Curtis Smith (drag racer)
| Curtis Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | |
| NHRA IHRA career | |
| Debut season | 1970 |
| Current team | Curtis Smith Racing |
| Engine | Chevrolet |
| Crew chief | Eugene "Pop" Carlsward |
| Championships | 1 |
| Wins | 17 |
| Best finish | 1 in 1996 |
| Championship titles | |
| 1996 | IHRA Stock Eliminator |
| Awards | |
| 2012 2014 2014 | North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame East Coast Drag Racing Hall of Fame Sampson County Sports Hall of Fame |
Curtis Smith is an American semi-retired drag racer known for his success in IHRA Stock Eliminator competition. He was the 1996 IHRA Stock Eliminator World Champion and has recorded multiple national event victories during his career.[1]
Smith has been inducted into several halls of fame, including the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame and the Sampson County Sports Hall of Fame.[2][1]
Early life
Smith was born and raised in Clinton, North Carolina. He is the son of drag racer Earl Smith, a longtime Chevrolet competitor and figure in North Carolina motorsports.[3][4]
He was introduced to drag racing at an early age, attending races and assisting with race car preparation alongside his father.[3]
Racing career
1970s–1980s
Smith began his national racing career in the early 1970s, driving a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro in IHRA Stock Eliminator competition. He finished second in his first IHRA national event at Rockingham Dragway.[5]
He earned his first national event victory in 1982 and went on to win multiple national events throughout the 1980s.
In 1985, Smith became the first IHRA Sportsman driver to win three consecutive national events.[5] Smith’s success in IHRA competition led to coverage in IHRA Drag Review, the sanctioning body’s official publication.[6]
1990s
Smith continued his success into the 1990s, winning multiple IHRA and NHRA national events.
In 1996, he won the IHRA Stock Eliminator World Championship.[1]
He achieved success at major venues including Bristol Dragway, Darlington Dragway, and Rockingham Dragway. He was among the notable sportsman all time winners at Darlington Dragway.[7]
Smith also recorded multiple victories at Rockingham Dragway during his career and is one of the drivers on the track's top all time winners list.[5]
Recognition and honors
Smith was inducted into the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2012.[8][9]
In 2014, he was inducted into the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame.[2]
That same year, he was inducted into the Sampson County Sports Hall of Fame.[1][10]
Personal life
Smith is a graduate of Clinton High School. He is married and has two children.
He is the owner of Curtis Smith Racing and Curtis Smith Trucking, LLC.
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Five elected to Sampson County Sports Hall of Fame". The Fayetteville Observer. June 25, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
- 1 2 "2014 Hall of Fame Inductees". East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
- 1 2 "Full Throttle: Earl Smith's 'Shakedown' '69 Camaro destroyed by fire". The Fayetteville Observer. March 27, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
- ↑ "Thomas "Earl" Smith". The Sampson Weekly. March 17, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Drag Race Central Results and Historical Data". Drag Race Central. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
- ↑ "IHRA Drag Review Magazine Collection". Original Magazines. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
- ↑ "Darlington Dragway: 40 Years". Dragbike.com. December 31, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
- ↑ "NC Drag Racing Hall of Fame Officially Reaches New Home". Drag Illustrated. September 24, 2013. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
- ↑ "North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame 2012 Inductees". Drag City News. January 10, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
- ↑ "The Sampson Weekly (Nov. 14, 2014 issue)" (PDF). The Sampson Weekly. November 14, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 13, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2026.