Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

middle of the corner," the 18-year-old from Warren, Connecticut, said. "We've made some changes. We changed the rear tire. We're just going to get a good start and go from there." SEMIS There were still six spots left to fill in the main event with 30 riders vying to fill them as the the three semis were called to the line. Spectro Moroney's Harley-Davidson rider Mike Hacker took the win in the first eight-lapper after the race. My hands felt like they had arthritis. But I'm in the National. I'm just gonna cruise." Atherton continued to show his strength by guiding his TCR HarleyDavidson to the win via a flag-to-flag romp of heat two. Once out of the gate, the 25-year-old from Michigan had only to deal with Gardner Racing's Dan Butler, Team Undo's Brett Landes and Lynch Racing/Beale Peterbilt's Paul Lynch in turn one before immediately establishing his dominance. "Everything went real good:' Atherton said. "The bike is working real good. We really haven't made any changes because the track hasn't changed much. We've got a game plan to follow Scott . (Parker) in the main and pass him if we can, or take second." In the meantime, Lynch and Butler started duking it out for second, with the 17-year-old Marylander gaining the upper hand on a slightly higher line to kip into the runner-up spot and earn the first direct transfer of his young career. Butler slipped and slid his way to third. "It sure makes it a lot easier:' Lynch said. "Now I can relax and concentrate on what I've got to do. We're running a twingle tonight for the first time, and I like it. Things are starting to come around. We're moving to that next level." "We put a new tire on the bike, and we were pretty slippery on it:' Butler said. "It was rough, but we're going to change some things. The strategy will be to find a good line, ride as smooth as we can and go to the front." Schmulbach Racing's Dan Stanley got a rocket of a start off the line in the third heat, and the brash Washington charger held the point for three laps before Camlin ran him down and passed him on the outside to take over with half the distance to go. Davi also went around on Stanley's right as did Paul Morgan ill on the DeMay Racing Harley-Davidson. Davis then got under Camlin off turn two to grab the point position as they shot down the back straight on lap seven. But one lap later, Morgan hooked Camlin's rear fender while trying to get under him and was flung to the ground in a nasty high-side crash. Morgan lay motionless as he was transported to the Knoxville Area Community Hospital. He was released the following day. With the heat only two laps from completion, AMA officials reverted back one lap and made the race official, giving the win to Camtin. "I felt that guy hit me:' Camlin said. "It slowed me way down. I knew there was no way that he could have stayed on his bike." "I got off in like sixth or seventh and had to work the traffic," Davis said. "I finally passed him (Carotin), and I thought I was leading it, but they say I wasn't. It doesn't matter much." (Above) Parker (1) led title rivals Steve Morehead (42), Joe Kopp (43), Kevin Atherton (23) and Will Davis (21) at the start of the main event. Morehead eventually dropped out of the race and lost his chance at the championship while Kopp finished eighth and is now hanging by a thread. (Right) J.R. Schnabel (15K) battled with Davey Camlin (27) for much of the main event and landed second ahead of Camlin at the finish, but a carburetor violation robbed the future star of his first career podium finish and moved Camlin to second. (Left) Will DavIs (21) and Kevin Atherton (23) kept their title hopes alive by finishing third and fourth, respectively, once the Schnabel. disqualification wl\s handed down. Dale Jenneman inherited the third spot after Morgan fell, and the quiet Nebraskan thus qualified for his ninth Grand National of the season. Harley-Davidson of Sacramento's Kopp just missed the pole position by 0.01 second as he owned the final heat from start to finish. Kopp faced an early challenge from F&S Harley-Davidson/ KK Motorcycle Supply'S Steve Morehead, but the "Findlay Flyer's" attempts to make the high tine work against Kopp were in vain. "It was actually hard setting the pace," Kopp said. '1 wanted to go high, but I kept pushing myself lower. Then Morehead tried to go by up high, so I moved up there and tried not to bobble. I don't want to lead the main, because I think it's going to be a real arm-pump deal. I'm going to let someone else set the pace." Morehead beat Winchester HarleyDavidson/Eddie Adkins Racing's Kenny Coolbeth for second place with both going straight into the feature. "I was try.ing to miss the bumps," Morehead said. "I was getting through the middle of the corner doing that, but I couldn't get off the corner." Coolbeth, on the other hand, claimed to be struggling right where Morehead wasn't. '1 was having a lot of trouble in the with Harley-Davidson of Dallas/Eagle Security /Tucker Rocky rider Willie ML<:oy trailing him into the how. S&B Racing/Suburban Motors H-D' Bret Beyer led seven of eight laps of the second semi before yielding to Geo Roeder II on the Roeder H-D/Mike's H-D entry. Roeder took the win with Beyer also . heading to the final. . The third semi showcased the most hotly contested races of the evening as Landes and his Audiovox/Quaker State Honda squared off against the quickstarting BBRP/Budweiser-backed Stanley. The two riders ran side by side for much of the race with Landes having the upper hand off turn two while Stan- \0 ~ ...... N l-< Q) .g u o ~ 7

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