Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Jake Johnson rode a masterful race, the teenager earning a career-high fourth In the main event. As hi. helmet attests, Johnson I. one of dirt track'. stars of the future. who to more of a who's that? to the casual fan. Hart, Jake Johnson and Dominic Beaulac could just be the tip of the iceberg of "new" young talent in the Progressive Series. Near disaster struck on the first lap of the 25-lap main. Kevin Varnes got the holeshot on his Memphis Shades/Parts Unlimited-backed Harley but, inside the tight pack behind Varnes, all hell broke loose down the back straight. "I was going around somebody and got my handlebars taken out," Roeder said. "I just slid down on the back straight and guys were going all over trying to miss me, I think Rich [King] hit my front wheel. I was lucky, I hope Rich is all right." King had put his factory HarleyDavidson-backed XR750 on the pole with a heat-race time that was over five seconds faster than everyone else's. King took a heavy blow to the head and was transported to the hospital for tests. He was treated and released later in the evening. Also gathered up in the melee were Jay Springsteen and Paul Lynch. For the restart, the penalty line was crowded, as Roeder, Springsteen and Lynch were joined by Kevin Atherton. Atherton's crew had worked on his bike after the allotted 10minute time limit. While repairs were being made, more water was added to the track in an effort to cut the dust down on the back straight. "I'll be honest, that crash on the first lap really spooked me there was stuff flying everywhere," Gardner Racing/Lancaster Harley - Dav idson' s Bryan Bigelow said. "I was disappointed, the straights were so dry. The dust was so bad you couldn't see. I could see people checking up, but I didn't know what for. I dove to the inside and Kevin [Atherton] went clear into the infield." Varnes once again got the holeshot, then almost stepped off in turn one. "After they watered the track, it was like ice to me," Varnes said. "I just about got off, in turn one, I don't know how many people I screwed up, but it had to be a lot of them." Surprise heat winner Beaulac had his Weirbach Racing/Shoeibacked Harley in the lead, with Hart and Evans chasing Beaulac's Joe Bishabuilt machine. Evans took over the lead on lap seven after Beaulac started to fade. "I rode a 750 last year at Vernon and now this one here," Beaulac said. "I was really nervous when I was leading. In Canada, the finals are always, 10 or 12 laps. This is the first time I've done 25 laps on a 750. I'm going to have to spend more time in the gym and do more exercise." As lap eight got under way, the red flag was out once again. This time, Vam•• (89) battled with 2001 Lima winner Chris Carr (1). Vam•• wound up fifth, Carr .Ixth. cue I • Kevin Atherton had spun down on his Dodge Brothers/Saddlemen Harley. The fall wasn't so hard, but Atherton was struck by another rider, leaving him a little woozy and unable to make the restart. With 10 more minutes to make adjustments, the work area was a flurry of activity. On the restart, Evans and Hart had established themselves up front. They battled away hammer and tong, but because Evans was getting such a great drive off turn four, he would lead every lap for the rest of the race. "It's pretty special. Unbelievable. What a night," Evans said. "When I came here, I figured I had as good a shot at winning as anybody. I felt good, nothing was busted, no broken parts on me. The bike was running good - why not? We were trying some different lines and I think I just kind of wore him [Hart] down a little bit. Maybe being a little bit older than him, I just wanted it more, but he's a talented kid." Roeder was fighting through his adversities and was closing on Hart as Hart was losing contact with Evans. Suddenly, on the last lap, Roeder thrilled his large fan club with a pass for second. "It seemed the more laps we got in the better I was doing, either that or those guys were getting tired," Roeder said. "I think he [Hart] was tired or was just going to settle for second, and I was still pushing hard. I knew once I went around him at least I had second, I just ran out of laps. "It was tough. I have to feel fortunate to take second, I guess," Roeder continued. "I was involved in the first red flag and had to come from the penalty line. I was rolling and really didn't want to see that second red. When we came in, I couldn't get the clutch to release, the cable was broke or something. We had to fix that, so we didn't have time to put a new tire on. I think that might have made a little difference the first few laps. That's my first second here, actually. I've got four or five thirds, I don't know, I've lost count. So I guess we went a little faster than we have in the past." Hart's third-place finish was by far his best National outing, and he was thrilled. "He [Roeder] kind of snuck up on me," Roeder said. "I started getting nervous towards the end and I really got nervous when I saw the white flag. I was just thinking, 'I've got to keep it on two wheels and finish it out.' Geo got under me coming off turn two, and I just couldn't stick it back under him going into three. I wish I wouldn't have given second away like that, I was there all night long. We'll take what we got - a podium is a podium. I really can't believe n e _ os • JULvl0, 2002 29

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