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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128151
AMAIProgressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championships Round 2: Will Rogers Downs (Above) Joe Kopp, Kenn)' Coolbeth's fonner teammate, admitted to being "out of It, mentall)'" and stnIggled to finish 11th. get right back on the gas or it didn't want to go around the corner. You would drift off the rubber and get up into the fuzz. Sometimes I'd go in and not get the gas on, then I'd talk to myself all the way down the straight, 'I've got to get the gas right back on!' Finally, I started to get my rhythm back. I looked back a couple of times and saw someone four or five bikelengths behind, but I couldn't tell who it was." Murphree and Atherton battled back and forth before settling into fourth and fifth. Lancaster H-D/SaddJemen/Dodge Brother's Steve Beattie worked his way up to a solid sixth. Roeder, Bryan Smith (Bryan Smith Racing/Paul Lasko/KK) and Varnes were having a small war over seventh. Smith passed Varnes on the last lap to take the spot. "I was really struggling, getting through the turns, just spinning too much," said Varnes. "I found a groove about halfway through the race. We lengthened the wheelbase before the main event and I think that might have been the culprit." Canadian Steve Beattie (26) does battle with Johnn)' Murphree (20). Both riders made the main event, with Murphree finishing fourth and taking over the series points lead. Beattie was a solid sixth. 32 APRIL 24. 2002' II: U c I • n III _ S JAB Computing/CTC Racing's Paul Lynch filled out the top 10. The light rain that fell during practice and qualifying provided a natural "water truck" for the somewhat dusty mile track. Springsteen and Coolbeth had a great race in the second qualifying heat, only to see Coolbeth's bike break in the last tum. Springer's time was just a click quicker than Atherton's. The four 10-lap heats were up next, and Geo Roeder II easily won the first. Springsteen, after being bumped off the groove in the first turn, worked his way up to a strong second. Springsteen's Bartels' teammate, Shaun Russell, took the last transfer from Dan Stanley. Kevin Atherton easily won the second heat over defending Grand National Champion Chris Carr. Series points leader Ricky Winsett, Joe Duvall, Paul Lynch and J.R. Schnabel were racing for the last transfer· it went to Lynch. The third heat was a great race between Varnes and Beattie. As the two battled away, Kenny Cool beth closed in. Coolbeth had started from the penalty after switching motorcycles, and took second from Varnes on the last lap. The last heat was a preview of the main, as Hacker easily won over Johnny Murphree. Jones' Powersports/KTM's Joe Kopp took the last qualifying spot. Hacker's time was over one second faster than Atherton's, giving him first