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DIRT TRACK AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES By Dave Hoenig Photos by Flat Trak Fotos HARRINGTON, DE, MAY 17 fter a two-week rain delay, the 1997 edition of the _! American Motorcyclist Association's Grand l\ National Championship Series resumed on the pea-gravel half mile a.t the Delaware State Fairgrounds and, much like the end of 1996, it boiled down to a struggle between seven-time Grand National Champion Scott Parker and heir apparent Kevin Atherton. Total Control Racing's Atherton finished second to Canadian cushion master Chris Evans in their qualifying heat (the fastest of the night), but it was the last time Atherton would trail anyone that night. Atherton seemed to have the 25-lap National well in hand until the last five laps, when Parker made a spirited charge to catch his former factory Harley-Davidson teammate. "Scott doesn't give up; that's why he's number one," Atherton said. "Determination - that's what gets you there." Atherton secured the win with his own determined riding. ill Kevin Atherton got the holeshot and led all 25 laps of the Harrington Ha" Mile to grab the first 750CC Grand National win of the year... maybe. A post-race Inspection of Atherton's fuel has keep the results unofficial pending further testing on May 20. "We got a good start and, once everything settled down, I looked and saw Scott back there," Atherton said. "At least I thought it was Scott; I wasn't sure WilD was back there. I .watched a couple pf laps and gauged my distance. I was putting a little bit on him, then I goofed up. I'm not sure what lap that was. Then, right around halfway, I started to make mistakes. I started hitting holes, and my feet were coming off the pegs. I was, like, 'All right, the track is getting rough, so let's drop down to the bottom a little more:" Atherton grabbed the win, but the story did not end there. After most spectators and most competitors had started their treks home, a preliminary fuel check showed problems with both Atherton and teammate Will Davis, and samples of their fuel were sent to the AMA's lab, where it will be determined if Atherton's win and Davis' fourth-place finish stand. AMA officials at the track said that the results of that test will be available on Tuesday, May 20. "All I know is that Sunoco made us a bunch of gas and, by AMA standards, it was legal," Atherton said while at his home on Monday, May 19. "They tested the same fuel at Daytona, and it was legal. We've got 500 gallons of the stuff. If they have a problem, it's with Sunoco. A~ far as their testing is concerned, they have to understand that weather, temperature, humidity and altitude all come into play. 1 don't know the whole story there, but as far as their testing goes at the race track, it's not done correctly. ,They should be using sanitary stuff instead of the same stuff they did the last test with. I'm not too worried about it, though. 1 guess we'll know Tuesday." TCR team' manager Tom Cummings confirmed that the team is sponsored by Sunoco and has been using the same fuel that is available to all the other teams for two years. In the race, runner-up Parker was mildly upset by the lack of use of the blue flag for lapped riders as the lead duo had lapped all the way up to 13th place. "They never threw the blue flag," the HarleyDavidson/Fick Excavating-backed Parker said. "1 never saw the blue flag all night. 1 think a couple of guys knew we were coming by and pulled over, but it didn't really cause me much trouble. One time 1 came up on a guy who was on the outside, and I knew there were only two laps left. 1 knew 1 had to get a run, but he was right there, so 1 had to go to the low side of him. 1 got a couple of good runs late, but it was