Flat Track Racing
The AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com returned to the Illinois State Fairgrounds for rounds 13 & 14 on Labor Day Weekend.
The opening race would be a GNC Singles short track at the beautiful Rodeo Arena. The short track would be the sixth and last race of the GNC Singles portion of the series.
It was no surprise the defending Singles Champion and current points leader #1 Henry Wiles pushed his Monster Energy / Kawasaki / Jones Bros Racing backed Kawasaki to an easy win.
Hendry Wiles says: “I wasn’t really nervous about tonight, I knew I just had to do my job. I had to take my time and get around Chad (Cose), but then it was a matter of concentrating on the track.”
Digger Helm / Lightshoe / Arlen Ness’s Chad Cose had got the hole shot and led the first lap, but Wiles had the point by lap two and it quickly became a race for second. Cose, Latus Harley-Davidson / Moto Concepts’ #3 Joe Kopp and Bettencourt’s Honda’s #2 Kenny Coolbeth were locked in that battle.
After a slow start Zanotti Racing’s Jake Johnson was on the move and he took second on lap seven. Cose was now under attack from Coolbeth, Kopp Mack Daddy Racing’s #20 Matt Weidman and Kopp.
On lap fifteen of the twenty five lap race, Cose fell coming off turn two, shaking up the running order. Rookie #95C JD Beach, making his first Grand National appearance was suddenly in third on his Red Bull / Top 1 Oil / Rockwall Performance backed Honda.
Beach just got smoother and smoother as he pulled away from the gaggle behind him. Kopp was now fourth with fast qualifier Chris Carr Racing / Dallas Fort Worth Honda’s #4 Chris Carr working his way up to fifth.
Carr had been forced to his back up bike and started on row four after his primary mount had failed in the Dash for Cash. In the Dash, Wiles rode to a convincing win gaining $1000 and five points, enough to lock up the 2010 Grand National Singles Series Title.
Mack Daddy Racing / Alpinestar’s #80 Stevie Bonsey moved up to sixth over Coolbeth, Kawasaki / Monster Energy’s #42 Bryan Smith, Rockysonline.com / Lucas Oil’s #21 Jared Mees and Weidman.
Rod Lake Racing / Mike Velasco’s #1 Brad Baker pulled out the win in the Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Grand National Championship Main, his fourth of the year. Mack Daddy Racing / RHC Products’ #33E Mike Avila was a solid second, but the best battle of the race was for the final spot on the podium.
Shoe Racing / Sportland Motorsport’s William Cato came out on top of a race long battle with Scott Powersports’ #55A Jake Shoemaker and Series points leader Van’s Yamaha / Woody Kyle Racing’s #24PJeffery Carver.
Springfield Results:
GNS DASH FOR CASH (4 laps; 6 riders): 1. Henry Wiles (Kaw); 2. Joe Kopp (Hon); 3. Jake Johnson (Hon); 4. Chad Cose (Hon); 5. Matt Weidman (Hon); 6. Chris Carr (Hon).
Time: 0:39.472
AMA PRO MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM PRO SINGLES MAIN (12 laps; 18 riders): 1. Brad Baker (Hon); 2. Mike Avila (Hon); 3. William Cato (Hon); 4. Jake Shoemaker (Suz); 5. Jeffery Carver (Yam); 6. Chaz Springsteen (Kaw); 7. Mike Martin (Hon); 8. Ryan Foster (Hon); 9. Jeremy Hamilton (Hon); 10. Shayna Texter (Hon); 11. Hunter King (Hon); 12. Gerit Callies (Hon); 13. Conner Anderson (Hon); 14. Jason Isennock (Hon); 15. Jake Cunningham (Yam); 16. Tyler O’Hara (Hon); 17. Kurtis Lee (Hon); 18. Andrew Smith (Hon).
Time: 5:06.313.
AMA PRO MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM PRO SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 13 of 17 rounds): 1. Jeffery Carver (241 pts / 4 wins); 2. Brad Baker (219 / 4 wins); 3. Mike Avila (162); 4. James Rispoli (160); 5. JD Beach (118 / 4 wins); 6. Mike Martin (111); 7. Mike LaBelle (101) ; 8. Chaz Springsteen (94); 9. Jake Shoemaker (81); 10. William Cato (59).
AMA PRO K&N GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED by MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM MAIN (25 laps; 19 riders): 1. Henry Wiles (Kaw); 2. Jake Johnson (Hon); 3. JD Beach (Hon); 4. Joe Kopp (Hon); 5. Chris Carr (Hon); 6. Stevie Bonsey (Hon); 7. Kenny Coolbeth (Hon); 8. Bryan Smith (Kaw); 9. Jared Mees (Hon); 10. Matt Weidman (Hon); 11. Sammy Halbert (Yam); 12. Scott Baker (Hon); 13. Brandon Robinson (Hon); 14. Jethro Halbert (Yam); 15. Raun Wood (Hon); 16. Rob Pearson (Yam); 17. Don Mullen (Hon); 18. Mick Kirkness (Suz); 19. Chad Cose (Hon).
Time: 6:20.533
AMA PRO K&N GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED by MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM POINT STANDINGS (After 13 of 17rounds): 1. Joe Kopp (240 pts / 3 wins); 2. Jake Johnson (229 / 2 wins); 3. Sammy Halbert (217 / 1 win); 4. Henry Wiles (215 / 5 wins); 5. Jared Mees (208); 6. Kenny Coolbeth (191); 7. Chris Carr (149); 8. Bryan Smith (138 / 1 win); 9. Matt Weidman (91); 10. Rob Pearson (84).
AMA PRO K&N GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED by MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM SINGLES POINT STANDINGS (After 6 of 6 rounds): 1. Henry Wiles (141 pts / 4 wins); 2. Joe Kopp (111); 3. Jared Mees (100); 4. Jake Johnson (98 / 1 win); 5. Sammy Halbert (81 / 1 win); 6. Kenny Coolbeth (78); 7. Johnny Lewis (68); 8. Bryan Smith (52); 9. Chris Carr (50); 10. Jethro Halbert (48).
