Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

~I AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championships Round 4: Illinois State Fairgrounds (13). HDSP NATIONAL (121.ps; 17 riders): I. Bryan Bryan Smith (1) outran Jake Johnson (partially hidden) to win the HarteyDavidson Sportster Performance main event. The two appear set to have a bitter dispute for the 2002 title. Smith; 2. Jake Johnson; 3. Josh Toungett; 4. Jared Mees; 5. JlImes HlIrt; 6. Merle Scherb; 7. John Faulkner III; 8. Yuhiko Hirao; 9. Brian Thomas; 10. Scott Deubler; 11. K.C. Knodel; 12. Rusty Rogers; 13. Daniel Kauffman; 14. Timmy Mitchell; 15. A.J. Eslick; 16. Mark Witham; 17. Scott Scherb. Time: 7 min.. 17.340 sec. Margin of Victory: 04.172 sec. AMA HDSP SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 2 of 13 rounds): 1. (TIE) Jake Johnson (42/1 win)/Bryan Smith (42/1 win); 3. Josh Toungett (29); 4. James Hart (24); 5. (TIE) Rusty Rogers (23)/Yuhlko Hirao (23)/John Faulkner III (23); 8. Merle Scherb (19); 9. Scott Scherb (17); 10. Jared Mees (15); 11. Victor McAnally (14): 12. (TiE) Mark Witham (11 )/K.C. Knodel (11); 14. Brian Thomas (10): 15. (TIE) Scott Deubler (9)/Brian Kromroy (9). Upcoming Rounds: Round 5 - Hagerstown, Maryland, June 1 Round 6 - Granite City, IL, June 15 BRIEFLY••• Canadian rider Steve ,Beattie crashed his Johnny Goad-tuned Harley-Davidson after it apparently broke a rod on the back straightaway during the opening lap of practice. Beattie was transported to Springfield Memorial Hospital where X-rays reveaied that he suffered three fractured vertebrae in his neck. There is no paralysis, and Beallie was optimistic that he would be able to retum to action in around six weeks. The accident marked the third time in his career that Beattie has suffered vertebrae fractures. Davidson/Michael's Harley-Davidson's Jared Mees, who nearly hit Johnson in turn one and dropped Illinois State Fairgrounds Springfield, Illinois Results: May Z&, ZOOZ (Round 4 of of ZOI HEAT 1 (10 laps; 12 riders. top three transfer): back in the pack. As the field sorted itself out, Smith, Johnson and Frieze Harley-Davidson's A.J. Eslick diced briefly before Johnson and Smith pulled clear. Then Johnson slipped up on lap five, and it was enough to ultimately cost him the win. "I went into turn one, and I kind of got a little squirrely," Johnson said. "] thought that] blew it up, but I ended up just knocking it out of gear. Once] got going again I rode my butt off to catch Bryan. I slipped up a little bit in turn four, and I just didn't get enough of a drive to draft him at the finish. We were having an awesome time for the first four or five laps. I think it's going to be a tough season. I think that it's going to be us two for the whole way." Although Johnson continued to eat into Smith's advantage, Smith pulled 1. Kevin Atherton (H·D); 2. Dan Stanley (H-D); 3. Bryan Bigelow (H-O); 4. Tim Eades (H·O); 5. Jason Tyer (H·O); 6. Chris Hart (H-O); 7. Rick Winsett Jr. (H-D); 8. Cory Roth (H-D); 9. Robert Buffington (Suz); 10. John Nickens JII (H-D); 11. Jake Johnson (H-D); 12. George Richtmeyer Jr. (Suz). Time: 5 min., 52.114 sec. HEAT 2 (10 laps; 12 riders, top three trllnsfer): 1. Nicky Hayden (Hon); 2. Shoun Russell (H·D); 3. Kevin VlImes (H-D); 4. Bryan Smith (H-D); 5. Aaron Creamer (Suz); 6. Joe Duvall (Suz); 7. Brandon Lee Cartwri9ht (Su,): 8, Garth Bastian (H-D); 9. Jerry Y~nderkooi (Suz); 10. Eric Rickman (H-D); 11. Kyle Long (H·D); 12. JelfLandrum (Su,). Time: 5 mIn., 52.599 sec. HEAT 3 (10 laps; 12 riders. top three transfer): 1. Johnny Murphree (H-D); 2. Jay Springsteen (H· D): 3, Willie McCoy (H· D); 4. Kenny Coolbeth Jr. (Su,); 5, Goo Roeder II (H-D); 6. J.R. Schnabel (H· D); 7. Rusty Rogers (H·D); 8. Mike V.mes (H·D); 9. Shawn Clark (H·D); 10. Ken Yoder Jr. (H-D): 11. Timmy Mitchell (Suz); 12. Yuhiko Hlrao (Suz). TIme: 5 min., 51.909 sec. HEAT 4 (10 laps; 12 riders. top three transfer): 1. Chris Carr (H·D); 2. Joe Kopp (H-D); 3. Terry Poovey (Hon); 4. Gary Rogers (H-O); 5. PauJ Lynch (H·D); 6. Jess Roeder (H·D); 7. Roy Miller (Su,); 8. D.vid Rayburn (H·D); 9. S.m Lowe (H-D); 10. Michael Hinds (Suz); 11. Ronald Hall (SUI); 12. Brent Armbruster (SUI). Time: None, due to red flag. SEMJ 1 (8 taps. 12 riders. top two transfer): 1. Kenny Coolbeth Jr. (Su,); 2. Jake Johnson (H·D): 3. Rusty Rogers (H·D); 4. Jess Roeder (H-D); 5. Jason Tyer (H-D); 6. Sam Lowe (H-D); 7. Cory Roth (H-D); 8. Aaron Creamer (SUI); 9. Garth Bastian (H·D); 10. Kyle Long (H·D): 11. Ken Yoder Jr. (H·D): 12. Brent out the win. "It was good," Smith said. "It's Armbruster (SUI). Time: 4 min. 43.880 sec. SEft\l 2 (8 laps; 12 riders, top two transfer): 1. only my second win, and I'm sup- Tim Eades (H-D); 2. Paui Lynch (H-D); 3. Mike posed to be the champ, so I need to Varnes (H·O); 4. John Nickens 111 (H·D); 5. Joe Duvall (Suz); 6. Jeff Landrum (SUI); 7. Jerry Vanderkooi (Suz); 8. David Rayburn (H-D); 9. Ronald Hall (Suz); 10. Timmy Mitchell (Suz); 11. Geo Roeder start winning more of these to impress somebody. I thought I'd had it won earlier because I thought Jake's bike broke, but he ended up II (H·D); 12. Rick Winsett Jr. (H-D), TIme: None. due to red flag. SEMI 3 (8 laps; 12 riders, top two transfer): 1. catching me and we had a race. My Gary Rogers (H·D); 2. J.R. Schnabel (H-D); 3, Chris Hart (H· D); 4, Bryan Smith (H-D); 5. Roy Miller bike was really fast. Jim Wagner did Clark (H-D); 8. Yuhiko Hirao (Su,): 9. Robert a real good job with it. I couldn't have Buffington (Suz); 10. Eric Rickman (H-D); 11. Michael Hinds (Suz); 12. George Richtmeyer Jr. asked for a better bike." (SUI); 6. Brandon Lee Cartwright (SUI); 7. Shawn (Suz). Meanwhile, Gutteridge H-D/DPe Racing's Josh Toungett put together a drive to pass Mees and secure the third spot - not bad considering that Mees had been as far back as eighth at the start of the race. "This feels great," Toungett said. "This was my first time here on an 883. J only went out for one practice Time: 4 min., 44.741 sec. ROGER REIMAN DASH: (5 laps; 6 riders): 1. Rusty Rogers (H·D); 2. Jess Roeder (H·O); 3. Bryan Smith (H·D): 4. John Nickens III (H·O); 5. Chris Hart (H-D): 6, Mike Varnes (H-D). GRAND NATIONAL (25 laps; '18 riders): I. Chris Carr (H·D); 2. Kevin Atherton (H-D); 3. Johnny Murphree (H·D); 4. Nicky Hayden (Han); 5. Jay Springsteen (H·O); 6. Kenny Caolbeth (H-D); 7. Kevin Varnes (H-D); 8. Joe Kopp (H-D); 9. Terry Peevey (Hen); 10. Bryan Bigelow (H·D); 11. Jake Johnson (H-D); 12. Shoun Russell (H-D); 13. Gary Rogers (H-D); 14. Dan Stanley (H-D); 15. Paul Lynch (H-D); 16. J.R. Schnabel (H·D): 17. Tim Eades (HD): 18. Willie McCoy (H-D), tle slow, but I worked my way up. Me Time: 14 min., 36.595 sec. Margin of Victory: 00.321 sec. and Jared Mees had a pretty good bat- AMA PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE U.S. FLAT TRACK C'SHIPS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS little too hot into turn one, and that (After 4 of 20 rounds): 1. Chris Clm (56/1 win); 2. Kevin Varnes (50); 3. Kenny Cool beth (47); 4. Johnny Murphree (46); 5. Nicky Hayden (38/1 win); gave me a gap on him. Hopefully we 6. Joe Kopp (37); 7. Kevin Atherton (36); 8. Jay can put a win together next weekend." Springsteen (33); 9. Shaun Russell (32); 10. Terry Poovey (30); 11. Dan Stanley (29); 12. Mike Hacker (25/1 win); 13. (TIE) Rick Winsett (24/1 win)/J.R. Schnabel (24){BryllO Bigelow (24); 16. Steve Bel!lUie The next round of the series is scheduled to take place at the Hager- eN stown Half Mile. 12 JUNE 5, 2002· eye I e After haVing good finishes at Springfield last season, Shaun Russell was disappointed to finish 12th in the main event. -I was iooking to do beller, - Russell said. "It's just about consistency, you know, making the mains, but this is usually a good place for me, so I'm bummed about the finish. The bike was working good early on, but I just had a hard time drafting people. I think the gearing was off, and then toward the end I think we were losing the motor. But that's all right. we'll get 'em next week.- Terry Poovey put together a soiid ninth-place run aboard his Teddy Poovey-tuned Honda, which is identical to the one that Nicky Hayden rode, but the veteran Texan said that was hard as he wanted to push it. "Just too many people up there, and you know how I feel about that," Poovey said. "But I'm still happy, I loved watching Nicky ride my bike. I want him to rlde it again. I built that thing just so that he could rlde it. " Nicky Hayden said that he would be sure to check his schedule, as he is hungry to complete the Grand Slam. ''I'm not going to give up on it. I'm not sure when. but I know I'll get another crack at it. Paul Lynch wound up 15th in the main event. not great unless you consider that the lanky Maryland youngster is rarely in the show here. Lynch hopes that will be changing. "I always struggle here, so this wasn't too bad," Lynch said. "This is only the second time that I've made the main here since tuming pro in '97, so any time thatI'm in the show, I'll take it. I would like to have been up front with those guys, but it took a while for my tire to come in. Those are some of the lessons that you leam at the Springfield Mile. After failing to make either main event last Labor Day Weekend at Springfield, J.R. Schnabel was happy to be back on-track and racing for points - even though he got quite a scare in the feature. "We were running really good, had the chassis set up good and had the gearing where I wanted it." Schnabel said. "We got into the main and just kept getting better and beller, catching people. Then I went into a tum and I pulled up really hard, and the handlebars moved on me and I went right into the guardrail on the inside. It didn't hurt anything, but I sure scared myself, and then the bars really fell down. I decided to just play it cool after that. It was good to finish, and I just can't say thank you enough to Jerry Wilhelmy. Butch Donahue and Joe Houpt. They worked their tails off for me this weekend, and I really appreciate it. It was a good day on the mile on a good bike. " For his part, Jerry Wilhelmy, who last tuned on a regular basis for Davey Durelle, said that he enjoyed his time with Schnabel. "J,R.'s great," Wilhelmy said, "He's easy to work with, and he's a real competitor. I think that we worked well together, and we got the bike working beller as the day went on. I think we'll do this again. We'll go back and regroup, and then we'll try it another time. " It was a surprise to see Leominster, Massachusetts, resident Aaron Creamer doing so well in his heat race. Creamer battled for a direct transfer early before dropping back. "Today was my first day on the mile, and I was doing pretty well in my heat race, - Creamer said. "I ran with Nicky Hayden and Kevin Vames, and both of those guys did pretty well in the main event. I just need more experience. i ran it too hard and wore out the tire and just went backwards. Then I had some tough luck in my semi and wasn't able to make it in today. Hopefully in the fall I'll be in there. - Time: 3 min.. 02.026 sec. session today. I started the main a lit- tle back and forth, but then he went a Jay Springsteen suffered an injury of his own coming into the Springfieid Mile weekend. "I dropped a jack on my foot about a week ago, right behind my toes, - Springsteen said. "And I'll bet you at ieast five times going into three today someone threw a rock, and every time it would land in that exact same spot. " (22); 17. Tommy Hayden (19); 18, Bryan Smith (17); 19. R0ger Lee Hayden (16); 20. Paul Lynch n e vv s Tim Eades stepped up and made his first Springfield Mile main event. "Finally," Eades said, "I thought that I was going to make it in right out of the heat race, but they just kind of out·experienced me. I had the semi pretty much in control when Roeder spun out in front of me. I hit him and it dented my steel shoe, but I think that saved me, If I hadn't hit him. I would have hit the wall, because it yanked me off the bike to the left, and i turned straight. So that was a little scary. My bike ran great today. My dad and Eddie Adkins built it." The reason that Eades was on his personai bike and not on his usual M&J Racing HarleyDavidson was because those machines were wiped out out in a trailer fire on the Wednesday prior to Springfield. "It sucks bad because [team owner] Phil Miller is such a nice guy, and he ioves this racing more than anything." Eades said. "They're such beautifui bikes - or at least they were, Phil figures that he lost over $80,000 in the fire, but the way that the insurance works, he'll probably see $2000 of that. " Geo Roeder II had a rough weekend at Springfield. After crashing hard over kicker jump at the IT on Saturday night. Roeder lost the rear end coming out of tum two and low-sided his XR750 during the second semi on Sunday. "This ain't no fun this weekend," Geo Roeder II said. "I've just been out here taking a beating, Maybe i need to start doing something else. Naw. we'll be back. We ain't even close to rolling yet. We'll get it going,"

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