Quality Checked Pre-owned Certified Ford Racing’s Chris Carr came one step closer to nailing down the lid on his third consecutive (fifth career) AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championships title when he won the Scioto Downs Half Mile in Columbus, Ohio, last night.
Carr took the lead early in the 25-lap main event on the deep half mile racing surface, but cushion track superhero Geo Roeder II came from behind to overtake Carr for the lead on lap five. While the track was heavy, Roeder was hot, and he built a straightaway lead aboard his Skip Eaken-tuned KK/Las Vegas Harley-Davidson entry. But then the cushion went away and the track started to groove up, and Roeder went backward, losing four positions before the main event was over.
With the rubber being laid down, Carr retook the lead, with KTM/Jones Powersports teammates Kenny Coolbeth and Joe Kopp coming with him. They would finish in that order, with Coziahr Harley-Davidson’s Johnny Murphree charging past Roeder to fourth place just before the end of the race. Memphis Shades/Parts Unlimited’s J.R. Schnabel finished sixth after following Murphree through the pack. Team Harley-Davidson’s Rich King, Fasthog.com/Moroney’s Harley-Davidson’s Jake Johnson, 1st Racing.com’s Bryan Smith and Cayuga Tool and Die’s Shawn Clark rounded out the top 10.
Carr’s win now gives him a 21-point lead over Murphree, 253-232, with just the Springfield Short Track/Springfield Mile remaining. Carr can clinch the title by finishing two spots ahead of Murphree at the Springfield Short Track. The results from the Scioto Grand National and Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance National are as follows:
Scioto Downs
Columbus, Ohio
Results: September 20, 2003 (Round 15 of 17)
GRAND NATIONAL (25 laps; 18 riders): 1. Chris Carr (H-D); 2. Kenny Coolbeth (H-D); 3. Joe Kopp (H-D); 4. Johnny Murphree (H-D); 5. Geo Roeder II (H-D); 6. J.R. Schnabel (H-D); 7. Rich King (H-D); 8. Jake Johnson (H-D); 9. Bryan Smith (H-D); 10. Shawn Clark (H-D); 11. Mike Hacker (H-D); 12. Chris Hart (H-D); 13. Willie McCoy (H-D); 14. Steve Beattie (H-D); 15. Jay Springsteen (H-D); 16. Aaron Creamer (H-D); 17. Jared Mees (H-D); 18. Dominic Beaulac (H-D).
AMA PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE U.S. FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 15 of 17 rounds): 1. Chris Carr (253/5 wins); 2. Johnny Murphree (232/1 win); 3. Joe Kopp (204/2 wins); 4. Kenny Coolbeth (198/2 wins); 5. Rich King (163/1 win); 6. Jake Johnson (135/1 win); 7. Jay Springsteen (100); 8. Kevin Atherton (99); 9. Bryan Bigelow (98); 10. Mike Hacker (97); 11. J.R. Schnabel (93/1 win); 12. Steve Beattie (79); 13. Geo Roeder II (77); 14. Shaun Russell (66); 15. Willie McCoy (63); 16. Jared Mees (53); 17. Paul Lynch (51); 18. John Raun Wood (45); 19. Brett Landes (43/1 win); 20. (TIE) Bryan Smith (42)/Terry Poovey (42).
883 NATIONAL: 1. Scott Scherb; 2. Josh Toungett; 3. Noot Irvin; 4. Brian Kromroy; 5. Brian Thomas; 6. Corby Scherb; 7. Brandon Laursen; 8. Dean Standish; 9. Shane Fox; 10. Scott Beckley; 11. John Winsett; 12. Mike Beland; 13. Cory McDermitt; 14. Robert Lewis; 15. Todd Perkins; 16. Paul Normandin; 17. John Clark.
AMA HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORMANCE SERIES POINTS STANDINGS: 1. Scott Scherb (161); 2. Scott Stump (134); 3. Cory McDermitt (134); 4. Robert Lewis (104); 5. (TIE) Josh Toungett (93)/Shawn Baer (93); 7. Brian Thomas (74); 8. Corby Scherb (71); 9. Merle Scherb (67); 10. John Faulkner (63).
Upcoming Rounds:
Round 16 – Springfield, Illinois, September 26
Round 17 – Springfield, Illinois, September 27
