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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/146667
he now sits in a tie with Terry Poovey, 12th at Hagerstown, for ninth in the series point standings. But what about Team HarleyDavidson? Missing from the winner's circle were four-time Grand ational Champion Scott Parker, Chris Carr and Kevin Atherton. While Carr and Parker fought to find a fast line around the race track and eventually finished a distant sixth and seventh, respectively, Atherton spent the evening spectating as a result of a broken arm suffered in a road race practice crash earlier in the week. "I can't tell you how much this .sucks," said a uncharacteristically somber Atherton, who was on hand in the strange role - for him - of a spectator. "I was boping that it would rain." Parker continues to lead Carr in the series point standings, 145-126. Though he failed to score points, Atherton remains in third, four points ahead of Graham, 100-96. Time trJals Virginian Rusty Rogers' wild and aggressive riding style carried him to his first-ever Grand National win. (Left to right) Ricky Graham and Larry Pegram joined Rogers in the winner's circle. Rogers skids to first-ever National win at Hagerstown By Donn Maeda Photos by Bert Shepard 12 HAGERSTOWN, MD, JULY II he dry and dusty Hagerstown Half Mile may have been a nightmare for many of the Camel Pro T Series racers, but it was a dream come true for 23-year-old privateer Rusty Rogers. While most of the established stars of the series struggled to find traction on Hagerstown Speedway's narrow groove, Rogers threw caution to the wind and earned his first-ever Grand National Championship win the old-fashioned way - up in the cushion. "I can't tell you what I'm feeling right now," said a delighted Rogers after the race. "I can't believe it, especially after all the bad luck I've had all year." But the luck was all on Rogers' side on this night, as the LA Racing/ Frederick H-D/Phil Wickersham Racing/Carl Patrick Racing/j&N Racing/Bell/Motion Pro/Pro Class Cycles/Red Line Cycles/Broad Rock Towing/Estab/Airtech/Airco-sponsored Harley-Davidson rider from Virginia overcame a mediocre start to become only the second rider this year to break the Team Harley-Davidson win streak. Two-time Grand National Champion Ricky Graham is the only other non-factory rider to have won a ational this year (at Syracuse on june 13), but he finished a distant third in the 25-lap main event at the western Maryland track. "Before the start of the race I told my tuner, johnny Goad, that it was gonna take a wide open and wild riding style to win it, and that's exactly what Rusty did;" said Graham, the Goad-Irby/ Arai/Hondaline/Weimer Plumbing/Floors by Long/Sports Center/S&S Unocal/Sports/Hayward Brake/Matt Rohr/LMF/Tsubakisponsored Honda rider. Last year's Hagerstown winner, Larry Pegram, finished a close second, only inches behind Rogers. Earlier in the evening, the Texas Harley-Davidson/Sponseller Racing/KK/Shoei/ Motion Pro/SuperTrapp/Quaker State/Mj USA/Yoko-backed Ohioan set the evening's fastest qualifying time aboard a Harley XR750, but struggled early in the race before adapting to the changing track conditions. "I saw Rusty look back with two laps to go and I thought he panicked," said Pegram. "Then I thought the race was mine, but instead he pulled away again." For his performance in front of the capacity crowd of 9138, Rogers pocketed $4000 of the $28,000 purse, and Pegram provided the suspense in time trials as he took to the track fairly late in the session and raced his Skip J;.aken-tuned Harley around the track faster than anyone else. While no one was surprised at Pegram's speed, the shocker carne when Pegram waved the hot lap off. "I thought I had screwed up," said Pegram. "I came into the pits and Skip and my dad were just shaking their heads." It turned out for the best, though, as Pegram returned to the track and turned in an even faster 24.606 second lap. "I hit a hole in turn two and thought, 'Oh man, Skip is gonna kick my butt,' but luckily, everything worked out," said Pegram. Pegram's fast time wasn't even close to topping the track record of 24.092, set by Rogers in 1989. Rounding out the top six fastest qualifiers who would comprise the starting grid for the Camel Challenge later in the evening were Rogers, Poovey, Dan Ingram, Carr and threetime Hagerstown Half Mile winner Steve Morehead. Parker was well off the pace and qualified 14th. After time trials, most riders agreed "that the hard clay banked track, normally used for car racing, was poorly prepared. "It's smoother than usual," said Carr. "But they hardly watered it. It's going to get real dry and slick later on." Morehead blamed the poor track conditions on the practice schedule as well: "They send the juniors out too early and they putt around down low. Then the groove gets formed way down low, when it should be up in the middle." Heats Fast qualifier Pegram grabbed the holeshot at the start of the first lO-lap heat race, and for all intent and purposes, the race was over. Michael Varnes held second early on, but was . no match for a hard-charging Graham. Graham motored into second on lap two and challenged Pegram for a while, but eventually dropped back. Pegram greeted the checkered flag four seconds ahead of Graham, while Varnes held on to third, but like the rest of the field, would have to race in a semi. "It was as easy as it looked," said a confident Pegram. "Once I got out front I just made sure to stay on the groove and not screw up." "Larry~s got this place dialed," said