Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128315
AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Se r ies e m p his Shades/Parts Unlimited Yamaha's j.R. Schnabel may have a tough t ime deciding which in his current tally of career w ins is the bigger, the Peoria TT or the Daytona Short Track . Then again, the 24-year-old has the rare luxury of be ing one of only two active riders who can lay claim to two of the AMA Progress ive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Series' crown jewel events. Perhaps it was only fitting, then, that after facing off against and defeating the other man in that boat , reigning series champion Chris Carr, in one of the most M entertaining heat races in Daytona history, Schnabel fulfilled his promise by going on to earn his fourth career AMA Grand National victory in dom inating fashion during the 2S-lap main event. Schnabel was only third best off the line, com ing from the third spot on the gr id to follow 2003 series runner-up johnny Murphree and the previous night's Daytona Hot Shoe winner, Bryan Smith, through turn one . After struggling in attempt to use the low line in the first two laps, Schnabel took a chance by running his Babe Demay -tuned, YZ4S0F-based flat-tracker up high in turns one and two, copying the line that Smith had used to success the night before. Like Smith, Schnabel immediately went forward, passing Murphree, who had yielded to Smith by lap two, and then putting away Smith with a high, wide and handsome move around the outside of the Michigander on lap four. Schnabel was never headed from there, as he moved out to a straightaway-length advantage before the checkered flag fell. The Daytona Short Track was his. Add thisone to his first career win at the Houston Half Mile in 200 I, and his wins at the Peoria TT and the Springfield Short Track last season , and it's obvious that while he may not have collected a lot of marbles in the (Above ) Sho un Russell (28 1, J.R. Schnabel (3 3), Bryan Smith (42) a nd Jo hnny Murphree (20) lead the pack at the d ro p of the green flag. (Left) Schnabel won his heat race earlier in the evening and the n went on to win the main, the fo urth AMA Grand Nationa l victory of his career. (Right) Murphree (20 ) a nd Smit h (4 2) battled in the main with Smith eventually getting the best of Murph ree for second; Murphee finished third . 32 MARCH 17,2004 • CYC LE N EWS 40th Ann iv er sary dirt track game, he certainly has collected some of the shinier o nes. "jeez, if I win the Springfield Mile, I may just have to hang up my leathers right there," an elated Schnabel said. "Early in the main event, I wasn't getting anywhere, so I just took a chance and ran it in there up high one lap, and I just got an awesome drive. After that, I knew that was where I needed to be . Babe Demay had our Yamaha working so well. It was so fast. I'm really happy to start my season off like this. This is Daytona. Everyone dreams about winning here. "We have won a lot of little bike races , and this is whe re we have to be strong if we want to make a run at the championship," Schnabel continued. "I have to win these and be co nsiste nt on the big bike. Whe n we go to the miles, there are other guys on to p of the list, and if I w in, the n it's an upset. But w hen we come here, this is w here I need to shine." Smith wasn't too shabby in his own right at Daytona eit her. The 2003 Formula USA National Dirt Track Series Champion was a king without a kingdom after Clear Channel Entertainment Motor Sports canceled its national series , but the 20-year-old Michigander appeared to be unfazed at the AMAseason opener, backing up his Daytona Hot Shoe Short Track win with a runner-up finish in the big one . Smith actu ally led laps three through six, estab lishing himself on the high line as he went around early leader Murphree . But then Schnabel went around Smith, who put up a little fight before settling in and clicking off the laps to the finish. "That was really fun," Smith said. "I wish that I could have hung with j.R. up in the cushion. Man, he was ripping around the re so good . Last night I was passing everybody around the outside, and then he passed me around the outside . The