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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128121
TOYOTA Strank rode on the right side of the hill, and he rolled off the throttle just as he crested the first breaker. "' hit that kicker so hard that I almost landed on top of the first breaker," Strank described. "The bike hooked up when I turned it back on, and took off like a bat out of hell, and the front end danced all the way to the second breaker." Strank climbed into the lead with his 8.825-second run, while Templeton thrilled the crowd on his first run on his Harley. Templeton has many wins on timing-style hills that require a lot of throttle control, and he absolutely nailed the first breakeT. He stayed on the throttle and kept his airtime to a minimum over the first breaker, and then cranked it on in the middle of the hill as he rushed to the top. "We picked the right gear for the hill and it ran really strong," Templeton said. "I saw a couple of rocks coming near the second breaker, but the bike stayed hooked up and rode smooth. It seemed like I was past the top breaker and to the lights in a millisecond." The timers told the story, with an 8.552-second pass. "I shut off a little early at the top breaker so I think I can go faster on my next run," Templeton predicted. Airtime over the breakers slowed Phil Ubhart as the first round came to a close. Large was going for the win on his second pass but the hill got him. "I should have changed my gearing," Large said. "But I didn't think the hill would dry out so much." Large would finish third for the day. Frazier had a good run going until he hit the top breaker and the rocks broke his tire chains, causing the rear wheel to spin all the way to the lights. Disbennett and Hamilton weren't able to improve their times and would settle for fifth and sixth ,respectively, but all eyes (and pressure) were on Thomas, third in the 800cc points standings. "It's hard for me to back off, but I have to get over the hill to get some points," Thomas said. He had a great run off the bottom. "I timed the first breaker better than I ever have in my life, then I had to roll the throttle on to make sure I got to the top." Thomas stayed smooth and ran a 9.147-second pass to take fourth overall. Strank wasn't able to improve with his second pass. "The kicker off the line got us," Strank said. "It spun me sideways, and when I got to the first breaker, I knew I had lost the race. Second place moves us into the points lead, though, so it was a good day." As Libhart struggled on his second run, Templeton had the win. "The bike ran well and I hit everything clean, today was just our day," Templeton said. eN ~~" V AMA I Che~ Trucks U.S. Superbike ChanJpionship presented by PARTS UNLIMITED sanctioned by AMA .....ORAC....G $ SUZUKI ........... - I OffIcl.1 Motorcycle of AMA N.tlon.1 Chevy Trucks u.s. Superbike • MBNA 250 Grand Prix Buell Pro Thunder· Pro Honda Oils 600 SuperSport Suzuki Genuine Accessories 750 SuperSport Lockhart/Phillips USA Formula Xtreme YAMAHA WORLD SUPERKART CHALLENGE • WSMC FASTEST WHEELIE SEPT. 14-15-16 All Three Days for only $35 00 FREE Camping I Kids 8 & under FREE for tickets call: CLOUDCHASER I BOX OFFICE 1-866-8OG-WSIR toll free tlcket'......as.er ••• &1 =~:~:~~ eye. EO n EO _ S • SEPTEMBER 12, 2001 67