Curtis Smith is an American semi-retired drag racer known for his success in IHRA Stock Eliminator competition. He was the 1996 IHRA Stock Eliminator World Champion and has recorded multiple national event victories during his career.
Smith has been inducted into several halls of fame, including the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame and the Sampson County Sports Hall of Fame.
Smith was born and raised in Clinton, North Carolina. He is the son of drag racer Earl Smith, a longtime Chevrolet competitor and figure in North Carolina motorsports.
He was introduced to drag racing at an early age, attending races and assisting with race car preparation alongside his father.
Smith began his national racing career in the early 1970s, driving a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro in IHRA Stock Eliminator competition. He finished second in his first IHRA national event at Rockingham Dragway.
He earned his first national event victory in 1982 and went on to win multiple national events throughout the 1980s.
In 1985, Smith became the first IHRA Sportsman driver to win three consecutive national events. SmithâÂÂs success in IHRA competition led to coverage in IHRA Drag Review, the sanctioning bodyâÂÂs official publication.
Smith continued his success into the 1990s, winning multiple IHRA and NHRA national events.
In 1996, he won the IHRA Stock Eliminator World Championship.
He achieved success at major venues including Bristol Dragway, Darlington Dragway, and Rockingham Dragway. He was among the notable sportsman all time winners at Darlington Dragway.
Smith also recorded multiple victories at Rockingham Dragway during his career and is one of the drivers on the track's top all time winners list.
Smith was inducted into the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2012.
In 2014, he was inducted into the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame.
That same year, he was inducted into the Sampson County Sports Hall of Fame.
Smith is a graduate of Clinton High School. He is married and has two children.
He is the owner of Curtis Smith Racing and Curtis Smith Trucking, LLC.