MotoAmerica

Benjamin Smith, the current points leader in the 2017 KTM RC Cup, will make his debut in the MotoAmerica Superstock 600 class in 2018, according to a press release from his 2018 team, Team Norris Racing.

The 17-year-old Smith will ride a Suzuki GSX-R600 in next year’s series for Team Norris Racing.

Smith started his racing career in 2012 in the New Jersey Mini GP, making the move to CCS Amateur for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. In 2015, Smith made the move the CCS Expert class, ending the season with a third-place finish in the Summit point LWSB Class Championship, second in the Summit Point Thunderbike Championship, and second in the NJMP Thunderbike Championship.

  Beyond excited to announce that I will be racing for @teamnorrisracing in the 2018 superstock 600 series! I can't thank everybody that will be involved with the team enough! Can't wait to rip the @suzukicycles 600. Time to start preparing.✊️#suzuki #600cc #motoamerica #araiamericas #readytomoveup A post shared by Ben Smith (@ben_smith118) on Aug 30, 2017 at 2:38pm PDT

In 2016, Smith made the move to MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup, finishing eighth in championship standings in his debut season. For 2017, Smith remained in the KTM RC Cup series and is the current championship points leader heading into the final two rounds in New Jersey and Alabama. Smith, with four victories thus far in 2017, has a 24-point lead over Cory Ventura with two rounds and four races remaining.

Kelly and Angie Norris, of Team Norris Racing first met Benjamin and Mike Smith (Benjamin’s father) at a practice event in Jennings, Florida. After watching Smith ride, Norris offered one of his GSX-Rs for him to ride and was blown away at Smith’s skill level.

“It is one thing to be passed by another rider, but it is something else to be passed by a 16-year-old on one of your slower bikes,” Norris said.

“A chance meeting with Kelly and Angie Norris resulted in the biggest step forward in my career so far,” Benjamin Smith said.

“We have watched Benjamin on and off the track, and have great admiration for his level of professionalism, maturity, and passion for the sport,” said team co-owner Angie Smith. “He embodies everything Team Norris Racing stands for and will be a great ambassador for the sport and mentor for the next generation of riders. Our decision to bring Benjamin on to Team Norris Racing was an obvious one. Benjamin is well mannered and really embraces the fans, the sport needs more role young models like Benjamin. I would love to see more families at the track on race weekends.”

“Benjamin has put a lot of hard work in on and off the track and it is great to see him realize the benefits of that,” said Benjamin’s father, Mike. “He is learning that racing has as much to do with using your head as twisting the grip. Few riders get an opportunity like the one provided to us by Team Norris Racing and we are beyond thrilled.”

“Having the chance to move up to the 600 series is a dream come true for me and I couldn’t ask to be surrounded by better people than the people at Team Norris Racing,” Benjamin Smith said of the 2018 season.

For all Team Norris Racing news and information, visit teamnorrisracing.com.