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AMAIProgressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championships Round 1S: Paul Sattle Arena Reaches By SCOTT ROUSSEAU PHOTOS BY FLAT TRAK FOTOS TUNICA, MS, SEPT. 14 uperTrapp/Moroney's HarleyDavidson-backed Jake Johnson all but guaranteed his status as the next Ricky Graham Rookie of the Year by earning his first-career victory at the !MDNs Ford/FedEx Tunica Short Track at the Paul Battle Arena in Tunica, Mississippi, just south of Memphis, Tennessee. In what turned out to be a typical rough-and-tumble short track on the indoor arena circuit, Johnson got the holeshot and then was shuffled as far back as fourth while the 16-rider pack clicked off ll-second lap times, led by Pro Honda Oils-backed Nicky Hayden. But when Hayden got sideways in turn three and was inadvertently bumped over the high side by Coziahr Harley-Davidson/Country Motors' Johnny Murphree, the red flag came out. Hayden was sent to the rear of the field, Murphree S assumed the lead, and Johnson was back to second. Johnson finally moved up high on Murphree, and then squared the corner and knifed his way under the leader in turns three and four on lap 18, assuming the point and then pulling away to a safe two-length margin for the final seven laps. Johnson's win marked the first by a Grand National rookie since Hayden won the Hagerstown Half Mile in 1999. He became the 12th different winner in 18 rounds of the 2002 season. "It hasn't sunk in yet: a dazed Johnson said after the race. "This is awesome. With three races left, I didn't think that I had a shot at winning one, but if I was going to do it, then it was After three other podium finishes this season, GNe rookie Jake Johnson realized a dream by winning the Fonl/FedEI Tunica Short Track in Mississippi. Johnson became the 12th different winner this season. going to be here because this is the kind of track that we race on back home. I can't believe it. I've been dreaming about this day since I first started racing when I was 5 years old." Credit the battle to Johnson, but the war belonged to Quality Checked Certified Pre-Owned Ford Racing/ David Liles Fuels-backed Chris Carr, who ran competitively in the main event and did what he had to do to clinch the 2002 AMA/Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championship. Carr needed only to finish no more than five places behind Murphree in the main event to lock the door on the Californian in the battle for number one, and a fifth-place run in the final was more than good enough. It marked his time as a back-to-back titlist, and Carr also became only the third rider in AMA history to win four Grand National Championships, joining Carroll Resweber and Scott Parker in that category (though both Resweber and Parker earned theirs successively Parker twice). "I'm glad it's over," Carr said. "Now maybe I can sleep better at night." Johnson 114U) battled early with Nick¥ Hayden (69) and Johnny Murphree (20) while Raun Wood led the race. 8 SEPTEMBER 25, 2002· cue I • n .. _ s