Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127945
DIRT TRACK AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (Left, left to right) Champions all, Springsteen, Parker and Carr share a laugh aboard the victory podium. (Above) Whatever the outcome of the final, (left to right) Johnny Murphree, Will Davis, Davey Cam lin and Chris Carr were happy, as their top four placings in the Beer Nuts Dash guaranteed them a spot In the $50,000 Hall of Fame race on Labor Day Weekend. (Below) Things didn't look good for Mike Hacker (67), as he trailed reigning HarleyDavidson Sportster Performance Series Champion Davey Camlin (1) in this heat ra.ce. But the teammates posted posted 1-3 finishes in the main, with Camlin taking the win. Morehead slipped to eighth, leading Dan Butler and his USC Racing teammate Terry Poovey. "I haven't ridden in a long time," Poovey explained. "The last time I rode a 750 was Del Mar, so it kind of took me a while to get back into the swing.and I still felt rusty. I think if I keep going, I'm going to be okay. I'm going to the next one. If Gerry (Booher) is going to take me to the races, I'm going to go. I'm happy and I hate those Harleys - I'm going to have my Honda at DuQuoin, the last brand-new one in the world_" After a review of the finish-line tape, Bret Beyer came home 11th over Geo Roeder, Bryan Bigelow, Dale Jenneman and Dan Stanley. "I got into the National by the skin of my teeth," Roeder said. "I got a good start, but we had put a new tire on and I was slipping and sliding the first four laps or so. Then it seemed to come in and I just stayed where I was at; I couldn't eem to move up. I think the bike started to tie up a little in the main. In the heat and semi I was drafting the fast guys; it seemed like in the final I just sat there. We'll get it figured out." "It was interesting - a great experience. It taught me a lot today," Bigelow said. "We ran up front in everything we rode today: the heat, semi and main. Even though I finished 13th, I could still see the leaders and ilia t's the first time I've ever done that. I got a lot of experience and my confidence is growing every week." "We came a long way from practice, with our new bikes," Stanley said. "It was working real good for the main event; I was right there until about halfway. Something faded in the motor; we just lost a little bit of power. I couldn't even spin the tire off the turns. Guy started pulling away from me and I couldn't draft anyone. It wasn't the tires - the tires were beautiful after the race. Greg's (Crow) going to have to look into the motor. Chris (Carr) got up there with me and I got in behind him and started following him through guys here and there. I thought, 'This is going to be good, we're saving the tire: Then all of a sudden we lost horsepower. I cou.ldn't pull anything off the turns. We just had to cruise around and let everybody pass me." Jim Sumner topped rookie Shaun Russell for 16th, but you still couldn't get the grin off Russell's face. . "It felt good - r finally got it out of the way," Rus ell said. "I had a few problems. I went off the groove a few times. I don't know what the deal was - I think I got a little oil on my tires. I don't know if that's what did it or not." The first to drop out was Johnny Murphree. "I got off the line pretty bad; from the front row, I was trying to work my way up and the thing started handling funny," Murphree said. "After the halfway point, I slipped off the groove and ended up having a flat tire. I slipped the groove the first time and it was acting kind of funny coming off the comers. J had it in the back of my mind that the tire must be going flat. Sure enough, I think it was the 13th lap, coming off two, it gave up the ghost. I pulled it in down there in turn three and had to watch the rest of the race. I pulled a wheelie at the start of the ational and when I tried to feather it back with the clutch, [ lost my drive and just went back; the guys from the second row were going around me - [ think even the third row. I got up to eighth or so, then I went off the groove. [ hope it was the tire and not my mistake:' HARLEY·DAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORMANCE NATIONAL James Hart led the Sportsters into turn one but was soon run down by Miller Electric's Jess Roeder and Saddlemen's Dave Camlin. DPC's Willie McCoy moved into the top three as they began to break away. The second pack was Jed by Scott Stump over Hart, Tim Eades and John Faulkner. At the start of the fifth lap, Stump lost the front end entering tum one and crashed, bring out the red flag. Stump was uninjured, but he was unable to make the restart. Cam lin, Roeder and McCoy picked up where they left off, with Hart back in the picture. Moving up through the pack was CamJin's Saddlemen teammate Hacker. With just two laps left, Hacker took over third, droppin.g McCoy to fourth. Eades moved past Hart and Fau.lkner late in the race for fifth. BEER NUTS HALL OF FAME QUALIFIER The first of the Hall of Fame qualifying races fell to Carr as the five-lap, 10rider race turned into a four-rider runa·way. The top three finishes of Carr, Camlin and Davis weren't too surprising, but the fourth-place' finish of youngster Johnny Murphree was. ''I'm just as happy as I can be," he said. "I was hoping to make it,.maybe at Peoria or somewhere after the top guys were already in. I'm more surprised and elated than anything. I'm ready for it to happen. I wish they were having it today. I was kind of upset after that, but that Beer Nuts deal really made my day. Other than that flat tire, we had a pretty good day. I learned a lot in that Beer uts race. That Beer Nuts race was a heck of an experience, just to be racing with those guys. [ was happy to be fourth. I wanted to get by, but I was just tucked in and I knew they were pulling me enough that [ didn't have to worry too much about anybody drafting by me. [ didn't know we were so far out front. Every time I'd slip up just a little, it really scared me. We learned a lot today, that's for sure." Surprisingly, Parker did not move on to the $50,000 race - at least not yet. "I Ii t the tire up and got another bad start. On the second lap 1 started catching up to those guys, thinking I was right where I needed to be. Then I scuffed the gu.ard rail in three," said Parker, showing off the quarter-sized raw spot on his left hand. "It set the bike up and 1 was lucky to roll on through. I think a couple of more laps and 1'd have been sel." ROGER REIMAN MEMORIAL HARLEY·DAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORMANCE CHALLENGE Camlin continued to roll on his Sportster, taking the five-lap race over Willie McCoy, Mike Hacker and James Hart. Jes Roeder lipped back to fifth on the last lap, while Tim Eades was sixth. ~ illinois State Fairgrounds Springfield, Illinois Results: May 25, 1998 (Round 3 of 19) HEAT 1 flO laps; 11 riders, top three transfe.r); 1. Rich King (Hon); 2. Dave Camlin (H-D); 3. Chris Carr (H-D); 4. Jim Sumner (H-D); 5. Kevin Varnes (H-D); 6. Steve Be,ll;e (H·D); 7. Nicky H'yden (H-D); 8. Josh Butler (H-D); 9. John Nickens ill (H-D~ 10. N;ck Daniels (H-D); 11_Willie McCoy (H-D~ Time: 6 min., 02.375 sec. HEAT 2 (10 laps; 11 riden, top th,tee transfer): 1. Will Davis (H-D); 2. Johnny Murphree (H-O); 3. Joe Kopp (H·D); 4. Ken Coolbeth Jr. (H-D); 5. Paul Lynch (H-D); 6. Dole Jeonemon (H-D); 7. Mike Hocker (H-D); 8. Paul Bergstrom (H~D); 9. Gory Rogers (H-D); 10. Jerry Vanderkooi (H-O); n. Kevin Olliges (H-D). Time: 6 min., 02.853 sec. HEAT 3 (10 laps; 1] riders, top three transfer); 1. Scott Parker (H-D); 2. Terry Poovey (H-O); 3. Joy Springsteen (H-O); 4. Brett Landes (H-O); 5. Bryan Bigelow (H-D); 6. PouJ Morgan 111 (H-O); 7. Brent Armbruster (H-D); 8. Billy Martin (H-O); 9. Shalln Russell (H-O); 10. Devon Pritchard (H-D); 11. Jose Aguilar (H-D). Time: 6 min., 03.885 sec. HEAT 4 (10 taps; 10 riders, top three tt:a.nsfer): 1. D,n Butler (H-D); 2. Don Stanley (H-D); 3. Bret Beyer (HD); 4. J.R. Schnabel (H-D); 5. Mike Varnes (H-D); 6. Goo Roeder n (H-D); 7. Steve Morehead (H-D); 8. Jim Filice (H-D~ 9. Steve Gill (H-D); 10. Brion Kromroy (H-D~ Time: 6 min.. 04.035 sec. S~MI 1 (8 l.1Ips; 11 riders, top two u;ansfer): 1. Bryan Bigelow (H-D); 2. Jim Sumner (H-D); 3. Ceo Roeder II (H-D); 4. kky Hoyden (H-D); 5. PauJ Bergstrom (H-D); 6. Paul Lynch (H-D); 7. Billy Martin (H-D); 8. Nick Daniels (H·D); 9. Steve Gill (H-D); 10. Kevin Olliges (H-D); 11. Jose Aguilar (H·D). Time: 4 min., 52.480 sec. SEMI 2 (Slaps; 10 riders, top two transfer): 1. Mike Hocker (H-D); 2. Shoun Russeil (H-D); 3. Keo Coolbeth Jr. (H-D); 4. Willie McCoy (H-D); 5. Mike Varnes (H-D); 6. Paul Morgon UI (H-D); 7. Josh Butler (H-D); 8. Ke,,;n Varnes (H-D); 9. Jerry Vanderkooi (H-D); 10. Jim Filice (H-D). Time: 4 min., 51.705 sec. SEMI 3 (Slaps; 10 riders, top two transfer): 1. Steve Morehead (H-D); 2. Dnle Jenneman (H-D); 3. Brett: Landes (H-D); 4. Steve Beattie (H-D); 5. J.R. Schnabel (H-D); 6. Brent Armbruster (H-D); 7. Devon Pritchard (H-D); 8. Gory Rogers (H-D); 9. John Nickens ill (H-D); 10. Brinn Kromroy (H-D). Time: 4 min.• 48.789 sec. GRAND ATJONAL (25 laps; 19 riders): 1. Scott P"ker (H-D); 2. Chris Carr (H-D); 3. J'y Springsteen (HD); 4. R;ch King (Hon); 5. Dove Comlin (H-D); 6. Will Do,,;s (H·D); 7. Mike Hocker (H-D); . Steve Morehe,d (H-D); 9. Don Butler (H·D); 10. Terry Poovey (H-D); 11. Bret Beyer (H-D): 12. Goo Roeder 1I (H-D); 13. Bry,n Bigelow (H-D); 14. DaJe Jenneman (H-D); 15. Dan Stanley (H-D); 16. Jim Sumner (H-D); 17. Sh,un Russell (H-D); 1 . Joe Kopp (H-D); 19. Johnny Murphree (H-D). Time: 14 min.• 48.350 sec. AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES P01NT STANDINCS (After 3 of 19 rounds): I. ScoH Parker (69/3 wins); 2. Rkh King (42); 3. Chris Carr (38); 4. Terry Poovey (2 ); 5. WiIJ Davis (27); 6. Steve Morehead (26); 7. Jay Springsteen (24); B. (TIE) Goo Roeder D/Kevin Varnes (23~ 10. Mike Hacker (22); 11. Don St,nley (20); 12. Dave C,mUn (19); 13. J.R. Schn,bel (1 ); 14. (TIE) Joe Kopp/BrcH Landes (16~ 16. Nicky Hayden (13); 17. (TIE) Bryan Bigelow/Don Butler /Steve Be,Hle/Charlie Orr (12). HARI...EY-OAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORMANCE NATIONAL 02 laps; 11 riders): 1. Dave Camtih; 2. Jess Roeder; 3. Mike Hacker; 4. Willie McCoy; 5. Tim Eades; 6. James Hart; 7. John Faulkner ill: . Al Eadie; 9. Gary Rogers; 10. Ryan Brown; 11. Geramy Rackley; 12. Tom McGrane Jr.; 13. Yuhiko Hirao; 14. Billy ~artin; 15. Scott Stump; 16. Paul Bergstrom; 17. Robert Miller. AMA HAR1£Y-DAVlD50N SPORTSTER PBUQRMANCE SERIES PONT STANDINGS Wlo< 2 d 13 rounds), 1. Jess Roeder (42/1 win); 2. Mike Hacker (35); 3. Tim Eades. (28); 4. Dove Camlin (26/1~ 5. (TIE) Robert Miller/John Faulkner JD (1 ); 7. (TIE) Scott Stump/Gary Rogers (17): 9. Tom McCrane Jr. (16); 10. (TIE) Billy Martin/WHUe McCoy/Brian Kromroy (15); 13~ Ryan Brown (14); 14. J'mes H,rt (13~ 15. Jason Fletcher (12); 16. (11E) Alan Eadie/Shaun Russell (ll); lB. (TIE) Geramy R.lckley /Bob Buflington (8); 20. Yuhiko Hiroo (6). BEER NUTS HALL OF FAME QUALIFIER (5 laps; 10 riders): 1. Chris Carr (H-D); 2. Dave Camlin (H-D); 3. WiJl D.wis (H-D); 4. Johnny Murphree (H-O); 5. Rich King (H-D); 6. Scoll Stump (H-D); 7. Joe Kopp (H-D); 8. Terry Poovey (H·O); 9. Dnn Stanley (H-D); 10. Dan 8utler (H-D). Time: 2 min .• 59.n6 sec. ROGER REIMAN HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORMANCE CHALLENGE (5 laps; 6 riders): 1. Dave Camlin; 2. Willie McCoy; 3. Mike Hacker; 4. James Hart; 5. Jess Roeder; 6. Tim Eades. Time: 3 min., 09.484 sec. Upcoming Rounds: Round 4 - Minerallwells, Virgina. June 20 Round 5 - Uma, Ohio, June 27