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Formula USAlSFX National Dirt Track Series Round 3: Rochester Fairgrounds , STORY AND PHOTOS BY JIM VINCENT/DIRTTRACKONLlNE.NET ROCHESTER, NH, JUNE 15 addlemen Racing's Mike Hacker, riding his Lancaster HarleyDavidson/Dodge Brothers-sponsored ATK, won the first National dirt track event ever to be held in the state of New Hampshire. Hacker caught and passed early leader 1st Legal.com's Terry Poovey for the win during the ninth annual Ben Campanale Laconia Half Mile, which was round three in the Formula USA/SFX National Dirt Track Series. After a red-flag-caused restart, Hacker continued his lead, but Bryan Smith, on his Red Line Oil/TLC Racing ATK, used his gunfighter reflexes to pass Poovey and take over second place. Poovey recovered and held on to third place. S 44 JULY 4, 2001 • cue I e Round three of the Formula USA National Dirt Track Series brought National-caliber Dirt Track Racing to the oldest motorcycle rally in the United States, The Laconia Motorcycle Week Rally. This rally is held every year in the scenic state. Twenty-eight National Pro Singles riders made the trip to New England to compete on the crushed-limestone half mile at the Rochester Fairgrounds. Poovey set fastest time in the time trials with a time of 27.160 seconds. The second-fastest rider was Steve Murray, on his Saddlemen/TLC Racing-sponsored ATK, with.a time of 27.643. The first of three heat races that would each advance three riders to the main event was led into the first turn by Poovey and Steve Liberty, on a LATUS Motors Harley-Davidson/ n e _ 55 Mike Hacker scored his first National win of the season, taking the checkered flag at round three of the Fonnula USA National Dirt Track Series at the Rochester Fairgrounds in Rochester, New Hampshire. Hot Heads-sponsored ATK, in a dead heat that was decided on the back stretch when Poovey pulled out to a lead. Brett Landes, on an Audio Vox/Quaker State/Frontier Fordsponsored CCM, also passed Liberty on the second lap. Harley-Davidson factory rider Jennifer Snyder put her 400cc Harley· Davidson Into the lead at the first turn and led every lap of her eight-lap heat race. Tim Eades, on a Motociter.com Powersports/Fast Plates-sponsored Rotax, held second for the first lap but was passed on the second lap by newcomer Murray. The third and final heat was led off the line by Smith, who was caught and passed on the second lap by Hacker. After Hacker passed Smith, the two left the rest of the pack in their dust and were lapping riders before the white-flag lap. Following this speedy duo was KK Racing's Willie McCoy on his Silkolene/MSR/ Tsubaki-sponsored ATK. The riders who did not advance to the main from the heat races were divided into two semis. The first semi was led into the first turn by Jody Phelps, on the only Husaberg entered in the event. Phelps' lead did not last long, as Aaron Creamer, on a Skunk Works/Mad Dog/HMB-sponsored ATK, crossed the stripe to start the second lap, ahead of Duane Veeder, on the Bob Martain/Roosevelts/Fairway-sponsored KTM, and John Thomas, on his Triple M Racing's Husqvarna. This was the way they finished, but after the race, Thomas' bike was found to not have its restrictor in place at inspection, and third place was given to Phelps. . Paul Normandin put his Motor· cyclist Post/Cape Fear Harley-Davidson/Dennis Thurlow-sponsored ATK into the lead at the start of the second semi and led all the way to the checkered flag. Behind Normandin and also advancing to the main were Jason Spearin, on the Classic Auto/MH White/Mom & Dad-sponsored ATK, and Justin Velicky on his Mom & Dad/Frank Carpriello/Robert Ruchmeyer-sponsored Rotax. The last-chance qualifier is, just as the name implies, the last chance the riders have to make the main event. Scooter Vernon took advantage of this chance and put his Gary Ricci/Dirt Track Photography/Bardahl Oil-sponsored ATK into the main event by winning the LCQ. Also qualifying for the main was John Thomas, who was allowed to ride the LCQ after being disqualified in the semi. The last person to make the main event was 1st Legal.com's Tim Witham, on his Widman/Motion Pro/Saddlemen-sponsored ATK. At the flash of starter Kevin Clark's green light, Poovey showed the rest how it was done, grabbing the holeshot and taking the lead. Hacker held second, three bikes behind Poovey, at the end of the first lap, but on the second lap he began to close in on the Texan. On the fourth lap, Hacker went under Poovey in turn four and took over the lead. Follow-.