Mike Smith (No. 6) leads the pack as they brake into the first turn in a WERA Pro Formula USA Series race at Heartland Park Topeka (Kans.) in July of 1990. Smith, racing a Valvoline Suzuki GSXR1100, led most of the race on a blazing hot day, but Japanese rider Tatsuro Arata (No. 77) on a Moto-Liberty sponsored Yamaha OW01 powered by a FZR1000 motor, pulled ahead with just a few laps to go. While Arata won the Topeka battle, Smith eventually won the 1990 Formula USA Championship.

Mike Smith (No. 6), on his Valvoline Suzuki GSXR1100, leads the pack into the first turn in the WERA Pro Formula USA Series race at Heartland Park Topeka (Kans.) in July of 1990. Tatsuro Arata (No. 77) on a Moto-Liberty sponsored Yamaha (No. 77) won the race with a late-race pass on Smith. Also visible in the photo are Dale Quarterley (No. 32), Britt Turkington (No. 28), Kurt Hall (No. 1) and Chuck Graves (No. 120). (Larry Lawrence photo)