What's up everyone!

2009 has come to a close, it has been quite an up and down year. I learned quite a bit during Supercross this year and even made one main event in the lites class. I was looking forward to the outdoor nationals this year but luck didn't go my way. I had some nagging injuries that hindered me the entire series. I tore my shoulder up after Highpoint, which took me out for a few races. I also experienced some trouble with my back during the entire year, but with physical therapy I was able to ride through the pain

I’m pretty happy with most of the year, but I know things could have been better! I moved to Lynchburg, Virginia and with the help of Matt Hicks and Dwayne Jordan, I’ve hired a trainer to get myself in the best mental and physical condition for 2010. I want to thank both of them for all their efforts, and supporting me through thick and thin, in helping me to achieve my dream. I would also like to thank each and every one of you, that have continued to support me through-out my career, along with my sponsors. Without the support of all you guys, it would’ve been impossible to be where I'm at in my career.

Thank you all

Ryan Smith #831

What's up everyone! It’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything on here, but since Supercross…things haven't really gone as planned during the outdoor nationals. Everything was going just as planned until qualifying at the Freestone National, when I went down and reaggervated my left shoulder. I went to the doctors and had to stay off the bike for a few weeks.

During the time off, I spent most of it doing physical therapy on my shoulder and trying to get it back to one hundred percent so I could proceed with my season. I showed up at High Point with only riding thirty minutes since Freestone. I had the doctor tape up my shoulder and I rode through the tightness and pain to a respectable 27-26 moto finishes. I had a few tip overs during the motos and battled some stomach cramping during the second moto. I was fairly happy with how things went at High Point with my shoulder in the condition it was in.

I came home and started training and riding for Thunder Valley. Once again things went a little south in our program while riding at Lake Sugar Tree…during a thirty minute session, I was going through a whoop section and mistimed the section which threw me over the front of the bike and pile drove me into the dirt. I jumped up quick thinking all was good, once the adrenaline wore off I realized I had blood running down my face and pain in my left shoulder. We went back to my shop and realized I had just busted my nose, but my left shoulder was the problem we were worried about the most.

Monday morning I was on my way to the Doctors office, with lots of x-ray’s and MRI's the doctors found a fracture at the top of my humerus (humeral head is what they called it). They also found some stretched muscles around my shoulder as well. It has been about 5 weeks since then and I have been itching to get back on the bike. I’ve been doing everything the doctors tell me to do as well as my physical therapist. I have realized if I don't listen to them it could result in surgery on my shoulder (nasty!). Our plan is to participate in the last four nationals.

I want to thank everyone for following and supporting me during my career! I would like to start out by thanking my Grandfather Bob Bailey for making all of this possible, my mom, my dad, my sister, Matt and the gang over at Leech and Hicks Insurance, Bruce Porter with Arai, Scott Goggles, Chris with O’Neal, Cal with Full Travel Suspension, my uncle Gary Bailey, Matt Sheldon with Decal Works, Tommy with EVS, Joel and everyone over at Honda-Suzuki of Lynchburg, Boo and everyone at Liquid performance, Jake with Pirelli, Jeff over at Sun Solutions, Joe at Scruggs Transmission and most of all my mechanic Mike, for putting up with me!

Thanks for stopping in,
Ryan

Mike & I headed across the border into Canada, blew through customs and headed to the Dome. Wooo brudda! This is the gnarliest track to date

The Triples are massive, the rhythm section is sweet. 1st practice was good, the times were slower but I eventually picked up some great times working them Triples, trying to dial in the power to clear them. 2nd Practice times were a tad faster…after all was said and done, I made it into the Night show with a 33rd fastest time.

Looking forward to the 2nd Heat of the night, I had a mid pack start & focused on kicking some tail to get to the front when… WHAM, someone from another line on the track hit a tuff block tossing it right in my lane, as I landed it was right there, so down I went… alrighty!, off to the LCQ…with a great start, I started pickin’ ‘em off to end up with a 5th position JEEZ, just short of the top 2. With the upcoming race at Jacksonville being the last one of the East Coast Series, it’s all about Go big or GO home. ALL OR NOTHING.

See you @ JAX SX

A fantastic week of practice, hammerin’ on getting those turns down to shut that door, as tight as a drum. 1st practice didn’t go quite as we had hoped, so we went back to the drawing board, setting up the bike a little differently for the next round. Oh ya! The adjustments helped me cut off over 3 seconds and 8 positions to make the night show.

I had the flu this past week but am now totally pumped to be racing on a track designed by Travis Pastrana – It’s gnarly and very technical. Heat 1 was a decent start about mid pack, I got my rhythm going and started picking them off, one by one, to put myself in qualifying position. So I started going back & forth with Will Hahn, slipped under him, started to pull away from him, and then…he comes over the finish line jump and lands straight on top of me, OUCH! That one took us both out of the qualifying positions. On to the LCQ…Will and I had a great jump on the group coming into the first turn, but we got pushed way wide…we each tried to tuck in, but it just wasn't enough to get back to the top 2 positions.

We might not have had the results we were hoping for, but we made great adjustments to the bike to bring an A game to Toronto Canada, this coming weekend. Bring it on!

See you there.

Having had a great training session this week, Mechanic Mike, Matt Goerke and I all headed to Tampa Airport for the flight to New Orleans. As we headed out, it seemed almost impossible to hit our flight as the traffic came to a screeching halt. This was not good for our schedule, as we were sitting on the highway for a while we realized it was time for drastic measures…BAM! down the emergency lane we go to make our flight. Yup…we made it with time to spare.

Mike and I headed straight for the Dome to make sure all was ready with the bike. Then…Race Day, I woke up in a great mood ready to break into the top 20 for the qualifying practice, that be the goal. While out in practice, I felt like I had the track down & was feelin’ good, then I started the Heat still buzzin & had a great start. So I’m in the 6th position when Devolas ran me high into the sweeper turn…SUCKS! I lost my momentum for the rest of the heat and dropped out of the transfer spot. Then on the LCQ I flew out of the gate, only to hit a bottleneck at the first turn, which shut me down for a possible chance at another Main Event.

Back to the track for more training, that means we work on the TURNS, how to shut that door & keep an iron grip on the position.

See everyone @ ST. Louis where Travis Pastrana and I will have a rematch.

Me and the boyz flew out waaaay to early Friday morning. Most people turn their cell phone off when the flight goes airborne but somehow mine didn’t turn off…or did it?

So we’re flying, and I’m snoozing, and I guess my alarm went off during the flight and was on for like 30 mins. Must be a weak alarm, because it didn’t eeeven wake me up! Once the attendant woke me up, I realized what was happening. I turned off the alarm & the passengers cheered, actually cheered! (I felt like I should be holding a trophy!!). Once in Indy – Mike headed to the track to check on the bike while I went to the gym & hot tub for some relaxation before race day.

Practice was a little slow going as the track was very intense, once I got to the 2nd round of practice I started getting into the groove with a 28th fastest time.

Not realizing I made it in, I was actually bummed after the heat, not realizing I had just squeaked in. Once I realized I was in, I gave my Dad, Mom & Sister a call to get a good family cry out. Mom said “ok, now let’s go show the world who you are.” In the main, I came out terrible on the start, so I just started trying to pace myself. I felt like I rode really tight for it being my first time out, even though I got some stomach cramping about half way thru. As I was moving into 12th place, the bike was having some mechanical issues which bit me on the step on step off before the finish line. There seemed to be some trash in the carb, which caused me to endo off, then the bike slammed me pretty hard, I got up and remounted into 14th. For the 1st time being in a Main, my experience can only get better. I got some bumps & bruises, sure, but its time to lay the hammer down this week to train my butt off for Daytona!!

I want to thank everyone who has supported me through-out my career to get to this point, my family & friends that keep my head straight, (when it seems impossible to go forward). Special thanks to Mike Meador my mechanic, great job this weekend & for believing in me.

After 5 hours on the tarmac in Atlanta, GA – Mike & I are now back in Florida getting ready for “Daytona” this coming weekend – See ya there.

What’s up everyone, The Travis Pastrana MX Challenge down in Puerto Rico was a blast! I am about to head out to the airport here in a bit to fly back home. I just want to say last night was the sickest feeling ever. Getting the hole shot and going back and forth, side by side for 20 laps with Travis Prastrana was sooooo sweet. Travis block passed me, very clean on lap 16 and I fired right back in the next turn with another block pass. The entire race we never touched one time. It was awesome seeing all TP's friends cheering us both on. Ronnie Renner was going crazy every single lap. I was so pumped on how it worked out. They combined both main events from Friday and Saturday night, so I got 2nd overall due to a 3-1 main event finishes. Sickest race of my life. I just want to thank every single person who has supported me and my whole career. I appreciate everyone here on Taz Racing who cheers me on week in and week out. Thank you so much. I’ll keep you all updated each race weekend.

Ryan