Matt and Angie Smith’s Victory Gunners take positive steps in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS – Matt and Angie Smith leave Gateway Motorsports Park with their heads held high, confident in the 
knowledge that progress was made at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals on Sunday.
Matt raced to the second round on his Victory Gunner before running into a buzz saw that was eventual race winner Jerry Savoie, and Angie made one of her best runs of the weekend in a first-round loss to finalist Angelle Sampey.
“Our Victory Gunner team, we were good,” Matt said. “We had a good bike. We were fourth of the round yesterday, third of the round in the second round. We just went up against Jerry (Savoie), who was low of the round. He went .88, we went .89. He had a .016 and I had a .024 light. It was a good, tight drag race, and I don’t mind losing to Jerry.
“The bike is back on the right track. We found the problems and hopefully we’ll continue the momentum in Reading (Pa.).”
Matt qualified No. 5 and beat No. 12 qualifier Melissa Surber in the first round when the rookie red-lit. Smith then made a pass of 6.897 seconds at 191.81 mph against Savoie, whose run of 6.889 seconds at 194.60 mph passed Smith in the final portion of the track.
Angie qualified No. 15 but made a run of 6.971 seconds at 189.98 mph that came up short against Sampey’s stellar 6.873-second run at 194.52 mph. Still, Angie and her Matt Smith Racing team made significant improvements with her Gunner.
“We made some progress this weekend, and we picked up on that last run,” Angie said. “We pitched an oil pump belt at the top of fifth gear; it’s just one of those things. I don’t think it hurt the e.t. that much. I ran within .03-second of Matt, which is a step in the right direction for us.
“At least if we can figure his out, then we can figure mine out and we will be better. We just have to keep pushing forward and we will.”
The Smiths did get to enjoy a terrific race from Matt’s father, Rickie, who went to the final round in Pro Mod to all but clinch the championship in that class. All Rickie Smith has to do is qualify for the final race of the season to wrap up the title.
“It’s awesome,” Matt said. “I’m a big Rickie Smith fan. He’s my dad, he’s my mentor. That’s why I started racing. He’s a legend, and he’s still got it. He’s basically won his third championship. I know it’s not official until Vegas, but he’s going to be the champion for next year.”
