Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

mento/Phoenix Racing-backed mount in a position to go with the frontrunners. It never happened, as Carr claimed to have been caught up behind a bout of tomfoolery between Coziahr Harley-Davidson's Johnny Murphree and Gardner Racing/Lancaster Harley-Davidson's Bryan Bigelow. Their 130 mph horseplay unnerved the veteran, forcing him to bide his time until it was safe to pull clear. He would work his way up to an off-form eighth. As Carr himself put it, he picked a pretty good day to suck. The title was already in the bag. "W.e struggled all day long," Carr said. "We thought we had a handle on things after the heat races because our lap times were okay and the bike was working good. But in the main event, I couldn't get a hold of the ground until the last five laps. "And this is no excuse either," Carr continued, "but Bigelow and Murphree got into a pissing contest out there for about five or six laps. I kind of didn't really want to get into the middle of it to be honest with you, but I am going to go have a word with them here in a little while. I think it was stupid what they were doing. But once that kind of settled down, I picked a few guys off, and then I was damned sure wishing for a 25-lap race because I think I could have gotten fifth. I couldn't have won it. It was too late for that." Well behind the leaders, Memphis Shades/Coziahr Harley-Davidson's Kevin Varnes was giving a good account of himself, breaking to the front of a seven-rider draft that included Bartels' Harley-Davidson/ Corbin Racing's Jay Springsteen, Beattie, Bigelow, and Murphree, Carr and JAB Computing/SuperTrapp's Paul Lynch. That pack would be trimmed by two around lap IS, as Bigelow and Lynch fell off the pace, Bigelow finishing in the 10th spot, Lynch 11th. Murphree struggled just to finish ninth. "We had·a new bike, and we chased our tail all day long," Murphree said. "No matter what we did, it didn't seem to make a difference. I just sort of followed them around out there and made up time where I could. But we've got a strong program coming together for next year [see Briefly...], and I have to say that Tim Coziahr, you are the man. He has stood behind me when I couldn't buy a race. He deserves all thanks in the world from me. He has stepped up to the pump and put a lot on the table for next year. The sooner I can start winning races, the happier we'll be." Further forward, Springsteen played it cool, running away with Varnes and Beattie before cutting loose and drafting his way past Beattie and then Varnes, and into the fifth spot. "On the first lap, I kind of got tangled up with Johnny Murphree and a few other guys," Springer said. "I was turning left, but then I had to go all the way to the right, up by the bales. I felt like I was last on the first lap, but I just got rolling, and then me and Beattie and Varnes went back and forth there. The track was a little slippery and it was hard to get hooked up. The leaders just got away, but if I could have gotten off with them, I could have run with them. My bike was working good enough, and I was pretty comfortable. Hey, it was fun, and we survived 2001." Varnes and Beattie ran sixth and seventh respectively. "Team Unemployment," Varnes joked. "We beat our teammates with the jobs for next year. Maybe Beattie and I should hook up for next year." The front four upped the pace again after AMA starter Poochie Cox showed them the five-lap board. Atherton dropped down to take his place with King, Coolbeth and Hacker in the corners, and he ran just ahead of Hacker in third as Coolbeth and King drag raced side by side across the line on lap 18. Coolbeth then got the best run on the group when they came around again, taking the lead as the white flag was thrown. But, as is becoming his custom on the mile, King took the lead into one and ran it in hot in order to keep that lead as they hit turn three. He was going to try and lead it off turn four, and Atherton quickly stuffed his way past Hacker to take second in the hope of sucking past King at the line. It was to no avail, as King was able to buck the wind and eke out a victory by half a bike over Atherton. "I knew at the end I had plenty of tire,· King said. "That's what these miles are all about - save your tire until the end." King was happy for the win, but that joy was also tempered as he voiced thoughts on his fallen teammate, Jennifer Snyder, who as critically injured at the Formula USA Seattle Mile. "With all of the tragedies that we've had lately, this is just one more thing," King said. "I wish Jennifer the best. She brings such a joy to our team. She's so happy-go-lucky, and to have something devastating like that happen to her is really heartbreaking. But she's a tough girl. She works hard at this sport. She'll be back." Strange as it sounds, Atherton's second-place finish marked his first podium in over two years. "It feels real good," Atherton said. "My dad got really involved in our program, and that has helped a lot, but it has taken time to get all of our stuff dialed in. That [high line] is just my style. We know it can work up Steve BeattIe (281 ran In tile ..... dnrft eartr. but SprIngsteen ~ _ .... and wound up tIfth. Kftln V - (8eI- ......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BollI"... ........... _ .......... for . . . . for . . . J., cue •• n e _ S • OCTOBER 10,2001 33

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