Story Written By:  Eric Johnson

Publication:  www.RacerXill.com

Original Publication:  10/17/2003

Courtesy of Racer X.

On Sunday, May 28, 2000, on a slithery, waterlogged track in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, Kelly Smith rode to victory in the 125cc class at the High Point National. The win shoved the quiet Michigan-based rider out of the shadows and onto the bright white pages of the AMA record book as the first rider ever to win an AMA National on a KTM.
    However, Smith’s rise to prominence was over as quickly as it had started. Not long after, he was let go by KTM, thus beginning a three-year walkabout through the privateer ranks.
    In 2003, things started to fall into place for Smith. Riding a Yamaha YZ250F for the upstart Racerhouse.com outfit – and holeshotting one race after another – he placed fourth in the AMA 125cc East Region Supercross Series and ninth in the 125cc Nationals. As a reward for his tenacity and determination, Smith, by now a four-stroke specialist, found himself in a bidding war between Kawasaki and Yamaha of Troy. He ultimately signed with the blue marquee for the 2004 season. As a sign of good faith, Smith rewarded his new employer with a victory in last weekend’s wild 125cc clash at the 2003 Maxxis U.S. Open of Supercross. This morning, we phoned Smith up in Michigan to say congratulations and see how things we were going.

Racer X: Kelly, what do you have going on today?
Kelly Smith: Actually, I’m about to go riding.

How’s the weather?
It’s okay. It’s about 55 or 60 degrees outside, a pretty typical fall day in Michigan.

Congratulations on winning the U.S. Open in Vegas last Saturday night.
Yeah, thanks, I’m pretty pumped about it. It was a good way to start out with the new team. You know what, though? I still don’t know what I won.

Didn’t you get a trophy and a check?
I got a trophy, but no check. I still don’t know what I’ve won; I guess it’s coming in the mail or something.

How did you end up with the Yamaha of Troy team?
I had a contract with Yamaha last year, and they wanted to keep me around. But then Kawasaki entered the picture and I talked with them. I signed a little piece of paper, which was a letter of intent to ride for them in 2004. I told Yamaha about the deal, and they jumped all over me to stay with the team. They did it right. They didn’t just meet the first right of refusal from Kawasaki, but made an even better offer. I even got a second year on my contract. Yamaha did it all the right way for me.

You’ve been through some ups and down during the past few years. Now here you are, back on a factory-direct satellite team. You must be pretty happy.
Yeah, I really am. I guess it’s really good to come back from being a privateer and back into a factory rig again. Not a lot of people make it back into a factory semi after being a privateer. I knew I had the ability to make it back. I think I was unfairly being overlooked, and so many people that I was better than were getting rides. That really pissed me off. So I clamped down, tried hard and knew I was on good equipment. I was able to put it together and make it happen. Also, my personal life is a lot better. I’m a stronger Christian, and I got married – my wife’s name is Kristen. We’ve been married for a year now.

So the Yamaha of Troy deal came along a great time?
Yeah, it was special. After getting married and now wanting to start a family, the two-year deal Yamaha provided me with really gives me some stability – stability I’ve never had before.

Although it’s relatively early, how are things going with the Yamaha of Troy team?
It’s all been really good. I like my mechanic, Larry Alexander, a lot. We only had two days of testing before the U.S. Open, so it was an on-the-fly deal, but the bike ended up working well.

You went 3-2 on Friday and Saturday night, respectively. Did you feel good riding in the MGM Grand Garden Arena?
I felt good, but I felt even better about the fact that I know we’ll be able to improve so much more. We now have so much more time to test and get ready for the season. We’ll be riding the East Coast series, so we’ll have time to improve by leaps and bounds before we race the first round.

What’s the goal for 2004? To win the East Region Supercross Series?
I’d love to win it. I’ve heard rumors that James Stewart was going to ride the East, but I’m just going to do my own thing. If he shows up, he shows up. He’s pretty much unbeatable, but then again, he’s young, and young riders make mistakes. I don’t know … I’d love to win the East Coast. I used to be a consistent top-five guy, but now I want to be a consistent top-three guy.

What’s you goal for the outdoors in 2004?
I’ve had my ups and downs in 2003, but I finished strong and ended up in the top ten in points. That was better than ever for me. My bike broke down at one race, and that caused four problems in a row. Next year I won’t have any worries. If I break something, it’ll be taken care of by the team immediately.

Are you going to race any of the overseas races this winter?
I’ll do the Paris-Bercy Supercross, and I also might go to Genoa, Italy. I’ll find out today or tomorrow. I guess they’re looking for a couple of riders at the last minute, so I might end up going over there.

If all goes to plan, what do you hope to achieve in the next few years?
In the next two years, I want to make something happen in the 125 class. I’d love to win a supercross or motocross championship. I’ll take what I can get. I want to work hard and go from the Yamaha of Troy team right into a factory 250 team. I don’t want to mess around and get jacked around like Nick Wey did. I want to make the move and I want it to go great.

Are you going to stay in Michigan for a while, or will you be back in California testing soon?
I have a really good supercross track here, and the ground is tacky right now. It’s perfect. But I’m only here for a week. Next Wednesday I’ll be back in California, and I’ll be there right through the time my season starts.

Well, Kelly, congratulations again on the U.S Open win, and best of luck come 2004.
Thanks a lot, Eric. I’m really looking forward to it.