Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

OR, HOW TO MAKE FOR A LONG DAY King celebrates his victory, the 16th Grand National win of his career and his fourth on a mile track. what I did, and that's what I think got field podium as a privateer five years me the win." ago. "It's feels no different," King said. "Winning is winning. But that day that Coolbeth managed to draft past Russell and hang on for a rather quiet fourth. "I wanted to stay up front the whole race, but it didn't work that way," Cool beth said. "I got a pretty good start on the first start. Rich must have missed a shift or something, because I nearly rear-ended him. It went okay. It seems like I every time I got around somebody, they would come back around me again. The track kept coming to me all day, and my bike ran good. I was actually kind of surprised that we ended up as good as we did, though. I got Shaun, and I tried to draft Jay, but he tricked me with one of his old man moves. We salvaged one today. It was a pretty hectic day." But it was a day that belonged to King, who last stood atop the Spring- Danny Eslick 169G) eked out a victory over Bryan Smith 142) in the 883 NatIonal at Springfield. I won it here as a privateer, I remember that we busted just about everything we had with us that day. We broke frames and swingarms and oil tanks and gas tanks. That was a pretty big day, too." BBa NATIONAL Three of dirt track's young up-andcomers showed no fear in the 12-lap Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance final, which was run in failing light conditions on the Springfield Mile. In the end, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma's Danny Eslick eked out the win with a ballsy move between former series champion Bryan Smith and the retaining wall as the two rumbled up the front straightaway on the last lap. Eslick and two AMA Horizon Award winners, in the form of Smith and fellow Michigander Cory McDermitt, blasted off the line along with Texas rider Scott Scherb, the four rid- The rain that swept into the Springfield area did more than just delay the TT race scheduled for Saturday night, it also delayed the Springfield Mile. The track was moistened, to be sure, but the biggest problem was that it was in danger of being tom up by not the motorcycles, but rather the transporters. The 40-foot behemoths that are becoming de rigeur on the AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track circuit had to wait until after 1 p.m. to be brought in across the racing surface, which did not dry sufficiently until then. Of course, the delay set off a chain reaction that would result in the 505cc Support program being called three laps into main event on account of darkness. To make up time, AMA officials scrapped the GNC scratch qualifying and ran six 10lap regular heats with an additional four semis, transferring the top two in each to make for a 20-man final. Joe Kopp won the fust heat race after dicing with Bryan Bigelow and J.R. Schnabel off the start. Kopp had a 20-length lead by the completion of lap two. Bigelow pulled clear of Schnabel, who was clearly off the pace, to finish a distant second. Then came King, who battled with Kenny Coolbeth and Team Suzuki's A.J. Eslick. Hinting at things to come later in the day, Eslick looked fast aboard his TLJ 000, but the machine dropped to one cylinder, denying the Oklahoman a chance at a direct transfer. King won the heat, with Coolbeth second. Nobody else was even close. Carr appeared to be having an easy time in the third heat right up until a motivated Gary Rogers snuck up on Carr and caught him napping with a draft pass for the lead at the stripe on lap nine. Carr regrouped and took the win, earning the pole for the main event with a time of 5 minutes, 48.800 seconds - nearly eight seconds faster than King's heat time. Jay Springsteen, Terry Poovey and Johnny Murphree were the last men standing in a heat-four battle that included Paul Lynch and Chris Hart early. Springer took the win, with Murphree bumping Poovey into the semis. Kevin Atherton stormed to the win in heat five, with fellow Michigander Bryan Smith trailing by 10 lengths at the finish. Willie McCoy and Moroney's teammates Mike Hacker and Jake Johnson had the best dice in heat six, with all three taking turns at the front. Johnson led it down the back straight on the last lap, with Hacker passing him and McCoy double-drafting past both to lead it off four. McCoy held on for the win, with Hacker second. Shaun Russell and Steve Beattie went one-two in the first semi, while Varnes took an easy win aboard his vastly improved factory Suzuki in the second semi. Charlie Italia was credited with second place in a photo finish with Geo Roeder II that took several minutes to review. Chris Hart outran Ken Yoder in the third semi, with Yoder becoming the second Suzuki man ever to make a mile. Johnson redeemed himself by winning the last semi, with Poovey second. ers quickly outpacing the rest of the field. The veteran Scherb did his best to hang with the three teens but lost the lead draft and rode to a lonely fourth-place finish. Smith, McDermitt and Eslick traded the lead all around the track, but Smith controlled the run up the front straightaway for most of the race. McDermitt dropped back on the last lap after catching a hole with his left foot, leaving Smith and Eslick to battle for the win. Eslick drifted as wide as he could off turn four and somehow managed to slip past Smith's right elbow to steal the win at the line. So how did Eslick know that he had enough room to make the bold maneuver? "I didn't," Eslick said. "I just went for it. Heck, I didn't even know that I was going to be racing until today. I had to borrow all my brother A.J.' S riding gear just so that I could race." CN IIIiHis StMe Fsll'Il'llllnds Springfisfd, IIlinsis llesalls: Msy 25, 2003 [Rand 3 of III HEAT 1 (10 laps; 7 riders. top 2 transfer): 1. Joe Kopp (H·D); 2. Brylln Bigelow (H-D); 3. Geo Roeder II (H-D); 4. J.R. Schnobel (H-D); 5. Jeff Landrum (H-D); 6. Cory McDermitt (H-D); 7. Timmy Mitchell (H-D). Time: 5 min., 55.195 sec. HEAT 2 (10 laps; 8 riders, top 2 transfer): 1. Rich King (H-D); 2. Kenny Coolbeth (H·D); 3. Aaron Creamer (H-D); 4. John Raun Wood (Hon); 5. Joe Duvall (Suz); 6. A.J. Eslick (Suz); 7. Chris Evans (Bue); 8. Joson Tyer (H-D). Time: 5 min., 56.619 sec. HEAT 3 (10 laps; 8 riders. top 2 transfer): 1. Chris Carr (H·D); 2. Gary Rogers (H·D); 3. Steve Beattie (H·D); 4. Shaun Russell (H-D); 5. Kevin Vllrnes (Suz); 6. Charlie ltalia (H-D); 7. Gllrth Bastian (H-D); 8. Greg Teague (H-D). Time: 5 min., 48.800 sec. HEAT 4 (10 laps; 6 riders, top 2 transfer): 1. Jay Springsteen (H-D): 2. Johnny Murphree (H-D); 3. Terry Poovey (H-D); 4. Paul Lynch (H-D); 5. Chris Hart (H-D); 6. Chris Boone (H·D); 7. Michelle DiSlllvo (H·D); 8. R.J. Overholt (Suz). Time: 5 min.. 51.952 sec. HEAT 5 (10 laps; 8 riders, top 2 transfer): 1. Kevin Atherton (H-D); 2. Bryan Smith (H-D); 3. Rick Winsett (H-D); 4. Ken Yoder (Suz); 5. Nick Williams (Bue); 6. Shawn Clark (H-D); 7. Bob Buffington cue I ... (Su,); 8. Roy Miller (Su,). Time: 5 min.. 49.430 sec. HEAT 6 (10 laps; 8 riders, top 2 transfer): L Willie McCoy (H-D); 2. Mike Hacker (H-D); 3. Jake Johnson (H-D); 4. Time Eades (H-D); 5. Larry Pegram (Apr); 6. Dominic Beaulac (H·D); 7. Tom McGrane (Suz); 8. John Nickens III (H-D). Time: 5 min., 51.828 sec. SEMI 1 (8 laps; 9 riders, top 2 transfer): 1. Shaun Russell (H-D); 2. Steve Beattie (H·D): 3. A.J. Eslick (Suz); 4. J.R. Schnabel (H· D); 5. Jason Tyer (H·D); 6. Jeff Landrum (H·D); 7. Joe Duvall (Su,); 8. Garth Bastian (H-D); g. Greg Teague (H-D). Time: 4 min.. 42.111 sec. SEMI 2 (6 laps; 6 riders. top 2 transfer): 1. Kevin Varnes (Suz); 2. Charlie Itlllill (H·D); 3. Geo Roeder II (H-D); 4. Aaron Creamer (H-D); 5. John Raun Wood (Hon); 6, Timmy Mitchell (H-D); 7. Chris Evans (Bue); 8. Cory McDermitt (H-D). Time: 4 min., 43.188 sec. SEMI 3 (8 laps; 9 riders, top 2 transfer): 1. Chris Hart (H·D); 2. Ken Yoder (Suz); 3. Rick Winsett (H-D); 4. Bob Buffington (Suz); 5. John Nickens III (H-D); 6. Tim Eades (H·D); 7. Larry Pegram (Apr); 8. Roy Miller (Su,); 9, Chris Boone (H·D). Time: 4 min.• 48.837 sec. SEMI 4 (8 laps; 9 riders, top 2 transfer): 1. Jake Johnson (H-D); 2. Terry Poovey (H-D); 3. Paul Lynch (H·D); 4. Dominic Beaulac (H-D); 5. Shawn Clark (H-D); 6. Michelle DiSalvo (H·D); 7. R.J. Overholt (Suz); 8. Tom McGrane (Suz); 9. Nick Williams (Bue). TIme: 4 min., 40.957 sec. GRAND NATIONAL (25 laps; 20 riders); 1. Rich King (H-D); 2. Chris CarT (H-D); 3. Jay Springsteen (H·D); 4. Kenny Cool beth (H·D); 5. Shaun Russell (H-D); 6. Joe Kopp (H-D); 7. Johnny Murphree (H-D); 8. Willie McCoy (H· D); 9. Bryan Bigelow (H-D); 10. Jake Johnson (H-D); 11. Steve Beattie (H-D); 12. Kevin Atherton (H-D); 13. Kevin Varnes (Suz); 14. Ken Yoder (H·D); IS. Chris Hart (H-D); 16. Charlie ItaUa (H-D); 17. Gary Rogers (H-D); 18. Mike Hacker (H-D); 19. Terry Poovey (H-D); 20. Bryon Smith (H·D). Time: No time, due to red flllg. AMA PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE U.S. FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 6 of 18 rounds): 1. Chris Carr (61/1 win); 2. Rich King (47/1 win); 3. Johnny Murphree (45); 4. Joe Kopp (42); 5. JllY Springsteen (32); 6. Shllun Russell (25); 7. Jake Johnson (24); 8. Garth Bastian (23/1 win); 9. Kenny Coolbeth (21): iO. Ken Yoder (20); II. Bryan Bigelow (lg); 12. Brett Landes (14); 13. Mike Hacker (13); 14. (TIE) Richard Winsett/Steve Beattie (10)/Willie McCoy (10)/Terry Poovey (10); 18. (TIE) Donnie Mullen (IO)/John Raun Wood (10): 20. Michael Vames (g). HARI.£Y-DAVIDSON SPORTSTI:R PERFORMANCE NATIONAL (12 laps; 17 riders): I. Danny Eslick; 2. Bryan Smith; 3. Cory McDermitt; 4. Scott Scherb; 5. Merle Scherb; 6. Shawn Baer; 7. Brian Thomas; 8. Scott Stump; 9. Daniel Gedeon; 10. Corby Scherb; 11. John Nickens Ill; 12. Noot Irvin; 13. Brian Kromroy: 14. Stephanie Welch; 15. Robert McClendon; 16. Timmy Mitchell; 17. Robert Lewis. HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORMANCE SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After I of 13 rounds): 1. Dllnny Eslick (23/1 win): 2. Bryan Smith (lg); 3. Cory McDermitt (16); 4. Scott Scherb (IS); 5. Merle Scherb (14); 6. Shawn Saer (13); 7. Brian Thomas (12); 8. Scott Stump (11); 9. Daniel Gedeon (10); 10. Corby Scherb (g). n ... _ S • JUNE 4, 2003 13

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