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Evans (center1ls flanked by runner-up Roeder (Ieftl and third-placed Hart (right!. who was also celebrating his first-career GNC podium appearance. son/ Auffenberg) finished seventh through ninth ahead of MarioneauxNallin Racing's Merle Scherb. Brian Thomas, Mees and Roeder won the three heats. all of a sudden, I made a couple of bobbles and the 'uncomfort level' kicked in again. I just tried bringing it home then." Bigelow also felt he was just marking time with his seventh-place finish. "I caught Chris at the end, but he was really struggling," Bigelow said. "I'm kind of bummed. There wasn't a groove, but there wasn't any dirt to work with either. You'd go into the comer and just kind of skid around. It wasn't my favorite track. [Tuner] Greg Crow and I have had long talks about what it takes to win the championship, and making the best of your bad days is what it's all about. You've got to make every main event and I've really taken that to heart the last month. I'm happy to get out of here with what we got. We got behind early in the year, when I had my shoulder problems, and it's taken time to get back, but we'll just keep plugging away." Bartel's Harley-Davidson/Custom Chrome's Shaun Russell slipped home in eighth, after a close call on the first start. "I couldn't really see what was happening out there," Russell said. "There were bikes and people going everywhere. I had it turned toward the fence once, but got it straight and came back the other way. When I came through the whole thing, I was still on two wheels. After the red flag, it took me a few laps to get my rhythm going again. I'm happy. It's Lima, and I was in the National. On the second restart, I just tried to keep my mental focus. I got tied up with four or five other guys and couldn't run the lines I wanted, but eighth isn't bad. Our goal this year is to make all the mains and finish top 1Os." Dominic Beaulac faded to ninth. "I was going great on the cushion, but at the end of the race the track started to groove. The bike was spinning so much," said Beaulac. "On the cushion, you have to sit on the gas tank, but on the groove you have to get way back on the seat, I saw Shaun Russell do it so I tried it and it worked. Track time, that's what we need, I only have about fifty laps on this bike, but I'm really happy." Rounding out the top 10 was a somewhat battered·Springsteen. "I just got a big charlie horse in the back of my left leg, but the big thing is, once you're in the back like that, you can't see," the Bartel's HarleyDavidson/Corbin Racing-backed Springsteen said. "The bike was pretty well bent up - the brake pedal is half hanging off. I just kind of rode it around. Hey, I finished. Number nine was 10th. You just can't see back in the pack. You can't really judge your distance getting into the corners. It got really slick toward the end, but that's really cool about Evans, winning his first one." JAB Computing/CTC Racing's Lynch was 11 th after being involved in the first pile-up. "On the first restart, my front end was tweaked pretty bad," Lynch said. "I bent those forks. I was just riding around, trying to get some points. We got that second red flag and my guys put a whole new front end on. With everything straight again, we started moving up. All in all, considering everything that happened, we didn't do too bad." John Nickens Ill, who is still riding with a badly injured left hand, brought his K&N/Departure Bike Works Harley home in 12th. Carl Patrick/Cayuga Tool & Die's Shawn Clark was 13th. Fourteenth went to J.R. Schnabel on the Lancaster Harley-Davidson/Saddlemen Buell. Las Vegas Harley-Davidson/roederharley.com's Jess Roeder was the last rider on the track after a spectacular ride in his semi, coming from the penalty line to first. Atherton and King didn't finish, while Corbin/ Samson Racing's Kenny Coolbeth couldn't get his Harley to start for the main. King ran away with the first heat as Bartel's Harley-Davidson teammates Russell and Springsteen battled over second. Springsteen took second on the last lap. Beaulac easily won heat two after polesitter Varnes jumped the start. Varnes did work his way through the field for second. Bigelow held off Johnson for the last transfer. Hart won heat three, but all eyes were on Geo Roeder II. The race had been red-flagged when Roeder fell in turn three. Roeder restarted from the penalty and stormed all the way to second. Lynch held off Schnabel for third. Carr looked to have the fourth heat under control until Evans took over on the last lap. Cool beth and Aaron Creamer battled over the last transfer, with the spot going to Coolbeth. Semi wins went to Atherton, Clark and Jess Roeder. HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORMANCE NATIONAL There appears to be no weaknesses in Jared Mees' Sportster program, as the youngster rolled to his third win of the year on his Moroney's Harley-Davidson/Michael's HarleyDavidson-backed Sportster. Former series champion Jess Roeder brought out his Lima Harley-Davidson/roederharley.com Sportster for the first time and looked to be Mees' main challenger, but mechanical problems sidelined Roeder on lap seven. R&D Machine/Carl Patrick Racing's Rusty Rogers came from seventh place on lap one to second on lap five just as Roeder started to have his problems. Frieze Harley-Davidson/Air Hawk's A.J. Eslick closed back on Rogers and the two had a fierce battle over second. The young Oklahoman, Eslick took the spot for good on lap 11. Dan Kauffman was running alone in fourth on his Bobby Lynn Racing/Jess Roeder-backed Sportster. F&S Harley-Davidson's KC Knodel and Marioneaux-Nallin Racing's Scott Scherb had a good race for fifth, with the veteran Scherb, dropping the rookie to sixth. Illinois riders Brian Thomas (Doc's Harley-Davidson/Jim Wagner). James Hart (Coziahr Harley-Davidson/Kiesow Racing) and John Faulkner III (Frieze's Harley-David- c u e ' ... CN lIlen County Fail1lraund. Uma,Dhio Results: June Z9, ZDDZ IRound 1 at ZDJ HEAT I <10 laps; 11 riders, top three transfer): I. Rich King (H-D): 2. Joy Springsteen (H·D): 3. Shllun Russell (H· D): 4. Kevin Atherton (H-D); 5. Shown Clork (H·D): 6. Joe Kopp (H-D): 7. Sam Lowe (H·D); 8. Dove Roybum (H·D); g. Joe Eedes (H·D); 10. Tim Eedes (H·D); II. KC Knodel (H·D). Time: 4 min.• 19.066 sec. HEAT 2 (10 laps; 11 riders, top three transfer): 1. Dominic Beaulac (H-D): 2. Kevin Vames (H·D): 3. Brylln Bigelow (H-D); 4. JlIke Johnson (H-D): 5. John Nickens III (H·D): 6. Jess Roeder (H·D); 7. Joe Duvoll (H-D): 8. Kyle Long (H·D); g. Rusty Rogers (H·D); 10. Jeff Londrum (H·D): II. 80rry Benkert (Hon). Time: 4 min.. 24.224 sec. HEAT 3 (10 laps; 11 riders, top three transfer): I. Chris Hort (H·D); 2. Gee Roeder II (H·D); 3. Poul Lynch (H-D); 4. J.R. Schnobel (H-D); 5. Gorth Bostion (H·D); 6. Gory Rog.... (H·D); 7. Bob Knopp (H-D); 8. Brian Thomos (Bue); 9. Mike Hinds (Suz); 10. Yuhiko Hir~o (So2); II. Jack V~nderkooi (Yllm). TlIllc: 4 min.• 24.384 sec. HEAT 4 (10 lops; 11 riders. top thrtt trsnsfer): I. Chris Evons (H·D); 2. Chfls CO" (H-D): 3. Ken Coolbeth Jr. (H·D); 4. Allron Crellmer (H-D); 5. Johnny Murphnee (H·D); 6. Brondon Cortwrlght (H· D); 7. Rob Willioms (H·D); 8. Timmy Mitchell (H·D); g. Jerry Vonderkooi (Suz); 10. Bob Buffington (Suz); 11. Dovid Uoyd (Apr). Time: 4 min., 24.852 sec. SEMI 1 (8 laps; II rickrs. top two Ironsfer): I. Kevin Atherton (H·D); 2. John Nickens (H· D); 3. Kyle Long (H·D): 4. Gorth Bostion (H·D); 5. Sam Lowe (H·D); 6. Tim Eodes (H·D): 7. Jerry Vanderkooi (H-D); 8. Brondon Cortwri9htIH·D): Tune: 3 min., 33.061 sec. SEMI 2 (8 laps; 11 riders, top two transfer): I. Shown Clork (H·D); 2. Joke Johnson (H·D); 3. Johnny Murphree (H·D); 4. Dove Roybum (H·D); 5. Joe Duvoll (H·D); 6. Gory Rogers (H·D); 7. Jeff Lllndrum (H-D); 8. Mike Hinds (Suz); 9. Timmy Mitchell (H·D); 10. KC Knodel (H·D); 11. Dovid Uoyd (Apr). Time: 3 min.. 34.392 sec. SEMI 3 (8 laps; 10 riders, top two trllnsfer): 1. Jess Roeder (H·D); 2. J.R. Schnobel (H·D); 3. Aeron Creamer (H-D): 4. Joe Kopp (H·D); 5. Rob Willioms (H-D); 6. Bob Knapp (H·D); 7. Bob Buffington (Suz); 8. Joe Eodes (H·D): 9. Rusty Rogers (H·D): 10. Yuhiko Hireo (Suz). Time: 3 min., 38.556 sec. GRAND NATIONAL (25 lops, 18 riders): l. Chris Evons (H·D); 2. Gee Roeder II (H·D); 3. Chris H~rt (H·D); 4. Jake Johnson (H·D); 5. Kevin Vllmes (H·D); 6. Chris CO" (H·D): 7. 8ryon 8igelow (H·D): 8. Sheun Russell (H-D); 9. DomInic Beaulac (H-D); 10. Joy Springsteen (H·D); 11. Poul Lynch (H-D); 12. John Nickens III (H·D); 13. Shown Clork (H·D): 14. J.R. Schnabel (H-D); 15. Jess Roeder (H-D): 16. Kevin Atherton (H·D); 17. Rich King (H·D); 18. Kenny Coolbeth (H-D). Tunc: No Time - Red Fleg. AMA/PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE U.S. FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES POINTS STANDlNGS (after 7 of 20 rounds): 1. Chris Carr (103 pts./l win): 2. Kevin Veme' (86); 3. Johnny Murphree (85/1): 4. Ken Coolbeth Jr. (81): 5. Bryon Bigelow (74/1): 6. Joe Kopp (61): 7. Kevin Atherton (55): 8. J.R. Schnobel (53); 9. (TIE) Terry Poovey/Shoun Russell (48). I I. (TIE) Joy Springsteen/Gee Roeder II (44): 13. Nicky Heyden (36/1): 14. Poul Lynch (35); 15 Joke Johnson (33); 16. Don Stonley (29); 17. (TiE) Chris Hort/Mike Hacker (I) (25); 19. (TIE) Ricky Winsett Jr. (I )fWillie McCoy (24). HARLEY·DAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORM· ANCE MAIN (12 laps: 17 riders): I. Jored Mees; 2. A.J. Eslick; 3. Rusty Rogers; 4. Den Kauffmen; 5. Scott Scherb: 6. KC Knodel: 7. Brien Thomas; 8. James Hllrt; 9. John Faulkner III: 10. Merle Scherb; 11. Brien Kromroy: 12. Yuhiko Hireo; 13. Stephllnie Welch: 14. Todd Perkins: 15. Shane Fox: 16. Don Blyar; 17. Jess Roeder. TIme: 5 min.. 42.459 sec. HARLEY·DAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORM· ANCE SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (ofter 6 of 13 rounds): 1. Jared Mees (103 pu/3 wins); 2. Scott Scherb (85); 3. Rusty Rogers (78/1); 4. Jomes Hart (77); 5. Brion Thomos (64): 6. Yuhlko Hiroo (61); 7. John Foulkner III (58); 8. Josh Toungetl (55); g. Bryon Smith (46/1); 10. Joke Johnson (45/1); I I. Merle Scherb (43): 12.Brlon Kromroy (40); 13. A.J. Eslick (39): 14.Stephonie Welch (28); 15. Mork Wlthom (27); 16. Timmy Mitchell (25); 17. (TiE) KC Knodel/Robert Lewis (24); 19. Shone Fox (22); 20. Don Kouffmon (21). Upcoming Rounds: Round B - Sprinfield, Illinois, July 6 Round 9 - Prestonsburg, Kentucky, July 13 n ... _ os • JULY 10, 2002 31