Jesse Smartt

Jesse Smartt made the short journey from Texas to neighboring Oklahoma for the first annual running of The Invite presented by Dunlop at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit. The Texan showed up in Pawnee County with his Kawasaki Ninja 400 and registered for both the 300 & 400 Shoot-Out class and the Superbike 400 Expert division, guaranteeing a solid amount of track time throughout the weekend. Smartt has prior experience at Hallett considering his residential proximity to the circuit, but he still managed to make improvements throughout Friday’s practice sessions in preparation for racing. He qualified in 3rd position on the grid in the 300 & 400 Shoot-Out class, allowing him the opportunity for a good run into the first corner at the start of the opening race. Smartt was able to maintain his spot on the podium as the green flag flew and stayed close to Isaiah Burleson in the early stages of the race, solidifying himself in 3rd position for the entirety of the ten laps until the checkered flag. In the second race, Smartt managed a good start and battled for a spot on the podium with Burleson and JC Camacho, but he was forced to settle for 4th position although he snagged 3rd overall in the class. In the 400 Expert division, Smartt continued to display consistent podium pace on both Saturday and Sunday as he clocked times in the high 1:22.00 second range in the opening race, building up a nice gap ahead of 4th position. In the second race, Smartt logged his best lap of the weekend in the form of a 1:22.40 and stuck close to the rear fender of Burleson for the entire six laps, finishing in 3rd position with only .285 seconds separating the pair of them. Smartt would finish up the 400 ​