Winner Mike Smith (center) is joined by Donald Jacks (37) and Kurt Hall on the Memphis Formula USA podium in September of 1990. (Larry Lawrence photo)
Valvoline Suzuki rider Mike Smith broke through to victory in the WERA Formula USA Series at Memphis International Motorsports Park in Sept. of 1990. It took eight F-USA races for Smith, the series points leader, to finally get it right. In the near 100 degree heat of Memphis there was no stopping the Canton, Georgia rider. Smith did it all at Memphis; set fast time in practice, won his heat race, won the pole and then dominated the race.
“I finally decided to not look at what the other riders were doing,” Smith said. “I wanted to ride the best I could and set a standard for myself. I think that strategy works best for me.”
Florida rider Donald Jacks had by far his best performance to that point of the year by finishing second on his Mitch Marqui built Suzuki GSXR 1100. In third was defending Memphis and F/USA Champ Kurt Hall. It was the first time in F/USA that season that a single brand (Suzuki) swept the top three positions.
Smith went on to win the 1990 WERA Formula USA Championship.
Rider Files 
Fastest, smoothest, nicest and the most fierce rider to never win an AMA Superbike race. ‘9-1-1’ was a rush to watch race and a joy to talk to.
Great shot man! I’ll have to dig my GNF and F-USA stuff out from ’90 and polish it off. Those were some of the best days!
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Stu
Absolutely, F-USA actually rivaled AMA Superbike in popularity for a couple of years there with all those wild big-bore F-USA bikes and the Marlboro GP bikes. Smith was a funny dude. He would say some off the wall stuff sometimes. I remember he gave me a ride from Talladega to the Atlanta airport after a race once and he decided to take the back roads. That’s a ride I’ll never forget.
He asked me out of the blue, “Have you ever seen the movie called Labyrinth?” I said no. “Well that movie is the story of my life.”
I go home, rent the movie and it’s some crazy flick with David Bowie a very young Jennifer Connelly and a bunch of puppets. I’m guessing Mike was pulling my leg. I had a good laugh anyway.
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