FLAT TRACK
AMA PRO FLAT TRACK SERIES
ROUND 13 / SEPTEMBER 4, 2016
ILLINOIS STATE FAIRGROUNDS / SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
P68
for it and it happened. It still
screwed me up and he got the
best of me. He is the only guy
in the pit area that can pull that
off currently, and probably only
a couple legends that could do
something like that. It's one of
lap. It was pretty much the same
move as the last time I beat him
here."
"Kenny did the exact same
thing two years ago. I knew
exactly what he was going to
do," said Smith. "I was waiting
All day long Smith was the
fastest rider on the track, post-
ing the fastest qualifying time,
winning the fastest heat and win-
ning the Mary Ann Turner Dash
for Cash.
When the 25-lap Harley-
Davidson GNC1 presented by
Vance & Hines roared off, Smith
was once again at the point and
looking for a rare Springfield
runaway.
"I wanted to get the holeshot
and break away like I did in the
dash, but the water that they
put on the track before the main
slowed it down for me in the first
few laps," said Smith.
Coolbeth was able to match
the leader's pace as both pulled
clear of the scramble they left
behind. "Me and Kenny got
away a little bit," Smith said. "I
was hoping to get away from
him at some point, but it didn't
happen."
The last time Smith did not win
Springfield was in 2014 when
Coolbeth pulled a last-lap pass
to steal away the victory. Both
men where expecting the same
moves as the 140-mph chess
match played out.
"I was waiting for my chance.
I knew that we were out there all
alone," said Coolbeth. "Then the
guys behind us were catching
us, too. With five laps to go and
four laps to go, he picked the
pace up. I was trying to figure
out my strategy if somebody else
came up. My strategy all along
was to tag along with him and
see if I could get him on the last
Bryan Smith (42)
led Coolbeth for
much of the race
but succumbed
to Coolbeth's
Springfield
trickery (again)
on the last lap.
