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AMA National Hot Shoe Series Florida Flat Track Series Rounds ~4: Volusia Speedway Park J STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAVE HOENIG/FLAT TRAK FOTOS BARBERVlll.E, FL, MAR. 8 t the two-thirds point of the Florida Flat Track Series (and at the last round to be held on a half-mile), five of the six riders on the front row were sent to the penalty line for jumping the start. Only current series points leader Kenny Coolbeth sat on the first row. But although Coolbeth led into turn one as expected, it was former Canadian National Champion Steve Beattie (who had started from way back on the third row) who eventually took the victory. While Coolbeth led off the start on his Corbin Racing/Dave Burks Motorsports/Harley-Davidson of Missouri Harley, Beattie rocketed his Gardner Racing/Walters Brothers HarleyDavidson/Wiebler's Harley-Davidsonbacked XR into second. Cory Roth and Greg Tysor were right behind. Beattie was all over Coolbeth and, on lap three, muscled his way into the lead. Showing every bit of the speed he had the night before, Beattie pulled away from Cool beth and ran to his second-consecutive win. Pole sitter Johnny Murphree was working his way into contention and, by the halfway point of the 12-lapper, he was nipping on Coolbeth's rear wheel. Robert Lewis was a short distance back on the slick groove, under fire from rookie Bryan Smith. Geo Roeder, Gary Rogers, Mike Hacker and Will Davis were freight-training their way into contention. Murphree was all over Coo Ibeth until he slipped off the groove on lap nine. At the same time, Smith pushed his F&S Harley-Davidson/KK Supplybacked Harley into third. Murphree regrouped, but was stuck in fifth behind Lewis. The Beattie/Coolbeth finish tightened the series points race, as Coolbeth's lead had shrunk to six points, with the last two rounds coming up on Daytona's Municipal Stadium short track. Murphree had gotten the holeshot in the first heat, with Cool beth and Cory Roth right behind. The transfer positions looked to be set until Coolbeth slipped off the groove. Robert Lewis had caught up, but could not get by, and Cory Roth also moved in to the main. Will Davis was the easy winner of heat two, with Roeder sec- A 48 MARCH 21.2001 • a U a • e If e ond and Gary Rogers getting by Mike Hacker for third. Greg Tysor got the holeshot in the last heat on his new SV-650/750cc Suzuki. Beattie was leading at the end of the first lap, and he began to pull away. Tysor stubbornly kept the Suzuki on the groove ahead of Mike Varnes and Bryan Bigelow. Varnes slipped off late in the race, giving the transfer positions to Bigelow and Bryan Smith. Just as it was the night before, Murphree's luck was better in the 600cc Expert main. The Coziahr Harley-Davidson/Memphis Shadesbacked Murphree took a wild race from Beattie, Mike Hacker and Coolbeth. Every time it appeared Murphree had left an opening, he would shut it just as quickly. Saddlemen/ Lancaster Harley-Davidson/Dodge Brothers-backed Hacker was pushing Murphree for all he was worth. On the last lap, Hacker took one more shot, but unfortunately for him, it opened the door for Beattie and cost him second. Coolbeth was right there, but stuck in fourth. Tysor and Smith rounded out the top six. Heat wins in the 600cc class went to Murphree, Tysor and Beattie, and Jason Tyer easily won the Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance main on his Arai/Douglas Racing/Allen Racing-backed Sportster. Indianapolis Southside HarleyDavidson/High Hopes Racing's The 505cc Pro-Sport heat wins had gone to Woods and Johnson. In the 600cc main, Johnson assumed his usual full-straightaway lead by the end of the race. Second place was another matter entirely, as Brody Miller led a huge pack made up of Cheney, Toungett, Wood, Bob Weiss, Storms and Brandon Laursen. Just past the crossed flags, Cheney (Above) Kenny Coolbeth (31) and Steve Beattie diced In the 750cc Expert race, with Beattie eventually getting around for the win. (Left) Jake Johnson slid to the 505cc Pro-Sport victory. took second, but he was well behind the long-gone Johnson. Miller kept his Roy Miller Racing Rotax in third. Johnson, Cheney and Wood had been the 600 Pro-Sport heat winners. eN Vslusia Speedway Park ""arville, Florida Resulls: March B, 2001 505 PRO·SPORT (10 laps, 12 riders): 1. Jacob Johnson (Hon); 2. Raun Wood (Hon); 3. Jared Cheney (Rot); 4. Josh Toungett (Suz); 5. Brody Miller (Hon); 6. Brett Penke (Hon); 7. Kent Watkins (Rot); 8. Wes Kite (Kaw); 9. Timmy Mitchell (H·D); 10. Andrew Royce (Han); 11. Alon Niles (Han); 12. Joson Storms (Han). Tune: 3 min., 30.137 sec. (Leftl In HarleyDavidson Sportster 883 competition, Jason Tyer emerged victorious. H-D SP 883 (10 laps, 9 riders): I. Joson Tyer; 2. Kyle long; 3.John Grant; 4. Shzme Fox; 5. Kevin Hilbert; 6. Stephanie Welch; 7. Ronny Kemp; 8. Gerry Booher; 9. Lee Parker. Time: 3 min., 40.164 sec. 600 EX (12 laps, 12 riders): 1. Johnny Murphree (Rot); 2. Steve Beattie (H·D); 3. Mike Hocker (ATK); 4. Ken Coolbeth Jr. (Rot); 5. Greg Ty.or (Rot); 6. Bryan Smith (ATK); 7. Chris Hort (Rot); 8. Sam Lowe (Rot); 9. Joson Tyer (ATK); 10. Don Mullen 11 (Rot); 11. Ken Yoder (ATK); 12. Paul Normandin (Rot). Time: 4 min., 03.058 sec. Kyle Long worked his way up from deep in the pack to take second. John Grant kept his good week going by putting his Cape Fear HarleyDavidson/Rocklin Harley-Davidsonbacked mount into the winner's circle. Once again, Deptford Honda/ Metro Racing/P&L Cycle's Jake Johnson dominated the two Pro-Sport n e _ lIS mains. Scott Powersport/Unk Cycle's Raun Wood kept it interesting in the 505cc class, but in the end, Johnson once again was on top. Jason Storms, Jerad Cheney and Josh Toungett battled for third until lap seven. Mechanical problems stopped Storms and the Cheney Engineering/Ginas BMW/Burkhalter Brothersbacked Cheney grabbed third. 600 PRO-SPORT (10 laps. 12 riders): I. Jocob Johnson (Rot); 2. Jared Cheney (ATK); 3. 8rody Miller (Rot); 4. Roun wood (Rot); 5. Josh Toungett (Suz); 6. Jason Storms (Rot); 7. BrzlOdon Leursen (Rot); 8. Bob Weiss (Rot); 9. Shone Vonce (Rot); 10. Doug 1..llwrence (Rot); 11. Wes Brown (Rot); 12. Gery Boyle (Rot). Time: 3 min•• 26.385 sec. 750 EX (12 laps; 12 riders): 1. Steve Beettie (H·D); 2. Ken Coolbeth Jr. (H·D); 3. Bryon Smith (H-D); 4. Robert Lewis (H-D); 5. Johnny Murph= (H-D); 6. Gee Roeder 11 (H-D); 7. Will Dovis (H·D); 8. Gory Rogers (H-D); 9. Cory Roth (H-D); 10. Greg Tysor (Suz); 11. Mike Hocker (H·D); 12. Bryon Bigelow (H-D). Time: 4 min., 03.576 sec. FLORIDA FLAT TRACK SERIES (Alter 4 of 6 rounds): 1. Kenny Coolbeth (80/1 win); 2. Steve Beattie (74/2 wins) 3. Will Davis (58); 4. Mike Hacker (49); 5. Geo Roeder 11 (48); 6. Bryan Bigelow (40); 7. Rich King (38/1) 8. Joe Kopp (37); 9. Johnny Murphree (36); 10. Kevin Varnes (29).