KELLY SMITH
What’s your name?
Kelly Smith
Where are you from?
Austin, TX
Who is(are) your rider(s)?
Tyler Smith, Dray Smith, Kolten Smith
How long have you been a moto mom?
7-8 Years
Were you into motorcycles before becoming a moto mom?
My parents own a motorcycle shop so she has been around them for 20 years.
Describe a typical race weekend for you.
She makes sure we have everything; food, gear, clothes and all the essentials to keep all of us happy. She is the first to rise to make breakfast, she makes sure she wears loud clothes (so we can see her from the gate.) She puts our tear-offs on, grabs her mechanic’s backpack, pit board and she is off to the gate. She makes all of our lunches and discusses each moto afterward, screams at us if she needs to. Then she is watching more racing, as she trains other kids at the facility as well. My mom is the personal trainer in the gym at Quicks Moto Ranch, so she is usually at the track watching all of the kids racing. She likes to make sure she gives pointers to all of her racers…lol. My dad is usually at the gate while my mom is in the mechanic area giving us the pit board, this way they can be with all of us. Then she is cooking dinner in the evenings, usually we have more than just us because everyone likes my mom’s cooking. We have to be inside, shower, and in bed by 10:00 pm if its race night…..and she means everyone. Then do it all over again if it’s a two-race format, then back home!
What’s your family’s favorite meal at the track?
Taco boats or fajitas are everyone’s favorite, she makes the best pico de gallo.
Do you have any pre-race rituals or superstitions while spectating?
Not really, she just makes sure she tell us “love you” and blows us a kiss.
Most nerve-wracking moment watching your kid(s) race/ride?
I think the start, always hear in the videos (always shaking and she is very loud). She likes to go over the start after the moto to see if we can make some changes to be better.
Favorite part about being at the track?
I like seeing all my friends, she likes to see all the families from different states. She is always walking around gabbing and make sure she talks to the parents of her racers she trains in the gym.
Favorite and least favorite part about traveling to the races?
She always loves the downtime with us together, she would probably say her least favorite is when we are fighting over the couch or what movie to watch.
Craziest travel story?
When our tire blew (us kids were sleeping), it was 1:15 am coming back from a regional in Illinois. My parents had to call a tow truck, sent our RV in an eighteen-wheeler. We were in the middle of nowhere, and the tow truck finally shows up at 3.30 am. He sells us a used tire and changes it for us, thank goodness. We were finally back on the road at 4:30 am but unfortunately, when the tire blew it took the generator too. We had no electricity, no A/C or anything, so my dad drove all night. The front A/C in the cab went out on the way up, so it was extremely hot. My dad knew once we arrived in Texas no A/C was not going to be fun, so he drove the whole way and by the time we arrived at the facility to plug in it was 87 degrees in the camper. But my parents didn’t seem to mind because my older brother finally claimed his ticket for Loretta Lynn’s that year.
The most important lesson motocross teaches at a young age.
I had to ask my mom for this one her reply was: “Oh gosh! There are many of those. “ But she said “Life-long friendships, creating life-long memories, and for us to be proud of our achievements as she is”
What’s your secret to getting all the dirt stains out of riding gear?
She always says she can never get the stains out. But she said she doesn’t dry them so if it doesn’t come out the first time, she will wash them again.
Proudest moment of your career as a moto mom thus far?
I heard my mom tell this story a time or two. When my older brother was trying to punch his ticket to Lorretta Lynn’s for the second year in a row, he put everything on the line. He bet my dad that if he received his ticket (when his chances were very slim, finishing 9th and 16th in divisions) he would get to go homeschool and train full time at Quick’s Moto Ranch. My brother is usually not that serious, well this was serious. When we go back and look at the video of the start you can hear her say “well, there goes that!” He was 10th at the start and then all of a sudden my brother was in 2nd place. Can’t watch too much after that point because she was jumping up and down screaming. My brother received his ticket, so my mom quit her job and we took on homeschooling, renovating a lake house, training full time away from dad (no mechanic) all in one year.
What’s your favorite track?
Sunset Ridge in Illinois and Underground MX in Texas.
Who is your favorite pro racer?
Ryan Dungey.
What is your favorite genre of music?
Country and some old school rap.
What is your favorite movie/tv show?
American Idol or The Voice.
What is in your red solo cup?
Sprite Zero most of the time.
Any advice for the moto moms of the future?
I had to ask my mom this one, she said “It only gets better, and if I had to do it all over again, I would so relax!”
