Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

This just in from Mike Kidd of Clear Channel Entertainment Motorsports and other sources:

Teen dirt track sensation Bryan Smith graduated from the Team Hammer Advanced Riding School at Daytona International Speedway Wednesday, but will not compete in this weekend’s F-USA Sport Bike race at the Florida track.

Smith will ride Synergy Hondas and will compete in both the Formula USA National Road Race Series and the Formula USA National Dirt Track Series. Synergy Racing’s Matt Wait will also ride in both series, on Hondas.

“This is a great opportunity for me to expand my motorcycle racing career,” said Smith before taking the school. “I have never riden a road racer before, but I talked with Larry Pegram and Matt about showing me the racing lines around the track. There have been a lot of dirt trackers who made good road racers, maybe I can get the hang of it pretty quickly.”

Smith rode with Team Hammer Advanced Riding School Chief Instructor Michael Martin and then spent time getting personal instruction from road racer Chris Ulrich, who reported afterwards that Smith was going very well in left-hand corners, getting good drives up onto the banking, and had no trouble holding his Honda wide open on the banking. But Smith needs to work on right-hand corners, Ulrich said, suggesting that Smith take a dirt track bike and run clockwise (to the right) to get the hang of right-hand turns. Dirt track races run counter-clockwise (to the left).

“He has some skills,” said Ulrich. “He was going good and I think he’s going to do well pretty quickly.”