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):
                                 August 1, 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, IA             50501
    (Address of principal executive offices)        (Zip Code)


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


<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

        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
                            announcing financial and operating results for the
                            second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2003

Item 8. Change in Fiscal Year

        Not applicable.

Item 9. Regulation FD Disclosure

        Not applicable.

<PAGE>


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

     The  information  contained in this report 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 August 1, 2003,  Smithway Motor Xpress Corp.  (the  "Company")  issued a
press release (the "Press Release")  announcing  financial and operating results
for the second  quarter and six months  ended June 30, 2003. A copy of the Press
Release is attached to this report as Exhibit 99.1.

     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  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:  August 7, 2003         By: /s/ G. Larry Owens
                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                  G. Larry Owens
                                  Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative
                                  Officer, and Chief Financial Officer
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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": "03830656"}, "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):
                                 August 1, 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, IA             50501
    (Address of principal executive offices)        (Zip Code)

                  Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
                                 (515) 576-7418
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
                            announcing financial and operating results for the
                            second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2003

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

     The  information  contained in this report 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 August 1, 2003,  Smithway Motor Xpress Corp.  (the  "Company")  issued a
press release (the "Press Release")  announcing  financial and operating results
for the second  quarter and six months  ended June 30, 2003. A copy of the Press
Release is attached to this report as Exhibit 99.1.

     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  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:  August 7, 2003         By: /s/ G. Larry Owens
                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                  G. Larry Owens
                                  Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative
                                  Officer, and Chief Financial Officer