2016 Grand National Champion Bryan Smith is widely recognized as one of the preeminent Mile magicians in dirt track’s illustrious history. Smith concluded his decorated career with a runner-up finish at the 2021 Sacramento Mile to close out a historic run that included 25 career Mile wins, equal for third all-time with Bubba Shobert, and just five short of eclipsing Chris Carr for second. Smith was perhaps the best strategist and tactician in the paddock and, as a result, was consistently able to outthink, outfox, and outmaneuver his opponents in drafting wars. That proven track record and well-earned reputation also granted him a mental edge he can work to his advantage in late-race duels. Besides his Mile mastery, Smith also boasts several career Half-Mile wins and could hold his own on TTs and STs even if neither are his strong suit. Among the Michigan native’s many achievements beyond the aforementioned ‘16 GNC are a pair of GNC1 Twins titles (2012 and 2013), the 2015 X Games gold medal, and a run of seven straight victories at the Sacramento Mile from 2011 to 2017. Smith worked in tandem with crew chief Ricky Howerton for several seasons. The two first set the dirt track world on fire together with Kawasaki-powered dirt trackers from ‘12-16, then claimed seven combined wins on factory Indian Motorcycle equipment in ‘17 and ‘18. 2019 proved a more difficult season as the pairing attempted to take down the Indian juggernaut with a resurrected Crosley-Howerton Kawasaki effort. Despite coming up well short of that goal, they still managed to challenge for wins and concluded the season on a high note in the form of two consecutive runner-up finishes. The two joined forces with Vance & Hines and the factory Harley-Davidson team for 2020. Despite a difficult overall campaign, they demonstrated their Mile magic yet again with a podium performance at the Indy Mile II. Smith is a brash, old-school racer. The “Mile Master” first cut his teeth racing BMX bikes at six before moving on to ice racing and dirt track a year later, putting him on an early path for eventual superstardom.