AMA Progressive Insura nce Flat Tra ck Championship
hris Carr had been here before . Just like
at the 2003 Peoria TT, the reigning AMA
Progressive Insurance Flat Track Champion was winding down the last lap at
the Springfield Short Track, appearing set
to land his fifth AMA Progressive title of the season.
Victory seemed all but assured as Carr too k t he white
flag and blasted into tum one.
But just like at Peoria '03. Memphis Shades/Parts
Unlimited Y
amaha's J.R. Schnabel had other ideas, and
just like that time, Schnabel came from behind on the
last lap to pick Carr's pocket and run off with his own
sixth career AMA Flat Track victory, his third of the
year, and claim his first defense of an event title that he
had earned the pre vious year.
The hard -riding 25-year-old Wisconsinite rode the
wheels off his motorcycle to pull off a stunning last-lap
pass on the reigning AMA Progressive Insurance U.S.
Flat Track Champion for a tremendously popular win in
fro nt of packed grandstands at the Illinois State
Fairgrounds Rodeo Arena. After Schnabel beat Carr by
less than half a wheel, you'd have tho ught the fans were
going to tea r the place down . Schnabel was clearly
stunned by the roar as he took off on his victory lap.
"Hearing those fans like that is what you live for,"
Schnabel said. "Y want to represent your sponsors
ou
we ll, but when you put on a good race and ride your
heart out like that , and they stand in the stands a couple extra minutes and chee r for you, that's what it's all
about.
Schnabel figured into the lead battie early co ming
from one spot to the right of po lesitter Carr to challenge Peoria TT winner Henry Wiles for the lead in the
first tum before yielding to both Wiles and a ve ry much
on-form Carr thre e laps into the race. Schnabel kept his
cool early, then retook the second spot from Wiles five
laps after Car r passed the Mack Daddy Racing Honda
rider for the lead on lap six. For the next four, Schnabel
and his Babe Demay-tuned Yamaha yz450F-based 505
C
II
J.R.
SCHNABEL
DEFENDS HIS
SPRINGFIELD ST
TITLE IN
THRILLING
FASHION
By ScOTT ROUSSfAU
PHOTOS By DAVE HOENIG!FIATTRAKFOTOS.COM
