August 30, 2010

Smith Gives Kawasaki Their First Win

Source: AMA PRO FLAT TrACK

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (August 28, 2010) - History was made on the fabled Indiana State Fairgrounds mile oval as Kawasaki / Monster Energy / Werner-Springsteen Racing's #42 Bryan Smith captured the first AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com Twins Main event in a hard fought, twenty five lap battle.

Carr Leads the Way Early

Lancaster Harley-Davidson / Dallas Fort Worth Honda's Chris Carr grabbed the early lead from series points leader #3 Joe Kopp on his Latus Harley-Davidson / ENI USA R&M backed Ducati, then repeated the feat as the race was red flagged on lap three, when Stevie Bonsey fell in turn three.

Carr picked up where he left off, but now Smith and Zanotti Racing's #5 Jake Johnson were right behind. On lap six Smith took control, but White's Harley-Davidson / SNIP's Matt Weidman was up high on the cushion and flying to the front. Unfortunately for Weidman, when the high line went away, he backed up as fast as he had come forward.

As the race reached the mid-point it became a two rider race. Smith and Carr went back and forth several times, but as the laps wound down Smith took control. The race would end with Carr just over a tenth of a second out.

Chris Carr Leads Much of the Indy Mile

"I've been dreaming about this all year," said Smith. "And it wasn't a nightmare either. I was sure, as soon as we got to these tracks with long straight-aways, the Kawasaki's power was let us finally win one."

"I just couldn't draft him (Smith)," said Carr. "I could get close, but he just had too much power."

Harley-Davidson Motor Company's Kenny Coolbeth brought his #2 Harley-Davidson home third over two seconds off the lead.

Johnson took control of fourth and rode home a lonely three seconds off the pace. King's Kustoms / KK Motorcycle Supply's Sammy Halbert finished an uneventful fifth as Joe Kopp made a late race pass of Rookie of the Year front runner, Moroney's 1-800fasthog.com's #99B PJ Jacobsen.

Defending Series Champion # 1 Jared Mees work his way up to fourth before sliding back to an eighth place finish. It was another eight seconds back to Matt Weidman.

Carr WIns Dash for Cash & Watch

The K&N Filter's dash for Cash saw Chris Carr dominate as points leader Joe Kopp suffered a blow to his points total when he couldn't get his Ducati to fire and he received no points. Sammy Halbert and Bryan Smith rounded out the podium as all three received "Special Edition, Nicky Hayden watches."

The K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com points standing are still being led by Joe Kopp, but Sammy Halbert and Jake Johnson are closing in, just twelve and fourteen points back respectively.

INDIANA STATE FAIRGROUNDS
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
RESULTS: August 28, 2010

GNT DASH FOR CASH (4 laps; 6 riders): 1. Chris Carr (H-D); 2. Sammy Halbert (H-D); 3. Bryan Smith (Kaw); 4. Jake Johnson (H-D); 5. Stevie Bonsey (H-D); 6. Joe Kopp (Duc).
Time: 2:37.318

AMA PRO K&N GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED by MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM MAIN (25 laps; 18 riders): 1. Bryan Smith (Kaw); 2. Chris Carr (H-D); 3. Kenny Coolbeth (H-D); 4. Jake Johnson (H-D); 5. Sammy Halbert (H-D); 6. Joe Kopp (H-D); 7. PJ Jacobsen (H-D); 8. Jared Mees (H-D); 9. Matt Weidman (H-D); 10. Willie McCoy (H-D); 11. JR Schnabel (H-D); 12. Larry Pegram (Duc); 13. Luke Gough (H-D); 14. Brandan Bergen (H-D); 15. Rob Pearson (H-D); 16. Shawn Baer (Tri); 17. Steve Murray (H-D); 18. Jethro Halbert (H-D); 19. Stevie Bonsey (H-D).
Time: 22: 59.491 --RED FLAG--

AMA PRO K&N GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED by MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM POINT STANDINGS (After 12 of 17rounds): 1. Joe Kopp (221 pts / 3 wins); 2. Sammy Halbert (209 / 1 win); 3. Jake Johnson (207 / 2 wins); 4. Jared Mees (198); 5. Henry Wiles (188 / 4 wins); 6. Kenny Coolbeth (179); 7. Chris Carr (135); 8. Bryan Smith (127 / 1 win); 9. Johnny Lewis (82); 10. (TIE) Matt Weidman / Rob Pearson (81); 12. Mick Kirkness (73); 13. Jethro Halbert (58); 14. Stevie Bonsey (47 / 1 win); 15. JR Schnabel (39); 16. Luke Gough (38); 17. Brandon Robinson (35); 18. Shaun Russell (33); 19. PJ Jacobsen (31); 20. Chad Cose (26).

August 30, 2010 6:32 AM | send page