Speed's into it, not celebrating yet

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Scott Speed has raced everywhere from Martinsville to Monaco, in virtually every type of machine with four wheels. He clearly has an affinity for being around races and racers.

But a Sprint Cup bye weekend is a precious thing, begging the question: why was he hanging out in the paddock of the NHRA Gatornationals on Friday?

“The racer chicks,” he said, nudging the blonde signing autographs to his left in the Al-Anabi Racing tent. “My favorite sister-in-law is racing, Miss Angie. McBride, McSmith.”

“Yeah, whatever they call me,” Angie Smith replied, scrawling on a hero card with a Sharpie.

Speed grew up on go-karts, grew into open wheel and Formula One and converted to stock cars, but he married into drag racing last year.

Speed’s brother-in-law, Matt Smith, won four races in nine rounds and finished first in points in 2007 in the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle class. He was fourth last season.

Angie Smith had a career-best points finish of 13th in 2008 in the same class. Speed’s father-in-law, Rickie Smith, is a seven-time IHRA champion and NHRA crew chief/ Pro Mod driver.

They’ll all compete this weekend at Gainesville, and Speed wanted to join them.

“Absolutely. Definitely. I want to face off, heads-up against (wife) Amanda’s pops,” he joked. “I want a race car, and I want to put it on the line with Papa Rickie and see which side Amanda stands on.

"Drag racing is awesome. Drag racing, it’s in our family. Amanda’s whole background, she knows everyone here.”

Speed and a friend drove to Florida, arriving early Friday morning, swapping turns at the wheel and online playing poker. Speed finished fourth in his tournament, while his friend won and collected $80.

As for his paying job, Speed will enter next weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway 12th in driver points for Red Bull Racing. A success, he said, but no reason for celebration given how much he has to learn and with 32 points races remaining.

“It’s relative,” he said, “depending on the car you have at the time and how the points shake out. There’s a lot of things out of your control.

"Certainly, we’re happy we’re having some success. But at the same time we have a lot more ahead of us, especially for me. I can see this year stuff I have to learn and some things that are still in front of me to learn. But the process has been amazing, a total blast, and the fact we’re 12th in points right now, it’s pretty crazy.”