Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

(Left) Willie McCoy (59) shot pa st N ic ky Hayden (6 9) a nd Bryan Smith (8 4) to la nd th e victory in the 600cc Support main event fo r the se cond stra ight year. (Below ) Parker gets live with the hon eys o n the po dium. Russell ( H- D ); 6. Chris Evans ( H· D ) ; 7 . Greg Sim s (H-D); 8. Paul Bergstrom (H -D); 9. James Mdlvena (H-D); 10. Joson Tyer (H-D); I I. Scott Stump (Suz). Tim e: 5 min.. 49 .164 sec. HEAT 2 ( 10 laps; 1 1 riders. top three transfer): I. Will Davis (H- D) ; 2. Terry Poovey (Hon) ; 3. Joe Kopp ( H-D) ; 4 . Gary Rogers ( H- O ); 5 . Kevin Varnes (H-D); 6. Steve Beattie (H·D ): 7. Bret Beyer (H ·D ); 8. Jeremy Thompson (H· D): 9. John S. Nick ens III (H-D); 10. Garth Bastian (H-D); I I. Yuhiko Hirao (S U ). l Time: 5 min ., 49 .826 sec. HEAT 3 ( 10 laps; 12 riders. top three transfer): I. Willie McCoy (H -D) ; 2 . Mike Hacker (H· D) ; 3. Geo Roeder II (H · D ); 4 . J.R . Schnabel ( H· D) : 5. Ti m Ead es ( H· D ); 6 . Dal e Jennem an (H· D); 7. Mi k e Varn e s(H -D ); 8 . C hris Boon e ( H · D ) ; 9 . Br ent Arml:. ual. r (H -D ) ; 10. Cory Roth ( H· D); 11. T om r McGrane (Hon) ; 12. KevIn Si. "l'! s (H- D) . r Time: 5 min., 52.935 sec. -. HEAT 4 ( 10 laps: 12 riders, top three transfer) : I. Johnny Murphree (H-D); 2. Nick y Hayden (H-D); 3. Scott Parker (H-D); 4 . Larry Pegram (H -D ); 5. Paul Lyn ch ( H -D); 6. J ess Roed er ( H- D); 7 . De von Prit chard ( H- D); 8 . Jim Sumn er (H -D ) ; 9 . Er ic Rickman (Han) ; 10. Jaime Aguilar (H-D); It. Robert Knapp (H-D); 12_Roger Lee Hayden (H-D). lime: 5 min., 54.6 19 sec. SEMI I (8 laps; 11 riders. top two transfer) : 1. Kenny Coolbeth (H- D ); 2 . Kevin Varnes ( Ho D); 3. Jaso n T yer (H- D ); 4. Jess Roeder ( H- D) ; 5. Ti m Ead es ( H- D); 6 . Greg Si ms ( H-D ); 7 . J erem y Thompson (Ho ; 8 . Tom McGrane (Han); 9. Yuhiko D) Hir ao (S uz) ; 10 . Ch ri s Boon e ( H oD); 11. E ric Rickm an (Han ). lime: 4 mln.. 41 .315 sec. SEMI 2 (8 laps; I I riders, top two tra nsfer): I . Gary Rogers ( H-D); 2. Shaun Russell ( H-D); 3. Dale Jenneman (H-D); 4 . Paul Lynch (H -D) : 5. Bret Beyer (H-D); 6 . Brent Armbruster (H-D); 7. Paul Bergstrom (H-D); 8. Garth Bastain (H· D); 9. Scott Stump (Suz); 10. Jim Sumner (H-D) ; 11. Robert Knapp (H- D) . TIme: 4 min., 44 .688 sec. SEMI 3 (8 laps; 12 riders. top two transfer): I. Chris Evans (H- D); 2. Larry Pegram ( H-D) ; 3. J.R. Schnabel (H -D ); 4 . Steve Beatti e (H oD); 5 . M ik e Varnes (H-D); 6. John S. Nickens 111 (H-D); 7. Devon Pritchard (H-D): 8 . Jam es Mcllvena (HoD); 9. Cory Roth ( H-D) ; 10. Kevin Siev ers (H- D); 1 1. Jaim e Aguilar ( H-D) ; 12. Roger Lee Hayden (H·D) . TIme: 4 min., 44 .488 sec. GRAND NATIONAL (25 laps; 18 riders): I. Scott Parker (H -D) ; 2. Joe Kopp (H-D); 3. Rich King (H- D); 4 . John ny Murph ree (H oD); 5. Will Da vis (H-D); 6. Chris Carr (H-D); 7. Nicky Hayden (H-D); 8. Willie McCoy (H-D); 9. Larry Peg ram (H-D); 10. Gary Rogers (H-D); 11. Paul Morgan III (H-D); 12. Geo Roeder" (HoD); 13. Kevin Varnes (H- D); 14. Kenny Coolbeth (H-D) ; 15. Mike Hacker (H ·D ); 16. Shaun Russell (H- D); 17. Terry Poovey (Han); 18. Chris Evans (H- D) . TIme: 14 min., 25 .200 sec. AMA/ PROGRESSIVE INSURA NCE U_S_ FLAT TRAC K CHAM PIO NSHIP SERI ES POI NTS STANDINGS (After 13 of 15 rounds); I. Joe Kopp ( l9~/ l., 2. Will Davis ( 190/4); 3. Chris Carr ( 187/3); 4 . Rich King (162); o . C ry .... rucelo w (1 45) ; 6. Mike Hacker (1 4 4/1): 7. Kenny Cool beth liZ:;) , o. J . y GRAND NAT10, • • • • • • • T _Illinojs . otorcycle Dca l1f _ _ M AMPI • THE RICHEST SPRINGFIELD .I Springsteen (104/1); 9. Terry Poovey (101/1); 10. Don Stanley (94); I I. Nicky Hayden (84/1); 12. Johnny Murphree (81) ; 13. Geo Roeder II (76); 14 . J.R. Schnabel (73 ); 15. Kevin Varnes (7 1); 16. Willie McCoy (62); 17. Paul Lynch (56) ; 18. Scott Porker (53); 19. (TIE) Chris Evans (33)/B",tt Landes (33). 600 SOP ( 12 laps; 18 riders): 1. Willie McCoy (AT K) ; 2. Nick y Hayden (Rtx} : 3 . Bryan Smith (ATK); 4. Jason Tyer (Hon); 5. Charlie Orr (CCM); 6. Chris Boone (Rtx); 7. Paul Lynch (Rtx); B. Tim Eades (Rtx); 9 . Dale Jenneman (Rtx); 10. John S. Nickens III (Rtx); 11. Je remy Thompson (Rtx); 12. Jam es Hart ( Rtx); 13. Bret Beye r (Rtx) ; 14 . Greg Tyso r (AT K); 15. Roger Lee Hayden (Rtx) ; 16. Paul Morgan 111 (Rtx); 17. Jaime Aguilar (Rtx); lB. Kenny Coolbeth (W-R). TIme: 7 min., 7. 124 sec. Upco ming Ro unds : Round 14 - Vernon , New York, September g Ro und 15 - Du Q uo in , Illino is , October 14 BRIEFLY• • • T h e b ig ne w s of day t h ree at S pri ngfi el d was t ha t US C Raci ng/Lan cast er H-D ride r Bryan B igelow had recei ve d a one-race suspension for his part in on-track incidents with both D an Stanley and J ay Springstee n during Saturd ay' s Hall of Fame even t. Bigelow repo rte dly played a big part in St anley's crash. which left the rider with more broken vertebrae in his back - just below the rods placed to repair tho se brok en in his Sacrame nto crash last season . Bigelow then drew the wrath of Spri ngst een after the race for repo rte dly running into the forme r champ three times during the main event. AMA dirt track manage r Bruce Bober drew his fair share of criticism during the riders meeting, as many felt that the penalty given to Bryan Bigelow was not seve re enough. considering that the fo rm er Rooki e of the Year had rep ortedly been wa rne d sev eral time s. Reigning AMA Grand Nat ion al Ch ampi on Chri s Carr w as amo ng the rid er s w ho th ought that the pen alty for rough rid ing on the mile s and half mile s should be swifte r and mo re severe. ..Bryan Bigelow has neve r shown me any disres pect personally , but I know tha t he has to other riders on the track , and w e 're talking abo ut incid en ts th at go all the way int o last year, - Carr said. " I don 't have anyt hing agains t him per son ally in fact. I think that he has a lot of talent - but he doesn't use his head, and there are a lot of riders who fee l uncomfortable racing wi th him. That Stanley deal happ en ed during a sc ratch hea t. Yo u don 't need to ride like that during a sc ratc h heat. M aybe he will learn something from being sat down for a race , but it see ms to me that one race is kind of light when you've been warned so many ti me s, and I th in k th at a lo t of the riders fee l the same way ." The issue of consistency when handing out penalties such as Bigel ow ' s was ano the r to pic at the ri ders meetin g . Fact o ry Harley-Davidson rider Rich King said that he felt th e cu rre nt policy wa s a bit gray in that rega rd . " I just want to know that if yo u get five warnings or whatever for rough riding, the n it is a one-race suspens io n. - King said . A MA d irt track manage r Br uce B ober conveye d tha t. when dealing with these cases, conc re te evidence, such as video footage, can be hard to come by . and the A MA does not wis h to make snap decisions based upon the testimony of one rider. Regarding Bigelow, however , Bober said that ther e was a patt ern and tha t video footage was available fo r his review afte r th e St anley incid ent. Bo ber also sai d t hat he may consi de r wo rki ng toward tighten ing up the wa rning-penalty phase in the area of ro ugh riding for the future. A nd w hat abo ut D an Sta nley ? We ll. despite hav ing suffere d two more broke n ve rteb rae in his back. the Was hington ride r was released fro m th e hospital in time to be seen ho bb li ng around the pits o n Sunday . " Basically , - S tanley recounted " he [B igel ow] took my bars away from me . I hit the wa ll a ton . I hit it fee t first. and the compression is what caused the fractures in my bac k. I'm pretty sore righl now , bul the doctor says that I jus t have to give it three to four wee ks to heal. and then I can come bac k. It was pret ty scary, tho ugh , because I was numb from the wais t down after the cras h, and I rea lly thou ght that I was hurt bad." A s fo r his tak e on Bigelo w 's sus pe nsio n, S tanley said : " I think that he was given too many warnings. I remember when I came here a couple years ago and I was sat down for bumping Terry Poovey . I do n't thi nk that I had ever been wa rned except maybe o ne other lime in my w hol e ca reer. I th ink that if I had been ridin g for th is team [Ga rdner Racin g] the n, they wo uldn' t have do ne anyt hing, but they loo k at them [U SC Racin g] and see tha t they're big play ers in the sport and may be they' re a little more lenient. .. Sp eaking of hit tin g the wall a ton , Kevin Ath erton was also back at the track afte r slipping in oil duri ng the previou s day' s Hall of Fame fea ture an d crashi ng in tu rn th ree . A t herton w as still spo rting a swollen right hand from the incide nt. but otherw ise he appeared unhurt . Still. he elected not to ride o n Su nday , as his bike was too ben t up to repair in tim e. A thert on also said that his future in the sport is once again kind of unce rtain . " I do n't think th at I'll be back o ut any more t his yea r, - Athert on sa id . "Next yea r, I don't know if we'll be chas ing the who le thing or not. M aybe we'll just run the big-mon ey races . - Jay Springstee n mi s sed Sun d ay' s Grand Nati on al afte r becoming dehydrated in the heat and humidity on Saturday . Mike Hacker was bummed abo ut the failures that had plagu ed him during the two days of mile racing. but his confidence in his team remai ned high . " Shit happens. - Hac ker said . "I st ill thi nk that I've go t the best team out here. We· 1I just get 'e rn at the next one." Hacker had lost a primary cover while running in the lead pack during Sat urday' s mile , and tun er Jo hnny G oad figured that Hacker 's machine may have galled a piston on Sunday whe n it bega n to spew oi l. causi ng Hacker to be black-flagged on lap 19. B ill W erner scored a pair of Bulova watc hes for being the mechanic of the race, twice, afte r his boys Scott Parker and Rich King ran first and third in the main event. Eve n on Sunday . there was still a lot of talk abou t the Spring" fie ld Short Track S hootout th at to o k pl ac e o n Fr iday even ing. Illinois M otorcycle D ea le rs Association president Tim Coziahr said that fans can expect the race to be back next year. " W e coul dn' t be happier w ith the way that the race we nt fo r us, " C oziahr said . " We are co nfide nt that t he short tr ack wi ll be back ne xt ye ar, and t hat it wi ll becom e a classic in its own righ t ." Speakin g of cla ssic , Coziahr got to enjoy a classic mile on Sunday - o ne w hich co nta ined both of his ride rs, J ohnn y M urph ree and Kevin Va rnes . M urphree nearly gave his boss a heart att ack by running in contention for the entire race and threate ning for the win. In a batt le of 60 0cc motor builder s, W illie McCoy drove his Phil Darcy- built KK Racing ATK to the fro nt at jus t the right time to win the 600cc Support event that wa s held aft er the G rand National main. M cCoy barely edge d o ut BB RP-powered Nic k y Hayden at the line to win the eve nt for the seco nd yea r in a row . with rookie ride r Bryan S m it h finishing th ird in the five-rider lead draft, cycle newvs S EPTEM BER 13, 200 0 25

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