Suzuki rider Matt Smith: "Don't count me out"

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2009 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 3 of five Countdown to 1 Playoffs events for Pro Stock Motorcycle
class
Round 14 of 17 for season
NHRA MID-SOUTH NATIONALS
Memphis Motorsports Park
Oct. 2-4, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438;
jstropus@earthlink.net

SUZUKI RIDER MATT SMITH: "DON'T COUNT ME OUT"

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Oct. 2, 2009) - Matt Smith, rider of the Nitro Fish Ultimate
Gear Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle for Don Schumacher Racing, is a little
miffed at ESPN2 prognosticators who have already counted him out for the
2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series championship.

With three events remaining in the Countdown to 1 playoffs for the PSM
class, there are 12 rounds of eliminations available to each competitor.
That's a total of 240 points, not to mention the new qualifying bonus points
for the top three qualifiers in each session, as well as a chance to set a
national elapsed-time record, which earns 20 points. Smith is just 148
markers short of first place.

Following his semifinal finish in Texas last Sunday and the resurgence of
the performance of the Nitro Fish Suzuki, Smith is well within striking
distance of his second world championship to match the one he claimed in
2007.

"I was looking at the TV coverage and the reporters already were counting us
out," he said. "They seem to think we don't have a chance at a championship
now. Well, they counted me out in 2007, too. They said it was down to Andrew
Hines and Chip Ellis then, and I ended up winning it all.

"We'll see if we can do that again.

"The Suzuki is running better now," he said, referring to some of the
struggles he and the team have had this year. "We're just working on making
it consistent now. We have a fast bike again.

"Memphis has not been one of my better races over the years," added Smith,
who was runner-up here in 2004 and No. 1 qualifier in 2006. "We've been to
one final round here; otherwise, we were out in either the first or second
round.

"We'll try to change that this year. We need to get to the finals, and to
try to win a race. But our main goal is to just get to the finals and let's
get some round wins and get some points on these leaders."

MATT SMITH QUICK FACTS:
* No 4 in Countdown to 1 playoffs after two of five PSM events
* No. 4 in PSM 2009 "regular season" point standings, following runner-up
finish in season-opening Gainesville, Fla., event, semifinal finishes in
Houston, Atlanta, Englishtown and Sonoma, and six quarterfinals
* Led the standings through two of the first three events
* Clinched a spot in the 2009 Countdown to 1 playoffs in Brainerd, Minn.
* Qualified No. 3 in 2008 Memphis, lost semis to Eddie Krawiec
* Set national elapsed-time record in Houston 2009 of 6.865 seconds. It has
since been eclipsed
* Two No. 1 qualifiers in 2009 (Gainesville and Indianapolis)
* Won 2007 PSM championship, winning four races in nine final rounds
* Was No. 1 seed in 2008 NHRA PSM playoffs, earning 20-point bonus
* No. 3 in 2008 PSM point standings
* Came close to claiming his second straight PSM crown in 2008 after leading
the standings for the last six of seven events in the playoffs. A mechanical
problem in the final event of the season dropped him to third
* Collected a career-high seven No. 1 qualifiers in 2008
* Debuted in the PSM class in Gainesville, Fla., in 2004
* Is the son of NHRA Pro Stock racer Rickie Smith
* Has 10 career national-event wins in 21 final rounds, and was low
qualifier 16 times since joining the class on a limited basis in 2003
* Became a full-time competitor in the class in 2005
* Career round win-loss record is 122-78 in 95 national events
* Career-best elapsed time: 6.865 seconds (Houston 2009)
* Career-best speed: 194.63 mph (Atlanta 2009)
* Lives in King, N.C. - single - engaged to fellow PSM rider Angie McBride
* Born Nov. 11, 1972
* Son Tristan (9/12/96)

SCHEDULE: 
FRIDAY, Oct. 2 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:15 and 4:45 p.m.
SATURDAY, Oct. 3 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:15 a.m. and 2:15
p.m.
SUNDAY, Oct. 4 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11
a.m. 
 
TELEVISION:      
Saturday, Oct. 3, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying
highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 4, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute
news magazine show, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 4, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations
at 7 p.m. (ET).
                   
SATELLITE (Analog feed) :
Friday, Oct. 2, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz,
horizontal)
Saturday, Oct. 3, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz,
horizontal)
Sunday, Oct. 4, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz,
horizontal)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winnersą
interviews on Sunday.

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