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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128340
How They Got. There
Murp hree sa id. " I just want to finish ou t
the year well. It's good momentum. The
championship is a long ways away, but it 's
also right the re ."
Carr got the holeshot in the 2S-lap
ma in event from the inside of row o ne o n
his Quality Checked Certified Pre-owned
Ford-backed Harley-Davidson . KTM
USNJones
Powersports/Mid-America
Harley-Davidson's Joe Kopp, Moroney's
Cycles' Ja ke Johnson , Murph ree and
Lancaster Harley-Davidson/Saddlemen's
Jared Mees w e nt w it h Carr, the four
pulling a small lead over the rest of the
field. On lap fou r, Mees coasted to a stop
just as Murphree started his push to the
fron t.
" I was sort of hot and cold, it seemed
like , all day today," Murphree sa id.
" N o thing was really going that well. It was
going okay on the track, but it was fru s-
trating beca use we weren't up fron t .
" I got o ff the line in the m ain event and
those guy s in front of me weren't going
anywhere," Murphree continued. "C hris
was holding Joe up , and Joe was coming
my way. I tho ugh t , 'This is cool.' They
were shutting o ff early - even better. I
could get by them go ing into the corner."
Us ing the very bottom of the racetrack, Murph ree kn ifed his way to the
fro nt .
" It's something I've been working on
all year, passing underneath on the
entrance to the tu rn s ," he said . " I
don't normally like to get d own there
and move anybody o ut of the way. I
d idn't really have to today; I had
plenty o f room ."
Carr led fo r n ine la ps u ntil he
slipped off the groove , and Kopp and
Murp hree p o u n c ed .
(Left to right) Carr, Kopp, Johnson
and Murphree quickly split from the
field to make for a four-rider battle
for the lead •
Charlie ltalia, Geo Roe de r and Jethro Halbert led the first heat into tum one, with
Roeder leading at the e nd of lap one. Fast qualifier Jared Mees was buried in fifth when he
slipped off the groove and was slammed to the ground in turn tw o. After some hasty
repairs, Mees made the restart from the penalty line . Halbert repeated his great start, leading ltalia and Roeder. Roeder quickly made his way to the fro nt as Mees and Bryan Smith
wo rked lo rwa rd. Smith missed the groove midway through and dropped well back, but
Mees was on a mission and sto nmed fro m the penalty line to win the first heat, over Roeder and F&S Harley-Davidso nlKK Supply's ltalia.
Kenny Coolbeth led the second heat until he slipped th e groove in tum two, handing
the re ins to Jake Johnso n, who pulled we ll clear as Raun Wood pushed his Scott PowersportslF&S Harley into second. Cool beth was able to recover and take second, and all
three were headed to the main.
The third heat saw Chris Carr and Bryan Bigelow pull clear of the battle over the last
transfer position among Mike Hacke r, Shaun Russell and Paul Lynch. They would finish in
that order.
The last heat was the fastest of the day. Joe Kopp led it wire to wire, with Kevin Atherton second and Jo hnny Murphree th ird for most of the race . Murphree passed Atherton
for second in the closing laps. Kopp's fast time would allow Murphree a front-row start in
the main.
J.R. Schnabel ran away with the first semi , as Paul Lynch and Bryan Smith battled ove r
the last trans fer. Smith held the spo t, with Lynch all over him. Ro b Pearso n closed late in
the race to make it a th ree-way battle, but Smith preva iled.
The seco nd se mi was a small factory war, as Kevin Varnes took the early lead on his factory-backed Suzuki, with factory Harley rider Rich King, Chr is Hart and Willie McCoy chasing him. King took the lead but could not shake Varnes. Just when it looked like Varnes
wou ld make his third straight main, it all came apart, lite rally. Co ming across the line fo r the
wh ite flag, Varnes' rear tire exploded , and he somehow limped to the tum-two hay bales.
Hart was able to hold off McCoy to get into the main.
The last semi belonged to Shaun Russell, as he left Henry Wiles (last week's winner),
Jess Roeder, Ken Yoder, Jeth ro Halbert and Sam Lowe all shooting fo r the last seat in the
main. Fresh off his Peoria TT win, Mack Daddy RacinglM&KRacing's Wiles was able to
qualifyfor his first "big bike" National.
H EAT I <10 laps: 9 riden. top 1 transfer) : I. Jared Mees (H-D); 2. Gee Roeder (H-D); 3. C harlie ltalia (H -D);
... Je.. Roode, (H· D): 5. RKh lOng (H-D): 6. B'Y"" Smith (H-D): 7. Jelho-oH,lbert (H-D): B. Domin k Beaulac (H. D): 9.
Mike Meyer (H- D).
Tfme: <4 min ., 20.899 sec.
H EAT 1 <10 laps; 9 r id e rs , to p 1 transfer) : I. Jake Johnson (H-D); 2. Kenny Coolbeth (H-D); J . Raun
Wood (H-D): -t. Willie McCo y (H-D); S. Cory McDe rm itt (H ·O) ; 6. Merle Sche rb (Bue ); 7. Tim Eades (H·D); 8.
Ch ris Boone (HoO): 9 . John Faulkner III (SUI) .
T ime : ... min., 15. 128 sec .
HEAT 3 ( 10 laps; 10 riders . t op 3 transfer): I. Ch ris Carr (H oD); 2. Bryan Bigelo w (H-D); 3. Mike Hacker
(HoD); .... Shaun Russell (H- D); 5. Paul l ynch (HoD); 6. C hris Han (H-D); 7. Ken Yoder (H-D); 8 . Josh Toungen
(H-D); 9. Bret Sowders (H- D); 10. Brian Thomas (H- D).
T ime : 4 mm., 16.08 1 sec .
HEAT 4 (1 0 lap<' 10 riden, 'OP 1 'ramIe,), I. Joe Kopp (H·D): 2. Johnny Mu