Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

schedule, Carr holds a 69-point lead over the injured Joe Kopp. "It's a very big day, sad and bittersweet at the same time," Carr said. "I'm happy for my team and real happy for Mike Shattuck, for him to go out his last year a champion. He helped resurrect my career as a racer and gave me all the support we needed to win races. What he's done for me, I'll never be able to thank him enough. "It means a lot to win the Hall of Fame race," Carr said. "It has become a historic event in just four short years. To win a race that honors the people that paved the way for guys like myself is a big win for us, a big win." It was the typical Springfield race, with as many as 15 riders in the lead draft through most of the race. Bartel's Harley-Davidson/Corbin's Jay Springsteen led the field into the first tum, but it was Nicky Hayden leading the first lap. Hayden's strong run was shortlived as his Harley went sour. "I was up there for a little bit, then I started going backwards," Hayden said. "The bike wasn't running that good, it finally got tight and quit. After about the fifth lap, it started slowing down. I had to pull the clutch going down the back straight, I got scared because everyone was right behind me. The bike was really fast, and I led the first lap. That doesn't mean much, but it's still cool to lead Springfield. " Lawwill-Dodge Brothers/Saddlemen's Kevin Atherton took the lead and tried to put some distance on the lBeIowl Shaun Russell 1281 was once again tough on the mile, leading the pack on a few occasio..s en route to a fIfth-place tlnlsh. A future mile victory for the youngster seems all but Inevitable. horde of challengers. Atherton's fate was soon sealed as a broken shock dropped him off the pace. Mike Hacker was the next to step forward, pushing his Saddlemen/Lancaster Harley-Davidson/Dodge Brothers' Harley into the lead on lap four. "I thought we had something for them, running up there early," Hacker said. "I jumped out there with Atherton, then dropped back down to the groove. I was trying to save my tire, because he was burning his pretty hard. I thought I was right where I ,wanted to be, but it pretty much fell apart." The orange and black factorysponsored Harley of Rich King led for a couple of laps before giving way to Hacker, then Springsteen. Carr took the lead for the first time on lap 11, then King went back to collecting the $100 a lap, lap money. At mid-race, King led Springsteen, Carr, Hacker, Johnny Murphree, Kenny Coolbeth, Hayden, Atherton, Bryan Bigelow, Shawn Russell, Bryan Smith, Terry Poovey, Larry Pegram, Willie McCoy, Dan Butler, Kevin Varnes, Dan Stanley and J.R. Schnabel. Bartels' Harley-Davidson/Custom Chrome's Shaun Russell then worked his way to the front, and although he held the lead several times, it was never at the finish line. "The whole race felt really good," Russell said. "We got off to a slow start and just hung there for a little while. I just caught a huge draft, worked it to my advantage and took what I could get. I was just waiting for the last five laps." The youngsters were flexing their muscles, but when the chips were down it was the veterans Carr, King and Springsteen charging to the checkered flag. "I felt I had a good enough bike, to where all things had to do was play out the way we wanted, and the last cue' _ n Mike Hacker (67) and Kevin Atherton (23 - partially hidden) both flgured Into thIngs early In the Hall of Fame race • they would be even more relevant on Sunday. Today, Hacker finished sblth, while Atherton blistered a tire and flnlshed 14th. lap played out just like the spring," Carr said. "A carbon copy for me, I just didn't win by as much. I saved the tire the first 15 laps, but dropped the hammer the last five. We cut our lap times by half a second a lap. I picked up the pace, and the other guys were able to go too. Late in the race, Shaun [Russell] was the only young guy that came by. I was glad to see him up there, because he performed very well once he got to the front. He just got drafted back by, but he made a charge to the front twice, and when he did he didn't do anything weird or stupid. He gained a little bit of experience that he'll be able to draw on in the future. The last 12 laps, I never dropped lower than third or fourth, so I had no idea how many people were in the mix." Behind Carr, all hell was breaking loose. Springsteen and King were set for the draft pass that would carry them to the win. "It was a good clean race all the way," Springsteen said. "It was the same thing that happened in the spring. Chris led it off four and I thought I had something for him, but I just came up short. I started to go to the right, then went to the left, Rich was already committed that way and we got kind a tangled up. I just kept the gas on wide open, otherwise there might have been a major crash right at the start/finish line. It was a fun race, but I'm glad it's over so we can come back and do it tomorrow. I tried to run hard early and get away, but you just can't get away here. I blistered the tire early, but as the race went on I got into better rubber." __ S • SEPTEMBER 12,2001 27

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