Some big news was revealed on the WFO Podcast when six-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Matt Smith announced that he has acquired factory support from Suzuki and will no longer race his v-twin with this new sponsorship.
“I cannot run a v-twin this year,” Smith said. “It’s Suzuki 100 percent this year.”
Smith says he will need to get a Gen 3 Suzuki Hayabusa body from Vance & Hines to modernize his motorcycle’s appearance. He doesn’t expect to have the body in time for the season-opening Gatornationals, March 9-12, but expects to have it mounted by the time the tour gets to Chicago, May 19-21.
Smith began his motorcycle drag racing and NHRA Pro Stock career on a Suzuki but the lion-share of his success has come aboard a v-twin. Smith’s only NHRA win on a Suzuki came in Richmond last season.
“I went to a bunch of finals on a Suzuki but could just never close the deal,” Smith said. “I’m looking forward to winning more races on a Suzuki with the ultimate goal of winning a 7th championship on a Suzuki to complete my profile, as winning on three different bikes.”
Smith also won using the now defunct Victory brand.
An added bonus for the team, Smith’s wife Angie will be permitted to remain on her v-twin, under the Matt Smith Racing umbrella.
Smith says this means his wife will have immediate access to all the “A” equipment that helped propel him to so much success on the “Red Rocket” v-twin.
The partnership with Suzuki is also a fitting one for Smith, who is also backed by Denso, who manufactures many of the components used on a stock Suzuki Hayabusa.
“I don’t know if a lot people realize how many Denso parts are on a Suzuki motorcycle, but this is a really neat deal for us and could be a major business-to-business relationship,” Smith said.
So does this now mean Smith is “teammates” with his foes, Vance & Hines riders Gaige Herrera and Eddie Krawiec?
“Teammates per Suzuki,” laughed Smith.
Clearly the rivalry will still be strong between these two high-level, Suzuki-backed squads.
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