Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

(Leftl Carr went to work immediately, cutting under Murphree (20) and Schnabel (33) before catching Atherton. Murphree also passed Schnabel, and later Atherton, to finish second, Schnabel slipped to 10th. (Below) KTM two-step: Coolbeth (31) and Joe Kopp (3) diced in the main event, the factory KTM riders finishing fourth and fifth respec1ively. came to KC Raceway's first motorcycle National event. When the dust settled, it was a familiar story. Defending series champion Chris Carr dominated the race on his Quality Checked Certified Pre-owned Fordbacked Rotax. "The Rotax was good out of the truck; it was dialed in, and we just went out and did circles," Carr said. "Once I got out front, the big thing was to not break traction. Three and just in front of Carr, who wasted no time carving his way to the front. "We didn't get a great start, but I was able to get to the front pretty quickly," Carr said. Carr started to cruise while Atherton came under siege from Coziahr Harley-Davidson's Johnny Murphree. "Murphree probably would have given me a real good run if he could have got to the front quicker," Carr said. "With Kevin (Atherton) running BRIEFLY••• Just five races into the 18-race season. Chris Carr already has an l8-point lead over Johnny Murphree. -I'm trying to make it (points race) a runaway," Carr said. "A lot of people were encouraged by my dismal race on the last week. but we've been testing all year for the short tracks. half-miles and miles. and it's shown. I have two wins and a second on the three short n tracks. We're doing what we need to do to win championships." Johnny Murphree was a solid second but fell short of his expectations. "When I saw five to go. I knew I wasn't making up any time, and I started hearing 'noises"- Murphree said. 'I didn't want to take any chances on grenading it while I was nunning second. It was a good nun. but I've got to beat that number one guy. You can't win championships finishing second. We were good enough today to win. We have to take advantage of that. Jay Springsteen's day came to a scary end in the last semi. "The engine let go at the end of the straightaway - I still had it wide open, and it just let go." Springsteen said. "I went for a ride from hell there. I had never looked over the edge to see what was down there. I went over one edge, then there was a deeper edge and then it went down farther and right up to a chainlink fence. I went right to the fence before I stopped. It was a hell of a ride. Springer would have been in the main... Young Shawn Baer was on cloud nine after his best day ever at the national level. 'I was hoping and dreaming for this. but I never thought it would happen so soon, - Baer said. "Something let go in the engine late in the race. I think we broke a rocker arm. It started slowing down right after Coolbeth got by me. It got real loud, and then everybody was pulling me off the comers. It was fnustrating . you get up to fourth then start dropping back· but it was a real good start. I hope I can build off this. I've never raced anybody for 25 laps. I've ridden more than that but never raced that many. I didn't feel tired. I felt I couid go the full 25, but my bike didn·t. It was a lot of fun; I just hope I can keep making mains. " KC Raceway. one of the new racetracks on the AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championships schedule. drew a lot of favorable reviews. "ThiS is a nice facility. - Rich King said. 'Obviously they had trouble keeping moisture in the track. but it's a day race. We were chasing the moisture up and up. It started to make me nervous, and we were running out of race- track. I thought it would come more to the bottom. but it never did." Kenny Coolbeth offered: "It was a good race. The track would be awesome at night." J.R. Schnabel was one of two riders on a stock frame, Jake Johnson the other. "Once it dried out. the flat trackers took over." Schnabel said. "We had one Sitting in the trailer, but I didn't even take it out in practice. There were some things that were a little better on the moto bike. and we went with that. It worked all day except for the last 15 laps of the main event. We're starting to get things going. Last week we were going good. and I fell down. We've just got to build on this and go forward. A lot of guys went to their frame bike. but we were going good. Even our times in the main were pretty qUick. just not quick enough. " four were really slippery. I just tried to roll through there and keep the thing from slipping. Rode easy, went slow to go fast; some days you have to ride like that." National Cycle's Kevin Atherton led the first of 25 laps on his new Yamaha, while J.R. Schnabel had his Memphis Shades-backed Yamaha second, they went after it for a while, and I was able to stretch the lead." As the track dried and got slipperier, Atherton lost his advantage. "The scooter just worked better when it was a little wet," Two of the series regular riders were missing this week, for far different reasons. Terry Poovey skipped this race for his daughter's high schooi graduation. On a far sadder note. Gary Rogers was unable to race after his mechanic, Garry Baehler, was involved in a serious traf· fic accident while driving the team's hauler to the races. Tragically. the accident claimed the life of Baehler's 15·year·old son, Cole (see In The Wind). Atherton said. "A fast tacky racetrack is a lot easier for me to ride; I think it's more cue I ... n e _ S • JUNE 1 1. 2003 29

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