By:
Sherri Tilley
| Photo by Sherri TilleyI think you have to be a very strong woman to race in this industry.
You have to be strong, and you better be thick-skinned to race NHRA.
Angie Smith
You have to be strong, and you better be thick-skinned to race NHRA.
With a career win under her belt and a top best speed of 197.77, NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Angie Smith has had success in several regional series alongside her husband Matt who also competes in the same category. We spoke with Angie at the Texas Motorplex drag racing facility during the AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals hosted by Toyota and the NHRA where she discussed female role models, the best advice she ever received, and earning respect in a male-dominated sport.
TFL: How long have you been drag racing?
AS: I didn't start drag racing until I was 19. I grew up around circle track racing – Sprint Car, NASCAR, and those things. I actually wanted to go circle track racing, and my dad was like, No way.
So against my parents will, I bought a motorcycle because all my friends – the guys – were getting bikes and going to the drag strips; and I wanted to fit in, so I bought one. I went to the local drag strip, and I kind of cut my teeth there. I loved it, and it was all history from there. I started racing NHRA in 2008, and I've raced full time every race since 2011; so it's a professional career for me. This is my third year of making the Top 10. I'm seventh in points right now, and I've won a race.
TFL: Did you have anyone that you looked up to as you came up the ranks?
AS: Well, Shirley Muldowney of course, and Angelle [Sampey] and Karen [Stoffer]. They paved the way for all the female racers. Shirley Muldowney is the icon of the sport for sure.
TFL: What is it about this sport that drives your passion?
AS: Winning. Winning, competitiveness, and the family-oriented atmosphere. You want to win more than anything. My father-in-law Ricky Smith who races also gave me the best advice I ever got. He said, If you can't take losing 80% of the time, then drag racing is not for you.
And he's totally right. When you lose that 80% of the time, you've got to figure out how to come back and be better.
TFL: What do you see as both the benefits and challenges of being a woman in this sport?
AS: Sometimes the challenges are finding sponsors because it's a male-dominated sport. So when you walk in and present yourself as, Hey, I'm a racer and I want to go racing,
they kind of look at you like, You want to go racing? What?
But in other aspects, you have sponsors like my sponsor Denso. The head of marketing is a female; so she kind of grabbed onto me and I grabbed onto her, and we did this whole campaign with them which has been amazing. So, one of the challenges is sponsors – good and bad. I think this is a sport where you have to earn your respect. When a girl comes in, of course she has a lot of fans and she's pretty and a lot of people come to her just for that reason, and there's a lot of jealousy between the drivers, especially when you';re not getting as much publicity as other people. But when you earn your respect, all the chips fall into place. I had to earn my respect. In 2008 and 2009, a lot of people didn't take me seriously; and I don't think a lot of people thought I'd be out here this long. But I have, and now I think I have the respect of everybody on this row.
For more information or to keep up with Angie Smith, view the insightful documentary-style video below or visit online for current racing stats, event dates, and more.
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