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August 19, 2009

KOPP Wins Round 6 of Flat Track Grand National

Kopp Wins, Carr Places 9th

A hot Sunday afternoon greeted Round Six of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Twins Championship as the series moved to the challenging mile oval of Beulah Park in Grove City, Ohio for the Flying Horse Mile.

Latus Harley-Davidson / Screamin' Eagle's No. 3 Joe Kopp did the unheard of in Sunday's mile track AMA Pro Flat Track event. The Washington veteran not only led every lap, but he pulled away to a 22-second lead over last year's Beulah Park winner, No. 42 Bryan Smith (Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson / Moroney's Harley-Davidson). Smith's race was none the less impressive as he held more than an eight-second lead over Halbert Family / King Kustoms' No. 43 Sammy Halbert.

"I guess this kind of makes up for the last three or four Nationals that haven't gone so well," Kopp said of his dominating ride. "I knew I wanted to get the hole shot and after I did, I battled with Bryan (Smith) for a few laps, but I cut a couple of good laps and got away. After I started to lap people, I just wanted to catch them and pass them."


Kopp lapped other riders through eighth place, and his margin of victory was unusual for a mile track, where racers typically draft in packs, making it difficult for a single rider to open a significant lead.


"Tonight I just had a perfect set-up and a really fast Harley-Davidson motorcycle. This is a great rebound for our team after being disappointed not to get to race at Rapid City." "I can't remember ever seeing a race won by this margin," said Kopp, who has been racing on the Grand National series since 1991. "Every time I looked back I wasn't sure if the bike behind me was a lapper or someone catching me. I probably should have slowed down but I was not going to let this win get away from me."

Kopp also won his heat race and the four-lap Dash for Cash bonus sprint.

Halbert Family/King Kustoms rider Sammy Halbert finished third, 8.5 seconds behind Smith. Deeley's Harley-Davidson rider Don Taylor was fourth, followed by Glen Schnabel, Jr. in fifth. Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle factory rider Kenny Coolbeth, the defending Grand National Twins champion, finished in sixth place. Blue Springs Harley-Davidson/Screamin' Eagle rider Jared Mees, who leads the series in season points, finished eighth.

After six of nine 2009 AMA Grand National Twins Championship events, Mees retains the series lead with 90 points. Coolbeth is second with 85 points. Halbert is third with 84 points, and Carr is fourth with 77 points. Smith is in fifth place with 55. Kopp moves up to seventh place with 68 points.



Results


AMA Pro Racing Grand National Twins Championship: (18 riders / 17 laps) 1. Joe Kopp (H-D); 2. Bryan Smith (H-D); 3. Sammy Halbert (H-D); 4. Don Taylor (H-D); 5. JR Schnabel (H-D); 6. Kenny Coolbeth (H-D); 7. Matt Weidman (H-D); 8. Jared Mees (H-D); 9. Chris Carr (H-D); 10. Brandan Bergen (H-D); 11. Cory Texter (H-D); 12. Aaron King (Apr); 13. Mick Kirkness (Suz); 14. Shaun Russell (H-D); 15. Dan Gedeon (H-D); 16. Kevin Vance (H-D); 17. Jake Johnson (H-D); 18. Henry Wiles (H-D).

The 2009 AMA Grand National Twins Championship will next race on Aug. 29 on the Indy Mile at the Indian State Fairground in Indianapolis.


Meet The Champ In Indy @ Southside Harley-Davidson

Meet The Champ

Meet Chris Carr @ Indy

Heading out to the MotoGP race and the Indy Mile in late August? Then meet a legend, Chris Carr, at the Southside Harley-Davidson Dealership Friday, August 28, 2009. D&D Performance Enterprises is sponsoring an autograph signing with the champ.


Festivities start at 3PM to 7PM. Southside Harley-Davidson is located at 4930 Southport Crossing Place, Indianapolis, IN 46237 317-885-5180. More information at the

dealership.

Food, live music and a vintage race bike display will round out the show. Check August 28, 2009 on your calendar... don't miss it!

August 19, 2009 11:15 AM | send page