Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

DIRT TRACK AMA GRAND N T N L A IO A IP C AMPIONSH SERIES H in the positions that they would keep to the finish . Davis slowly caught up to Varnes and gea red up to make a pass on lap 10, but as Varnes put it, it was not a move bv Davis but ra ther his own mistake that cos t him the lead. "We were probably going abo ut the same speed, but when he got under me, my damn hand slipped off the th rottl e," Varn es said. "I nea rly came righ t off the back of the seat. I tried to get rig ht back by him , bu t then m y hand slipped off aga in. I just screwed up." "I saw it - his hand d id come off the bars," Davis said . "I can' t imagine how that wou ld happen. All I know is that he w a s s p rayi ng me d ow n w i t h ro ck s befo re that. You wouldn't think it, bu t when he (the track man) works tha t d irt back and for th like he d oes here, he just brin gs 'em to the surface . Th ey' re jus t like bullets." With Dav is and Varnes p ulling away, Mo re hea d go t pa st th e t h ir d -p la ced Parker at abou t the sa me time, after driving pa st him down the back straig ht on lap 10. From ther e, Mor eh ead held his ground. "I wasn' t goi ng to catch those guys," Mo re hea d said . "They were go ne, an d I' m not su rprised. They were the tw o fastest guys all night." Ha yden was the rider to watch, as he refused to drop to the bottom of the race trac k a nd jus t jo in in th e p ara d e. Instead , Hayd en was the only rider on th e track ma kin g ti me, a nd it wasn ' t long before he a nd Park er wou nd u p going head to head for the fourt h spo t. " I was just staying up on top a nd makin g a lot of tim e co m ing into the turns," Hayd en said. "The bike worked good, and I just wa nted to ge t u p there really bad , so I was pushin ' har d ." In catching Pa rk er, Hayd en got the op portu ni ty of a lifetim e, as he ra ced back and forth w ith the eight-time champion for sev eral laps before fina lly forging past a nd d ro p pi ng Parker to fifth . Hayd en sai d that he nev er let the fact that it was Scott Parker enter his mind . "I did n' t really think abou t that, bu t I d id realize th a t he is runnin g for the cha m p io ns h ip, so 1 didn' t w ant to d o any thi ng stu pid in front of him . I think that racing wit h Cha nd ler and Du Hamel has he lpe d m e w ith t h a t (sta r sy ndrome)." Further bac k, King a nd Carr ran in six th and se ve nt h, respectively, before King succumbed to a last -corn er at tac k by the '92 Gran d a tional Ch ampion. "I sucked ton ight ," King sa id. "We ma de so me cha nges for the main event, and we went backwards. I just couldn't d rive off the co rners, an d the hard er I went in, the worse it go t." "Sixt h was the best we co uld do to night," Carr sa id . "The guys in front of us just had it on us tonight. I have to give them credit for tha t." Behi nd Ca rr, Coo lbeth a nd then Bigelow led a freigh t train of riders to th e fini sh . Cool be th wound up eigh th, Bige low ninth a nd his USC teammate Butler 1Oth. l~ Hagerstown Speedway Hagerstown, Maryland Results: A ugu st 22 , 1998 (R ound 14 of 19) H EAT 1 (10 lap s; 11 rid ers, to p 3trans fed: 1. Kevin Varn es (H·O); 2. Rich King (Hon): 3. Bret t Landes Hi ·I) ; 4. M ike Varnes (I -j- D) ; 5. Terry Poovey (H -D ); 6. 0 ,11e [ e-rrnc r ne n O f·D); 7. Joh n' N ic ke n s III (H-D); 8 . Ken Y\ld t'r Ir. (H ·D); 9. Icrry Vand erkoo i (H- D); 10. Ran d y Sha n k II (1-1-0); 11. Rob C et tc (I-I-D) _ Ti me : -\ min ., 00.264 sec . HE AT 2 (10 laps; 11 ri ders. top 3 transfer); 1. Will 12 Davi... 0+ 0>; 2. Steve" Mor ehead (H-D); 3. Chris Carr (H· 0) ; -l . Ceo Roeder II (I -{ .D); 5. Ga ry Roger s (H -D); h . WOldt.' Ca m tin (H-D); 7. Robert Lewis Jr. (H-D); S. Ch ris Eva ns Ui-D); 9. Paul Be gstr om (H-D); 10. Jaime Agu ilar r (H-D) ; 11. Mark MiIl",dH-D). T ime: 4 min ., 00.344 St"C. (R ight) One to w atch : Joe Eades (66 ), sh own • he re battling with Jess Ro ed er (94), w on hi s Harley-D av id s o n Sportster Performance Se ri es main event in o n ly his s ec o n d 883 Nat ional ra ce. (B el ow) Jay Sp ri n g stee n te st ed t h e F&S Project 2000 Su zu k i at Ha ge rstown, with d isastrous resu lts. Sp rin ge r was forced t o la y the machine into the hay b ales when t he th rottle stuck, which resu lted in inj u ri e s t o his left ha n d, (Belo w ri ght from left to ri ght) Varnes , Davis, Morehead an d Hayden take their p la ce o n the v ic tory p o di u m. H EAT 3 00 laps: 11 riders, top 3 transfer): I. Scott Pa rker (H -D); 2. Dan Bu tler (H·O); 3. Nicky Ha vd cn (HD); 4. Joe Kopp (H-O); 5. Sha un Russell (H-D); 6. Brent Arm b rus ter (H-D); 7. Jo~nny Murphree (H-D) ; 8. Jam es Mcl lvena (H· D); 9. Mar co Morell o (H-D); 10. Shawn Clark (Tn); 11. Phil Ubhart (T n). T ime : 4 m in. , 03.518 Sl-'C . H EAT 4 (10 laps ; 10 ri ders, to p 3 transfer): 1. Ja y Springs teen (H ·D); 2. Bryan Bigelo w (H-D) ; 3. Kenny Co o l beth (H· D); 4. Paul Mo rgan II I (H -D); 5. J.R. Sch na be l (H- D); 6. Dan Stanley (H-D); 7. Billy Mart in (H- D); 8. Tim Ead es (H- D); 9. Cco rg ie Price IV (H· D); 10. Mike Hacker (H·D). Tim e: 4 m in., 01.495 ·sec, SE M I 1 (8 la ps; 11 rid e rs, to p 2 Irander) : I. l.R. Sc hnabe l (H- D ); 2. Mike Va rn e s (H- D ); 3. Joh n 5 , Nickens III (H-D); 4. Tim Eades (H-D); 5. Randy Shank IT (H· D); 6. Ma rco Mor e llo (H -o); 7. Mark M iller (H-D); 8. Phil Lib ha rt (Tri); 9. Ga ry Roger s 0 -1-0 ); 10. Bre nt Armbruster (H· D); 11. Ch ris Evans ( H ~D) . T ime: No ne, d ue to red flag. SEM I 2 (8 la p s; 10 ride rs, top 2 tran s fe r!: 1. Robe rt Lewis Jr. ( H ~D); 2. Terry Poovey (H-D) ; 3. Cl'O Roed er II (H ·D) ; 4. Sho u n Russell (H-D>; 5. Dan Stan ley (H ·D) ; 6. Ken Yode r Jr. (H ·D) ; 7. [ames Mcllvcn a ( H ~ D); 8. Robert Cet te (H-D); 9. [aimc Aguilar (H -D); 10. Ge rgie Price o IV (H- D>. Ti me: 3 min ., 17.639 St'C. SEMI 3 (8 h ips; 10 ri de rs, lop 2 tra nsf e r ): 1. joe Kopp (H-D); 2. Wad e Ca m lin (H- D); 3. Pa ul Mor gan III (H-D); 4. Da le jcnneman (H-D); 5. Johnn y Murphree (HD); b . Billy Martin (H-D); 7. P.1U! Berg s tro m (H-D); 8. J ~ Van d e kooi (H-D) 9. Shawn Cla rk ITri); 10. Mike r Hacker 01·0). Ti m e: 3 min., 16.730 sec . G RA ND NATIONA L (25 la p!ll; 18 ri ders): 1. Will Dav is (H-D); 2. Kevin Varnes (H· D); 3. Steve Morehead (H-D); 4. N icky Hayden (H-D); 5. Scott Parker (H·D); 6. C h ris C a r r (H· D); 7. Rich King IH o n) : S. Kenn y Coolbct h (H·D); 9. Bryan Bigelow (H-D); 10. Dan Butler (H -D); I I. j,'C Kopp (H- D); 12. j .R. Sc hnabel (H-D>; 13. Brett Landes (H- O>; 14. Terry Poovey (H-D); 15. Robert Lewis Jr . (H -Q); l b . Wade Ca mlin (H· D); 17. Mi ke Var nes (H- D); 18. j<'ly Sp ring stee n (H· D). Time: 10 mi n., 00.218 St-"C. A MA G RAND NATI ONAL C' S H I P S ER IES POI NT STAN D INC S (Afte r 14 o f 19 rounds ): 1, Sco tt Par ker (211 /5 win s) ; 2. Ric h King (207 /2); 3. W ill D,1Vis (202/3); 4. Chris Ca rr (200 /2); s. joe Kopp (119); 6. (TIE) Ja y Sp rin gstee n /Steve More hea d (116); 8. Kevi n Varnes (105); 9. Bryan Bigelow (102); 10. Mike Hocker (87); 11. Ceo Roed er II (SoI / D; 12. Nicky Ha yden (76); 13. D.ln Butler (75); 14. Dan Stan ley (62); 15. Bre tt Landes (58); 16. Da vey Ca m li n (57); 17. Ken ny Co ol be rh (56);' 18. Ch r is Evan s (49 ); 19. Pau l Morgan 111 (4 5); 20. J.R. Sch nabe l (42). HAR LEY AVTDSON SI'O R"IS'rn< I'ERFO RMANCE -D NA1l0 NALlU Lo!"< 17 rid""r.1. Joe Eades (H- D); 2. wry Roge rs (H-D); 3. Scott Stump (H -D ); 4. Sha un Russell (H-D); 5. jes s Roeder (H· D); 6 . Pa ul Bergs trom (H-O); 7. Brian Kromroy (H -D ) S. Ryan Brown (H-D); 9. Tim Eades 0;-0'; 10 . Tom McGran e Jr . Hi -D ); 11. Phil Llbhart (H -D ); 12. Yuhiko Hir am (H -D); 13. john Fa ulkner III (H· D); 14. Ste p hanie Welch (H -D ); 15. Rober t Buffington (H·D); 16. Billy Martin (H -D); 17. John Clark (H-D), Time: None, d ue to red flag. H AR LEY· D AVID SO N SPO RTSTER PERFORMANCE SERI ES POINT STA N D INGS (Af ter 7 o f 13 rou n d s): 1. les s Roeder (149/ 3 win s); 2. Shaun Russe ll (105); 3. Sco tt Stu mp (03); 4. Ga ry Rog ers (100) ; 5. Mike H ac ke r (99/2); 6. Davey Ca mli n (91/2); 7. Brian Kromroy (83); 8. Billy Martin (75); 9. Tim Eades (63); 10. Ryan Brown (53); 11. W illie McCoy (SO); 12. Tom McG ran e Jr. (49); 13. A lan Ea die (39) ; 14 . (T IE) Yu h ik o Hirao /Pa ul Bergstrom (38 ); 16. Jo hn Fau lk ner III (29); 17. (TIE) ·ra Jam es Hart / c... m y Rackl ey (26); 19. (TIE) joe Ea des (1)/ ja 5O Flet che r (23) n Upcom ing Rou nds: Roun d 15 - Sedal ia, Missouri, August 29 Roun d 16 • Springf ield, Illinois, Septembe r 6 the fourth annual Rat Track C elebrity Golf Tournament. but he had an excu se . " The reason that we didn'tdo good is becau se my team was using all of my shots ." Varnes said: Obviously. Varnes would gladly trade his finish in the golf tournament for his finish in the main event. Brieflv... - The Corbin Racing team wa s sporting a new mechanic at Hagerstown Speedw ay . Former Terry Poovey and Joh nny Mu rphree mec hanic Garry Baehler has been assigned to take care of the 750 and 883 cc motorcycle s ridd en by Gary Rogers . Baehler replaces Rog ers' former wrench. Chuck Buchanon. " Chuck wa s a good boy .· team owne r Cra ig Rogers said. - He and Gary just didn' t gel - that' s just the way it goe s sometimes . We we re. fort unate eno ugh to pick up Garry for the rest of this year. and hopefully we'll have him bac k for next year . " Speaking of me c han ic s . w ell-known Lyn ch Rac ing mec han ic Mike Wheeler was spotted cruising the pits at Hagerstown Speedwa y. marking the filth race in a row that he has been spo tted witho ut his rider . " It used to be Paul Lynch. · Wh eeler jo ked : " Seriously. I don 't know what the deal is. I guess they 've decided to sto p racing for now . Nobody has really to ld me any thing. I don' t rea lly know w hat to say . " In the mea ntime. Wh eeler has been lending a hand to Steve M orehead's tea m. Geo Roe d e r II was hoping to do we ll at the 18th annual Hub Ci ty Cla ssic. the home race for his tune r. Eddie Adkins , w ho lives in nearby Win che ster. Virginia. and his week started out we ll enough . as Roeder wa s on the team that won -the fourth annual Flat Track C ele brity G olf Tournament at the We st W inds Golf Club in New M arket. M aryland. on Friday. Augu st 21 . Roeder' s team took the wi n by carding a 59. some 12 strokes under par on th e 18·hole links. "l do n't even know wh o the guys were that I was playing with, but they played like they we re pros. " Roeder said. " They only used two o f my sho ts all day. and th o se we re tw o putts. " For his effo rt . Roede r received a trophy . a go lf shirt and HarleyDavidson wat ch. Roeder struggled in the race . however. as he finished third to Robert L,:,wis and Terry Poovey In the seco nd semi. a .Kevin Varnes. on the other hand. admitt ed that his team suffered at Penn sylvania GNC Expert Rob Miller was spotted at Hagerstown Spe edwa y. as he -took in his first Grand National since being seriously inured at the Parkersburg Half M ile earlie r in th e year . '" ju st came to w atch. " M iller said . " Bu t I have been rid ing so me aga in . I rode my motocross bike for the first time the other day. and I felt pretty good . And those track s are as rough as anyth ing we race on.- Miller also said that wh ile he has bee n away . he has opened up his ow n bus ine s s. · W e opened up a new skateboa rd s hop in New Holland (in Pennsylv ania). called Hcttnous Sport s. " Miller said. "W e loo ked around New Holland and said. 'Hey. th ere's a lot o f emp ty buildings around here: So far. we 've been doing pretty well. " Mille r said that he will likely return to the series this season . Steve Morehead . Will D avi s and .Jay Spri ngstee·n all took a tum riding Ga ry Stolzenburq' s F&S Suzuki Tl1 000 dirt -tra cker at Hagerstown . wi th radically mixed results. M ore head warmed up the bike by taking sev· eral pract ice laps while laggin g along in an 883 pract ice session before turning the bike over to Davis. who also logged some time dur ing 883 p ractice. Like M orehead , Davis .appeared to be immediately fast on the machine. and he gave a positive report . "l t'sdefirutely got a lot of poten tial. that' s fo r sure:' Davi s said . " It handles okay, wh ich doesn't surprise me becau se the c hassis is pretty much a copy of wh at we run now. But .if s set up kind of soft. It has a lot of powe r." Spring steen took his ride ju st afte r the 883 main event. and he also appeared to be comfortable as he blasted around the track . But then it all went wrong . as the throt tle stuck as he entered turn three . Springer laid the bike down but careened into the hay bales. severel y tweaking his left hand. - I don't know . man." he said. " It's kind of a light sw itc h. and it doesn't handle to o good . The way t~at I feel about it is that if this is what we' re going to run in 2000. that 's when I'll quit. •

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