HC50:  Personal Info:  Name, location, age, make, model, year of car, etc.

Derrick Smith, Cartersville, Ga. Age: 26, 2000 Mustang

HC50:  How long have you been drag racing?  How did you get your start?

I have been drag racing 10 years. I've been around some kind of racing all of my life.  My parents took me to a lot of the NASCAR races before I was 6 months old.  I raced go karts for a few years, then got my drivers license.  My dad, who owns a Ford dealership, let me drive a Mustang for a while.  I started street racing and going to my local tracks with my girlfriend, now my wife. 
 

HC50:  What’s been the biggest challenge to your racing program?

Since moving into the Pro 5.0 Class with a nitrous, automatic combination, getting to minimum weight has been real hard. This season I've been racing at 175 pounds over, which is almost 2 tenths.  Its not that I don't have a good car, I just don't know of any car that will get to 1975 pounds.
 

HC50:  What would you consider you biggest accomplishment as a racer?

Winning and running up front with a nitrous, automatic combination in Pro 5.0 is my biggest accomplishment as a racer.  This is a real Powerglide 2 speed, not a Lenco with a torque converter bolted to it?
 

HC50:  What are your plans for the future?

My ultimate goal is to race in the Pro Stock Ranks.  Pro 5.0 is competitive like Pro Stock.  This is as close to a Pro Stock Car as it gets. My plans for the future I guess will be NMRA for next season.  My good friend and crew chief Barry Phillippi is putting together a Super Street car for the Pro Series that I will get to drive next season.  We may have an Outlaw 10.5 car also.
 

HC50:  What changes, if any, do you feel the sanctioning bodies need to make in order for our sport to prosper?

I think TV coverage would help a lot.  They need to show more rounds instead of Big Daddy's pick of the week or some new part that just came out.  These Super Chevy Shows on Inside Drag Racing show every round of Nitro Coupe.  I think there are more Mustang fans out there than Nitro Coupe fans.

HC50:  Who are your biggest friends (or enemies) at the track?  Who do you fear having to see at the starting line?

I'm friends with a lot of the people at the track.  I guess Billy Glidden is my best friend as far as the racers go.  I really hate to race him b/c he is the best out there.  I don't look forward to running Donny Walsh either!  You better be on time against Donny.

HC50:  Any other pertinent info?…(sponsors you’d like to thank, wives you HAVE to   thank, other things not mentioned you feel are important)

There is no way I could do this alone.  I have a lot of support at home.  My wife, Tosha and my two sons, Dustin and Austin give me a lot of encouragement, and my parents, they all support me big time. As far as the car goes, Billy Glidden has helped me more than anyone.  He makes the power tunes and the nitrous and the chassis.  It's a team effort for us.  Barry Phillippi drives a lot of miles to help me and I don't know what I'd do without him or Paul Dishroon.  They put in a lot of effort at the track.  There are other guys that have gone and helped me over the years, they know who they are.  Thanks guys.  Thanks to Skinny Kid for getting my car ready in a hurry last winter.  I have to thank all of my sponsors:  Harold & Lenny with Dynamic Racing, Kenny Holcomb at Holcomb Motorsports, Edelbrock, Pennzoil, Bassani, Glidden Racing Engines, and any one else that has made this at all possible through the years, especially my dad!!!   THANKS A LOT!!

Thanks Hardcore 5.0 for all the hard work & support for our sport!

We thank you, Derrick, for taking the time out of your schedule for us!  Good luck in all your racing endeavors, and we hope to see you at the track!