Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

It was clearl y Carr's day, however, as he took th e c heckered flag com - Lancaster H ar l e y - D a v i d s o n - b u il t mach ines a nd ambu sh ed the seri es fortably ahea d of K op p , who had w ell over hal f a straightaway o n t h i rd pla c ed B iqelow . It was Carr's sec ond win o f t h e season , b u t afte rw ard h e reg u la rs, w in n in g by nea rl y ha lf a lap an d c laim ing his first ca reer profession al N at iona l v ictory on a motorcy - mad e n o b on e s abo ut wha t was im porta nt to hi m, especia lly con si de ri ng the p ro b lems that some of th e o th er title co n t e n ders h av e h a d t o d eal with . " In o u r c ase , w e're hopin g tha t we d on 't ru n in to an y p roblems , a nd for it t o b e a goo d c ha m p io ns h i p , w e hope th at K o pp doesn't run into any p ro b le m s either," Ca rr sa id. " W e w ant t h is thing to be m em o rable . If t hose other g uys d id n 't h av e t hat bad lu ck, it w ould b e a lo t closer right now. M y d ea l ri g ht no w is t ha t I have t o beat t he g u y that ' s lead ing t he poi nts. If so me b o dy else g ets in be t ween us, that costs m e. M y focus righ t now is to b eat J o e Kopp. He 's got th e points, he ' s got th e p late , a nd th e p ressure is o n him. I' m going to appl y all that I can t o him. B e in g t he first t w o-t im e winner t h is season don't mean c ra p , I t' s all abo ut the p oints and the c ham p io ns hip." K o pp agreed w ith his main riv al in some res pects, and disagree d in oth ers. "I got o ver m y pressu r e a t Day tona , " Kopp sai d. " Li ke I ' v e sa i d befo re , I know that Chris and Will and R i c h are th e g u y s to b e a t. I do n ' t th in k th at I' m t h e g u y to beat. I 'm read y fo r w ho ever it is b ec a use rig ht now I kn o w that now is not the ti m e to push to catc h Ch ris o n a t rack l ik e th is o ne , bu t lat er in the sea so n I will push rea ll y ha rd . B efo re [th e c ha m p i- cle th at h e h ad f irst sat o n only o ne day b efo re . In fac t , Bi g el ow's fi rst la p o n the m achin e am o u nted to j ust that - o ne l ap - b efo re a m in or glit ch put the f ire o ut. But after wa xing the com pe t itio n in hi s he at r ace , B igelow r epea ted the pr o c e s s in a s moot hly r un 12 -lap m a in eve n t. Bu ell -moun t ed Br i a n Thomas p u t hi s Wid man ' s H - D b acked m ach in e o ut fro nt at t h e sta rt, w ith B ig e lo w g ivi ng cha se , fo llowe d b y Sa mu el Lowe o n th e Tim Go ek en Raci ng Su zuki, C o rb in Raci ng's J o e Kopp and T ea m Powell ' s J .R. Sch n abel - both of th em Suzu k i-mounted , as we ll . B i g e l o w waite d two l ap s befo re pu ll ing t he trigger on T hom as, st o rm ing in to the lead off t u rn two and set ting sa il for the c heckers, w hile Low e , who had o ne o f t he sw eetest-hooking b ik es to c ome off the corner in either class, caught Th o m a s next. Mean w hile, W idman Ha rley -Dav idson ri der Sc ott Scherb had beg un to ra ll y from a poo r sta rt a nd wa s worki n g h is w ay into fi fth p lac e. Lo w e pa ss ed Thom as to ta ke sec o nd p la c e fo r g ood o n la p eight , le aving T h o m as vu l nerable to a n attack by S chnab e l , w h o clo se d t he g a p bet ween h imsel f and T h o m a s. Sc h n ab el put a slide job o n Thomas o ff t he onship] , if I w as t hat cl os e to a w in o n any tra ck , I w o u ld have r eally w ent for it. The po ints are reall y close right n ow , a n d a g u y coul d m a k e u p 30 points in a cou p le r a ce s . S o , Chri s mad e fou r p o ints on m e t od a y , I 'll last c o rn er to c o llect t hi rd pl ac e. Bu t ther e wa s no c at c h ing Bigel ow , wh o fla t out dom inated the rac e. "M y debut o n it w as the h eat ra c e ," Bigel ow sai d . "Th at thing fe el s no d ifferent than my X Rs. It h as got a lot o f power, so y ou h ave to be c areful w it h it, bu t it sits t he same and fee ls the ma ke ' e m b a c k . I d on 't ca r e wha t anybod y t ell s yo u , if t h ey te ll y o u they 're n o t cou n ti n g poi n ts , the y' re sa me . It wa s rea ll y easy to ride . O n th e sli c k st uff, it's g o in g to b e p retty u n bea table . It 's a n eat d ea l. I'm look - no t telling the t ruth . Th ey ' re coun ti ng p o in t s bec au se every p o int counts." in g forward to r id in g it ag a in . It see m s like a good bi k e. I could m ak e a c ou ple b uc k s on it. " S ch erb fin ished fift h. Marione aux Ra cing ' s Gre g T eague , F$S Suzuki ' s B r yan Sm ith , Enpa c Corp .'s G eo rg e Ri c h tm e y er a n d K opp r ound ed o ut th e t o p 10 , CN SUPERTRAPP SUPERTRACKER M AI N W ith the ra c e trac k in as slick a c ondition as that fo und at Hagers town S p e edw a y on S u n d a y , yo u wo uld th ink tha t th e dynamo 10 0 0 c c Super Tr ap p Su p erTr a c k e r s main e vent wo ul d be a scary affair that would fa vor th e s low -revving Buel l or H a rl e y - D a v i d s o n - b a s e d mach ines over t he high -steroid Suzuki T L - po w e red eq uipment. You would on ly be h alf right. Yes , a Buell -based machi ne d id inte rr u pt th e domi nance that the Su zuk i s have enj oye d, but in t hi s case the r id er may have had so m e - Hagersto wn Speedway Hagerstown, Maryland Results : June 17, ZOOI (Round 7 of ZOJ HEAT I ( 10 laps ; n in e r iders , top thre e transfer); 1. Chris Carr (H-D); 2. Joe Kopp (H-D); 3. J.R. Schnabel (H-D); 4. Willie McCoy (H-D); 5. Shawn Clark (H-D); 6. Geo Roe II (H-D); 7. Greg der HEA T 4 (10 laps; 10 riders , top t hree transfer): 1. Bryan Big elow ( H·D ): 2 . Will Davis ( H· D ) ; 3 . Shaun Russell (H· D); 4. Brya n Smi th (H-D) ; 5. Ken Yoder (H- D); 6. Steve U bert y (H· D); 7. Rick Winsett (H-D); 8. Tom McGrane Jr. (Hon); g. Kyle Long (H- D) ; 10. Steve Beatti e (H· D) . lime: 4 m in.• 16.238 sec. S EMI t (Eig ht l ap s; nine r i der s , to p t wo transfer) : l . Will ie McCoy (H-D) ; 2. Steve Beatt ie ( H· D ); 3. Kevin Varnes (H· D); 4. Ja son Tyer (H· D); 5 . Ken Yoder (H-D); 6. Paul Lynch (H-D); 7. Tom McGrane J r. (Hon); 8 . Roy Mille r (Suz); 9 . Greg Tysor (Suz). Tim e: 3 m in ., 26.743 sec. S EM I t ( Eig h t laps ; ni n e ri ders , t o p two trans fer): I. Tim Ead es (H-D); 2. Mike Hack er (H-D); 3. Garth Bastian (H-D); 4. Shawn Clark (H-D); 5_ Brent Arm bruste r (H-D) ; 6. Ste ve Libert y (H· D) ; 7. J aim e Ag uilar (H-D); 8. Robert Lewis (H-D) ; 9. Ky le Long (H-D). Tim e: 3 min ., 25 .895 sec. SEMI I ( Ei g h t l ap s; ei g ht r i d er s , t op t wo tra nsfe r) : 1. Bryan Sm ith (H-D ); 2. J ess Roeder (HD) ; 3 . Rick Winsett (H-D); 4 . Donnie Steward (H·D); 5. Cory Roth (H-D); 6. Chris Hart (H-D); 7. Eric Rickman (H-D); 8. Geo Roeder II (H-D). lime: 3 min., 27.027 sec. GRAND NATIONAL (25 laps; 18 riders): I. Chris Carr (H-D); 2. Joe Kopp (H-D); 3. Bryan Bigelow (H· D); 4. Will Davis (H-D); 5. Jay Springsteen (H-D); 6. J.R. Schnabel (H-D); 7. Kenny Coolbeth (H-D); 8. Mike Hacker (H-D); 9. Ri h King c (H· D) ; 10. Steve Beatti e (H-D); 11. J ohnny Murphree (H-D); 12 Shoun Russell (H·D); 13. WillieMcC (H. oy D); 14. Jess R oeder (H-D); 15 Terry Poovey (H-D); . 16. Tim Eades (H-D); 17. Gary Rogers (H-D); 18. Bryan Smith (H-D). Time: 10 rnin. , 26. 16 1 sec. AMA/ PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE U.S. FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 7 of 20 rounds): I. Joe Kopp ( 110/1 win ); 2. Chris Carr ( 105/ 2 wins); 3. Will Davis (75/1 win): 4. Rich King (70): 5. Mike Hacker (60): 6. (TIE) Kenny Coolbeth (58)/J.R . Schnabel (58/1 win ); 8 . Ke vin Varn es (49) ; 9 . Bryan Bigelow (4 7) ; 10. Johnny Murphree (44) ; 11. J ay Sprin gsteen (3 9 ); 12. Nicky Hayden (34 ); 13. Terry P oovey (31): 14. (TIE) Willi McC (27)/GeoR e oy oeder II (27); 16 Brett . Landes (25); 17. (TIE) Shawn Clark (23)/Tommy Hayden (23/1 win): 19. Shau n R ussell (21):20. Greg Tysor (19). SUPERTRAPP SUPER lllACKER FINAL (12 lap; 17 riders) : 1. Brya n Bigelow (Sue); 2. Samue l Lowe (Suz): 3 . J .R. Sch nab el (Suz) ; 4 . Br ian Th om as (Bue); 5. Sc Scherb (H-D); 6. Greg Teague (Bue); ott 7 . Bryan Smi th (5 02); 8 . Georg e Richtmeyer (Suz); 9. J oe Kopp (5 02); 10. Roy Mill er (Suz); 11. Jason Tyer (Suz); 12. JoeDuvall (Suz); 13. Steve Ube (H-D); rty 14. Kenny Coolbeth (Suz); 15. Gary Rogers (Suz) ; 16. Yuhiko Hirao (Suz); 17. Mik e Hack er (Su e) . TIme: 5 min ., l l. 560 sec . AMA/ SUPERTRAPP SUP ERTRACKER SERIES PO INTS STANDINGS (After 2 of 7 rounds); 1.J_R. Schnabel (35); 2. (TIE) Kenny Coolbeth (28/1 win )/ S cott Scherb (2 8 ); 4 . Brian Thom a s (27) ; 5 . Jason Tyer (24); 6. (TIE) Bryan Bigelow (23/1 win )/ Greg Teague (23) ; 8. Roy Mille r (22) ; 9 . Samu el Lowe ( 19); 10 Joe Duvall ( 18); 11. Willie McCoy . ( 15); 12. Gary Rogers ( 13); 13. (TIE) Joe Kopp ( 12)/ Steve Liberty ( 12)/ Bryan Smith ( 12); 16. Georg e Richtmey er ( 11); 17. John Faulkner 111 (8); 18. Robert Buffington (7); 19. Mike Hacker (6); 20. Brian Krom roy (5) . Upcoming Rounds: Round 8 - Superior, Wisconsin, June 23 Round g - Lima, Ohio, June 30 BRIEFLY••• Perhaps the biggest news of the weekend came at the ride rs ' meeting on Saturday night, when AMA Dirt Track Manager informed the riders that the decision to merge the S uperTrackers into the Grand National class for 2002 has been all but made. Furthermore, AMA Pro Racing also plans to build the Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Series back up to over a dozen races on the Grand National schedule. Speaking of SuperTrackers, the ranks were one greater at Hagerstown, as former National number 28 David Uoyd rolled out the first Aprilia RSV Mille SuperTracker. Lloyd's machine currently uses the stock frame. which has presented the usual aesthetic and handling challenges. but he claims the machine is fast down the straightaways. -We tried to put something together for under $10,000, and we did that. - Uoyd said. "Aprilia has been very helpful with technical side of this project, " Still working the bugs out of the machine, Uoyd missed the main event at Hagerstow n. Coziahr Harley-Davidson/Memphis Shades' Kevin Varnes was definitely the fastest guy at Hagerstown who didn't make the main event, Vam es struggled in his heat race. nearly throwing it on the ground twice before finishing sixth. Then. he bowed out with a third-place finish in the first semi after getting a lousy start. "I'm very disappointed. - Varnes seld. "We were fast when it was tacky. but the drier rt got, the worse we got, I think that we had too much gear on it, and rt was just spinning the tire. It's a bummer. but there are a iot of races left." After st orming to a sem i vic tory and ea rn ing a sp ot in his second mai n even t this yea r. Motociter.com's Tim Eades had an exciting moment off tum four while running 15th just a few laps from the finish. Eades completely lost the front.end while on the gas coming off tum four. then the bike caught traction and whipped itself right off the ground. Eades managed to save it without losing time. " That' s the second time I've done that this year," Eades said. "I lost the front, and then it just took off. I was like. 'N o, no. no!" and then I caught it, but Poovey got by me. Oh well. if I could just get into the main event three or four times in a row. then I know it would be no big deal to be out there with these guys in the main event. I just gotta get used to doing that." I've just been struggling a bit lately.- Custom Chrome/American Made Suspension's Gary Rogers said of his 17th-place finish. -I felt like I was riding decent. and I thought we had something for 'em. But I was thinking that... well._ just wasn ·t thinking. We just have to take this and _I look to build on it, get some good finishes and some good points." Fighting Words De pt.: Upon leaming that Rich King had accused him of rough riding in the main event. third-place finisher B rya n Bigelow said. -I built myself a reputation last year that was not a positive one. but now people are just looking for something to whine about, and if that's Bryan Bigelow passing them, then they can go ahead and whine all they want to. I admit that last year I did things wrong, but I never did anything wrong out there today, and everybody knows it, I'm racing clean. Rich can be mad all he wants. I think he's just pissed because he got eighth. so biame that on Bigeiow." S amuel Lowe put in a great run to finish second in the SuperTrapp SuperTracker main event aboard his Tim Goeken Racing Suzuki. but the Indiana nder' s best days may yet be ahead of him. Lowe will be making his 750cc Grand National debut at the Lima Half Mile at the end of June. Tysor (Suz); 8. Garth Bastian (H· D): 9. Er ic Rick man (H-D). Time: 4 mi n.• 14.0 10 sec. H EA T 2 ( 10 la ps ; nine rider s, top t hree transfer): I. Ric h Kin g (H· D); 2. Kenny Coo lbeth (H- D); 3. Gary Rogers (H-D); 4. Mike Hacker (H-D); 5. J aso n T y er ( H ·D) ; 6 . Donnie St ew ard ( H- D) ; 7 . Robert Lewis (H-D); 8. Paul Lynch (H-D); 9. Cory R (H-D). oth thing to do wi t h it, as G ard n er Racing t eam m ember B ry an B ig elo w ho p p ed Time: 4 min., 14 .229 sec. HEA T 3 ( 10 laps : 10 ri der s, top three tra nsfer): I. Ja y Spri ngsteen (H· D); 2. Terry Poov ey (H-D); 3. J ohnny Murphree (H-D) ; 4 . J ess Roeder ( H· D) ; 5. Tim Eades ( H· D) ; 6 . Kevi n Varne s (H· D ); 7 . Chri s Hart (H-D) ; 8. Jaime Ag uila r (H· D); 9 . Roy Miller ab o a rd ..Jess Roeder was involved in a scary-Iookirg crash thatalso tookouthis brother. Gee, in rum fourdurirg the thirdsemi. Jessadmitted to "gettirga littlegreedy - inanattempt to pass Bryan Smith. ard he was forced to layit down Gee Roeder IIwas battling with Chri Hart and CoryRoth. ard all three 'MJre collected in the crash. . s Fortunately. nobodywas injured. and Jess Roedernot onlymade therestart, but he finished second and bans!erred to the main eYenl. "I wantto thank Vanson leathers for that,- Jess Roeder said. "Tbey makethe best leathers in the """Orld. I was wearing a back protector. too. ard that helped. I thinkI go! hit lJyall threeof those motorcycles. ard I'm not sore at all - Gee Roeder II was forced to parl< it afterattemptirg a couple laps in the . semi, leavirg the boys' sisterKami. who. along with Gee Roeder Sr., wm be assisting Jess for the rest of the season. in a bit of a quandary. "They're both my brothers. so I root for both of them." she said. "They both worl< really hard to do this.I'mjust glad to seeoneof them in there ." Time: 4 m in ., 16.676 sec. o ne of Randy T ex t e r ' s (Suz); 10. BrentArmbruster (H-D). cu e I e n e _ S • J UNE 27, 200 1 27

• Cover