Rickie Smith Goes Out A Winner: Clinches NHRA Pro Mod Championship

After 40 years of racing, “Tricky Rickie” Smith has finally decided to call it quits as a driver, announcing that he will step out of the drivers seat at the conclusion of the season. Unlike many racers, he’s going out with a bang, however, as he wrapped up the NHRA Pro Modified championship on Sunday in convincing fashion at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals with one race still remaining in the 10-race series.

Smith clinched the title when he took out event top qualifier Jim Laurita in the semifinal round of racing before falling to Mike Castellana; with one event to go and a possible 138 points available at each event there is no racer that can catch Smith at this point. 

Over the course of a fantastic racing career, Smith has captured two IHRA Super Modified championships and five IHRA Pro Stock championships, but it’s been more than two decades since he ended the season atop the points standings. “It’s been a long time since we won a championship, we won seven titles [IHRA Pro Stock and Super Modified] but the last one was in 1989,” said the 59-year-old Smith from King, N.C. “I’ve been doing this for 40 solid years. I drive my own truck and put my own awning up and it’s time to back off, be a crew chief and let these young guys do it. I am tickled to death to pull this deal off. I want to thank IDG for giving me this time to finish my career out. I want to walk away from this thing a champion.”

Not only does he own all of those championships including this year’s Pro Mod title, he’s also won dozens of other races, served as a race-winning crew chief, and even taken his chances in the NASCAR arena, racing in the Busch Grand Nationals Series back in 1988. He’s a member of the Holley 6-Second Pro Stock Club, was one of the top four inducted into the Bristol Motorsports Hall Of Fame, and was named the top Mountain Motor Pro Stock racer of all time. He’s even won an event overseas at the Bahrain International Circuit – basically, he’s done it all, and decided to go out a winner.

We salute you, Mr. Smith, on a fantastic racing career that won’t soon be forgotten. Congratulations on your championship!