Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Beattie's Back: Canadian racer Steve Beattie rode che Daytona Short Track, marking his first GNC appearance in over a year. Beattie said that he plans a full return to motorcycle racing, although not necessarily a full return to the AMA Flat Track Championship. "Right now, it's all my own equipment, but when Iget home I'm going to be trying to put a deal together with Harley Canada and four separate dealers to support my 200S program," Beattie said. "If I do that, it looks like I will be riding a lot more in Canada. I also have a supermoto program in place with Honda Canada, and anytime I have a free weekend, I'll come and do the AMA Grand Nationals. This is the first year since I was a Junior that I don't intend to do a full AMA season." Bryan Bigelow has a new team with a very demanding boss - Bigelow himself. After parting company with Gardner Racing at the completion of the 2004 season, the Michigander shopped for rides, but he ultimately decided take matters into his own hands. "It's all-new, built by myself, my father and Mike Boughner, with help from Lima Harley-Davidson and Ideal Environmental Engineering," Bigelow said. '",II my motorcycles are built in-house. It's a real privateer deal with a smaller budget than a lot of teams, but after my results this week on the half miles and short tracks. I'm really pleased. This is che first time in a couple years that I have really actually thought we Joh_ (14) .1IppecI under Carr (1) In tum. ~ ncI two 10 Ioke over the IeacIln the main - . . Wi IMft' usl", moIorcydu with . - or unique englne/chassl. _binatlon.. _ do so well aboard his hybrid KTM flat track/motocross machine, which utilizes a stock chassis that is seriously tweaked to replicate flat track frame geometry. Looking at the bike, you'd hardly notice, but it appeared to work quite well. "It probably ran too good," Carr said. "I was watching Jake, and he was able to turn his throttle wide open, and his bike didn't seem to be producing a lot of horsepower, but he was able to charge into the corners and get through the middle better than I was. I was fairly strong at the exits, but for a debut National on this hybrid bike, I'm pleased as punch with the way that the KTM performed." After Johnson got away, Carr had to fight to retain the runner-up spot, as the ever-so-scrappy Wiles came calling on lap I7 and actually stole the second spot away from the champ. The two put on a good show, running side by side often while grinding it out for possession of the spot, until Carr retook it on lap 22. Wiles had to settle for third after losing his brakes. "That was a lot of fun," Wiles said. 'J\nytime you're racing with a guy who has a number one on his bike, you must be doing something right. I got around him out there, and then my brakes started fading. We'll have to look into that. There was nothing there, and I really had to start riding different lines, which really started to fatigue me. I was trying to stay ahead of him, but Chris is a really smart have a shot to win some races. I'm looking forward to getting under way." Bigelow added that he left on good terms with Gardner and that che team did a great job for him, "But if you want it done your way, you have to do it yourself," he said. "Everybody has their idea of what is the right way, but the control thing is big with me, and now I know exactly what I have every week when I load up." Bigelow's old spot at Gardner Racing has been filled by former Jay Springsteen teammate Shaun Russell. "'t's whole new deal, and I have been working really hard to get ready for the season," Russell said. "I still have goals, and I'm going to keep trying to get where I want to be." rider, and he was catching on to what I was doing. He got by me, but I still got on the podium. There's only two better ways I can think of to start off the year. Hopefully we can get better on our big bikes and be in similar position in the points as we are right now at the end of the year." Carr said that once he realized Wiles was having problems, there was no way he was going to let the young Michigander ace him out of a spot. "When he went by me, he kind of moved me up high, and I said, 'Man, that sucks!'" Carr said. "Then I realized that he was shutting off halfway down the front straightaway and coasting into the corner. I thought, 'Man, I can't let a guy without brakes beat me,' so I kind of settled down a little bit and got going again, and we were able to make the pass on him." Finishing right behind Wiles was the other Team Suzuki Flat Track racer, Speaking of lay Springsteen, the threetime former AMA Grand National Champion was on hand to ride at the Daytona Short Track, having completed a week of AHRMA road racing prior to the event. "It ain't too much to worry about here at the short track - just gearing and a tire and pour some gas in it," the 47-year-old Springsteen said. "Hopefully, that's all the work we'll need to do today." Unfortunately for Springsteen, his main motorcycle grenaded during practice, forcing him onto his backup machine. Springer just missed the main event on the backup, but he did say that he expected to be back in action on the miles this season - and maybe even some half miles. "I'm not sure what I'm going to on the half miles," he said. "There's one in Michigan this year again, so maybe that one. Maybe Lima." Oops! Dept.: Although the Harley-Davidson Racing Team did not officially comment on the incident, it appears that team mechanic Craig Lager had a racher tough time getContinued on poge 32 CYCLE NEWS • MARCH 23, 2005 31

• Cover