Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Vemon Downs Vemon, New Yort Results: SeplHlller 7, 2002 (lIeun~ 17 of 2Dl HEAT 1 (10 laps; 9 riders, top three transfer): I. Ken Coolbeth Jr. (H-D); 2. Bryon Bigelow (H-D); 3. Joy Springsteen (H-D); 4. Joke Johnson (H-D); 5. Kyle Long (H-D); 6. Tom MeGrone Jr. (Suz); 7. Chri. Hart (H-D); 8. Chris Evans (H-D); 9. A.J. Eslick (Suz). Tune: 5 min., 48.419 sec. HEAT 2 (10 lops; 10 riders. top three tronsfer): 1. KeVin Athenon (H-D); 2. Kevin Vllmes (H-D); 3. Geo Roeder II (H-D): 4. Bryon Sm,th (H-D); 5. Tom Eode. (H-D): 6. Poul Lynch (H-D); 7 Aoron Creomer (H-D): 8. George Richtmeyer (Suz): 9. Reun Wood (Suz); 10. Joe Eodes (H-D). .Jared Mees (cent..., clinched the AMAIHarteyDavidson Sportster Perfonnance Series Championship at Vernon Downs. Mees rides for Moroney's HarteyDavidson (team owner Pat Moroney Is pictured on the right). tracking. I was flying through the air before I knew I fell off. In the main event, it was really dusty in the back and hard to see. Everybody was going in real hard, and I guess the guys were dragging their foot through the loose stuff on the bottom. The only way we could stay on the groove was to follow those little white pylons." Bryan Smith (Bryan Smith Racing/Paul Lasko) was another rider getting up off the ground to post a top-10 finish as he passed Shawn Clark on the last lap for ninth_ "I was just hung up in the back of the pack, and there wasn't any way to pass," Smith said. "Shaun [Russell] won his semi. I won mine, and my time was a half second faster than his, so my times were there. I was just trying to come from last and couldn't make the passes. On the restart, I went to the inside, then another guy fell in front of me, and the next thing I knew I was in the grass. The grass was like hitting ice, it was a little wet. I just laid it down, knocked a carburetor off and bent the handlebars_ No big deal, but I had to restart dead last. It kind of sucks when you know you're fast enough to run in the top five, but ninth is my best finish since Claremore, so I'm happy. I'm just happy to get out of here, pretty much." Also passing Clark on the last lap to round out the top 10 was Beattie. "If you stayed on the groove, it was great, but you're talking a fourto six-inch variance you have there, and if you missed it was like hold on for everything you've got. After the restart, I was just trying to be careful and not run into anybody." Paul Seliscar/Cayuga Tool & Die's Clark ended up 11 th over a shaken Bigelow, the last of those running at the end of the race. Failing to finish were KK Supply/Las Vegas Harley-Davidson's Geo Roeder II, K&N/Departure Bike Works' John Nickens Ill, Beaulac, McCoy, King and Evans. All four heats were red-flagged at some point in time. The first two were completely restarted, Kenny Coolbeth running away with the first and fastest heat of the night. Varnes and Atherton battled over the second, with Atherton getting the nod_ King and Carr were battling over the third heat when it was red-flagged on lap four. King ran away with the restart. Coziahr Harley-Davidson's Johnny Murphree was running away with the last heat after Russell's Harley expired, when Murphree pitched it away in turn three. McCoy came back to take the win after restart. Semi wins went to Russell, Smith and Lynch. HARLEV·DAVIDSON SPORTSTER Tune: 5 mIn., 49.590 sec. HEAT 3 (10 lops; 10 riders. top three ""nsrer): I. Rich King (H-D): 2. Chri. CO" (H-D); 3. Joe Kopp (H-D); 4. Gory Rogers (H-D): 5. Steve BeoWe (H-D); 6. Jess Roeder (H-D): 7. Gorth Bostion (H-D): 8. Rob Williams (Apr); 9. Roy Miller (Suz); 10. Brian Thom8s (H-D). TIme: No Tune - Red Flag. HEAT 4 (10 laps; 10 riders. top three transfer): 1. Willie McGee (H-D); 2. Dominic Be8ulac (H-D); 3. John Nickens III (H-D); 4. Shown Clork (H-D): 5. J.R. Schnobel (H-D); 6. KC Knodel (H-D); 7. Ron Holl (HD); 8. Johnny Murphree (H-D): 9. Shoun Russell (HD); 10. R.J. Overholt (Yom). TIme: No Time - Red Flag. SEMI 1 (8 laps; 9 riders. top two transfer): I. Shoun Russell (H-D): 2. Steve Beottie (H-D): 3. KC Knodel (H-D); 4. Tom Eodes (H-D); 5. Joke Johnson (H-D); 6. Joe Eodes (H-D); 7. George Rlchtmeyer (Suz); 8. Rob Wlllioms (Apr); 9. Chris Hort (H-D). Time: 4 min., 38.563 sec. SEMI 2 (8 laps; 9 riders, top two transfer): 1. Bryon Smith (H-D); 2. Chris Evon. (H-D); 3. J.R. Schnobel (H-D); 4. Aoron Creomer (H-D); 5. Johnny Murphree (H-Q); 6. Jess Roeder (H-O); 7. Brillin Thomos (H-D); 8. Kyle Long (H-D); 9. Roy MHler (Suz). TIme; 4 min., 38.031 sec. SEMI 3 (8 laps; 9 riders, top two transfer): I. Paul Lynch (H-D); 2. Shown Clork (H-D); 3. Gory Rogers (H-D); 4. A.J. Esnck (Suz); 5. Gorth Bostion (H-O); 6. Tom McGrane Jr. (Suz); 7. Raun Wood (Suz); 8. Ron Holl (H-D); 9. R.J. Overholt (Yom). TIme: 4 min., 39.101 sec. GRAND NATIONAL (20 lops, 18 riders); I. Kevin Atherton (H-D); 2. Ken Coolbeth Jr. (H-D); 3. Shoun Russell (H-D); 4. Chris CO" (H-D); 5. Joe Kopp (H-D); 6. Kevin Voroes (H-D); 7. Joy Springsteen (H-D); 8. Poul Lynch (H-D); 9. Bryon Smith (H-O); 10. Steve Beattie (H-O); 11. Shllwn Clork (H-D); 12. Bryon Bigelow (H-D); 13. Geo Roeder II (H-D); 14. John Nicken. III (H-D); 15. Dominic Beouloc (H-D); 16. Wmie McCoy (H-D); 17. RIch King (H-D); 18. Chris Evons (H-D). Tune: No Tlffie - Red Rag. AMA/PROGRESSIVE INSaRANCE a_s. FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES POINTS STAl'lD1I'IGS (After 17 of 20 rounds): I. Chris CO" (256/3 wins); 2. Johnny Murphree (202/1 win); 3. Brylln Bigelow (199/1 win); 4. Kevin Vllmes 186/1 win); 5. Kenny CooIbeth (181); 6. Joe Kopp (152); 7. Joy Springsteen (142); 8. (TIE) Nicky Hoyden (128/3 win.)/Kevin Atherton (128/1 win); 10. J.R. Schnobel (123); II. (TIE) Shoun Russell (120)/Joke Johnson (120); 13. RIch King (117/2 wins); 14. Geo Roeder II (104); 15. Terry Poovey (101); 16. (TIE) Shown Clork (72)/Poul Lynch (72); 18. Steve Beattie (70); 19. Chris Hort (69); 20. Willie McCoy (64). HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORMANCE MAIN (12 lops; IS riders): 1. Jess Roeder; 2. James Hart; 3. Jared Mees; 4. Danny Eslick; 5. Scott Scherb; 6. A.J. Eslick; 7. Merle Scherb; 8. Josh Toungett:; 9. Brian Thomas; 10. John Faulkner lU; J J. Robert Lewis; 12. Cory McDermitt; 13. Shane Fox; 14. KC Knodel; 15. Shown Boer. Tune: 7 min., 18.653 sec. HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORMArtCE SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (Arter 11 or 13 rounds): I. Jared Mees (200/5 wins); 2. James HlIrt (147); 3. Scott Scherb (146); 4. A.J. Esnck (119/1 win); 5. Brian Thomlls (118); 6. John FlIulkner (108); 7. Rusty Rogers (94/1 win); 8. Jess Roeder (92/2 wins); 9. Josh Toungett (89); 10. Merle Scherb (82); II. Yuhiko Hiroo (81); 12. Robert Lewl. (71); 13. K.C. Knodel (52); 14. Shone Fox (51); 15. Brion Kromroy (50); 16. Bryon Smith (46); 17. Joke Johnson (45); 18. Mark Withllm (36); 19. Ollnny Eslick (34); 20. Stephonie Welch (33). their way by Eslick. Mees' third-place finish was enough to lock up the series title. "It feels great," Mees said_ "It's something we've worked for since early in the year. We missed the first race, so at the start of the year we thought we'd just get some points here and there, maybe a win a couple down the road. After Jake [Johnson) and Bryan [Smith] had that accident, we really started knocking them out. Then we were just going for it. I knew coming in here that I had a chance to clinch the championship. I wanted to win the main, but you can't win 'em all. This became my goal for this year and I reached it, just like last year it was the Horizon Award, and I reached that too. I don't have a goal for next year yet, but I'll set one. I know I will." Danny Eslick held on to fourth over Scott Scherb, A.J. Eslick, Merle Scherb, Josh Toungett, Brian Thomas and John Faulkner III. CN PERFORMANCE NATIONAL In the Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance class, Lima HarleyDavidson/Las Vegas Harley-Davidson's Jess Roeder won the battle, but Moroney's Harley-Davidson/Michael's Harley-Davidson's Jared Mees won the war. While Roeder was running away with the main, series points leader Mees was buried in 11 tho Coziahr Harley-Davidson's James Hart and Doc's Harley-Davidson's Brian Thomas were running second and third until Danny Eslick blasted into second on his Carl Patrick-built Sportster. Mees was moving up, and on the last lap both Hart and Mees wedged Mees started the 12-lap main event In 11 th place, but put together a strong charge to finish third at Vernon. cue' _ n _ _ S • SEPTEMBER 18, 2002 25

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