The Flat Track thread

[Blunder]

I was at the Honda tent but some dude in Repsol leathers creeped me out.....

 

Great pics! Thanks for posting.  

[buls4evr]

 Great shots Dogboy! I can smell the racing fuel,castor, corn-dogs and popcorn from here! I am ready for the Midwestern season to begin.

[stromgal]

Springfield fast approaches. Who will be there for THE MILE?

[bomber]

Springfield fast approaches. Who will be there for THE MILE?

;-}

[Playinthestreet]

Just saw on Flattrack.com that the Prescott track has closed.  Eddie Mulder's site says that race will be on the 1/2 mile at Pomona in October.

[buls4evr]

 
  That #9 must be good luck. It's Mees with Springers old # for the win at Springfield mile! Second Sammy Halbert and third Jake J. Brad Baker with fast time on Kopps old Duc ride. They ran the TT on Monday as it rained buckets on Saturday. Mees first win since 7-7-07.

[buls4evr]

 WOW...Make that 2 in a row for Mees! He won Hartford last nite. Coolbeth second, then Smith, Carr and Lewis on the Kaw in 5th. Brad Baker finished 17th for the Duc  fans. That #9 is working for Mees...

[Orson]

That #9 must be good luck. It's Mees with Springers old # for the win at Springfield mile!

Number 9 belonged to Gary Nixon.

I think he just loaned it to springer  

[buls4evr]

 Yes you are correct Orson. It was good luck for Nixon too!

[DogBoy]

Anyone in NorCal wanting to see Short Track or TT?

There is an AMA District 36 double header next weekend, June 25/26 at Prairie City SVRA. Track has new, groomed decomposed granite surface. Short Track on Saturday afternoon/evening under the lights. TT Sunday afternoon.

http://www.arenacross-tt.com/611_DT.html

[DogBoy]

Bump for Short Track tonight!

[st2sam]

Hagerstown 1/2 mile tonight, pics to follow.
The weather looks to be perfect.
 Hope to see a few other STN'ers. in attendance.

http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/news/index.cfm?cid=43823

[mugwump58]

I had a choice, mid ohio won.

[st2sam]

What a fun time.
 Here's the CURVE CRAVERS... Don't let the gray beards and lack of hair fool you, we ride like there's no tomorrow. (At are age who knows? )  I'm on the right.

The recap...
Kenny Coolbeth Jr. led every lap at Hangerstown for the win less than a second ahead of Johnny Lewis.With a near-capacity crowd looking on, Harley-Davidson Motor Company-backed Kenny Coolbeth captured his third Hub City Classic Grand National win in convincing style, leading every lap of the 25-lap AMA Pro Racing Harley-Davidson Insurance Flat Track Championship main event. "I love racing here," said Coolbeth after the event, "it's like my hometown track. A lot of my friends and family make the trip down for this race."

The former Grand National Champion didn't disappoint his fans, as he quickly took control of Maryland's Hagerstown Half-Mile main. Scott's Powersports' Johnny Lewis had gotten the holeshot on his Kawasaki, but by Turn 2, Coolbeth had his Harley out front and was pulling away, while a pack made up of fast-qualifier Chris Carr (American Motorcyclist Association/DFW Honda), Jared Mees (Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs Harley-Davidson), Bryan Smith (fasthog.com/American Harley-Davidson), and defending Grand National Champion Jake Johnson (Zanotti Racing) gave chase.

With Coolbeth in command, Lewis settled into second. Mees and Johnson both managed to get by Carr, and a few laps later, Smith and Goodwin Racing's Jethro Halbert dropped Carr yet further back -- all the way to seventh -- and the running order looked set for the finish. On Lap 17, however, the red lights flashed when R&J Racing's Doug Lawrence
DFW Honda's Chris Carr had a heavy fall that forced a restart.fell in Turn 2, turning the conclusion into an eight-lap dash following a single-file restart. Suddenly, the race that had appeared to be a lock for Coolbeth was entirely up for grabs.

Coolbeth nailed the restart with Jake Johnson in tow, but just as quickly, the reds flashed again as Chris Carr -- who had spun off the start -- was clipped by another rider, sending him to the ground in a heavy fall. The second attempt at a restart saw Coolbeth and Johnson once again out front, however, and this time Coolbeth was not to be denied.

Johnson was dispatched by Mees, but both riders came under attack from Lewis. Lewis was able to retrieve second on Lap 21, forcing Mees and Johnson to settle for third and fourth, respectively, while Jethro Halbert rode his borrowed Harley into a fifth-place finish over Smith. Matt Weidman (White's Harley-Davidson), Rob Pearson (American Harley-Davidson), Jimmy Wood (Southland Racing), and Shaun Russell (Monster Energy Kawasaki/Werner Springsteen Racing) rounded out the top ten.

Kawasaki rider Lewis.

[mugwump58]

Thanks for the recap

[st2sam]

A few more pics of the bikes.
The second place kawasaki is 312lbs based on the Ninja - Versey twin, amazing bike!



The Triumph weight was 330lbs based on the Bonnie..
 


It was great going infield and talking to the riders and mechanics, learned a lot about the bikes...

[motodog650]

Very cool !! Can't wait for Indy !!

[Orson]

I'm surprised the Versys has the ponies to compete with the XR-750  

maybe I shouldn't be given that the XR has been around for a long while  

[stromgal]

It's not about the ponies, it's about the nature of the power delivery and the ability to put it to the ground.  

[bomber]

It's not about the ponies, it's about the nature of the power delivery and the ability to put it to the ground.  

This -- the XR isn't really making all that much power (generally around 90 horse or so) -- it does have the benefit of decades of research and development, though, and damn near evey erg produced gets to the rear tire/dirt interface . . . . . .

This is why it's so surprising to see one of the newer brands to the sport compete straight up -- and so much fun to watch! Moto GP can only dream of racing this close ;-}