At Englishtown, N.J., June 8-11, two-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion (2007, 2013) experienced a season-low when he didn’t qualify.

Since that disappointment Smith’s Victory Gunner motorcycle has been making progress.

Smith has finished runner-up in the two of the last three NHRA events. He lost in Sunday's Denver final opposite of Eddie Krawiec. 

“We qualified No. 1 at Norwalk and then we got beat by LE (Tonglet) in the finals. We were No. 1 qualifier the first day at Chicago and then we put another motor for Saturday and slowed up a little bit and we got bumped to third and we put our good motor back in for Sunday and we were the fastest thing out there and we had a redlight. We have good power right now and we’re excited about running. I like this race. We here right off the trailer last year and went a (7.20). We are normally a top four or five bike here, and that’s all I can ask for.”

Smith has won twice at the Mile-High Nationals – 2007, 2008, making him knowledgeable of how to perform at one of the most difficult venues on the tour. .

“You just have to be patience here,” Smith said. “The lights don’t come on quick, they draw out and you just have to wait for the light because you short shift these things up here it kills them. You better over rev it 100 RPMs, then short shift at 100. I enjoy the challenge and it’s a beautiful track and the Bandimeres do a great job of having a top-notch facility.”

There has been plenty talk about the ailing state of NHRA Pro Stock class, but Smith doesn’t see problems with Pro Stock Motorcycle class.

“Our class is healthy,” Smith said. “We have anywhere between 19 to 24 bikes at every race. I know this race is only 18, but you have to look at that a lot people from the East Coast don’t come here if they are not in the top 10 (in points).”

Smith has done some limited driving in the Pro Mod class, and he was thrilled to win at Martin, Mich., earlier this month, in the ADRL’s Outlaw Pro Mod class. Rickie Smith won the Pro Mod class.

“I ran the eight-mile class and he ran the quarter-mile class and we both qualified No. 1 and we both won,” Matt said. “It was fun. We knew we had Chicago the following week and we just stayed out on the road and we had a good time. I love racing the car.”