Denso’s Matt Smith leads Maple Grove Friday with a 6.801 pass

By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher

Denso-sponsored Pro Stock Motorcycle driver Matt Smith is the provisional No. 1 qualifier at Maple Grove Raceway on Friday. Smith, the North Carolina native, went 6.801 at 199.49 mph at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pennsylvania.

Smith is looking to secure his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season. He hopes that his numbers will hold up on Saturday.

The King, North Carolina native is hoping to win his fourth Wally at this facility.

“The first run was pretty good and the second run, we should have run .79, maybe a high .78 but the bike got stuck in fourth gear out there,” Smith said. “All in all, we had a great run and I can’t say enough. We got everything turned up. We got the high-side rev limiter turned way up or I’d have hit the limiter there. It’s one of them deals, it’s the Countdown. We’re going for seven [championships], and we’ve got to throw everything we’ve got at it.

“We brought everything we’ve got for our Denso Buell and we’re going to keep digging, try to keep going, and we’ll see. I think we might put another motor in for tomorrow. We have a brand-new piece that’s really, really good on the dyno and I need to get some tune-ups on it and try to get it right for the Countdown.”

RevZilla-sponsored driver Gaige Herrera is currently the provisional No. 2 qualifier. The Vance & Hines driver went 6.804 at 198.55 mph.

Fellow Rev Zilla-sponsored driver Richard Gadson is the No. 3 qualifier. Gadson went 6.807 at 197.45 mph.