Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

F ormula USA K&N F ilt e r s Pro S e r ie s R o u n d 7 : Cal E xp o State F a irg r o und s Su perTrapp / Moro ney 's Mik e Ha cker th ro u g h t he traffic, I j u st pull ed a w ay ." was secon d. Custom Chrome/Ki e so w Sn y d e r h a d a p pea re d t ent at iv e Racing ' s G ary Ro g ers was th ir d . earl i e r i n th e n ig ht, f e elin g h e r w ay Cal ExpoState Fairgrounds Sacramento, Califomia Resu lts: September 13, 2003 [Round 71 through th e heats a n d se mis . She just mi s s ed ma k in g th e t r an sfer t o t h e Nat ional b y o ne spot in e a ch of th e m , Pro Singles HEAT 1 (8 laps; 16 ride rs , top 4 transfe r): 1. Bryan Smi th (Han ): 2. Logan Mye rs (Hon ); 3. Dan Stan ley (Han); 4. Jake J ohnson (Hon ); 5. J enn ifer Snyder (H· D); 6. Matt Wait (Yam) ; 7. Jimmy Wood (Hon ); 8 . Ky le Ragsda le (Hon) ; 9 . Sco oter Vernon (Hon); 10. Jimmy Abrams (Hon); 11. Mark Wiliams ( Yam ); 12. Kev in Bri cke r ( Hon) ; 13 , Elliott Davi s (Hon); 14. Ton y Souza (Hon); 15. Matt McCoy (Han ); 16. Brandon Laursen (Hon) Time : 5 min .. 20.255 sec. HEAT 2 (8 lap s; 16 rider s, t op 4 tr ansfer) : I. Terry Poove y (Hon); 2. Dave Durelle (Hon) ; 3. Nick Cummings (Hon); 4 . Shaun Russell (KTM ); 5. Kenny Cool beth (KTM ): 6 . Jared Mees ( Hon) ; 7 . Brett Pank ey ( Hon); 8 . R.J . Ov erho lt ( Yam); 9 . J usti n but a lt hough it ma y hav e b een t o o litt le too l a t e to get her a b erth in th e m a i n eve nt , she was clea rl y up t o speed in the Si lver Cup . " I w a s j u s t g etting behind o n m y starts all night." Snyder sa id . " O nce I got going, I could just work m y w ay through th e guy s and pull awa y . I b etter make th e Nationa l next tim e ." of how easy they are to ride. We 're looking forward to getting them on a big mile track and see whal we've got. - Vames and Suzuki were good enough for third in the twins main event. BRIEFLY. •• Beaver Dam race winner Rob P e a r s o n had his Sacramento wee kend get off to a bummer start the night be fo re the Mi le when his team's Ford Dually lost both its right rear tires at once on Californi a State Route 99 just outs ide of Fresno . " Yeah, I guess when we had the tires changed , they forgot to tighten the lug nu ts o r so methi ng," Pearson said . " We were st uc k for about 3 1/2 hours, and then we got it fixed enough to make it to Sacramento." Despite watching tha competition eat into his series points lead aver the last couple of rounds, Bryan S m it h came into Sacramento With high hopes for his first career National Championship, and he vowed to remain on the offensive. " I'm going to win tonight." Smith said. " Sacramento and the Del Mar Mi le are two of my favorite tracks, so I don't win them, then I won't be happy. Del Mar Short Track is another sto ry. There I'll be just looking to get as many points as I can." Smith said that winning the Formula USA National Dirt Track title would be a big boost for him and his team. "I think that in the long run this will be really important to our sponsors. " Rob Pearson and former AM A Rookie of the Year .Jake .Joh n son were just a couple of the fast young guns making their first appearance at the Sacramento Mile. " I've never been here, but I think that we're going to have a real strong bike, and the track is looking pretty good," Pearson said. Joh nso n said that he was looking forward to riding the track, which he said reminds him of Del Mar. "Well , the surface is a litt le bet ter, but the scenery, like the palm trees. kind of reminds me of Del Mar," Johnson said. "I' m looking forward to it. I love coming to California to race." Regardle ss of Smit h's plight. it' s a pretty safe bet that two -time Formula USA National Dirt Track Champion Terry Poovey will be handing off the number one plate at the end of the year. W hile he wasn' t thrilled to be giving up the title , the Texan, who is just a few days shy of his 45t h birthday, is taking the situation in stride. " Hey , if wanted to win the championship then I shouldn't have walked away from that first race," Poovey said. "Anything can happen still, but I'm just looki ng forward to tonight. I'm going to be going for it. that' s for sure." Despite vis iting Sacramento several times during his illustrious career , Kevin Atherton had yet to post a win at the trac k coming into tonig ht's racing . Atherton , who has won several other marquee miles, such as Springf ield, Indy and Del Mar, was hopeful that he could notch Sacramento on his victory holster. " I've finished second here, thrrd here ... I led the thing last year and then ran out of gas on the 23rd lap," At herton said. -Wi nning it would be nice for a change." Atherton failed to make the National when his Yamaha broke during the seco nd semi. .Jared M ee s scored a big win the night before the Sacramento Mile when he and tuner Johnny Goad breezed into Lodi Cycl e Bowl and made off with the Expert class main event win, which was good enough for just over $3000. "It was fun," Mees said. "The track was excellent. really smooth, and the local guys there are really fast. The promo ters did a really good job . I had a great time, and we picked up a little extra cash." An announcement that this could be the last Sac ramento M ile was certainly not well received among the riders and fans of the long·running event. Clear Channel Moto r Sport s is currently without a contract for next 'y ear as Cal Expo officials consider the decision to move to a year-round horse racing schedule, which would drop the motorcycles from the schedule. There was a petition drive going on at the race to keep the legendary mile on the schedule. Speaking of .Jared Mees. the Pennsylvanian has seen his stock rise consist ently since he joined up With Johnny Goad, and he offered high praise for Goad, the man who won the 1993 AMA Grand National title with the late Ricky Graham. "Johnny. that guy is a piece of work, let me tell ya." Mees joked within earsho t of Goad. " No, really. he's a great guy, and I'm really glad I made the move . He's teaching me a lot. Even if we don't make the final every wee kend, I learn. someth ing on the big bikes or something on the small bikes as far as setup goes. It' s a real pleasure to be wo rking with Johnny Goad." " Definitely, I'll miss this place," Bryan Smith said after leaming this could be the finai Sacramento M ile. " Every year that I've raced here for the past four years, I have finished in the top three. I've wo n it tw ice. It' s one of my favorite tracks." The C orbin Suzuki team made an appearance at Del Mar, but only to race .in the M emphis Shades Twins Challenge aboard its factory 1OOOcc twins. "We had to drop off a bike at the Suzuki dealer show in Las Vegas anyway, " team rider Kevin Va rnes joked. "N ah, we're really looking forward to the twins race. W e have our new DL [\I·Strom] motors in the chassis , and this will be our first time on the mile with them. W e've run them on the half miles, and they seem to be an improvement over the TL in terms 14 S EPTEM BER 24 , 2003· c: U c: eN I e Fili c e ( Ha n); 10 . Gary Roger s ( He n) : I I . L arry Pegram (KTM) ; 12. T im Eades (Han ); 13. Christia n Vemo n (Hon); 14. Nick Moore (Hon); 15. Dan Adki ns (Hon); 16. J esse Sanchez (Yam ). Ti me : 5 min ., 23. 081 sec. HEAT 3 (8 lap s; 16 ri ders, to p 4 tr ansf er) : 1. Willie McCoy (Hon); 2, Merle Scherb (Han) ; 3, Rob Pearso n (Han); 4 . J .R. Schnabel (Ya m) ; 5. Kevin Athe rton (Yam) ; 6. J ohn Raun Wood (Hon) ; 7. Paul Bergstrom (Hon) ; 8 . Joe Kopp ( KTM): 9. Nichole Cheze (Han); 10 . Je thro Hal bert (Hon ); 11, Kenn y Cerlotte (Hon) ; 12. Mi ke Heck er (Hon ); 13. Casey Yarrow (Hon) ; 14 . Ja ime Aguilllr ( v ern ): 15. Rick Pearce (Hon); 16. Rich King (H-D ). Time: 5 m in., 28.524 sec. SEMI I (8 laps: 18 rider s, top 3 tra nsfer ) : I. Joe Kopp (KTM): 2. Matt Wait (yam) ; 3. Jared Mees (Hon): 4, Jennifer Snyder (H-D); 5. Scooter Vemen (Han); 6. Gary Rogers (Hon) ; 7. Brett Pank ey (Hon) ; 8. Larry Pegram ( KTM); 9 . Paul Berg str om ( Hon); 10. Mike Hacker (Hen ); II. Kenny Carlotta (Hen) ; 12. Tony Souza (Hoo); 13. Nick Moore (Hoo); 14. Rick Pearce (Hon): 15. Elliott Davis (Hen ): 16. Jimmy Abrams (Hon); 17. Dan Adkins (Hoo); 18. Brandon Laursen (Hon). Tim e: 5 min .. 28 .11 7 sec. SEMI 2 (8 lap s; 18 ri ders. top 3 tran sfer): 1. n .J.R. Schnabel said that he had mixed emotions about this Sacramento M ile poss.oly being the last one. " I think if it was a short track, I'd be really bummed, but for me I need to see us get rid of as many miles as poss ible," Schnabel said. "Seriously though, any time that we lose another track, that's a bad deal. These Califomia fans have to wait all year to see us. and we love to come in here e vv s Kenny Coolbeth (KTM ): 2. Rich King (H· D); 3. Joh n Raun Wood (Hon); 4 . Jimmy Wood (Hon ); 5. Ky le Ragsdale (Hon ); 6 . R.J . Ov erholt (Yam ); 7. J ustin F ilice ( Ho n ) ; 8 . Nich ol e C he ze ( Ho n ); 9 . Ca s e y Yarr ow (Hon ); 10. Ma rc Wili am s (Yam) : 11. Kevin Br icker (Hon ); 12. J aim e Ag uilar (Yam); 13. Je sse Sanchez (Yam); 14 . Kevin A therton (Yam ); 15 . Tim Eades (Hon ); 16. Ma tt McC oy (Hon); 17. Christi an Vern on (H on ) ; 18. J ethro Hal bert ( Hon ) . Time: 5 min .• 23.974 sec . SILVER CUP (8 laps: 18 riders): 1. Jenn ifer Snyder (H· D); 2. Mike Hacker (Hon); 3. Gary Rogers (Hon); 4. Kyle Ragsdale (Hon): 5. Brett Pankey (Hon); 6. Jimmy Wood (Hon) ; 7. Larry Peqram (KTM): 8. Justin Filice (Hon) : 9 . Nlc hole Cheza (Hon); 10. Kenny Cerrone (Hon) ; 11. Paul Bergstrom (Hen): 12. R.J . Ov erho lt (Ya m ) ; 13 . !'-\ark Williams ( KT M) ; 14 . Casey Yarrow (Hon) ; 15. Tony Souza (Hon): 16. Scooter Vemen (Hon):. 17. Ja ime Aguilar (Han) ; 18. Kevin Bricker (Han). Time: 5 m in.• 27 .588 sec. NATIONAL (20 laps; 18 ride rs) : 1. Bry an Smith (Hon ): 2. Terry Poovey (Hon) : 3. Dave Durelle (Hon); 4 . Dan Sta n ley ( Hon ) ; 5 . Willie McCoy ( Hon ); 6. Logan Myers (Han); 7. Nicholas Cummings (Hon ); 8 . Kenny Coolbeth (KTM) ; 9. Joe Kopp (KTM) ; 10. Jake Jo hnson (Hon) ; 11. Mer le Sche rb (Han) ; 12. Sheun' Russell (KT M ) ; 13 . J .R. Schnabe l (Yam ) ; 14 . Matt Wait (Yam) ; 15. Ja red Mees (Hon); 16. Raun Wood (Hon) ; 17. Rob Pearson (Hon); 18. Rich King (H-D) . Tim e: 13 mi n.• 02.33 9 sec. FORMULA USA K&N PRO S ERIES POINT S STA NDI NGS (A fte r 7 of 9 roun ds) : 1. Bry an Sm ith , (256 / 2 win s); 2. Terry Poovey (15 6/1 win ); 3. Dave' Durelle (152/1 win); 4. Willie McCoy (144); 5. Nicholes Cumm ings ( 126) ; 6. Kenny CooJbe (122/1 win); 7.. th (TIE) Rob Pearso ( 120/1 win)!Dan Stanley ( 120); g. J.R. n Schnabel ( 102); 10. Joe Kopp (92) ; 1 1. Logan Myers (90); 12. (TIE) Jethro Halbert (88 )/Jared Mees (88 ): 14., Kyle Ragsdale (84); 15. Rich King (78); 16. Greg Teague (62) ; 17. Merle Scherb (56); 18. Jake Johnson (48); 19. .John Hiebo III (46); 20. Henry Wiles (44) . Mem phis Shades Twin s Challenge MAIN ( 16 lap s; 12 ri der s) : I. Kenny Coolbeth (H-D) ; 2, Joe Kapp (H-D ); 3 , Kevin v emes (Sua): 4. Gee Roeder II (H· D): 5. Jake J ohnson (H-D); 6. Mike Hac ker (H-D); 7. Willie McCoy (H-D ); 8. Rich King (H· D); g. Larry Pegram (A pr); 10. Jared Mees (H· D); II. J .R. Schnabel (H· D): 12. A .J . Eslick (Suz). Time : 10 min .• 9.532 sec. Upcom ing Roun ds Round 8 - Del Mar, Cal iforn ia, October 4 Round 9 - Del Mar, California , Octob er 5 and put on a good show for them. so to have this race go away is really bad for them, and that' s the part I hate about it. I'm really going to miss Sacramento, " .Joe Kopp said, though he remained optim istic . "It's a great track, and it's a W est Coast deal. But I signed the petition, so they'r e going to keep it around." Reigning Formula USA Grand National C hampion M a tt Wait was on hand to race Sacramento, buoyed by his recent double win in the Formul a USA Nat ional Road Race Series at Summit Point. West Virgin ia. Wa it was loo king for good things at Sacramento . " I think we' ll do we ll," Wait said. "We have been working really hard to get our Yarnahas up to speed. The Hond as are going we ll, so it's a challenge, but this is my home track , and I like it a lot. W e just have to get the suspension and the gearing right. and then I think I'll be able to handle it from there." Aft er alrea dy sca ling back his rac e dates this season , Geo Roeder II said that he was unsure how many events he woul d be making in 2004 . " I haven 't rea lly made up my mind , " the Oh ioan said . " I already cut back t his year with th e little bike stu ff, but I don 't know how much big stuff I'm going to do next year. I think the main t hing is just getting with our sponsors and seei ng how they feel. If we can put it together to do the same thing that we did this :tear, then we 'll do it. W e'll make up our minds after Del Mar. Roeder' s tuner, S k i p Eaken, echoed those sentiments. Should Roeder scale back further, then there are certain ly several riders waiting in the wings to tearr. up with Eaken, including Washington rider Dan Stanley. who has wo rked with Eaken in the past . O f cours e. that wou ld all depend on the financing as we ll. One thing was for sure, acco rding ·to Eaken: "I 'm too old to have two riders on my t eam." While his Harley teammate, Jenn ifer Snyder, experienced a measure of renewed glory after her Silver Cup win , Ri c h K ing had a rather forg ettable night at Sacramento. King was leading his heat race when his factory 500R let go on the last lap. He then came from last to sec ond to tra nsfer to the main even t t hrough his semi, only to have another problem in the main event. His factory XR750 didn 't fare much bett er, as he finished a di sappo inting eighth in that main in the Memphis Shades Twins Challenge. " It's just little mechanical stuff ," King said. "We brok e everythi ng we rode. Every once in a whil e you'll have a night like that. In the tw ins race I had a problem shifting it into third gear. I don't know if it was me or the bike or what, but I couldn' t get it to shift, and then I knocked a fuel line off, maybe when I was trying to get into gear. By the time I got everything figured out. I was half a stra ightaway behind them. The Blast had a littl e mechanical deal, but it was a lot of fun to ride, and it was fast. We 'll get it wo rked, and it will come around."

• Cover