Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

~ DIRT TRACK AMA Grand National Championship---: _e1_P_ro_Se_rie_s:Ro_un_d5 /C_am _ _ ~ Scott Parker gave out on e of hi s patented victo ry whoops in winner's circle, much to the deligh t of Miss Camel Pro and an nouncer Dave Desp ain. of the IQ-Iap Junior Nati o nal . before Grylicki took over for good on lap six. Although Grylicki held the lead at the line at the end of each and every one of the last five lap s, including the o ne that co unts, he was chased across it by Wood -Ro tax 6OO·mo unted T illson , Steve Rasmussen, who was aboard his Harley 600 after his XR750 bro ke in practice, Kiser. J ason Fletcher, And y Tresserand Paul Polhemus in what was properl y described by announcer Dave Despain as a " real barnburner of a race." ''I'm ju st getting used to the bike," Grylicki said. " It's hard 10 keep the big bike in front of those 600s in the corners, but it's actua lly easier to ride. I'd like to thank my mom and dad for bu ying the bike , my brother, John, for his help, Bell Helmets, and Ken Snow for buying me my leathers." With four of the 12rounds of the 1990 Junior National Championship Dirt Track Series in the books, Grylick became the fourth different winner of the year , joining previous winners Tresser, Steve Rasmussen and Steven Raymond. 8 N a tio n a l Polesitter Poovey, wh o earned the pol e by pos ting the fastest heat race time, picked the second spot in from the grandstand from which to start the 25-lap main. Ingram flanked him o n the right and Morehead, Jones, Farri s and Carr flanked him on the left. Day, Kevin Atherton, Springsteen, Rogers, Durelle and Springsteen occu pied the second row , with Mertens, Herndon, Brian Atherton, Hale and Will Davis on ro w three. Ingram led the Rolling Thunder Show off the line, but it was T eam Harley's Carr in front as the field crossed the start/finish lin e at the com pletio n of lap one. Lap two saw Parker take over the front spo t and open up a sma ll gap on hi s pursuers, the closest after three laps being Farris , Poo vey, Carr, Farris, Kevin Atherton and Jones. The field stayed tightly bunch ed behind Par ker, giving Carol Meiferd t's scor ing crew eye strain and the spectators sore throats and slack jaws. Just when it appeared as thou gh Parker was breaking away, Poo vey closed the gap on lap six, followed by six other riders. The next 10 laps presented on- lookers with some of the best mile racing in years. " I think i t was th e best ," sa id Morehead after the race. The fight for the lead saw posi tio n swapping going on all around the track in the form of three and four abreast racing cond ucted down the straights and through the com ers. At the line it was Parker leading laps seven and eight, Poovey in front at the completio n of lap s nine throu gh II , Kevin Atherton at the point at the end of lap 12, and Parker back in front on lap 13. Th e order - ac cording to thi s reporter's lap chart - at the end of lap 14 read: Parker, Ingram, CarreMorehead, Farris, Atherton, Poovey, Durelle, then Jon es and Springsteen, Day and Davis, trailed by Herndon, Mertens, and Rogers, with Hale running alone and Brian Atherton bringing up the rear, a distan ce beh ind Ha le. The next few laps saw the eight-rider fight up front continue, but on lap 18 Parker broke awa y from the pack and quickly built up a comforta ble gap of three seconds on his pursuers. The war behind the eventual winner cont inued, though, and after the race several riders said it was j ust that a war. " In gra m go t nailed a nd I saw him dragging his feet o n th e stra ig h t," sa id Moreh ead. " Ingram 's go t long legs, " Carr sa id. " Me and Mor ehead would ha ve b een dra gging our kn ees." " G uys were doing all kinds of crazy th ings," sai d Farris. who fi ni shed seven th. " It was wild - real wild." As the laps ticked down it became o bvio us th at ba rr ing a mech anical probl em or a rider mistake the win belon ged 10 Parker and sure eno ugh he held his margin down to the checkered flag. " I loo ked back several times and saw the lead I had so I just held my pace," Parker said. Whil e Parker was holding his pace, the fig ht for second got wilder and wilder with Poovey in that spo t at the line at the end of lap 20, Carr in it on lap 21, Ingram with the hon ors on lap 22, Poo vey back in the ru nn er-up spot a t the comp letio n of lap 23, and Carr running inches in front of Poovey, Moreh ead, Kevin Ath ert o n , J ones, Ingram and Farris as the whi te flag carne out, Lap 24 saw Will Davis relegated to spectating from the top of a hay bale The thri lling Junior Na tional fin al was won by Canadian Jamie G ryli cki (12T). Brian Tillson (14U) took secon d. Steve Rasm ussen finish ed th ird . after the crank broke in hi s Eddie Adkins-tuned Harley. Davis was the only non-fini sher. The mad dash to the flag was won by Carr, who nipped Morehead by inches for second. Morehead was wearing an ear-to-ear grin when he removed his helm et after stopping at the line followi ng the cool-off lap. " Damn, that was fun !" said the 34year-o ld veteran Morehead . " It was good , clean racing. Probably the most fun I've had on a track in years." Carr said, " I wasn't smiling when I was racing , but now I can. If I have to finish second, I'm glad my teammate won it, I'm glad 1 go t second, rather than third, becau se every point counts. I'm going 10 give it my damndest 10 give h im (Pa r ke r) a run fo r th e championship." Parker said, "Those Hondas were fastest in time tria ls and in the heats, but when the race that cou nts comes down you see who 's the best - Harley!" He followed that with his traditional whoop and took a champagne bath courtesy of teammate Carr . CN Resul ts TIME TRIALS: I. T erry Poovey (35.916 S«. ); 2. a Dan In gra m (35.992); 3. D- vid Du r

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