.
“So Melissa was in front of me, and she bumped me out,” Smith said. “And in this game, when that happens, it’s the most pressure you are ever under. You’ve got to go and shift on time, you’ve got to do everything you gotta do along with the pressure of knowing you’re not in.”
But Smith stared down that pressure and made her best pass of the weekend.
“We made a good run,” Smith said. “The bike did drift some because it was dark and it’s hard to see when the shift light blinds you. We were probably under the tower for 30 to 45 minutes before the run, and you can’t make the changes you need to, like changing the shield on your helmet or covering your shift light. You just have to ride by the seat of your pants when it happens.”
Pro Stock Motorcycle eliminations start at noon, Sunday, and will be broadcast live on FOX from 1 to 4 p.m. (All times listed in MDT).
