Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

(Above) Jay Sprlngsteen (9) thrilled the crowd on Sunday by riding one of Scott Parker's factory Harley-Davidson XR750s and leading the main event for 10 laps before his charge toward career win number 42.was halted by the Parker/Atherton crash on lap 17. said 'No.' This is the bike we started with, and we are not going to take that one away from him." Morehead, Varnes and Jenneman recreated their classic Hagerstown heatrace clash of two weeks ago in heat number three with Varnes going from worst to first this time. The 21-year-old Pennsylvanian drafted past Morehead before the finish line on just about every lap, led the veteran off turn four and then just held off a flying Jenneman to earn his first heat-race win on a mile. "'1 was behind Morehead in three, but I knew that 1 could beat him if 1 led him off four, so 1 passed him," Varnes said. "I guess Jenneman passed him too, and that helped me out." Jenneman did indeed squeak by Morehead for second place off the last corner. "I was just trying get into position to beat whoever was leading at the line," Jenneman said. "That happened to be Kevin. I slipped just a little and missed him by a foot." "He Oenneman) races good," Morehead said. "His motors run well, and he always has been a good slick-track rider. They've really stepped up their program." There was trouble in the final heat when Stanley collided with Poovey in turn three and bumped the Texan off the groove on the fourth lap after the pair broke away with Kopp, Butler, Davis and Darling in tow. Kopp was on the outside at the time and was nearly sent into the bales during his evasive maneuvering. Amazingly both Kopp and Poovey climbed back into contention and took transfer spots with Kopp taking the win over Davis, while Poovey pulled off a gutty, last-lap, outside pass on Stanley to grab third. Both riders were critical of the'Washingtonian's performance and after reviewing the video-tape footage of the incident, AMA referee Bruce Bober disqualified Stanley for rough riding. "He just took Terry's handlebars right away from him," .Kopp said. "Luckily there was traction out there or I would have been in the hay bales. "I don't want to see a guy get sat down like that," Poovey said. "But 1 talked to him about this same thing at Indy. I told him that this isn't like a short track. You can't run it underneath a guy like you can on a short track. You have to be a lot more graceful on the mile. 1 thought he understood then, but then he did it again today. 1 don't want to see anyone get hurt." ''I'm making the rounds and apologizing," Stanley said. "That was my fault. 1 got in there too hot and just pushed the front end right into Terry. 1 just got too excited, running up front like that." SEMIS Beattie and Coolbeth gained spots into the main event via the first semi after drafting away from Spectro! Moroney's Jason Fletcher, who thus wound up not making either mile feature on the weekend. Butler got back on track with a blan- ket victory over Landes and Roeder with Landes getting the nod for second after the finish had to be reviewed sev- eral times by AMA officials. Suburban Motors' Sumner and H-D of Dallas' McCoy took the final two spots to the main via the last semi. McCoy's secondplace run sa ved his weekend as the Texas youngster, who finished a brilliant second at the Dallas Half Mile in 1995, had found himself just one spot out of qualifyi!"!g position in each of his previous attempts to make a main. GRAND NATIONAL King took control off the start in the 25-lap finale, while sentimental favorite Springsteen found himself second to last off the fourth comer after spinning his rear wheel at the start. But Springer commanded the attention of the crowd by charging past eight riders on the outside in turns three and four. He was quickly by 10 riders in two more laps and then advanced to sixth in the sevenrider lead dTaft by lap five. The order continued to swap around with Kopp, Davis, King, Atherton and Parker taking turns at the front of the pack. But on lap nine, number nine shot into the lead, and he continued to electrify the crowd by staying there. "After it spun off the line, 1 was yellin' in my helmet," Springsteen said. "I was just screamin, 'damn it!", Springl;teen was trying his hardest to check out, but CamEn, Atherton and Kopp were all right there still, as was Parker, who appeared at all times during the race as if he were just waiting for the right time to pounce like cat on a mouse. But when he finally did on the entrance to turn one, it was as if the mouse flinched. Parker rode low in tum one but got caught up in oil left there by Schnabel, and he hit the ground in a split second. Atherton also went down, and both riders slid headlong into the hay bales. "1 saw Scott go down, and 1 really had nowhere to go," Atherton said. Somehow they both got up. Good news, but also bad news for the Springsteen fans as the accompanying red flag halted his charge. After a lengthy delay for track cleanup, the riders retook their places in single file on the front straight with Springsteen on the point and Atherton and Parker one spot from the back. The pair's frantic charge in the ensuing seven-lap dash put them back near the front just three laps from the finish, and the .race was quickly down to Camlin, Springsteen, Parker and Atherton. As the quartet pulled off the last tum for the final time, Springsteen was just a bit too far back to earn a podium spot, and Atherton was in the unfortunate point position off the fourth tum. It cost him the win as Carnlin shot by to claim the victory in a finish that had to be reviewed by AMA bfficials to be confirmed. "Springsteen set an awesome pace, but we all had to chill because of the tires," Camtin said. "That guy was just hauling. There is just no other feeling like this. 1can't describe it to you." Atherton was second. "I didn't want to lead it off the fourth turn, but then Davey didn't come by and 1 had no choice," Atherton said. "1 kinda knew right then..." Parker held off Springsteen for third. "We changed some stuff on the motorcycle, and it was better today," Parker said. "We were just a click off yesterday, but we learned. People think we know everything, but we don't." But Parker expressed nothing but happiness over his "teammate's" result. "That (Springer's fourth) was great," Parker said. "He used to let me ride his 15

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