AMA Flat Track
Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle factory rider Kenny Coolbeth finished fourth in the Grand National Twins main on the Yavapai Downs Mile, the final race in the 2010 AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com.
The race was won by Zanotti Racing rider Jake Johnson on a Harley-Davidson. Johnson also won the 2010 AMA Grand National Championship with this race.
A red flag for crashed rider P.J. Jacobson stopped action on the first lap of the 25-lap Grand National main. Jacobson was able to continue.
On the subsequent re-start, Johnson led a five-rider pack that also included Coolbeth, Blue Springs Harley-Davidson rider Jared Mees, King Kustoms/KK Motorcycle Supply rider Sammy Halbert, and Dodge Brothers / Johnny Goadrider Steve Bonsey immediately pulled away from the pack.
Bonsey dropped off the pace on lap six, leaving four riders battling for the lead. Johnson, Mees and Halbert each held the official lead at some point in the race, with Coolbeth hanging back in fourth but never more than a half-second behind the leader.
In the closing laps the race came down to Mees and Johnson, with Mees leading lap 23 before giving way to Johnson. Mees made a last-turn run on the leader, but came up just 0.004 seconds short of victory. Halbert was third, 0.160 second behind the winner. Coolbeth finished 0.496 seconds behind Johnson. Agip/Lloyd Brothers Ducati rider Joe Kopp was fifth, 2.6 seconds off the pace.
The victory was Johnson’s third of the season.
Kenny Coolbeth says: “We got a good start and I was kind of hanging back in the beginning to save my rear tire. I could not seem to get a good draft off of anybody, and there was no passing in the turns here. We were just a freight train on the straights, and when I picked up the pace so did everyone else. It was so close at the end I didn’t know who won. Jake raced hard and really won his championship in style.”
Coolbeth, a three-time Grand National Champion (2006-2008) finished the 2010 season with a win on the Canterbury Mile on Sept. 11, and six other podium appearances in 16 races.
Kenny Coolbeth says: “We would have liked to get more wins, but as you can see from the final points, this was a very competitive season. Everyone was fast. My mechanic, Craig Lager, always put me on a great Harley-Davidson for the Twins races, and he’s been a good friend and supporter. I’m looking forward to next year.”
In the final standings, Johnson had 289 points. Kopp and Mees tied for second place with 269 points. Halbert was fourth with 249 points, followed by Coolbeth with 248 points and KK Motorcycle Supply/Mike & Eddie Adkins rider Henry Wiles with 246 points.
The Screamin’ Eagle Flat Track team is sponsored by Matco Tools.
