Matt Smith wrapped up his fifth world championship on Sunday at Auto Club Pomona Raceway when he defeated Angelle Sampey in the quarterfinals and Steve Johnson was eliminated as well.
“I just want to be one of the greatest of all time,” Smith said. “You’ve got people like Dave Schultz, John Meyers, Angelle [Sampey], Eddie Krawiec, and Andrew Hines and I just want to be included with that group. I've got to thank Denso, Mark Stockseth, Glen Butcher Trucking and everyone else who supports us. We did it. We've got five of them and that's all I needed."
Matt Smith has had the best bike in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class at almost every race this season and as a result, his Denso Buell will once again carry the No. 1 plate in 2021. Smith clinched his fifth Camping World NHRA Series championship on Sunday in Pomona when he beat Angelle Sampey on a holeshot in the quarterfinal round. Sampey set low elapsed time with a 6.777 but it wasn’t enough to hold off Smith’s 6.808.
Smith, who also won titles in 2007, 2012, 2018, and 2020, becomes just the third Pro Stock Motorcycle rider to win 5 or more championships joining the late Dave Schultz, who won five before his untimely death in 2002, and Andrew Hines, who is the current class leader with six.
Check it out from Kevin McKenna, NHRA National Dragster Senior Editor:
Camping World points standings:
Auto Club NHRA Finals Sunday photo gallery: