AMA National Hot Shoe Series
Iowa State Fairgrounds
STORY AND PHOTOS BY
DAVE HOENIG/FLAT TRAK FOTOS
DES MOINES, lA, JUNE 22
heckered Flag Promotions
brought AMA National racing
back to Des Moines, Iowa, for the first
time since 1979, with the 2002
Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Series and the AMA Hot Shoe
Nationals. A small but talented field of
riders turned out, headlined by threetime Grand National Champion Jay
Springsteen. Amazingly, "Springer"
finished sixth in the last National held
on the Iowa State Fairgrounds half
mile in '79.
C
(Above) Kevin Vames bagged two wins
In what tumed out to be an allPennsylvania sweep of the Des
Moines, Iowa, Hot Shoe National.
(Below, left to right) Vames, Jay
Springsteen and Shaun Russell stand
atop the 750cc podium.
Tonight's victory circles were
dominated by two Pennsylvanians,
however, as 16-year-old Jared Mees
(backed by Moroney's Harley-Davidson and Michael's Harley-Davidson)
topped the Harley-Davidson Performance National and the Pro-Sport
Hot Shoe mains. Kevin Varnes
(backed by Memphis Shades and
Parts Unlimited) extended his Hot
Shoe points lead in the 505cc and
750/1000cc Expert classes with wins
in each main.
The Pro-Sport main was the first of
the night, and series points leader
Charlie Italia quickly put his Brent
Armbruster/Arai-backed Rotax out
front. Mees broke his Rotax in practice and was aboard Raun Wood's
backup bike. Mees was on his way
through traffic and took the lead on
lap five.
A huge traffic jam developed
behind the lead duo. Jerry Cartwright,
Shane Arndt, Andy Springsteen,
Doug Lawrence and Matt Burton were
all bunched together. The group
exchanged positions all around the
track until Andy Springsteen powered
n
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_
so
