Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith impressed during both sessions to kick off the weekend, making the quickest run each time, including a Friday-best 6.708 at 201.40 on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell at Route 66 Raceway, taking the provisional No. 1 qualifier at the 24th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance.. It was a solid step forward for the six-time world champ, who is looking to snap Gaige Herrera’s class-record streak of 11 No. 1 qualifiers. Smith is off to a strong start with that, getting close to the 6.60s with his second run on Friday. It would also be Smith’s 53rd top qualifier if it holds up.
“I think we’re running well and we’ve made this bike very competitive,” Smith said. “Our goal is to just keep getting better and hats off to this whole team for the progress we’ve made. We’re learning and we’ll keep trying to improve.
“We’ve been working hard and testing to get out sixty-foot times better. I had a 1.05 in Charlotte and the bike wouldn’t shift and I had a 1.05 here on Q1. We put some power in it and it stuck. Really, our goal is just to make our program better.”
Herrera, who has won seven consecutive races, is current second with a run of 6.745 at 200.17, and LE Tonglet is third thanks to a run of 6.772 at 200.44.
Qualifying continues at 11:40 a.m. CT on Saturday at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway. The first round of the GETTRX Pro Stock All-Star Callout starts at 11:30 a.m. CT on Saturday, with the semifinals to follow at 1:45 p.m. and the finals at 2:55 p.m.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.708, 201.40; 2. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.734, 23.45; 3. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.772, 200.44; 4. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.778, 200.26; 5. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.782, 200.95; 6. John Hall, Beull, 6.823, 199.05; 7. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.827, 197.54; 8. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.838, 130.78; 9. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.862, 196.10; 10. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.875, 197.86; 11. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.890, 194.13; 12. Ron Tornow, Victory, 6.894, 196.96; 13. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 6.948, 193.32; 14. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 7.065, 195.90; 15. Wesley Wells, Suzuki,
7.237, 185.51; 16. Eiji Kawakami, EBR, 7.408, 184.60.
Not Qualified: 17. Lance Bonham, 7.409, 179.80.
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