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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127150
The opening lap charge into turn one at the Springfield M ile is led by Bubba Shobert (1 ). Ronnie Jones (1 6) and Dave Durelle (58). . Parker (1 1) leads Shobert (1). Ingram (31). Jorgensen (44). Herndon (19). Carr and Poovey (18) in turn one on the last lap of the 25-lap National. Parker won. but Shobert bobbled and Ingram slipped by him for third . AMA Grand National Championship/ Camel Pro Series: Rounds 14/12 Parker wins· Springfield Mile, pads points lead By Bert Sh.epard SPRINGFIELD, IL, SEPT. 4 " It was bitchin'! " yell ed Harley-Davidson's Sco tt Parker in th e win ner's circle. " Every time I turn ed arou n d there was a n ew face, so I j us t rode it h arder an d harder. Bill (tu ner 6 Werner) is just awesome in setting up the bike." I victor inhad justofemerged the Parker one the most closely-contested Springfield Mile races ever. The Michigan rider also padded his Grand National Championship Series points lead over Bubba Shobert, the defending champ and third place finisher. With but four races remaining, the :factory Harley rider leads the factory Honda rider by 16 points, 208-192. In a move that had everyone talking, Dan Ingram finished second aboard the Bubba Shobert-owned Honda in th e Illinois Motorcycle Dealers Association-promoted event. Ingram thus picked up 16 points, while his employer earned three less. "I saw Bub ligh t up the tire in turn two (on the last lap of the final) and I went after Scott ," explained Ingram. Shobert said, "There are no team orders. Dan is supposed to go as fast as he can ." Texan Terry Poovey rode his Honda to victory in the $17,500 Camel Challenge, pocketing the $10,000 winner's share. Parker's winning share of the $40,000 main event purse was $5750 and he also collected $2500 for finishing second In the Camel Challenge. Time Trials The hope of returning the mile oval lap record to Springfield after it was broken by Bubba Shobert at DuQuoin earlier this year failed to materia lize. Shobert set the new record with a 34.377-second/I04.27I mph lap which broke R icky Graham's previous record of 34.548/ 104.203 which was logged on the Illinois State Fairgrounds ova l in Springfield in May of 1984. . T he day prior to the Camel Pro Series race a 600 Nationa l was run and the groove that the racers formed Saturday remained whe n practice opened on Sunday. T he resu lt was a "greasy" surface that was no t q uite as quick as IMDA's resident track wizard, Tote Gray, had wanted but it was pool tab le smooth. Poovey logged the fastest practice lap at an unofficial 34.896 seconds, but the big news from practice was provided by four-time Springfield Mile winner Graham who had to scratch from the day's racing after his personal Honda's transmission broke. The top six qualifiers would earn a starting slot in the Camel Challenge and when time trials ended it was Ingram who would occupy the pole in the " dash for big cash. " The Indiana rider turned in the fastest lap at 35.260 seconds on the Shobert! Skip Eakin/Shoei/Diamond-backed Honda RS750. "I rode it up higher where the dirt was dark and wet," said Ingram. "I ran it almost wide open. I've got to thank (tuners) Skip Eakin. Ray P lu m and Mike Velasco. . Mike has been working on the mi le chassis and it rea lly hooks up. " Fourth fastest Tim Mertens at 35:509 and fifth fastest Ronnie ] o nes at 35.595 had qualified for the Camel Challenge out of the first foursome to go up aga inst the clocks. The fourth group out contained Keith Day and he made the Challenge wit h a 35.376. the second fastest. Parker's third fastest 35.378 effort in the seventh foursome put him in the R.] . Reyn o ld s-sp o n so red Challenge. Ingram's fast time followed and as