Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127291
GINTERVIEW Camel Pro Cham~_ion_Sc_ot_tP_ark_er_an_d_Ch_ris_Carr _ m BYJackMan~ Photos by Much Friedman, Dave Hoenig and Ben Shepard ith few exceptions, every form of two-wheeled competition takes place in the fast lane. And there's no faster or more competitive lane than the narrow one that America 's professional flat track racers travel in pursuit of this country's most coveted number one plate - the one awarded to the Grand National Championship/Camel Pro Series champ. Scott Parker has won that plate three years running and Chris Carr . has finished second in the point standings the past two years. The Harley-Davidson factory team members dominated the 1990 series to the point that the third ranked rider , Honda-mounted privateer Ronnie Jones, was mathematically W 12 eliminated from the title chase after the 12th of 16 scheduled rounds. For 29-year-old Parker, th e 1991 season - his 13th on the circuit provides the rider from Michigan with the opportunity of joining the legendary Carroll Resweber as a (ourtime Grand National Champion. He's also within three victories of equaling the 40 Grand National Championship dirt track wins logged by three-time champ Jay Springsteen, who is still active. Carr, on the other hand, is still seeking his first Grand National number one plate to .add to the 600 National Championship plates he 's earned in each of the past three seasons. The Californian admits that he's not all that content in playing seco n d fiddle to h is teammate. Although six years Parker 's junior, 1991 will mark Carr's seventh year of racing in the Camel Pro Series fast lane. We spoke to Parker and Carr two days before both would leave the States on a flight to Italy. Along with six other racers, they were headed to Europe to compete in short track races in Bologna. " T he season ends and you think yo u have a lot of time off," said Parker, "but before you know it, it's Thanksgiving, this trip to Italy co mes up, then Christmas and then you' re at Daytona starting all over again. " The off-season for Carr is one of more racing. "Since Sacramento, the last race of the yea r, I've raced every week except for the week of the awards banquet. Lodi, rough scram- bles, things like that. I take that back . I didn 't race last weekend. I went up to the mountains for two days and . trail rode like crazy. We go up there and build us a bonfire, camp and rough it as little as we have to. We even go on night rides. Pick up three or four bikes and ride them at night." But besides racing, Carr generally just kicks back. "T o give you an idea of what I mean , I haven't picked up my goI£ clubs since the Camel Golf Tournament at Sacramento in October." Although both spend a lot of time on off -road bikes, neither spends much time on street bikes. "My fat her puts more 'm iles on my street Harley than I do, " Parker said. "Although I just got a new Fatboy and I plan to do more riding on tha t. " " Kevin (Atherton) has probably put more miles on my street Harley