1992 Driving debut: California Independent Funny Car Association (CIFCA) Won first CIFCA race; finished year-end point standings in 3rd place
1994 Driving Debut: International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Top Fuel category Winner: IHRA Super Nationals Inaugural Race and IHRA Grand American Nationals Set IHRA record as the first female and youngest driver to win a national event Awarded IHRA Rookie of the Year title Year-end IHRA championship point standings: #3
1996 Set IHRA track record 299.90 mph Bristol International Raceway (Bristol, TN) IHRA Top Fuel championship point standings: #4
1997 Debut: National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Top Fuel category Participated in 17 NHRA race events; semifinals at the US Nationals in Indianapolis, IN Participated in select IHRA races; runner-up at the IHRA race event in Cordova, IL Year-end NHRA championship point standings: #16
1998 Participated in three NHRA race events Gave birth to daughter, Megan, in November
1999 Time off for motherhood
2000 Participated in all 24 NHRA race events Began a race-by-race sponsorship with FRAM Filters Year-end NHRA championship point standings: #12
2001 Participated in all 24 NHRA race events Developed full-season sponsorship with FRAM Filters Career best time and speed: 4.59-seconds at 318 mph Reading, PA Set NHRA record first professional husband-and-wife to qualify at the same NHRA race Celebrated first year-end top 10 NHRA championship point standings finish 10th place
2002 Participated in all 23 NHRA race events Career best time and speed: 4.57-seconds (Reading, PA) 318 mph (Englishtown, NJ) Set record as the first husband-and-wife to finish in the NHRA top 10 Rhonda finished 9th place; John finished 10th place
2003 Career best time and speed: 4.523-seconds (Joliet, IL) 323.66 mph (Las Vegas, NV) Finished in the top 10 points standing position in both the NHRA and IHRA arenas NHRA points standing #10; IHRA points standing position # 9 Raced against husband, John Smith, at four NHRA events and one IHRA race Rhonda has a 4-1 lead over John Became the Quickest Female on Earth with a 4.56-second pass (Joliet, IL) Re-established title at the fall race event (also Joliet, IL) in 4.523-seconds Participated in two NHRA semifinal match-ups Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals and the FRAM/Autolite NHRA Nationals Participated in first IHRA semifinal and final elimination round since 1997 Semifinals 3rd annual AC Delco Nationals Runner-up 33rd annual IHRA Spring Nationals and the 8th annual IHRA World Finals
2004 Reset her career best speed 325.92 mph OReilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol, Tenn. Participated in the semifinals 25th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals Appeared on the popular ESPN2 morning talk show Cold Pizza as a in-studio guest Was featured on the History Channels popular show Modern Marvels: The History of Drag Racing Was invited to join SPIKE TV in Waterford, Conn. as a guest commentator Was invited to be a part of the CMT Top 20 Countdown as a guest VJ at the 50th annual MAC Tools US Nationals Currently stands #10 in NHRA points
2005-2007 Took time off for motherhood Raced 2 NHRA events (Bristol & Atlanta)/1 IHRA event (Rockingham) Ran Nostalgia Funny Car at selected events
Career Best Time & Speed: Time: 4.523-seconds Joliet, IL Speed: 325.92 mph Bristol, Tenn.
Vital Statistics Full Name: Rhonda Lynn Hartman-Smith Born: Glendora, CA Grew up: San Dimas, CA Resides: Anderson, SC DOB: September 18, 1974 Husband: John Smith Children: Megan (born November 23, 1998), Dylan (born August 30, 2005) Vehicle: 2007 Chevrolet Suburban Hobbies: Water/snow skiing, reading and shopping Favorite music: Soft rock & country Favorite artists: U2, Linkin Park, Fergie Favorite movie: The Cutting Edge, Sweet Home Alabama
John Bodie Smith: Career Highlights
1989-1992
·Served as crewmember on several teams for drivers Paul Smith, Chuck Etchells and John Carey
1993
·Joined Hartman Motorsports as crewmember
1994
·Promoted to Crew Chief for Hartman Motorsports
1994-1998
·Served as Crew Chief for Hartman Motorsports
1997
·Earned Top Fuel license
1998
·Competed at select NHRA and IHRA events
·Ran career best elapsed time: 4.77-seconds
·Joined Fluke Top Fuel team; served as Crew Chief for driver Randy Parks
·Celebrated birth of daughter, Megan, in November
1999
·Continued Crew Chief duties for Fluke Top Fuel team
2000
·Served as Crew Chief on FRAM Top Fuel Dragster for driver and wife, Rhonda Hartman-Smith
2001
·Drove back-up team Dragster at select NHRA races
·Set NHRA record first husband-and-wife to qualify in a professional category at the same NHRA race
·Involved in serious racing accident with Gary Scelzi Brainerd, MN
·Ran career best speed 304 mph in Bristol, TN
·Year-end NHRA championship points standings: #13
2002
·Participated in all 23 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events
·Obtained full-time sponsor for Top Fuel Dragster Prestone Products
·Competed in career-first NHRA and IHRA final round
·Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida (opponent Brandon Bernstein)
·Inaugural IHRA Amalie Oil Texas Nationals in San Antonio, Texas (opponent Clay Millican)
·3rd Annual AC Delco Nationals in Richmond, Virginia (opponent Clay Millican)
·Raced against fellow teammate and wife, Rhonda Hartman-Smith, at four NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events MAC Tools Gatornationals, SummitRacing.com Nationals, OReilly Spring Nationals and the Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals
·Raced against fellow teammate and wife, Rhonda Hartman Smith, at one IHRA Hooters Drag Racing Series event 8th annual IHRA World Finals
·Rhonda has a 4-1 lead over her fellow teammate and husband, John Bodie Smith
·Qualified as one of the 8 finalists in the Top Fuel Big Bud Shootout sponsored by Budweiser
2004
·Participated in all 23 NHRA National Events for the third full year
·Served as the Sears Craftsman Top Fuel sponsored entry at their title race the 8th annual Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals in Madison, Ill.
·Appeared as an in-studio guest on the popular ESPN2 morning sports talk show Cold Pizza
·Qualified for the Wild Card position in the Top Fuel Big Bud Shootout sponsored by Budweiser
·Served as the crew chief on his Prestone-sponsored Top Fuel dragster
·Served as a consultant on the FRAM AirHog Top Fuel dragster
2005 Participated in all 23 NHRA National Events for the third full year Served as the Sears Craftsman Top Fuel sponsored entry at their title race the 9th annual Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals in Madison, Ill. Finished 13th in the NHRA Points Standings
2006- Present
Racing Nostalgia Funny Car at selected events
Consulted with various teams including Paul Smith, Doug Herbert, Michael Gunderson, Mitch King, and Terry McMillen.
Crew Chief for Matt Hagan's Nitro Funny Car team last half of 2008 season, won IHRA event in Tulsa, OK.
Crew Chief for Denmark native Stig Neergaard on the FIA European Drag Racing tour, assisting Simpson Racing, Chris "the Greek" Karamesines, Paul Smith Racing, Mitch King Racing.
