Moses Returns to His Desert Roots

The 48th BudLight Score BAJA 1000 - November 20-21, 2015

Now a days, Moses Smith happily goes to work every day as the manufacturer of the popular open-wheel racecar known as the Formula Mazda. As the owner of Texas Autosports, a full-service Formula Mazda Racecar prep shop, Moses continues to “live the dream.”

Moses talks to his parents
after a Baja Race in the 1980s

What most fans do not realize is that Moses’ dream was born in the early 1980s. He was on a 'pit crew' by the time he was just three years old. He and his father, Paul would work long hours at the race shop of Off-Road Racer Malcolm Vinje*. There he learned all about desert racing by working on the Baja 1000 Class 5 and then Class 7S race machines.

Moses’ family outings in the Southern California deserts further his interest. The thrill of his own three-wheeler and his father’s dune buggy fueled Moses’ love for going fast.

Unbelievably, before the age of ten, Moses had progress in his race crew duties to include driving the chase vehicles from checkpoint to checkpoint solo. The youngster’s feet could barely touch the Baja Bug’s pedals, but that did not discourage him as he focused on pushing that clutch in far enough to shift smoothly.

“Off road racing was my first love, that’s what I wanted to do when I grew up.” Moses recalled. “I have had been very fortunate to have driven a lot of different racecars over the years, but Off Road racing and Baja has always eluded me. It has been on my list for as long as I can remember. I am pumped to finally get my chance in the dirt!”

Moses Smith began his racing career in the extremely competitive Southern California Karting Region. Moses clearly set himself apart from his competition both on and off the track. Winning the California State Championship and the SDKA Junior Sportsman Championship proved his on track abilities, while also holding the prestigious title of the youngest member of the famed San Diego Karting Association Board of Directors.

Star Mazda Podium -- Luis Schiavo (left), Moses Smith (middle),
and Michael McDowell (right) -- at Road Atlanta 2003

With karting accomplishments in hand, Moses worked to further his motorsports goals. Moses moved into full size race cars the hard way. As a mechanic for the Skip Barber Racing School and other prominent professional race teams, the young driver was able to learn the intricacies of the sport while biding his time to get behind the wheel.

The opportunity was not far off. In 2000, Moses got his career break competing in a limited schedule of Formula Mazda (FM) events. Moses parleyed that limited schedule into become one of the top Formula Mazda drivers on the pro circuit.

In 2002, Moses missed winning the North American Star Mazda Pro Series, by just one point. However, he won the Star Mazda West Coast Championship. In 2003, Moses tested in the Toyota Atlantic car and entered an Infiniti Pro Series event.

Never one to stay stagnant, Moses became a Star Mazda team owner in 2004. He opened his own online store in January of 2006.

In September 2009, Moses acquired all support and manufacturing rights for the approximately 300 Formula Mazda rotary-powered race cars currently in use across North America, as well as the MSR sports racer, a full-bodied version of the FM.

From 2007 to 2011, Moses competed in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. He finished third in the championship points standing his last season. Further, he was voted the series Most Popular Driver in four consecutive years!

Moses Smith sits in his #16 Hasa Pool Products K&N Pro Series West car.

Moses’ long history in the sport of racing has not dampened his excitement and eagerness.

“Over my career as a driver I’ve had some pretty amazing teammates, but we were there on business. This race I am paired with a couple of very special team mates. The Entwistle, father and son team, have been racing Formula Mazda with me over the past year.” Moses stated enthusiastically. “We were learning, and chasing a championship, although we had fun, there was still a serious undertone. This race we get to have FUN, and experience something that only an elite few have done before. Don’t get me wrong…we ARE going to win our class…haha or have a blast trying to anyway”

You can follow Moses and the team as their #1409 Sportsman 1400 competes in the 48th Baja 1000 by following it via live streaming at http://score-international.com/baja-1000. The challenging course will start and finish in Ensenada.

Moses Smith’s Career Highlights

2015	48th BudLight Score BAJA 1000
2013	Rolex 24 At Daytona in the SRT Viper
2013	Grand-Am Sports Car Series, Class GT Debut
2011	Third Place Finish K&N Pro Series West Championship
2008-2011	K&N Pro Series West Most Popular Driver Awards
2007-2011	K&N Pro Series West Series Driver
2009	Formula Mazda Manufacturer
2007	Grand-Am KONI Challenge Debut
2006	Official Standard Formula Mazda Dealer
2004	Star Mazda Team Owner
2003	Infiniti Pro Series Debut
2003	Toyota Atlantic Debut
2002	Star Mazda Pro Championship Runner-Up
2002	Star Mazda Rising Star Award
2002	Star Mazda West Coast Champion
2001	Star Mazda West Coast "Rookie of the Year"
1992	IKF California State Champion
1991	SCCA Class Champion
1989	Former SDKA Board of Directors Member
1980	Pit Crew / Shop Worker for Malcolm Vinje

*1982 CLASS 5 Champion - Malcolm Vinje/Mark Hansen; 1996 CLASS 7S Champion - Malcolm Vinje/Mark Hansen; 1999 CLASS 7S Champion - Malcolm Vinje.

Joseph Burton Harris #MRT24 Mazda Road to 24 Shootout

Oma and Opa was honored to hob-knob with Joseph and his family at the Formula Car Challenge’s return to Sonoma Raceway after a year hiatus. The series took center stage at the Sonoma Raceway with its double race format featuring Pro Mazda (PFM), FormulaSPEED (FS2.0), and Formula Mazda (FM). Click here for detailed post.

Burton-Harris Sonoma Team:  Mike Anderson; Sitara Wilson, Joseph, and Moses Smith

Joseph won both races from pole. He was driving at Sonoma for the very first time for Moses Smith Racing out of Cresson Texas. I was able to verify that this eighteen-year-old is not only a skillful racer, but a well-versed and polite young man who was extremely fun to be around.

Joseph Burton-Harris is a 2015 Mazda Road to 24 Finalist

 

 

Winner-Take-All Competition

My friend Joseph Burton-Harris exploded upon the racing world in the USA this year. He started go-karting at eight years old, winning two world championships at the age of fifteen and sixteen.

Now at the tender age of eighteen, Joseph races in the Moses Smith prepared #132 Si Partners/Sydney Sports/GMG Formula Mazda. 

Check out Burton-Harris' 2015 stats:

• 1 National Championship
• 14 Races
• 13 Wins
• 7 Poles
• 12 Fastest Laps
• 5 Lap Records
• 0 Crashes
• 14 Top 5's
• 14 Top 10's
• 93% Win Percentage
• 88% Pole Percentage
• 100% Top 5 Percentage
• 100% Top 10 Percentage

His recent win at the ‘SCCA National Championship Runoffs presented by Garmin VIRB’ last month was exhilarating. He managed a 9.9 s victory over second place.

“This is pretty amazing,” Burton-Harris reported. “We’ve worked so hard all year. The whole winning part is great, I mean it feels amazing, but just being here and driving on this track is great. This time 10 years ago, we used to come to Orlando for my father’s business and this used to be my one trip, to do the tours. To actually go around there on the track itself is just an amazing feeling. For the SCCA to put on this event in Daytona, just the year that I was starting out in cars, I feel very fortunate.”

Equally exciting is that the win qualified Joseph to be a semi-finalist in the ‘Mazda Road to 24 Shootout.’ This event is the single largest prize in grassroots motorsports. Launched in 2006 as the Club Racer shootout, the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout has annually promoted one talented club racer into the professional ranks.

The $100,000 scholarship package supports a drive in the 2016 Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup. For 2016, this will be in the all-new Global MX-5 Cup car, which officially went on sale on October 1.

Joseph fits the shootout criteria perfectly. He is an aspiring professional racer who has that great range of skills required to succeed. His skills include Speed, Consistency, Race Craft, Technical Feedback and Off-Track Business, Marketing and PR skills!

To advance to the next level, Burton-Harris will submit a business proposal and a short video presentation. It is anticipated that there will be six to eight finalists. The finalists will be announced the week of October 19, and the final shootout will be at Carolina Motorsports Park, in Kershaw, South Carolina, on November 8-10.

The racers will be tested on the track for their driving skills and in the garage for their technical understanding of the sport. This is a winner-take-all competition; there is no second place.

Additional information about the Mazda Road to 24 shootout, and 2016 MX-5 Cup race car, can be found at www.mazdamotorsports.com Mazda Motorsports will be providing live social updates from the Carolina Motorsports Park event on Twitter at @mazdaracing  and with hashtag #MRT24.

You can keep updated on Joseph Burton-Harris’
progress by following his Facebook page.

Uncle Moses and Team Wet But Happy At The 2015 June Sprints

Located in Wisconsin's scenic Kettle Moraine, Elkhart Lake's Road America, Inc. is one of the world's fastest permanent road racing tracks. However, what to do when the weather hostilely visits the track with wet intentions????

For Joseph Burton-Harris, driving for Moses Smith’s Texas Autosports; you go out on slicks in your #132 GMG Mobility/Sydney Sports Formula Mazda and absolutely pummeled the field . Harris finished second overall and 1:47.669 ahead of second place in class!

“If you all drive as well as Joseph – that kid over there (pointing to Joseph standing at the back of a room packed with over 500 people) then you will have a good day tomorrow.”  David Hobbs - NBC commentator of Formula One remarked at the end of his key-note speech at the 60th Anniversary of the June Sprints dinner Saturday night. 

Official Race Results

1. Joseph Burton Harris
2. Alan McCallum
3. Jarret Voorhies
4. Paul Ravaris
5. Larry Howard
6. Rodger Fussell
7. William Snyder
8. John Entwistle

Reef Indy visited his Uncle and Aunt at work. It was his first visit to the Motorsport Ranch facility.

Texas Autosports is a full service Formula Mazda Racecar prep shop located at Motorsport Ranch in Cresson, TX. It is essentially the one stop shop for Formula Mazda Racing. Moses Smith Racing, the manufacturer of the Formula Mazda, as well as Texas Autosports, both owned by Moses Smith are operating out of our 8000+ square foot facility at what we have affectionately dubbed 'The Ranch'. 

As the manufacturer of the Formula Mazda, it is our primary focus here at Texas Autosports, which allows us to be the foremost prep shop for FM. We also provide services for the Pro Mazda by Star Race Cars. In essence, this is the Formula Mazda Experience from Start to Finish!

Such A Dilemma

Sonoma – 08/25/2012 — with Paul Smith, ZMom Smith,
Jake Koens, Sitara Wilson, Moses Smith and Devin Maxon.

Oma is getting ready for an exciting trip to the Sonoma Raceway to spend time with your Uncle Moses and Auntie Sitara. Uncle Moses is your Daddy’s big brother. Oma can’t wait to see Moses. However, at your mom’s doctor’s appointment, the doctor says that baby Reef could be born very soon. Oma really does not want to miss your arrival; such a dilemma.

Oma is not an expert; so google was consulted. It appears that cervical dilation is not a good indication of when exactly a mommy will have her baby.

A mommy can be 36, 37, or 38 weeks pregnant, 2 centimeters dilated and not have her baby for several weeks. On the other hand, the mommy can be 2 centimeters dilated and be in very early labor or pre-labor having a couple contractions an hour and maybe have a baby within the next couple days. The mommy can also be 2 centimeters dilated and be having very long, hard contractions that are close together. In this last scenario, that mommy will have her baby very soon. You can actually be in late labor or in transition, but your cervix hasn’t caught up yet and is showing early labor.

In other word – Baby Reef’s arrival remains a mystery. Research tells Oma that it’s not uncommon for a mommy to be up to 2 centimeters dilated several weeks before giving birth!

Oma is going to enjoy her trip to the Formula Car Challenge West presented by Goodyear Race 11 & Race 12 at Infineon Raceway. Uncle Moses’ Series (Formula Mazda) is a Special Support Race for the Indy Gran Prix of Sonoma!

Be an understanding baby and wait for your Oma and Opa to return home!