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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127831
DIRT TRACK AMA NAnONAL HOT SHOE SERIESIFLORIDA FLAT TRACK SERIES Speedway be b enef (Left) Joe Kopp outran Kevin Atherton to the checkered flag to win the opening round of the AMA National Hot ShoeJF1orlda Rat Track Series at Oglethorpe. Speedway. (Above) Ken Coolbeth Jr. raced to victory In the 600cc division. (Below) Brian Bigelow was a big winner in the 600 Pro-Am class. By Dave Hoenig Photos by Flat Trak Fotos SAVANNAH, GA, FEB. 28 inally! I finally beat , , those guys," a happy Joe Kop'p exclaimed after the Sacramento Harley-Davidson-backed rider dominated a talent-laden 750cc Expert main at round one of the inaugural AMA National Hot Shoe Series. Over 140 riders signed up for the opening round on the clay half-mile of the Oglethorpe Speedway. Kevin Atherton, Geo Roeder, Will Davis and Mike Hacker were among the victims of the Kopp onslaught. "It really means a lot to me, to be able to beat Kevin on a flat-out track like this one tonight," Kopp said. "Kenny (Tolbert, Kopp's tuner) just got this frame together and was it ever hooking up." Total Control Racing's Atherton, of course, had a little different perspective. "We just got beat," Atherton said. ''The track was a little rough, but it was raceable. Joe was just pulling me about a bike length a lap. Early, I got to racing with Roeder and let Joe get away. That wasn't the plan, but that's why they call it racing." Roeder held on for third over Davis while Hacker battled his way to fifth over Steve Beattie. Kenny Coolbeth Jr., Dave Camlin, ~ Miller needed to squeak by for the win Weiss led Brandon Cartwright an Velicky home in third. Bigelow came right back in the 600c Pro-Am and took his Marine Transpor Rotax to a convincing win after passin the early leader, Canadian Ben Rouil lard. Tim Eades worked his way aroun Miller and closed on Rouillard for sec ond, but couldn't get by. Bigelow held safe lead the rest of the way. The surprise winner of the 883 m . was Camlin. It was Camlin's first rid aboard a Harley Sportster and he led Moroney's Harley /I-800-FAST HO racing team sweep. Jason Fletcher held solid second while former 883 Nation Champion Hacker scratched his way u to third over Georgie Price and Johnn Murphree. Chance Darling is now cam paigning an 883 and he finished sixth. ''You know that's fun to ride and think it even helped me tonight on m 750," said Carnlin, whose 750cc-clas effort came up short due to mechanic trouble. "1 don't think that will be th case everywhere, but tonight I foun that by pushing 'the front end and get ting on the gas I could get around bet ter." Bryan Bigelow and Roy Miller topped the 600cc Expert, 883, 600cc Pro-Am and 250cc Pro-Am, respectively. The.y are now the points leaders in their respective classes in the 17-race series going into the Daytona Beach round where only the 600cc Expert class will be contested. The event also doubled as round one of the 1997 Florida Harley-Davidson Dealers Association/KK/Dirt Shirtssponsored Florida Fla t Track Racing Series. The nine-race series will have four dirt and three asphalt half-miles along with the final two short tracks at Daytona's Municipal Stadium. The 250cc Pro-Am was the first main of the night and provided some tight racing. Justin Velicky and R.obert Weiss led the first lap around before manytime Amateur National Champion Bryan Bigelow made his expected move to the front. What wasn't expected was that W'eiss came back around just as fast and brought Miller with him. The trio battled back and forth for severallaps.with Bigelow back in front. On the last lap, Bigelow led into turn one, but Miller dived to the inside. Bigelow straightened for just an instant, but it was all The 600cc Expert main was a run away for Kenny Coolbeth, who is one again sporting a new look with Missou . Harley-Davidson leathers. Corbin Rae ing's Lonnie Pauley got the holeshot but Coolbeth had the lead by turn tw and never looked back. Pauley settled into second ove Roger Durkee, with a great rac between Morgan Coolbeth, Ryan Anderson and Scott Shinn developin over fourth. As Coolbeth pulled away, things set tIed down behind him. At about th halfway point, Shinn started a drive t the front that would move him by Our kee for third on the last lap. Morgan Coolbeth held Anderson off for fift