Smith Trying to Rise to Top of PX Crop in Houston

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Gaylen Smith knows all too well how fickle things are in the Pro Extreme world in the ADRL.Two races ago, at the ADRL Ford Drive One Summer Drags, Smith was the top qualifier yet still got dealt a second-round matchup with standout Joshua Hernandez.Even then, Smith impressed, going a 3.71 that would have advanced many a driver to the semifinals.Smith, though, had his day finished despite an incredible time, losing after Hernandez ran a remarkable 3.65.Smith could only shrug his shoulders to indicate it’s simply par for the course in such a difficult and balanced class.“There’s so many good racers, it’s an accomplishment just to get in the top 16,” Smith said. Smith, though, is thinking much higher than that and hopes to make a big move at the ADRL Inaugural Texas Drags, which starts Friday at Houston Raceway Park.With the ADRL Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen set to be finished Friday, it’s a double-race weekend for drivers.Smith sees that as an opportunity to inch closer to that all-important eighth position in the points standings for the “Battle For The Belts.”The Texas native is currently `11th, but could make a major jump this weekend.To make that move, Smith knows he can’t waste any time on finding his groove on Friday.“Usually, when we get there, we’re ready to go,” Smith said. “We’re going to be ready to go.“If you come in lazy, you might as well not even try.”Smith, who lives just outside of Dallas, hopes to have some sort of advantage racing in the Texas heat.He’s also well-versed at Houston Raceway Park, and he’ll take any edge he can get in a class where not much separates the top from the bottom.“We got to Houston quite a bit. It’s kind of our second home, so we’re looking forward to it,” Smith said. “I think we’ve got a good gameplan going.”

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