Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

~I AMA,/Pro g r e s s iv e In surance U.S . Fl a t Track Championships Rou nd 7 : L o w e' s Motor Speedway or fall ing off . That makes for a fun t r a ck ." F& S Harley- D avi d- s on /Sh o e i /MSR 's W ill i e M cC o y co n ti n ue d his m id -s e ason s u rge. " T he r e s ta rt h elped me out a lot , " M cCoy sa id . "I ran it under B igelow , and he sq uared it up a little sharper tha n I t ho ught he would . It k in d of messed me up. I j ust want to be up there in t hat wi nner 's c i rcle , wit h thos e guys . I ' m r e a ll y happy for Ha cke r and Murphree . Hopeful l y , next w e ek I ca n b e u p (Left) Ri ch King (partially hi dden) ca ught Jay Springsteen (9) on the re start to snatch the thi rd spo t . King be nefited from a little Bill Werner tuning magic t o pull off t he last podium spot. (Ab ove) Hard luck award: J oe Kopp (43) w as in the h unt for a top spot when hi s bike let go on lap 20. Teammate Kenny Co olbe th (31) up held Corbin Racing p ride by fi ni shing fi fth . (Right) (left to ri ght) M urphree, Hacker and King celebrate on the Charlotte podium. Hacker's win m ove s him to th ird place in the series po ints standings. th ere ." Ro u n d in g out th e top 10 was Murph ree 's Cozi ah r H-D/Memph is Shades teammate, Kevin Varnes. " I got Schnabel rig ht on t h e r estart and almost got Will ie," Varn es said . " My dad was h elp ing Johnny a ll night. He n eeded to be h e l p i n g me. Johnny rode good. We tr ied to k e ep th e sa me set up as hi m . I t ju st d idn ' t work for m e . I couldn't get th e b ike t o turn. We were j ust a hair off, so we tri ed to c ha n ge th e offse t s f or th e m a in . W e d e fin it el y w ent t he wro n g wa y . E v e r y b o d y is going so John Nickens III ( H-O); 4 . Terry Poovey (Han ); 5. Brett Landes (H -O); 6 . Mike Varnes (H-o ); 7. Jason Se nt ell (H ·D ) : 8 . Ken Yod er ( H · D); 9 . Ge org e Rlchtmey er (H-D): 10. Steve Gill (H· D). lime: 3 min.. 10.996 sec. HEAT 4 ( 10 laps; 10 riders. top three transfer): 1. Chris Carr (H-D) ; 2 . Bryan Bigelow (H-o) : 3. J.R. Schnabel ( H· O); 4 . Willie McCoy (H· D) ; 5. Shawn Clark (H· o); 6 . Yuhiko Hireo (Suz); 7. Shaun Russell (H-D) : 8. Cory Roth (H-D); 9. .Jeirne Aguila r (H-D): 10. Georgie Price IV (Suz). Time: 3 min., 10.25 8 sec . SEMI 1 (8 laps: 10 riders. top two transfer): 1. Willle McCoy (H· D): 2. Nick y Hayden (H·D ): 3. Ricky Winsett Jr. (H· D); 4. Brett Landes (H ·D ); 5 . Chris Boone (H -O); 6 . Shaun Russell (H-O): 7 . Ken Yoder (H· D) : 8. Phil Ubhart (H-D): 9 . Garth Bastian (H·D) ; 10. Georgie Price IV (Suz) . Time: 2 min., 35.783 sec . SEft'U 2 (8 laps; 10 riders, top two transfer): 1. Paul Lynch ( H· D ); 2. Tim Eades (H-O); 3. Shawn Clark (H-D) ; 4 . Dale Jenneman ( H-O); 5. Je remy Thomp son (H-O) ; 6 . Cory Roth (H· O) ; 7 . Geo rge Richtmeyer (H·O ); 8. Mike Varnes (H -O); 9 . Jason Tyer (H-D); 10. Kyl e Long (H·D ) . Time: 2 min.. 35.869 sec. SEMI 3 (8 laps; 10 riders. top two transfer): 1. Chris Evans (H·D) ; 2. Dan Stanley (H-O) ; 3. Gary Rogers ( H - D) ; 4. T erry Poov ey ( Han); 5 . Pau l Normandin (H -O) ; 6. Yuhiko Hirao (Suz) ; 7. Jaime Ag uilar ( H· O) ; 8 . Jim Mcllve na ( H- D) ; 9 . Ja son Sentell (H· D): 10. Steve Gill (H -D). Time: 2 min., 35.486 sec. GRA ND NA TION A L (2 S lap s; 18 riders) : I. Mike Hacker (H- O); 2 . Johnny Murphree ( H· O) ; 3 . Rich King (H-O); 4. Jay Springsteen (H·D) ; 5. Kenny Coolbeth (H· D) : 6. Ni cky Hayd en (H· D) ; 7. Bryan Bigelow (H· O); 8. Paul Lynch (H-D); 9. Willie McCoy (H-O) ; to . Kevin Varnes (H· D) ; 11. Geo Roeder II (HD); 12. Chris Carr (H·D) : 13. Joh n Nick ens III (H -D); 14. J .R. Schnabel (H-D): 15. Chris Evans (H·D) : 16. Dan Stanley (H-O); 17. Tim Eades (H-O) ; 18. Joe Kop p (H-D). lime: No time due to red flag. A MA / PRO GRE SSIV E INSURAN CE U S FL AT TR AC K CHAMPIONSHI P SERI ES POI NT STAND INGS (After 7 of 17 rounds): I. Chris Carr ( 110/2 wins); 2. Will Davis ( 10212); 3. Mike Hacker (89 /1 ); 4 . Bryan Bigelow (86); 5. Jay Springsteen (84 /1 ): 6. Joe Kopp (83) : 7. Kenny Coolbeth (8 1); 8. Rich King (70); 9 . Terry Poovey (6 2 ) ; 10 . Da n Stanley (55): I I. J .R. Schnabel (46): 12. Geo Roeder II (41) : 13. Will ;e McCoy (37): 14. Paul Lynch (34) : 15. Johnny Murphree (32 ); 16. Kevin Varnes (28 ); 17. Nicky Hayden (27) : 18. Ch ri s Evans (23) ; 19. Brett Landes (20 ); 20 . Mike Varnes (19) . fas t , th a t j us t a t enth o f a seco nd m akes so muc h d iffer enc e. " Th e tw o ri ders th a t b r o u gh t o u t the red fla g , Ro e d er and Car r remount ed to f in ish 1 1th and 12th . Car r wa s i n f ifth when h e s li p pe d down . "I got off the line a b o u t 1Oth , so I mov ed up a ways , " Ca rr said . "Hacker was running really good , but I was running about the same pace as th e guys i n front o f m e. I think if I c o u ld have got off the line b etter, I might have been able to run w ith t hem and had a shot t o w i n. I can only blame the st a rt o n myself . " I think I got in to some oil , I don 't k now ," Ca rr a d ded , " I thought I j u st slid o u t , but t h ey were cle an in g th e oil up ri g h t wh er e I w a s ru n ni ng , so I gu ess tha t's w ha t h appe n e d . I s li d d ow n , b u t kept th e b i ke r u n ni n g . Geo w en t u n d er m e, but must h ave got in the sa me o i l an d h e went eN d o w n too ." Lowe's Motor Speedway Charlotte, North Carolina Results: July ZZ, ZOOO [Round 7 of 171 HEAT 1 (10 laps; t 1 riders. top three transfer): I. Ken Coolbeth Jr. (H-D): 2. Mik e Hacker (H-D): 3. Goo Roeder II (H·D): 4. Dan Stanley (H·D): 5. Paul Lynch (H-D): 6. Phil Ubh art (H·D): 7. Chris Evans (H· D) ; 8. Jeremy Thompson (HoD); 9. Chris Boone (HD); 10. Jim Mcllvena (H-D) ; 11. Garth Bastian (H ·D ). Time: 3 min.. 11.273 sec. HEAT 2 ( 10 laps; 11 riders, top three transfer): 1. Joe Kopp ( H-D ) ; 2. Ja y Springsteen ( H·D) ; 3 . Kevin Varnes (H-D ); 4 . T im Eades (H- D); 5 . N ick y Ha y de n ( H - D) ; 6. Ga ry Roger s ( H · D ) : 7 . D al e Jenneman (H-D) ; 8. Ricky Winsett Jr. (H -D) ; 9 . Paul Normandin (H ·D ) ; 10. Kyle Long (H -D ); I I. Jason Tye«H -D ). Time: 3 min.. I 0 .9 32 sec. HEAT 3 ( 10 laps; 10 riders. top three transfer): 1. Johnny Murphree (H- D ); 2. Rich King ( H-D) ; 3. 20 AUGUST 2,2000' cue I e nevus BRIEFLY••• What was billed as a homecoming for Nort h Carolina's own Will Davis fizzled, as Davis was forced to the sidelines by a head injury suffered in a Church League softball game. " Right now we're still having tests done, but i'm hoping to be back by Lake Odessa,- said the spectating Davis. Coming into the race Davis was only one point behind the defending National Champion, Chris Carr. Carr's misfortune was a bright spot for Davis as Carr only picked up seven points. "I think I passed four guys after the restart. " said Carr. "The moisture came up a lillie and 1could run a higher line in the main, but it kind of messed with our set-up, We'll just move on to the next one and hope for bett er luck." Mike Hacker had the opportunity to take his dad on his victory lap and the emotional wirtner also praised his new team for 2000. "Johnny IGoad} has definitely made a big difference in my career,- Hacker said. " He has kept me focused and puts me on the best bikes out there." .J.R. Schnabel suffered from the restart . "I was ninth before the restart , but I ended up loosing a bunch of spots, " Schnabel said. " Before the green, the guy in front of me rolled back a good foot and a half, right into me. I was trying to back up, when the light went greert. I was pretty disappointed they didn't catch it, (somebody backing up that much) but you can't watch everybody, I guess. If l'd have benefited from it. I wouldn't be complaining, but I wish they'd come up with something different. I think the rolling restart is the idea we have to go with. I lost five or six spot s and before the red flag there was nobody near me. We got screwed on the restart, we'll just have to go on to next week and do better. .. Former Rookie of the Year Johnny Murphree has showed flashes of speed this year only to have problems, but the youngster was flawless on the evening. - I felt real comfortable all night." M urphree said. "The track was really smooth, you could just go out there and race. You didn't have to worry about bad spots in the track or somebody getting squirelly in fron t of you. People have been coming up asking if I'm happy . l'm happy, but I've been working hard for a long time. I don't feel i'm owed anything, but i've earned it. l've got to keep working hard and keep going to the races and taking my licks. You wouldn't believe how many people came up to me during the red flag. telling me to keep it on two wheels. I was about ready to start punching people." Jay Springsteen continues to have strong races every time he shows up. "The racetrack was beautiful, everybo dy was just going so fast. it's hard to pass," Springsteen said. " It was so smooth, there's not much straightaway, it' s just like your riding in a big old bowl. It' s just fun to ride. That' s the fourth National on that engine, and we've got a fresh one in the truck, so we 're rippin' that one out and 'uncle' Jim (Kelly] is going to go back and tune 'er up." T im Eades joined the growing list of first time National riders. when he finished second in his semi. "Finally!" Eades said. "The bike works great. All I have to do is learn how to ride it. We had water in our fuel and it would run hallway down the straight. then cut out. I looked back and saw them gaining. but we held on. It felt good! " Veteran Rich K ing balanced out the podium with the young lions. "I'm really happy to be on the box." King said. "I'm really happy for M ike. He really deserved to win. "H e jumped through hoops tonight to get there. i' m really proud of him. Johnny M urphree put in a good ride too . It was a good night all in all."

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