Grand National Championship
AMA Pro Racing has released the Expert Grand National Number list for 2011. The highly anticipated list features new numbers for twelve riders.
The most obvious change has defending Grand National Champion Jake Johnson exchanging his #5 for the coveted #1 when the AMA Pro Grand National season gets underway March 11th at the Daytona Flat Track.
After a few years of splitting the #1 between the Twins and Singles classes, this year’s plate will only be worn by one rider: the Grand National Champion. Singles Champion Henry Wiles will revert back to his longtime-held #17, while former Twins Champion Jared Mees will bring back the revered #9, the longtime number of Jay Springsteen and Gary Nixon.
Former AMA Pro Racing Pro Singles Champions Brad Baker and Jeffery Carver will be moving to the Expert ranks and will sport new National Numbers of their own. Carver was presented the #23 at last year’s awards banquet by Kevin Atherton, and Brad Baker and his brother Scott will be #12 and #11, respectively.
Another brother combo has Merle Scherb moving from the #95 to #78, his dad’s number from 2000 through 2002. Merle’s twin brothers, Logan and Lucas, will also be carrying National Numbers. Logan retains the #18, while Lucas earned the #22 for this year.
The 2011 AMA Pro Racing Flat Track Rookie of the Year, PJ Jacobsen, will also assume his father’s old number. PJ-who also competes in the AMA Pro Road Racing Championship-will be #99, which was held by Keith from 1996 through 1998.
Another road racing power, JD Beach, has dropped the "C" from his #95, as he will also be splitting his season between the dirt and the asphalt.
New York’s Jeremy Higgins and Gary Conklin will be dropping their "B"s, as Higgins staged a strong finish to 2010 and Conklin made his one National main at Daytona last year.
Journeyman rider Aaron Lindfors also made his first National main last year. For 2011, he’ll run the #46 in honor of his home state’s Kris Armentrout and Stan Engdahl.
The list below represents the National Numbers for 2011. Please note that 2011 license applications are not yet entirely complete, therefore consider this list provisional.
2011 AMA Pro Racing Flat Track National Numbers
# Rider Home Town
1*^ Jake Johnson – Franklinville, NJ
2 Kenny Coolbeth – Morris, CT
3 Joe Kopp – Mica, WA
4 Chris Carr – Fleetwood, PA
7 Sammy Halbert – Graham, WA
9* Jared Mees – Clio, MI
10 Johnny Lewis – Coatesville, PA
11* Scott Baker – Eatonville, WA
12* Brad Baker – Chehalis, WA
13^ Dan Gedeon – Warren, OH
15 Nichole Cheza – Clio, MI
16^ AJ Eslick – Tulsa, OK
17 Henry Wiles – Winn, MI
18 Logan Scherb – Decatur, TX
19 Ion Stear – Harvard, IL
20 Matt Weidman – Westerlo, NY
22* Lucas Scherb – Decatur, TX
23* Jeffrey Carver – Alton, IL
24^ Logan Myers – Wheeler, MI
25^ Brian Phillips – Auburn, PA
26 Brandan Bergen – Kewanee, IL
27 Rob Pearson – Morton, IL
28^ Shaun Russell – Westville, IL
29^ Jake Mataya – Brooklyn Center, MN
30 Brock Schwarzenbacher – Beaver Dam, WI
32 Shawn Baer – Bethel, PA
33^ JR Schnabel – Campbellsport, WI
34 Jeremy DeRuyter – West Bend, WI
35^ Brady Mueller – Port Orchard, WA
37 Jimmy Wood – Redlands, CA
39^ Matt Burton – Ottumwa, IA
40^ Aaron King – Dysart, IA
42^ Bryan Smith – Flushing, MI
44 Brandon Robinson – Oxford, PA
45 Jesse Janisch – Hartford, WI
46* Aaron Lindfors – Salina, KS
49 Chad Cose – Fremont, CA
51^ Steve Murray – Grand Blanc, MI
53^ Don Taylor – Port Colborne, Ont., CN
55*^ Gary Conklin – Harpursville, NY
56 Mike Radley – Coeymans Hollow, NY
58^ Adam Carpinello – East Greenbush, NY
59 Willie McCoy – Keller, TX
61 Dustin Crow – Peoria, IL
62^ Luke Gough – Onalaska, WA
65 Cory Texter – Willow Street, PA
68 Josh Koch – Cedar, MN
69 Jethro Halbert – Graham, WA
70 John Hlebo III – San Jose, CA
71^ Don Mullen – Coatesville, PA
72 Tim Eades – Colonial Heights, VA
73 Doug Lawrence – Mississauga, Ont., CN
74^ Mitch Vernon – Olympia, WA
78* Merle Scherb – Decatur, TX
80^ Stevie Bonsey – Salinas, CA
81 Justin Hittle – Peoria, IL
82* Jeremy Higgins – Bergen, NY
87^ Mick Kirkness – Jefferson City, MO
88^ John Raun Wood – Perkasie, PA
90^ Joe Hartrich – Tonawanda, NY
92^ Kevin Vance – Williamsfield, IL
95* JD Beach – Philpot, KY
99* PJ Jacobsen – Montgomery, NY
* NEW # for 2011
^ Pending License Application
