During her 15th year of involvement in drag racing, Rhonda Hartman-Smith was determined
to expand her career in the sport by taking the giant step into the Team Manager position for
the 2005 & 2006 NHRA racing season. Rhonda took the 2005 season off for the birth of her
second child with husband, John Smith. This NHRA and IHRA record-holding driver is no
stranger to the hard work ahead of her to succeed in her new role. Rhonda was introduced to
full-throttle horsepower as a youngster and attended drag racing events with her family in
Southern California. She spent her childhood alongside her father and brother and learned
how to build and service their family-owned
racecar. "My mechanical background provided a great foundation for my driving career,"
comments Hartman-Smith. Although Rhonda had her sites set on the driver's seat, her father
and team owner, Virgil Hartman, stressed that she had to earn her way behind the wheel.
While attending San Dimas High in California, Rhonda spent her weekends at the track
cleaning parts and helping out the team while her brother drove the team-owned Alcohol
Funny Car. Her hard work paid off in 1992 when she made her driving debut in the California
Independent Funny Car Association series and won her first race. Rhonda's "need for speed"
continued when she earned her Top Fuel Dragster license in 1994.
As her career blossomed, Rhonda found "love in the fast lane" when she met future husband,
John Smith, at an IHRA race. The pair worked together when John was hired to crew for
Hartman Motorsports. She enjoyed immediate success on the IHRA Top Fuel circuit in 1994
including victories at the Supernationals Inaugural Race and Grand American Nationals. She
earned an IHRA record as the first female and youngest driver to win a national event and was
named the IHRA Rookie of the Year. This savvy young female was a fresh addition to the
male-dominated world of auto racing. "My young age was more of a challenge than my
gender," comments Hartman-Smith. "My peers felt that it would be difficult to handle the
pressures of professional competition at 18 years of age. I didn't let that get in the way of my
lifelong dream of driving."
Rhonda's only time away from racing was in 1998 - 1999 when she and John celebrated the
birth of their daughter, Megan Smith. Rhonda moved right back into the driver's seat in 2000
and participated in all 24 NHRA race events. Rhonda celebrated her first top 10 NHRA
championship point standings finish (tenth place) in 2001. She and John graced the NHRA
record books as the first professional husband-and-wife to qualify at the same NHRA race.
Rhonda's career continued to excel in 2002 when she and John both earned top 10 points
standing positions - Rhonda finished #9 and John earned the # 10 spot. They wrapped up
another NHRA record for this performance.
In 2003, Rhonda proved her ability as a driver when she earned the "Quickest Female on
Earth" title with a 4.562-second pass at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. She re-established that
title at the CARQUEST NHRA Nationals in 4.523-seconds that same year. She competed in all
23 NHRA national events and select IHRA races. She participated in two NHRA semifinal
match-ups at the Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals and the FRAM/Autolite Nationals.
Rhonda earned two IHRA runner-up titles at the 33rd annual IHRA Spring Nationals and the
8th annual IHRA World Finals - both within 24 hours. She completed the 2003 season in the
top 10 in both motorsports arenas - she earned the #10 spot in NHRA and #9 on the IHRA
tour.
During the 2004 season, Rhonda topped her own record speed by completing the quarter-mile
at 325.92 mph in Bristol, Tennesse. Due to her enormous popularity within the sports world,
she also enjoyed participating in many national and highly-rated media venues, such as an
appearance as an in-studio guest on ESPN2's morning sports talk show Cold Pizza. Rhonda
also earned another spot in the POWERade NHRA Top Ten for the fourth year in a row by
finishing in the # 9 position.
You can read more about Rhonda on her Teams Web Site.
to expand her career in the sport by taking the giant step into the Team Manager position for
the 2005 & 2006 NHRA racing season. Rhonda took the 2005 season off for the birth of her
second child with husband, John Smith. This NHRA and IHRA record-holding driver is no
stranger to the hard work ahead of her to succeed in her new role. Rhonda was introduced to
full-throttle horsepower as a youngster and attended drag racing events with her family in
Southern California. She spent her childhood alongside her father and brother and learned
how to build and service their family-owned
racecar. "My mechanical background provided a great foundation for my driving career,"
comments Hartman-Smith. Although Rhonda had her sites set on the driver's seat, her father
and team owner, Virgil Hartman, stressed that she had to earn her way behind the wheel.
While attending San Dimas High in California, Rhonda spent her weekends at the track
cleaning parts and helping out the team while her brother drove the team-owned Alcohol
Funny Car. Her hard work paid off in 1992 when she made her driving debut in the California
Independent Funny Car Association series and won her first race. Rhonda's "need for speed"
continued when she earned her Top Fuel Dragster license in 1994.
As her career blossomed, Rhonda found "love in the fast lane" when she met future husband,
John Smith, at an IHRA race. The pair worked together when John was hired to crew for
Hartman Motorsports. She enjoyed immediate success on the IHRA Top Fuel circuit in 1994
including victories at the Supernationals Inaugural Race and Grand American Nationals. She
earned an IHRA record as the first female and youngest driver to win a national event and was
named the IHRA Rookie of the Year. This savvy young female was a fresh addition to the
male-dominated world of auto racing. "My young age was more of a challenge than my
gender," comments Hartman-Smith. "My peers felt that it would be difficult to handle the
pressures of professional competition at 18 years of age. I didn't let that get in the way of my
lifelong dream of driving."
Rhonda's only time away from racing was in 1998 - 1999 when she and John celebrated the
birth of their daughter, Megan Smith. Rhonda moved right back into the driver's seat in 2000
and participated in all 24 NHRA race events. Rhonda celebrated her first top 10 NHRA
championship point standings finish (tenth place) in 2001. She and John graced the NHRA
record books as the first professional husband-and-wife to qualify at the same NHRA race.
Rhonda's career continued to excel in 2002 when she and John both earned top 10 points
standing positions - Rhonda finished #9 and John earned the # 10 spot. They wrapped up
another NHRA record for this performance.
In 2003, Rhonda proved her ability as a driver when she earned the "Quickest Female on
Earth" title with a 4.562-second pass at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. She re-established that
title at the CARQUEST NHRA Nationals in 4.523-seconds that same year. She competed in all
23 NHRA national events and select IHRA races. She participated in two NHRA semifinal
match-ups at the Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals and the FRAM/Autolite Nationals.
Rhonda earned two IHRA runner-up titles at the 33rd annual IHRA Spring Nationals and the
8th annual IHRA World Finals - both within 24 hours. She completed the 2003 season in the
top 10 in both motorsports arenas - she earned the #10 spot in NHRA and #9 on the IHRA
tour.
During the 2004 season, Rhonda topped her own record speed by completing the quarter-mile
at 325.92 mph in Bristol, Tennesse. Due to her enormous popularity within the sports world,
she also enjoyed participating in many national and highly-rated media venues, such as an
appearance as an in-studio guest on ESPN2's morning sports talk show Cold Pizza. Rhonda
also earned another spot in the POWERade NHRA Top Ten for the fourth year in a row by
finishing in the # 9 position.
You can read more about Rhonda on her Teams Web Site.
| Career Highlights 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 1995 *Winner: IHRA Winter Nationals - Darlington, SC *Runner-up: IHRA Fall Nationals - Bristol, TN *Year-end IHRA championship point standings: #2 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 - O'Reilly 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 Channel's 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 *Finished #9 in NHRA points 2005 * Took the season off to have a baby 2006 * Competed in Rockingham, Bristol, & Atlanta/ Match raced in Cordova, IL Career Best Time & Speed: Time: 4.523-seconds - Joliet, IL Speed: 325.92 mph - Bristol, Tenn. |
