AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Springfield, as it has so many
times in its long history, came
down to the final lap. Smith ran
a tight line through the turns to
make sure if anyone was going
to pass him they'd have to do it
on the outside. And that was just
what Coolbeth attempted to do.
He drafted his Zanotti Racing
Harley right up to the rear tire
of Smith's Villa-Esparza/Crosley
Radios Kawasaki down the back
straight; he then came around
the outside through turn three
and pulled alongside Smith,
but Coolbeth slid his bike's rear
wheel off the blue groove and
lost drive. Smith shot back to the
lead. Coolbeth gathered his bike
up for one more attempt coming
off four, positioned himself direct-
ly in Smith's slipstream, but didn't
have time to make a move before
the finish line.
Mees was in the draft in third,
but was unable to make a move.
VOL. 51 ISSUE 21 MAY 28, 2014 P59
Briefly...
Kenny Coolbeth Jr. left Springfield
with the points lead, but he may have
trouble hanging on to it in the com-
ing rounds. Coolbeth broke his left
thumb in a motocross training acci-
dent just prior to Springfield and is
slated to have surgery to put a screw
in the bone later this week. He plans
on trying to ride in the next round in
three weeks in Knoxville, Iowa.
There was a good mix of machines
to make the main for the Memorial
Day weekend Springfield Mile. There
were five different brands repre-
sented with nine Harley-Davidsons,
five Kawasakis, two KTMs and a Tri-
umph.
Bryan Smith led the most laps in
the main, 20 of the 25 laps. Jake
Johnson led four laps on the Rams-
pur Winery/Lloyd Brothers Ducati
Hypermotard 1100 and Coolbeth led
a single lap on his Zanotti Racing
Harley.
Bryan Smith's victory marked his
fourth win at the Springfield Mile
dating back to 2006. It marked his
first victory in the spring race. Smith
finished first in the spring race in
2009, but was disqualified for run-
ning illegal fuel. Smith previously
won the Labor Day weekend Spring-
field Mile in 2006, 2010 and 2012.
Bryan Smith earned his 13th-career
AMA Grand National victory Sunday.
He moves into a tie with rival Jared
Mees for 26th on the all-time wins
list. It was the 10th win on a Mile for
Smith. It was the fourth win in a row
for Kawasaki on the mile at Spring-
field.
continued on next page
Bryan Smith (42) motors to the
checkered flag of AMA Pro Starter
Kevin Clark as Kenny Coolbeth, Jr.
(2) tries to go around the outside and
Jared Mees (9) looks on.
The National gets started with eventual winner Smith (42) lifting the
front wheel of his Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio Kawasaki.
