Reigning NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Matt Smith is aiming to win his third world title in four years and fifth overall.

The veteran from King, N.C. did his part to keep his lead by grabbing the No. 1 qualifying position at the Dodge//SRT NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He currently holds a slim 25-point lead over Angelle Sampey and a 56-point advantage over third place Steve Johnson.

Smith clocked a 6.839-second time at 198.23 mph.

“We came out first pass on Friday and was No. 2 and made some tweaks for today for Q2 and went just a little bit faster, but I saw some stuff that I didn’t like in the middle of the track and I changed the tune-up in Q3, but we were over 4,200 feet (elevation) so I figured it wouldn’t pick up, but I wanted to be low of the round and get the small bonus points and we end up picking up everywhere. Hats off that Denso/Lucas Oil bike that went to the pole.”

Smith qualified No. 1 for the fourth time this season. He also was No. 1 the Las Vegas spring Four-Wide race, Denver and Pomona, Calif. This is the 47th time he has qualified No. 1 in his career.

Smith won world PSM titles in 2007, 2013, 2018 and 2020.

“I know I have been in this situation the last four years here and we have wrapped it up two of the last three years,” Smith said. “I hope that we continue to do what we have done in the past. The pressure is off me. I’m the points leader. I just want to go and do my job. The way I look at it, if I go win this race, I extend the points lead even more. That’s our goal to win the race and not worry about what anybody else is doing.”

Smith is eyeing his sixth national event win this season and 32nd of his career.

Smith collected seven bonus points in qualifying, while Sampey and Johnson each gained four qualifying points.

Smith meets Michael Phillips in round one. Johnson, the No. 2 qualifier, clashes with Charles Poskey and Sampey gets Ryan Oehler. Sampey and Johnson ride Suzukis.

“I have six Suzukis right behind me,” Smith said. “I think there are two V-twins in the top eight and it has never been like this. I think they have an advantage and that why I am building one next year. I will be on a Suzuki next year to start the season unless NHRA puts weight on them over the winter. I’m going to prove to everybody how fast these things can run. I have my V-twin that’s going to be sitting there ready to go fast again if they do anything to them.”

Smith runs Matt Smith Racing, which includes his motorcycle, a motorcycle driven by his wife Angie and the bike Scotty Pollacheck pilots.

“I just focus on my bike,” Matt said. “I just go up there and do the natural thing and the crew guy I have got who has worked on my bike for four years now I don’t have to worry about nothing. I let him take care of everything and I do the clutch and tune-up and every time I get on that bike, I know it is going to crank up and get down the track and I don’t have to worry about anything. I focus on tuning Scotty’s bike, Angie’s bike, and Charlie (Poskey). It gives us more laps and more data and honestly, I think the more bikes I get my hands on like that I don’t think about my bike and that helps me.

“I think if I was out here by myself trying to do this, I would be overthinking a lot of stuff and making too many stupid decisions and right now I don’t do that because I focus on their stuff and do what I do on my bike.”