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AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championships Round 5: Hagerstown 5peedway (Left) Lett to right: Atherton, Murphree and Carr on the podium. The three rlders have emerged as the men to beat In the 750cc class for the time being. was all Carr needed to turn his race around . "It was a rider-attitude adjustment," Carr said. "I figured that whatever I was doing, it pretty well guys after what I've been through. sucked. I tried something else, and it You've got to be totally on top of your clicked." Atherton was able to hold on for the win, but Carr bumped game to race with these guys and beat them. Right now, I'm just not real confident in myself. It's getting better each week. We're making top 10, but I want to be on the podium Varnes to third and Kopp to the semi. Murphree was the easy winner of heat two, the fastest of the night, over Coolbeth and McCoy. Memphis Shades/Parts Unlimit- In heat three, Bigelow came away with a big win over Springsteen and ed/Drag Specialties' Kevin Varnes Terry Poovey. The last heat went to was fast qualifier for the night, but it was downhill after that. Moroney's Harley-Davidson/Super- again." "It kind of sucks," Varnes said. "We were fast qualifier, then in the heat the bike didn't feel comfortable going around the corners. It was real jerky and jumping all around," Varnes said. "We made some changes for the Trapp's Jake Johnson over Chris Hart and Paul Lynch. Unfortunately, a huge wreck in the Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance main kept Johnson from starting the Grand main event, and it was a lot better. I National main. Tim Eades, Rusty Rogers and Schnabel were the semi winners. just got a terrible start, off the second row. We needed a twingle, the track HARLEY·OAVIOSON gets so greasy here at night that SPORTSTER would have helped. If I could have got a better start, the bike was working PERFORMANCE NATIONAL good enough for a top five. I don't Performance main looked to be a think we had anything for Murphree. He was strong all night." Moroney's Harley-Davidson Team Varnes' night ended with a ninthplace finish. The Harley-Davidson Sportster Benefit as 16-year-old old Jared Mees and GNC Rookie of the Year candidate Jake Johnson were locked Kevin Atherton had the first heat in a fierce battle for first place. Well well in hand with Kevin Varnes and behind them, Rusty Rogers, Scott flrst-eareer AMA National win In the Joe Kopp in tow. Chris Carr was well Harler Sportster class after teammate off the pace, having a lackluster per- Scherb, James Hart, Merle Scherb and Bryan -Smith were having their (Below) Jared Mees (16A1 bagged his to the inside of the dirt pile to keep from hitting people - it got pretty crazy. I passed most people coming off the turns, just trying to be smooth getting in and hoping the guy would make a little mistake. I think that's how most of the passes were made." Jake Johnson (14U) crashed out while formance when Cory Roth fell in tum own race for third. Merle Scherb battling Mees for the lead. two, bringing out the red flag. That locked onto his fathers rear wheel Joe Kopp continued to have his problems on his Jones Powers ports/ KTM/Arai-backed Harley. "Kind of a struggle again tonight. I had a great start in the main event, then I missed a gear," Kopp said. "I looked back in turn two, and I was dead last, so that wasn't too good a start. I finally worked my way up to eighth. It felt good realIy, but I was having a little bit of trouble, being loose in the back. The rear was wanting to come around. We were pretty good early on, but seemed to go backward as the night went on. It's starting to come together, but it's tough to convince yourself you can run with these 32 JUNE 12, 2002' cue I • n • _ s