NHRA Pro Stock Motorcyclist Angie Smith Breaks 200-mph Barrier

LONG BEACH, Calif., Oct. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Racer Angie Smith roared into motorsports history Saturday as the first woman to break the 200-mph barrier in NHRA's Pro Stock Motorcycle class. Smith rocketed into the coveted DENSO 200-mph Pro Stock Motorcycle Club in the first qualifying round of the AAA Texas FallNationals, tearing across the finish line at 200.89 mph in 6.809 seconds.

"My heart is still racing!' said Smith, after burning rubber in a blaze of magenta on her trademark DENSO/Stockseth Racing EBR. She thanked DENSO, which sponsors Matt Smith Racing, for issuing the challenge. "As soon as DENSO created the club, I wanted to go 200 mph. I finally did it!"

Only five racers have ever crossed the 200 mph threshold in the more than 30-year history of NHRA Pro Stock motorcycle racing. Matt Smith Racing is the only team with all its racers – husband-and-wife teammates Matt and Angie Smith and Scotty Pollacheck – in the select group.

All three ride on DENSO premium Iridium spark plugs, as well as many of their competitors.

DENSO Products and Services Americas, Inc., an affiliate of leading global automotive supplier DENSO Corp., has championed the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and served as the title sponsor of the annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas since 2016. This year, after NHRA resumed live competition following a four-month suspension to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, DENSO was the title sponsor of the prestigious Indianapolis U.S. Nationals in September.

For half a century, DENSO has sponsored world-class motor sports around the globe. DENSO products are among the precision original equipment and replacement auto parts widely used by professional racing teams on every circuit, as well as everyday motorists on the road worldwide.

More information on DENSO spark plugs, as well as DENSO's comprehensive lines of auto parts, is available at retail stores, wholesale distributors and www.densoautoparts.com.

About DENSO

DENSO is a $47.6 billion global mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in its 221 facilities in 35 countries to produce thermal, powertrain, mobility, electrification, & electronic systems, to create jobs that directly change how the world moves. The company's 170,000+ employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO spent 9.9 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020. For more information about global DENSO, visit https://www.denso.com/global/en.

In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 27,000+ engineers, researchers and skilled workers across 51 sites in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. In the United States alone, DENSO employs 17,700+ employees across 14 states (and the District of Columbia) and 41 sites. In fiscal year ending March 31, 2020, DENSO in North America generated $10.9 billion in consolidated sales. DENSO is committed to advancing diversity and inclusion inside the company and beyond – a principle that brings unique perspectives together, bolsters innovation and pushes DENSO forward. Join us, and craft not only how the world moves, but also your career: www.densocareers.com. For more information, go to https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/.

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SOURCE DENSO