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/127982
self - told me that I was wrong to pick Varnes that high. Well, then, while the competition scoffed, Varnes simply went to work. Enthusiasm, Eddie Adkins power and natural ability were the aces up his sleeve, and although he finished aU over the board in 1998, Varnes had the best year of his career when the season was over - and he did it without Goad. Still, he has been winless since 1995, and I think that his reupping with Goad and the new Saddlemen/Lancaster/Dodge team is going to change that. Things are different than they were when Varnes last rode for the team. There i no doubt tha.t Goad i building Harley-Davidsons that will run with anybody in the country, and Varnes has proved that he is one of the finest young professional dirt trackers to come along. This match will get at least one win in '99 for sure. 6. Rider: Dan Butler National #: 22 Team: Saddlemen Racing/Lancaster H-D/Dodge Brothers Brand: Harley-Davidson Age: 32 Residence: Waterford, Michigan Career best result: 10th (1998) 1998 best finish: Second (Springfield Mile) 1998 result: 10th Okay, you can call me crazy for this one, but ['m sticking to my guns. Why? Because 1998 was a breakthrough year for Dan Butler. He believes it (see ·our interview on page 24), I believe it, and I believe Johnny Goad believes it, or else he wouldn't have brought Butler back for the new season. Starting only his fifth Grand rational season, Butler has bounced along from one marquee ride to another, but he has always seemed to languish and underacheive for various reasons. In '98, however, he finally showed some potentia!, with a revamped riding style, a couple of pole starts, one bitchin' weekend at Springfield and a host of top-10 finishes to follow it. Unfortunately, his season also finished with a bang when he wound up half inside and half outside the third-turn fence at Del Mar. It's nothing new; Butler has been injured every year that he has competed in the GNC. That will have to change if he is going to realize hi dream of winning a Grand ational main event and finishing this high at the end of the year. But if he can, then he will achieve just that. Believe it! 7. Rider: Joe Kopp National #: 43 Team: H-D of Missouri/Burks Motorsports Brand: Harley-Davidson Age: 29 Residence: Mica, Washington Career best re u It: Fourth (1996) 1998 best finish: Third (East Moline Half Mile, Las Vegas Half Mile) 1998 result: Seventh I got the opportunity to hang out with Kopp on the Peoria-to-Rapid City-toRoute 66 swing last summer, and we talked at great length while clicking off the seemingly endless miles that run between the three race tracks. Without getting too much into it, Kopp told me about orne of the tremendous battles that he has had to fight and the acrifices that he has had to make in his personal life just to be a professional motorcycle racer. Those conversations left Ii ttle doubt in my.mind that he certainly must be one of the most dedicated of the young touring pros on the circuit. I shudder to think that he didn't have a ride for 1998 'until Dave Burks picked him up at the 11th hour. The move was rewarding for both, as Kopp landed on the podium twice and was competitive just about everywhere. There were tough times, too, such as when he missed the main at Harrington and finished second to last at Springfield on Memorial Day weekend. Riding the factory KTM probably cost him his shot at a Peoria IT repeat as well. Just the same, Kopp's forte is that he doesn't have one, making him a threat to steal a win or poil a chance anywhere on the circuit. That said, I see no reason why he won't finish at least as high as he did last year. 8. Rider: Steve Morehead ational #: 42 Team: F&S Harley-Davidson Brand: Harley-Davidson Age: One year older than last year Residence: Findlay, Ohio Career best result: Fourth (1979, '88, '89, '94) 1998 best finish: First (Las Vegas Half Mile) 1998 result: Fifth It may look like I'm pickin' on my buddy Morehead by putting him this far down the list. After all, he and Parker were the only two guys who finished where they were supposed to, and thus made' it look at least a little like I know what the hell I'm talking about. So why drop the king of the privateers two pots from last year? Especially after he came from behind and podiumed at Sacramento and the!, won Vegas? lf you asked tha t question, like I did, then you probably answered it, too. Dennis Town has parted company with the team, and this move seems to leave Morehead further behind the eight ball than he was last year. There's nO question that the tools and the desire are there, but somebody's got to take care of the tools. Of course, this could all be a moot point if Morehead decides to run a selected schedule or just plain not to worry about points and concentrate on winning at his favorite joints. So consider dirt track's . elder sta tesman a wild card within the top 10. He may do better, he may do worse. But whatever he does, you can bet he's going to do it with style. 9. Rider: Jay Springsteen ational #: 9 Team: Bartels' Harley-Davidson Brand: Harley-Davidson Age: 41 Residence: Lapeer, Michigan Career best result: AMA Grand ationa! Champion (1976-78) 1998 best finish: Second (Du Quoin Mile) , 1998 result: Eighth Damned if he r - - - - - - - - - . , didn't do it again! 01' Springer is simply amazing. Every time I think tha t I should kick him out of the top 10, he puts together a season of solid, competitive performances. All I can figure is that it's because he's from Michigan, where four of the top 10 from last year reside. Must be something in the water. Whatever the case, a few top-five finishes early in the year at Springfield, Mineralwells and Du Quoin, and Springer was well on his '"Yay to another magic season. Even so, I think that there are enough guys stepping it up that Springsteen will have his work cut out for him if he wants to stay inside "the club." With help from Los Angeles-area Harley dealer Bill Bartels and that awesome Jim Kelly horsepower, I think that he can it's just a matter of motivation. ( know he can still get on a lower rung of the victory podium just about anywhere, but here's to hoping that one of dirt track racing's grand old masters can motiva te his way to the top of the box somewhere on the tour in 1999. 10. Rider: Davey Camtin ational II: 27 Team: Gardner Racing/Walters BrothersH-D Brand: Harley-Davidson Age: 29 Residence: Rock Island, Illinois Career best result Sixth (1997) 1998 best finish: Fifth (Springfield Mile, Du Quoin Mile, Eldora Half Mile) 1997 result: 18th Camlin got off to a bit of a slow tart in 1998, making me wonder if I hadn't picked him too high by tabbing fourth, bu t in the end it didn't matter. A grinding crash at the Peoria IT shattered his hand and ended his season at the halfway point. That said, there's no telling what he and Skip Eaken might have accompli bed over the course of the rest of the season; there were some big miles yet to be run. But that doesn't matter, either, as Camlin, Eaken and team owner Pat Moroney have all gone their separate ways. Look for Camlin to hang up his 1-800FASTHOG in favor of the familar red, white and blue of the Gardner Racing team for 1999. On the plus side, the wrench-spinning talent of Greg Crow and the wallet of Steve Gardner are more than enough to allow CamJin to be a contender. Weigh that, however, against the fact that Gardner Racing is once again a two-man squad, which - if history repeats itself - could lead to trustra tion as the season wears on. Your guess is as good as mine. I'm guessing 10th. The wild ones order... In no particular Kenny Coolbeth - H-D of Missouri/Burks MotolSports, Harley-Davidson: A talented youngster, who seemed to get better in the second half of the season. Familiarity with the equipment certainly won't hurt. Keep on comin', Kenny. Dan Stanley - Gardner RacinglWaltelS Bros. H-D, Harley-Davidson: Fantastic at Peoria last year. A two-rider team with one mechanic doesn't seem to hurt him as much as wild inconsistency does. Dedication in question, be need to make it happen this year Brett Landes - Team UndolDonahue H-D, Harley-Davidson: Wicked-fast at Daytona, and all over the road everywhere else. A solid program with hard-working individuals, but one or two top-five finishes per year doesn't cut it. Kevin Atherton - tearn/sponsolS unconfirmed at press time: Might as well throw him in here. A cameo appearance at Del Mar proved that he's still got it. The latest rumor are lilat he may be working toward a ride with a Michigan dealer,.or he may be going sprint-car racing. Whatever the case, don't be surprised. Mike Hacker -1-800-FASTHOG, Harley-Davidson: He's back to being the sole veteran on the team, and with a great new mechanic in Mike Wheeler (ex-Paul Lynch, ex-Steve Morehead 600). Only a late-season injury stalled his drive to the top 10 in '98. Geo Roeder II - Rose Racing. Harley-Davidson: Brought a smile to every face with his first win in '98. Will still have Adkins power aboard the Rose bikes, so he ought to be able to get another one. Steve Beattie - Style Master Custom Motorcycles, Harley-Davidson: That horrific crash at Peoria, reportedly facilitated a soul check. Look for Canada's wild child to be back, hungry and stalking career GNC win number two. Nicky Hayden - Tom Cummings Racing. Harley-Davidson: The hottest new young talent in American motorcycling aboard some of the best equipment in dirt track. Guaranteed to go fast wherever he goes. Should attend around 18 events this year. 31