1997

In 1997, Curtis Smith reached a milestone that placed him at the very top of IHRA history.

That season, Curtis captured his 17th career national event victory, and fittingly, it came at Darlington International Dragway—the same place where he had enjoyed so much success over the years. In a twist of irony that felt almost inevitable, the track that had helped define his career became the stage for its biggest achievement.

With that win, Curtis Smith became the All-Time Winningest IHRA Stock Eliminator driver in history. The accomplishment was a testament to decades of consistency, adaptability, and excellence, achieved not through one dominant season alone, but through sustained success at the highest level.

The 1997 Darlington victory wasn’t just another trophy—it was history made, sealing Curtis Smith’s legacy as one of the greatest Stock Eliminator racers the sport has ever known.