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/128116
AMA National Hot Shoe Series / Round B: Will Rogers Dowrrls (Left! Joe Kopp (1) claimed the win in the 750cc/SuperTracker main event at Will Rogers Downs after Geo Roeder II (86) dropped out while leading the race. Johnny Murphree (partially hidden) finished third, behind Kenny Coolbeth. STORY & Cycle-backed Raun Wood swept both of the Pro-Sport classes. The race the spectators had waited all day for, the 750cc/SuperTracker main, didn't disappoint the large crowd. Roeder led the Team Corbin/Dave Burks Motorsports team of Kenny Cool beth and Joe Kopp into the first turn, but it was Coolbeth PHOTOS BY DAVE HOENIG/FLAT TRAK FOTOS CLAREMORE, OK, JULY 21 he AMA's National Hot Shoe Series came to the sun-baked Will Rogers Downs mile oval as a last-minute addition to the schedule to be used as a test of the facility with an eye toward making it a round of the 2002 Progressive Insurance u.s. Flat Track Championship calendar. Despite triple-digit temperatures, over 3000 spectators enjoyed a good day of racing. Still, it's safe to say that if the fine facility is added to the schedule, it won't be in July. Champions were crowned in all five classes. Las Vegas Harley-Davidson/Roeder Harley-Davidson's Geo Roeder II defended his 750cc title while the other class titles went to new riders. Coziahr Harley-Davidson/Memphis Shades' Johnny Murphree knocked off defending champion Joe Kopp in the 600cc Expert class. Kyle Long rode his Indianapolis Southside Harley-Davidson/High Hopes Racing-backed Sportster to the Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance crown. Scott Powersport/ Link T 42 AUGUST 8, 2001 • a U a I (Above) AMA announcer J.B. Norris (right) stands beside Raun Wood, who claimed AMA National Hot Shoe titles in both the 505cc Pro Sport and 800cc Pro Sport divisions. (RIght) Scott Scherb leads the pack in the Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance main. Scherb went on to win the race. e n e _ os in front of Kopp at the end of the first lap. Coolbeth then slid off the groove in turn two, loosing his lead. Coolbeth was aboard Gary Rogers' Custom Chrome-backed Suzuki, since his Suzuki developed a mysterious miss during practice. Roeder had his Harley up front on lap two. KK Supply/F&S Harley-Davidson's Willie McCoy charged to the front at the end of lap three, but Roeder had the lead back one lap later, with Kopp flexing his Suzuki horsepower and moving into second. Coziahr Harley-Davidson/Memphis Shades' Johnny Murphree and Custom Chrome/American Suspension's Gary Rogers were all in the lead pack. Kopp forged his way to the front on lap seven, but could not shake the tenacious Roeder. Suddenly, on lap 10 of the 12-lap race, Roeder was out, suspected ignition problems sidelining the class champion. Kopp's teammate, Coolbeth, made the race close at the end, but came up just short, with Kopp taking the win. Murphree rounded out the podium. The first main of the day, the 600cc Expert, also belonged to Kopp. Murphree and Charlie Orr (Adams Racing) led into the first turn, with Gary Rogers taking second at the end of the first lap. Orr had the lead at lap two, only to be replaced by McCoy (KK Racing/Kim & Karl Klement) and Kopp. The top two pulled away as Kopp shadowed McCoy. On lap 11, Kopp dived under McCoy going into turn three and pulled off the win. Finishing well back, in third, but good enough to take the series title, was Murphree.