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Round 1: Daytona MunicipalStadium 's arr's- By Donn Maeda Photos by Kinney Jones r DAYTONA BEACH, FL, MAR. 12 eam Harley-Davidson's Chris Carr completed his Daytona Short Track hat trick with a runaway win at the AMA Gr and Nation al Ch ampionship Series opener, bestin g the field by over a full straightaway aboa rd his Kenny Tolbert-tuned Harley-Da vidson XR600. Carr also swep t the Eastern Regional and 600cc National races held the two evenings p rior to the Gra nd National, but the third win was the sweetest for the former Grand National Champion and the amiable Californian hopes that his victory at the season opener is a prelude of th ings to come. In 1991, Carr topped the Daytona season opener and went on to win his first Grand National Championship. Deja vu? Carr hopes so. "This is a great way to start the season off," said Carr. "Let me tell you, I definitely have my eyes set on winning (Above) Terry Poovey, Chr is Carr and Brett Land es wer e all smiles alter the 25-lap Nati onal. (Righ t) Carr (4) got the jump o n Landes (41), Ronnie Jones (16), Rusty Rogers (57) and Aaro n Hill (17) at the start of the National. my second championship. There's no doubt that winning my first one in 1991 was the realization of my lifelong dream, but I feel that I have something to prove this year . There's always gonna be the con troversy about what happened at the Oklahoma City Half Mile, and people are gonna want to put an asterisk by my name in the record books. (Carr and his championship rival, .tearnrnate Scott Parker, were involved in a crash at the 1992 Oklahoma City Half Mile that saw Parker sustain knee injuries that sidelined him for two races.) I want to win my second championship going away, with no strings attached." If Carr's performance at the series opener is any indication, the 26-year-old may do just as he wishes. In winning, Harley-Davidson Inc'; Arai/RC Cola/ Hap Jones/Sunoco/White Bros.-sponsored Carr gained what many consider to be a 2Q-pointhead start on his regular series rivals. Defending Grand National Champion Ricky Graham and four-time champ Parker failed to qualify for the National, and left the stadium pointless. Graham looked spectacular in the pits aboard his yellow, orange and purple Smokin' joe's Honda, but when he took to the track the story just wasn't the same. After crashing on his first qualifying attempt, Graham turned in a lackluster time on his second go-round that saw him ranked an unusually low - for him 36th. And things got worse. Graham crashed on the opening lap of his hea t, and then again later in his semi final. 'The three-time champion unsuited and left the track before the main event even started, no doubt to rest up for the following day 's Daytona 200 road race, in which he finished a commendable 15th. "I know that I didn't win last year's championship because of what I did here last year," said Graham, in reference to his 10th-place finish at last year's opener. "I'm not worried; we'll be fine." For Parker, the evening was a little better, but not by much. The all-time National winner never hit the dirt but, as always , the fri endly Mich igander didn't look as comfortable on a 600cc machine as on his familiar Bill Wernertun ed XR750s. Parker finished sixth in his heat, and third in his semi - not good enough to make the cut. ' Making the cut and rounding out the top three positions, h owe ve r, were series veteran and all-time short track ace Terry Poovey, aboard his USC Rae-