Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championships Round 7: Allen County Fairgrounds BRIEFLy•••• Eight of Ohio's Harley-Davidson dealers each put up an extra $500 to the winners of each heat, semi and Spertster main. Aces and Eights H-D, Jim's H·D, lima H-D, Mid'()hio H-D. H·D of Napeleon, Roeder H-D, Thiel's Wheels H-D and Tim Sherman's Signature H·D all anted up the extra $4000 total. The promoter estimated the crowd at "over 9800" as the large crowd spilled out of the grandstand and bleachers. There did not appear to be one empty seat. "I had one hell of a night and I'm a happy guy," said Chris Evans. "I know I can get around this place as good as anyone can. Take me to Hagerstown and It'S a different story. buddy." Despite his .. off" day Chris Carr maintained his points lead. "My closest competition In the points was either in their truck or on the sidelines [Coolbeth and Murphree]. " After jumping the start in semi two. Cozlahr Harley-Davidson's Johnny Murphree could only work his way up to third and missed the main. Jones Powersports' Joe Kopp slipped out of a qualifying spot in the last semi and missed the main for the first time this year. Before the start of the National. Paul Lynch broke out his brand-new leathers. Of course, he was involved in the first·lap crash. "I probably should have done a Pete Rose slide in tum one before I got on my bike," Lynch said. "That's the way it goes with new leathers." Chrls Carr said that he is enjoying the competitive series. "II's cool to have some new guys up front and another new winner," Carr said. - Seven different winners in seven races, that says a lot for our spert. The AMA doesn't have any other serl... that can say that." Rich King was far and away the fastest rider at Lima, but a crash In the main event saw him off to the hospital instead of on top of the boL He was treated for a concussion and released. "I got a bad start on that first restart. I worked my way up, but Carr was about half a straightaway ahead of me," Johnson said. "When the second red came out, that really let us bunch up. I was able to get around Chris, but once I got my sights set on Roeder, I was trying too hard. I was slipping up and the track was drying out quite a bit. The first 18 laps there was a lot of moisture on the bottom and I was able to make up so much ground on the guys who were riding the top. I could just run into the corner and grab a handful and the thing would just hook up right off the corner, but it seemed like, maybe eight laps to go it started to dry out, and I just had to hold on to what I had." Another rider benefitting from the restart was Varnes. Johnny Murphree failed to make the main event at Lima and slipped from second to third In the series standings. was doing, but I just couldn't do it. I was riding around the top, and he Lima, but that didn't stop the youngster from posting the best finish of his young career. "I'm really happy with fourth. After practice, we were like, 'Maybe we should just pack it up and go home,' we were so slow," said Johnson. "I was just glad to make it in. I wasn't expecting anything like this." Before the second red flag, Johnson was working his way up from was cutting off the bottom of turn four, and I just couldn't do it, He ninth, but the restart was very kind to him. it, it's just awesome. I had turns one and two figured out pretty good, but Evans was just a rocket ship coming off turn four. I tried doing what he deserves everything he got tonight. Eddie just had an awesome motorcycle. It just got faster and faster. We've been close all year, but we put the program together tonight. Hopefully we can build off this." Moroney's Harley-Davidson/SuperTrapp's Johnson had never been to 30 JULY 10, 2002' cue • e J.R. Schnabel became the first rider to put a "SuperTracker" In the main event under the new mixed 750/1000 format. Schnabel finished 14th on his Lancaster H-DlBuell, also marking the first time that a Buell motorcycle made a Grand National main. n __ s "The restart definitely helped us. It let the track dry out a little and it started to come around to us," Varnes said. "It suited our setup better. The track was really different tonight it reminded me a little of Harrington. It took a couple of laps to get around Chris [Carr] - he was holding me up but once we got rolling, I could see the leaders. I closed on Jake [Johnson], but that was the best I could do. We moved up in the points. I guess you have to get lucky some time." Defending Grand National Champion Carr had his Quality Checked Ford Racing/David Liles Fuel-backed Harley up and down the standings as he ran hot and cold all night. "It was tough," Carr said. "1 felt like I could go good for a few laps, then just a little bit of change in the race track and I went backwards. I never felt comfortable all night long. I just got around the best I could, and sixth was the best I could do tonight. On the second restart, I got going really good, but about three laps in,

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