At the recent IHRA Spring Nationals at Rockingham Dragway, two of the busiest individuals in the professional pits were South Carolina’s John “Bodie” Smith and his wife, Rhonda Hartman-Smith. While Smith spent much of his time running between Michael Gunderson’s Top Fuel area and Jon Capps’ Nitro Funny Car pit, Hartman-Smith expended nearly as much energy entertaining eight-year-old daughter Megan and chasing toddler son Dylan.

John Smith and Rhonda-Hartman Smith South Carolina-based team keeping busy, eyeing return to competition

 

At the recent IHRA Spring Nationals at Rockingham Dragway, two of the busiest individuals in the professional pits were South Carolina’s John “Bodie” Smith and his wife, Rhonda Hartman-Smith. While Smith spent much of his time running between Michael Gunderson’s Top Fuel area and Jon Capps’ Nitro Funny Car pit, Hartman-Smith expended nearly as much energy entertaining eight-year-old daughter Megan and chasing toddler son Dylan.

Individually, Smith and Hartman-Smith have amassed many accolades, but they are perhaps the most recognized husband and wife team in the history of the class. Between the years of 2001 and 2004 the pair balanced family, business, and racing while adding several new chapters to the Top Fuel record book.

Driving cars fielded by Hartman-Smith’s dad Virgil Hartman, they were the first professional husband and wife team to qualify at a national event and the first to face each other on the track. Hartman-Smith finished in the Top 10 in NHRA points all four years, and also had a Top 10 finish in the IHRA in 2003. Smith, who didn’t complete the 2001 season after suffering a devastating crash in a race with Gary Scelzi, rebounded to make the Top 10 list the next two seasons. He also doubled up in 2003, finishing in the No. 8 spot in both NHRA and IHRA.

“We were just really fortunate that we got to be on the same team together and race two Top Fuel Dragsters against each other,” Hartman-Smith said. “We look back on that opportunity and we just had a really good time. We got to finish in the top 10 together and be the first husband and wife to qualify at a national event and race against each other. Three years in a row we were in the top 10 and got to walk onstage at the awards ceremony. Those were some really good moments, you know. We battled it out - he was probably my worst competitor because I had to be on top of my game.”

Hartman-Smith has not driven competitively since 2004, but she has left the door wide open for a return to the cockpit. Smith is currently working with his dad Paul, brother Mike, and brother-in-law Richard Hartman on the Funny Car driven by Jon Capps, and he’s also helping Michael Gunderson with his Top Fuel Dragster.

“Currently we’re just traveling around with John,” said Hartman-Smith. “He's tuning for Michael Gundersen and helping his father's team out this season. “As for racing, there are always opportunities being presented to me and I'm always open to coming back,” she said. “It just has to be the right situation for our family. We have some marketing people working on things and hopefully one day we’ll be able to come back out and race again.”

“These guys are trying, you know; they're giving us the ultimate effort,” Smith said when asked about Gunderson and his team. “They did a good job this weekend. They're learning, and they’re up and coming. They used to run an A/Fuel dragster, and after all, everyone has to learn. From the driver to the crew - we win as a team and we lose as a team.

“You work really hard to stay on top of it, you want to create things, create a better atmosphere, safer conditions for these cars,” Smith said. “We've seen in the last few weeks that we really have to work on that and it will keep evolving. We want to make these cars bulletproof, hopefully someday will be able to say that – we’re always working towards that.”

His wife agreed. “It's unfortunate that these situations happen - when they occur, these accidents, you know, we actually get something from it and that's the one good thing that comes out of it because of the safety - we know ways to improve the cars that make them better for the next generation.”

And a member of that next generation is Megan Smith, who is perpetuating the traditions of both families and taking her place in the cockpit of a Jr. Dragster this season. “Yeah - it's pretty cool driving,” she said. “I have seen my mom and dad drive, like, forever and so it's pretty cool getting behind the wheel.”