SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
               __________________________________________________

                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
                                 April 25, 2003
               __________________________________________________

                           SMITHWAY MOTOR XPRESS CORP.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


          Nevada                       000-20793               42-1433844
(State or other jurisdiction     (Commission file Number)   (I.R.S. Employer
     of incorporation)                                      Identification No.)


                                2031 Quail Avenue
                             Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501
                  (Address, including zip code, of registrant's
                           principal executive office)

                                 (515) 576-7418
                         (Registrant's telephone number,
                              including area code)


ITEM 1.  CHANGES IN CONTROL OF REGISTRANT

         Not applicable.

ITEM 2.  ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS

         Not applicable.

ITEM 3.  BANKRUPTCY OR RECEIVERSHIP

         Not applicable.

ITEM 4.  CHANGES IN REGISTRANT'S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT

         Not applicable.

ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS AND REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

         Not applicable.


<PAGE>

ITEM 6.  RESIGNATIONS OF REGISTRANT'S DIRECTORS

         Not applicable.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

         (c) Exhibits.

         EXHIBIT
         NUMBER        EXHIBIT TITLE
______________________________________________________________________________

         99.1          Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. press release reporting
                       financial and operating results for the first quarter
                       ended March 31, 2003

ITEM 8.  CHANGE IN FISCAL YEAR

         Not applicable.

ITEM 9.  REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

     The  following  information  is  intended  to be  furnished  under Item 12,
"Results of Operations and Financial  Condition," but is instead being furnished
pursuant  to  Item 9 in  accordance  with  the  interim  guidance  contained  in
Securities Exchange Commission Release No. 33-8216. The information contained in
this report and the exhibit  hereto shall not be deemed  "filed" for purposes of
Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  as amended (the  "Exchange
Act"),  or  incorporated  by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by
specific reference in such a filing.

     On April 25, 2003,  Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. issued a press release (the
"Press Release") reporting financial and operating results for the first quarter
ended March 31, 2003. A copy of the Press  Release is attached to this report as
Exhibit 99.1.

     The information herein contains "forward-looking  statements" that are made
pursuant to the  safe-harbor  provisions  of the Private  Securities  Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 and  otherwise  may be protected.  Such  statements  are made
based on the current beliefs and  expectations  of the Company's  management and
are subject to significant  risks and  uncertainties.  Actual results may differ
from  those  anticipated  by  forward-looking  statements.  Please  refer to the
Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the  Securities and
Exchange Commission for information concerning risks,  uncertainties,  and other
factors that may affect future results.


<PAGE>
                                    SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                               SMITHWAY MOTOR XPRESS CORP.


Date: April 29, 2003             /s/ G. Larry Owens
                               ----------------------------------------
                               G. Larry Owens
                               Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative
                               Officer, and Chief Financial Officer


<PAGE>
                          EXHIBIT INDEX

    99.1    Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. press release reporting financial and
            operating  results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2003
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SMITHWAY MOTOR XPRESS CORP", "cik": "0000941914", "assigned-sic": "4213", "irs-number": "421433844", "state-of-incorporation": "NV", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-20793", "film-number": "03669912"}, "business-address": {"street1": "2031 QUAIL AVENUE", "city": "FORT DODGE", "state": "IA", "zip": "50501", "phone": "5155767418"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "2031 QUAIL AVENUE", "city": "FORT DODGE", "state": "IA", "zip": "50501"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
               __________________________________________________

                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
                                 April 25, 2003
               __________________________________________________

                           SMITHWAY MOTOR XPRESS CORP.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          Nevada                       000-20793               42-1433844
(State or other jurisdiction     (Commission file Number)   (I.R.S. Employer
     of incorporation)                                      Identification No.)

                                2031 Quail Avenue
                             Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501
                  (Address, including zip code, of registrant's
                           principal executive office)

                                 (515) 576-7418
                         (Registrant's telephone number,
                              including area code)

ITEM 1.  CHANGES IN CONTROL OF REGISTRANT

         Not applicable.

ITEM 2.  ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS

         Not applicable.

ITEM 3.  BANKRUPTCY OR RECEIVERSHIP

         Not applicable.

ITEM 4.  CHANGES IN REGISTRANT'S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT

         Not applicable.

ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS AND REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

         Not applicable.
ITEM 6.  RESIGNATIONS OF REGISTRANT'S DIRECTORS

         Not applicable.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

         (c) Exhibits.

         EXHIBIT
         NUMBER        EXHIBIT TITLE
______________________________________________________________________________

         99.1          Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. press release reporting
                       financial and operating results for the first quarter
                       ended March 31, 2003

ITEM 8.  CHANGE IN FISCAL YEAR

         Not applicable.

ITEM 9.  REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

     The  following  information  is  intended  to be  furnished  under Item 12,
"Results of Operations and Financial  Condition," but is instead being furnished
pursuant  to  Item 9 in  accordance  with  the  interim  guidance  contained  in
Securities Exchange Commission Release No. 33-8216. The information contained in
this report and the exhibit  hereto shall not be deemed  "filed" for purposes of
Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  as amended (the  "Exchange
Act"),  or  incorporated  by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by
specific reference in such a filing.

     On April 25, 2003,  Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. issued a press release (the
"Press Release") reporting financial and operating results for the first quarter
ended March 31, 2003. A copy of the Press  Release is attached to this report as
Exhibit 99.1.

     The information herein contains "forward-looking  statements" that are made
pursuant to the  safe-harbor  provisions  of the Private  Securities  Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 and  otherwise  may be protected.  Such  statements  are made
based on the current beliefs and  expectations  of the Company's  management and
are subject to significant  risks and  uncertainties.  Actual results may differ
from  those  anticipated  by  forward-looking  statements.  Please  refer to the
Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the  Securities and
Exchange Commission for information concerning risks,  uncertainties,  and other
factors that may affect future results.
SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                               SMITHWAY MOTOR XPRESS CORP.

Date: April 29, 2003             /s/ G. Larry Owens
                               ----------------------------------------
                               G. Larry Owens
                               Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative
                               Officer, and Chief Financial Officer
EXHIBIT INDEX

    99.1    Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. press release reporting financial and
            operating  results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2003