UNITED STATES
                       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):
                                  March 3, 2004

     ----------------------------------------------------------------------

                           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 of principal executive offices)        (Zip Code)


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


                                 Not applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)





<PAGE>

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.

     On March 3, 2004,  William  G.  Smith,  the  Chairman  of the Board,  Chief
Executive  Officer,  President,  and Secretary of Smithway Motor Xpress Corp., a
Nevada  corporation (the  "Company"),  passed away at the age of 64 following 46
years of service to the  Company.  The press  release  issued by the  Company is
attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this filing. On March 8, 2004, it was announced that
the Company's  remaining  directors  voted to fill the vacancy on the Board with
Mr.  Smith's  wife,  Marlys  Smith.   Mrs.  Smith  is  the  Company's   majority
stockholder.  At such time, the Company also announced the promotion of G. Larry
Owens to the position of President,  Chief Executive Officer,  and Secretary and
Douglas  Sandvig to the  position  of Senior  Vice  President,  Chief  Financial
Officer,  and  Treasurer.  A copy of the press release  issued by the Company is
attached as Exhibit 99.2 to this filing.

     The Company has set Friday,  May 14, 2004,  as the date for its next annual
stockholders'   meeting.   Stockholders   wishing  to  submit  a  proposal   for
consideration  at the next annual  stockholders'  meeting  should do so no later
than May 3, 2004, or April 2, 2004,  if they wish their  proposal to be included
in the Company's proxy  materials.  Written copies of all stockholder  proposals
should  be sent to the  Company's  principal  executive  offices  at 2031  Quail
Avenue, Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 to the attention of G. Larry Owens, the Company's
President.

     The  information  in  this  report  and  the  exhibit  hereto  may  contain
"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 events or 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>
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 Xpess Corp. press release announcing
                            death of William G. Smith

                  99.2      Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. press release announcing
                            new appointments

Item 8.           Change in Fiscal Year.

                  Not applicable.

Item 9.           Regulation FD Disclosure.

                  Not applicable.

Item 10.          Amendments to the Registrant's Code of Ethics, or Waiver of a
                  Provision of the Code of Ethics.

                  Not applicable.

Item 11.          Temporary Suspension of Trading Under Registrant's Employee
                  Benefit Plans.

                  Not applicable.

Item 12.          Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

                  Not applicable.



<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: March 11, 2004        /s/ G. Larry Owens
                           ------------------------------------------
                           G. Larry Owens
                           President, Chief Executive Officer, and Secretary



<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

   99.1           Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. press release announcing death of
                  William G. Smith

   99.2           Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. press release announcing new
                  appointments
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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": "04663797"}, "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"}}
UNITED STATES
                       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):
                                  March 3, 2004

     ----------------------------------------------------------------------

                           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 of principal executive offices)        (Zip Code)

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

                                 Not applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
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.

     On March 3, 2004,  William  G.  Smith,  the  Chairman  of the Board,  Chief
Executive  Officer,  President,  and Secretary of Smithway Motor Xpress Corp., a
Nevada  corporation (the  "Company"),  passed away at the age of 64 following 46
years of service to the  Company.  The press  release  issued by the  Company is
attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this filing. On March 8, 2004, it was announced that
the Company's  remaining  directors  voted to fill the vacancy on the Board with
Mr.  Smith's  wife,  Marlys  Smith.   Mrs.  Smith  is  the  Company's   majority
stockholder.  At such time, the Company also announced the promotion of G. Larry
Owens to the position of President,  Chief Executive Officer,  and Secretary and
Douglas  Sandvig to the  position  of Senior  Vice  President,  Chief  Financial
Officer,  and  Treasurer.  A copy of the press release  issued by the Company is
attached as Exhibit 99.2 to this filing.

     The Company has set Friday,  May 14, 2004,  as the date for its next annual
stockholders'   meeting.   Stockholders   wishing  to  submit  a  proposal   for
consideration  at the next annual  stockholders'  meeting  should do so no later
than May 3, 2004, or April 2, 2004,  if they wish their  proposal to be included
in the Company's proxy  materials.  Written copies of all stockholder  proposals
should  be sent to the  Company's  principal  executive  offices  at 2031  Quail
Avenue, Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 to the attention of G. Larry Owens, the Company's
President.

     The  information  in  this  report  and  the  exhibit  hereto  may  contain
"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 events or 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.
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 Xpess Corp. press release announcing
                            death of William G. Smith

                  99.2      Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. press release announcing
                            new appointments

Item 8.           Change in Fiscal Year.

                  Not applicable.

Item 9.           Regulation FD Disclosure.

                  Not applicable.

Item 10.          Amendments to the Registrant's Code of Ethics, or Waiver of a
                  Provision of the Code of Ethics.

                  Not applicable.

Item 11.          Temporary Suspension of Trading Under Registrant's Employee
                  Benefit Plans.

                  Not applicable.

Item 12.          Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

                  Not applicable.
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: March 11, 2004        /s/ G. Larry Owens
                           ------------------------------------------
                           G. Larry Owens
                           President, Chief Executive Officer, and Secretary
EXHIBIT INDEX

   99.1           Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. press release announcing death of
                  William G. Smith

   99.2           Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. press release announcing new
                  appointments