Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

, DIRTTRACK State Fairgrounds AMA GRAND NAOONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES head going right. Parker landed on the outside of row one as Evans and Kevin Varnes filled the inside. ~opp, Springsteen, Roeder, Beattie, King and Davis made up row two. Beyer, Butler, Schnabel, Price, Hacker and McCoy occupied the last row. Atherton fulfilled his promise and charged off the line as he and Morehead went right to the hay bales. Atherton was making it work, but after finishing the first lap in second place, Morehead started to slip back. "We changed the shock, lowered the motorcycle, and we killed it," Morehead said afterward. "We just killed our setup. My start felt good, but with the rear end low, when I would shut off in the corner it would raise up, and I'd lose the front end. [ just couldn't understeer it, and it would swap ends. I really wasn't getting tired, it was just the motorcycle. I couldn't do anything with it no matter where I was at. There was a lot of cushion up top, but no moisture in it." TCR teammates Atherton and Davis occupied the top spots as Parker was methodically working his way up from a fifth-place start. On lap eight, Davis fell victim to Parker, who then set out after what appeared to be the uncatchable Atherton. After the halfway point, riders were scattered all around the track, and they fought the racing surface as much as each other. "Once I got it figured out, I was doing a little better, but I knew Scott was making up a lot of ground on me," Atherton said. "He was getting me going in. I could hear his bike. I figured he was going up high, but I felt I was getting a better drive off the comer on the bottom. I saw a shadow a couple of laps from the end, but I wasn't sure if it was his shadow or mine. "It's easier to chase someone than it is to lead them," Atherton added. "The track was rough. I had a lot of close calls, so [ had to settle down. Lapped traffic didn't bother me at all. I had a good line through three and four. In one and two I was still trying to pick my way through, and I really couldn't, but I was doing what was comfortable for me on the bottom. I figured, if I was going to change my line again, he'd be right there." "We came in shooting for the top five, but after I struggled in the heat, I said a top 10 would be all right," King said. 'Tm real happy with third. I figured I was fourth or fifth. I thought Will was in fourth or fifth when I got by him." Five laps into the race, Atherton held his lead over Davis, Parker, Evans, King, Morehead, Roeder, Beattie, Kopp and Camlin in the top 10. Camlin remained in 10th until the waning laps, when he suddenly moved up and ultimately finished sixth. "I took too long to figure it out," Camlin said. "By the time I did, they were long gone. I'm pretty happy. That's pretty good for me on a rough half mile." AMA 1996 Rookie of the Year Schnabel came from a last-row start to a very creditable seventh. "I just started passing people," Schnabel said. "I knew I had to be getting up there somewhere, but I didn't know where. I had a good line through turns three and four. I had to ride through one rut, then I was under the rest of them. I just tried to run consistent laps the whole race. Some of the other guys would be real fast for a' lap, then drop off real bad the next." Beattie bounced around in midpack for most of the race before settling into eighth. "Eighth, it's better than ninth," Beattie said. "I really had a top five set for my goal. Missed by three. I guess that's better than a bunch. Better than mistaking the white board for the white flag. A couple of guys shut off, and I thought, 'What are you guys doing? That was five laps to go. Oh well, I'm gone: I was in eighth, then went to sixth, but Schnabel and CamJ in got by at the end to put me back in eighth again:' Putting in a very olid ride for the new Rose Racing effort was Willie McCoy. • "I had no idea where I was," McCoy said. "My shield fogged up early. When I w.as behind Morehead, I lifted it up and got some air in there, and that worked. When I put it back down it fogged again, and I ran out of tearoffs. I couldn't see, and I was tired. I was just trying to hang on. The bike's running real good and the chassis is working. I hate these tracks. Just wait until next week - two of my favorite tracks (Minerai Wells and Springfield). I'll be ready:' Atherton showed a lot of composure as he held off his chief adversary for the 1997 Grand National Championship. "When the five-lap board came out, I saw he had made up a lot of time," Atherton said. "But I thought I'd stick with my game plan and stay on the bottom and make him go around me. If I saw a front wheel I wasn't going to give up that easily. He had to be charging to go around me, and I was going to make him go to the top side because it was rougher up there." a Delaware State Fairgrounds Harrington, Delaware Results: May 17, t 997 (Round 2 of 23) HEAT 1 (10 laps; 11 riders, top three transfer): 1. Kevin Atherton (H~D); 2. Chris Evans (H-D); 3. Jay Springsteen (H-D); 4. Dan Butler (H-D); 5. WHHe McCoy (H-D); 6. Georgie Price IV (H-D); 7. Kenny Coolbeth (HD); 8. Johnny Murphree (H-D); 9. Jim Mellvena (H-D); 10. Jerry Vanderkooi (H-D); 11. Rob Cette (H-D). Time: 4 mln., 25.735 sec. HEAT 2 (10 laps; 11 riders. top three transfer): 1. Davey Camlin (H-O); 2. Kevin Varnes (H-O); 3. Ceo Roeder II (H-D); 4. Pat Buchanan (H~D); 5. Jason Fletcher (H-D); 6. Bret Beyer (H-D); 7. Paul Morgan (H-D); 8. Redl Hart (H-D); 9. Jim Sumner (H-D); Shaun Russell (H-D); 11. Lonrue Pauley (H-D). m 10. Ti.me: 4 min., 26.266 sec. HEAT 3 (10 laps; 12 riders, top three transfer): I. Steve Morehead (H-D); 2. Will Davis (H-D); 3. Rich IGng (Han); 4. Scott Stump (H-D); 5. Dale jenneman Jr. (H-D); 6. Brett Landes (H-D~ 7. Chance DarHng (Han); S. Paul Lynch (H-D); 9. Paul Bergstrom (Hon); 10. Robert Lewis Jr. (H-D); 11. Bob Knapp (H-D); 12. Ricky Craham (Hon). Time: 4 min., 27.568 sec MEAT 4 (10 laps; U riden, top three transfer): 1. Scott Parker (H-D); 2. Steve Beattle (H-D); 3. joe Kopp (H-D); 4. Mike Varnes (H-D); 5. Mike Hacker (H-D~ 6. J.R. Schnabel (H-D); 7. Dan Stanley (H-D); 8. Shawn Oark (H-D); 9. Brent Armbruster (H-D); 10. Ian Segedy (H-D); 11. Jaime Aguil... (H-D); 12. Ken Yoder (H-D). Time: 4 min., 27.863 sec. SEMI 1 (8 laps; 11 riders, top two transfer): 1. Dan Butler (H-D~ 2. J.R. Schnabel (H-D); 3. Ken Coolbeth Jr. (H-D); 4. Red! Hart (H-D); 5. Dale Jenneman Jr. (H-D~ 6. Jason Fletcher (H-D); i. Jerry Vanderkooi (1-1-0); 8. Brent Armbruster (H-O); 9. Paul Lynch (H-D); 10. Lonrue Pauley (H-D); 11. Bob Knapp (H-D). Time: 3 min., 38.369 sec. SEMI 2 (81~ps; ]] riders, top two trilnsfer): 1. MJke Hacker (H-O); 2. Willie ML'Coy (H-O); 3. Pat Buchanan (H-D~ 4. Paul Morgan ill (H-D); 5. Johnny Murphree (H-D); 6. Brett Landes (H-D); 7. Shawn Oark (H-D); 8. Paul Bergstrom (Han); 9. Shaun Russell (H-D); 10. Rob Gette (H-D); 11. jaime Aguil... (H-D) Time: 3 min., 36.675 sec. SEMI 3 (8 laps; 12 riders, top two tr.msfer): 1. Georgie Price IV (1-1-0); 2. Bret Beyer (H-D); 3. Mike Varnes (H-D); 4. Dan Stanley (H-D~ 5. Scott Stump (H-D); 6. Chance Darling (Hon); 7. Ian Segedy (H-O); 8. Jim Mellvena (H-D); 9. Robert Lew;,; Jr. (H-D); 10. Jim Sumner (H-D); 11. Ken Yoder (H-D); 12. Ricky Graham (Han). Time: 3 min., 41.268 sec. GRAND NATIONAL (25 laps; 18 riders): 'I. 'Kevin Atherton (H-D); 2. Scott Parker (ii-D); 3. Rich King (Han); 4. Will Davis (H-D); 5. Geo Roeder II (H-D); 6. Dave Camlin (H-D); 7. J.R. Schnabel (H-D); 8. Steve Beattie (H-D); 9. Willie McCoy (H-D); 10. Joe Kopp (HD); 11. Steve Morehead (H-D); 12. Jay Springsteen (HD); 13. Chris Evans (H-D); 14. Kevin Varnes (H-D); 15. Dan Butler (H-D); 16. Bret Beyer (H-D); 17. Mike Hacker (H-D); 18. Georgie Price IV (H-D). Tim~: 11 min., 22.937 sec. AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERrES POlNT STANDINCS (Aft~r 2 of 23 rounds): I. Davey Camlin (27); 2.. Rich King (24); 3. (11E) Terry Poovey (1 win) / Jay Springsteen/Willie McCoy/Kevin Atherton (1 win)(23); 7. Will Davis (22); 8. (TrE) Brett Landes/Dan Butler/Scott Parker (19); 11. (TIE) Mike . Hacker/Geo Roeder II (14); 13. (TIE) Steve Morehead/Joe Kopp/J.R. Schnabel (12); 16. (TIE) Steve BCllttie/Pnullwanaga (11); 18. Johnny Murphree (10); 19. Chariie Orr (9); 20. Chris Evans (6). 600cc SUPPORT FINAL (12 laps; 15 riders): 1. Steve Morehead (Rtx); 2. Lonnie Pauley (W-R); 3. Jason Sentell (Rtx); 4. John Nickens 111 (Rtx); 5. Bret Beyer (Rt»; 6. J.R Schnabei (W-R); 7. john HJebo III (Rtx); s: Todd Winsett (W-R~ 9. Johnny Murphree (Rtx); 10. Paul Lynch (Rtx); n. Garth Bastian (W-R); 12. Robert Le-m Jr. (W-R); 13. Ben Bellman (RtxJ; 14. Richard Winsett Jr. (Rt»; 15. Billy Martin (Rbc). Time: 5 min., 33.399 sec. (Top) And the other winner 15 Davey Camlln. The illinois mile master toughed It out on the challenging, pea-gravel surface to finish sixth and assume the series points lead. (Above) Steve Morehead had a decent night aboard his 600 (shown) and his 750. The "Findlay Flyer" won the 600cc Support final and backed it up with a solid 11th-place run in the GNC main event. Upcoming Rounds: . Round 3 - Springfield, Illinois, May 25 Round 4 - La Salle, Illinois, May 31 I Brieflv. •• - Of oourse it all depends on the AMA's fuel ruling. but if the results remain unchanged, Kevin Atherton will pick up $4210 from the purse. while Scott P.arker and Rich King will get $3125 and $1970 respectively. Will Davis mayor may not take home $1420. Stave Mo.-head made the same amount of money for his 11 th place in the National as his win In the 600cc Support main. picking up $750 each time. anu is four up on Terry Poovey. 'Jay Springsteen. Willie McCoy and Kevin Atherton. Myrtle Beach also helo round one of the AMA 883 series, where Randy Texter finished second to Camlln. Unfortunately Corbin Racing's Gary Rogers suffered a badly broken leg during the.race. Rob Miller. another BB3 rider, was also injured In the l'rash-marred event. Who says racers are 'dumb?: Besides the fact that he made a spectacular I~st-Iap pass to get into the National. B.-t Beyer celebrated the (act that hI" graduated cum laude from Ihe 'Uf\iversity. of Wisconsin. Oshkosh. Beyer'eamed a degree in' math and sec'ondary education. 'After a Student-teaching assignment next August. Beyer will. be educating the youth of The Grand National Points race is jumbled and could still undergo further changes. but as of right .now. 1-800-FASTHOG I Moroney's Harley-Davldson's Davey Camlin leads both the Grand National arid the Harley-DaVidson BB3 National Championship Series. Cam lin Wl,sconsin. had a perfect night at the Myrtle Beach. South Carolina MARS asphalt races the night before Bret Beyer Is also involved .in Ihe World the Harrington event. winning the 600cc and .Wide Web and has his own web page. "I'. .e 750cc mains along with the B83 National. '"I'm . already received over 50 positive e-mail letters' leading the points. Why couldn't it be 10 min- about the weekly joumal I keep about my rIlCutes after Del Mar. right now?" said Caml1n. ing activities.' Beyer said. Bret can be who holds a three-point 1ead over Rich King access~d at wWw.flattrack.coni.

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