INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 29, 2009) – Bryan Smith stunned the fans at the Indy Mile Saturday afternoon by clocking in an amazing lap at 38.242 seconds on his Screamin’ Eagle / Harley Davidson / Moroneys XR750. On the Indy Mile, where it’s not uncommon to have 20 bikes on the same second in qualifying, Smith’s lap was a full 6-10ths of a second faster than the second best timed of 38.869 seconds by Latus Harley-Davidson’s Joe Kopp. Peoria TT winner Henry Wiles kept his hot hand clocking a 39.226 on his K&K Motorcycle Supply / Mike Adkins Harley-Davidson.
“I knew everything felt pretty good,” Smith said after timed qualifying. “I was a little surprised at how big of a gap I have, especially considering Indy is such a drafting track.”
While he knew his pace was strong, Smith continued by saying he was glad no one matched or bettered his time.
“I don’t think I could have gone any faster,” he said. “I would have put it through the fence if I would have had to go any quicker than that.”
Last year Jake Johnson set the fastest time on the Indy Mile at 38.565.
Smith said he hopes that maybe he can turn in a breakaway like Kopp did in Grove City, Ohio, a couple of weeks ago.
Picture perfect weather greeted the fans and the crowd began arriving much earlier than at last year’s race.
