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Florida Flat Track Series Round 2: Vol usia Speedway Park CLeft) The 750cc Main was the tlnal race of the evening, and It was a doozy, with Rich King taking the win. !Below) Victor in the 600cc division was Ken Coolbeth Jr., shown here pitching his Rotax Into a tum. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAVE HOENIG/FLAT TRAK FOTOS BARBERVlll.E, FL, MAR. 3 hough the day had brought high winds and a threat of heavy rain, the night's races came off under a warm, star-filled sky and the AMA stars gave the crowd plenty of thunder, especially in the evening's final contest - the 750cc Expert main which was the closest of the night. Har.ley-Davidson factory rider Rich King looked to have things going his way in the race until upstart Kenny CooIbeth pushed his Corbin Racing/ Dave Burks Motorsports/Missouri Harley-Davidson-backed Harley around the veteran. "I was trying to protect the inside," King explained. "I knew no one was going to go around me on the outside, then Kenny did." King was not about to give up, though, and he took the win with a last-lap pass down the arching back straight. "Rich just got a better drive off two," Coolbeth said. "I thought I was going to win it. But I'm happy." "It's hard to pass on a track like this Islick and grooved), but Kenny made some good passes out there," said third-place finisher Will Davis. "After he passed me, I had a great seat to watch those two go at it." When the green flag fell on the 12lap, 12-rider race, it was King into tum one over Davis, Coolbeth, Bryan Smith, Bryan Bigelow, Geo Roeder, Steve Beattie, Joe Kopp, Chris Hart, Mike Hacker, Mike Varnes and Jason Tyer. The lead trio edged away as Roeder blasted into fourth. Halfway 50 MARCH 21. 2001 • a U c through the race, Coolbeth found the sliver of room he needed to get by Davis, and he immediately locked on to King. On lap nine, Coolbeth boldly charged around the outside of King, and it looked as if he would remain undefeated in the new year. Somehow, King was able to find just the extra bite he needed on the last lap, and he took the well-earned victory. Roeder and Beattie were fighting over fourth, and their battle pushed them up to the leaders, but that's where they finished. Bigelow, Kopp, Hacker, Smith and Mike Varnes filled out the top 10. The first heat had been a preview of the main, as King dove under Coolbeth going into turn three on lap three and drove on to the win. Kopp and Bigelow also qualified. Rookie Bryan Smith had led the second heat wire to wire. Roeder blasted around second-placed Tysor, who also fell victim to Hacker's charge. n • _. •• Davis and Beattie were running away with the last heat when Chris Boone fell in turn three, bringing out the red flag. Davis picked up where he left off, with Beattie in control of second. Chris Hart and Mike Varnes also moved to the main. The 600cc expert main was another story. Coolbeth hit turn one in first and never looked .back. Greg Tysor, Tyer and Kopp were in a three-way battle over second. Tim Eades, Jason Goodwin and Hacker were also jammed together. As Kopp took second on lap eight, the field was shaking itself out. Tysor held on for third over Eades, Tyer, Donnie Steward, Hacker, Goodwin, Tony Souza and Hart. Wins in the 600cc heats had gone to Kopp, Goodwin, Coolbeth and Tyer. Deptford Honda/Metro Racing/P&L Cycles-backed Jake Johnson took both of the Pro-Sport mains. Johnson easily won the 600cc contest by over a straightaway, but there was an entertaining race behind him, as Jason Storms, Joel Henson, Brian Newman and Jared Cheney fought over second. During the last two laps, it came down to Henson and Cheney, with Cheney taking the position on the last lap. Heat wins went to Josh Toungett, Brian Newman, Johnson and Justin Whitney. The 505cc main provided the biggest scare of the night. Raun Wood got the holeshot, but he had Johnson, Josh Toungett and Brody Miller on his heels. At the halfway mark, Johnson had the lead, and Wood spun down right at the start/finish line. Brad Routheaux was running in the middle of the pack and couldn't miss Wood's bike, and he sailed through the air and into the front-straight wall. Routheaux was airlifted to the Daytona Hospital for observation. Johnson took the lead on the restart, with Toungett keeping him honest. Jason Storms took third in a close race with Brody Miller. Wood and Johnson had been heat winners. Smith kept up his winning ways in the Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance main. Scott Scherb was a solid second, as John Grant first held off Kevin Hilbert then Jason Tyer for third. Heat wins had gone to Kevin Hilbert and Scott Scherb. CII Volusill Speedw8y .... IIMberville, Flaritlll 1leslI/Is: IIarcII 3, ZDDl 505 PRO-SPORT (10 laps. 12 riders): 1. Jacob Johnson (Hon); 2. Josh Toungett (Hon); 3. Jason Storms (Hon); 4. Brodr Mill..- (Hon); 5. Greg Archer (SlJ,); 6. Ron Kimmel (Hon); 7. Raun Wood (Hon); 8. TImmy Mitchell (Rot); 9. Brett Ponke (Hon); 10. Bill Bromley (Su,); 11. Jared Cheney (Rot); 12. Brad Routheaux (Hon). Time: No Time - Red Flag. H-D SP 883 (12 laps, 11 riders): 1. Bryan Smith: 2. Scott Scherb; 3. John Grant; 4. Jason Tyer; 5. Kevin Hilbert; 6. Tim Lorge; 7. Mike Speh; 8. Stephanie Welch; 9. Shane Fox; 10. Gerry Booher; 11. Lee Parker. Time: 3 min., 36.871 sec. 600 EX (12 laps, 12 riders): 1. Ken Coolbeth Jr. (Rol); 2. Joe Kopp (Rot); 3. Greg Tysor (ROI); 4. Tim Eades (Rol); 5. Jason Tyer (ATK); 6. Donnie SteWard (ATK); 7. Mike Hacker (ATK); 8. Jason Goodwin (ROI); 9. Tony Sou,a (CCM); 10. Chris Hart (Rot); 11. Jason Spearin (ATK); J2. Aaron Creamer (ATK). Time: 4 min., 05.731 sec. 600 PRO-SPORT (10 laps, 12 riders): 1. Jacob Johnson (Rot); 2. Jared Cheney (ATK); 3. Joel Henson (Rot); 4. Josh Toungett (Rot); 5. Jason Storms (Rot); 6. Brett Panke (Rot); 7. Danny Casey (Rot); 8. Nootlrvin (Rot); 9. Greg Archer (KTM); 10. Jason Tyeryar (Rot); 11. Brian Newman (Rot); 12. Justin Whitney (Rot). lime: 3 min., 16.942 sec. 750 EX (12 laps, 12 riders): I. Rich King (H-D); 2. Ken Coolbeth Jr. (H-D); 3. Will Davis (H· D); 4. Geo Roeder II (H-D); 5. Steve Beattie (H-D); 6. Bryan Bigelow (H-D); 7. Joe Kopp \H-D); 8. Mike Hacker (H·D); 9. Bryan Smith (H-D); O. Mike Vames (H-D); 11. Jason Ty..- (H-D); 12. Chris Hart (H-D). Time: 4 min., 10.299 sec. FLORIDA FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 2 of 6 rounds); I. Ken Coolbeth (42/1 win); 2. Will Davis (35); 3. Steve Beattie (28); 4. Mike Hack..- (27); 5. Geo Roeder II (26); 6. Joe Kopp (24); 7. (TIE) Rich King (1 wm)/ Bryon B;geiow (23); 9. Jason Ty..- (16); 10. Johnny Murphree (15). The 505cc Pro-Sport winner's circle, with w1n-.. Jake Johnson, thlrd-p'" flnlsh.r J _ Storms and runner-up Josh T_ngett \left to right! et1JorIng their trophl...