Taylor, Smith Ready To Deliver In First-Round Pro Extreme Race

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As far as first-round matchups go at the Speedtech “Battle For the Belts,” there are not many that can top the Pro Extreme race that pits No. 3 qualifier Frankie Taylor with No. 6 qualifier Gaylen Smith. After all, not many first-round matchups feature more than 20-plus years of a racing rivalry.The two Texas standouts will go at it one more time and this one will mean as much as any in a head-to-head race where each has likely lost track of the number of occurrences.“We raced back in the late (1980s) and since then it’s turned into a pretty friendly deal,” Smith said. “That makes all of this that much more exciting. It’s a pretty good rivalry but it’s a friendly one.“We’ve been friends a long time, but I want to whip his butt just as bad as he wants to whip mine.”Taylor shared nearly the same sentiments - albeit in his own colorful way of doing so - about his longtime rivalry with the Mansfield, TX native.Taylor said things weren’t always friendly, especially when both initially started racing in Texas, but that has changed as the years have progressed.In fact, Taylor might hold Smith in higher regard than any racer he sees each year.There might not be anyone he enjoys beating more as well.“When you go against someone like Gaylen (Smith), you always have to try to rise up,” Taylor said. “We’ve been friends and rivals for a long time and I probably respect him the most of anyone.”Both were hoping for an all-Texas final in Pro Extreme, but Taylor and Smith will now have to settle with hoping to top each other in a juicy first-round race.It would only add to the banner season for both and be just another accomplishment in a 2010 season filled with them.Taylor won his second career ADRL race, winning UTI Dragpalooza VI Presented by Safety-Kleen in late July, which also came at his hometown track, Houston Raceway Park.Along with the win, there have been plenty of records as well, including the magical run of 3.596 at Rockingham Dragway that re-set his own E.T. world record and reestablished Taylor has the quickest driver in the ADRL.Smith has been no slouch, either.The co-owner of LenMar Motorsports advanced to his first ADRL finals this year, doing it twice and also claiming the top qualifying spot in Martin, MI at the Summer Drags.Smith is getting closer to that first win and he can’t think of a better place for his first ADRL celebration than the LenMar Motorsports ADRL World Finals VI, even if it comes at Taylor’s expense.“I figure if all these guys wouldn’t let us have any of these other races, we might as win this one,” said Smith, who is just 45 minutes from Texas Motorplex.“It would definitely mean a lot to win at our home track. Just winning period is exciting, but one of the best things to do would be to win at our home track.”Taylor has also put everything into winning this world championship, even if it means beating his buddy to start his run.It would be the ideal capper to Taylor’s year after the win and the records, and he isn’t holding anything back.Smith recently found that out with a lively and interesting chat he had with the “Madman.”“I just told him I would hate to have to take him out in the first round,” Smith said. “I talked to Frankie and I know he’s going all-out to try to win. He’s changed anything that can be changed.“But we’re doing quite a bit of stuff, too.”The result will be a first-round matchup 20-plus years in the making.

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