Coolbeth Takes Lake Odessa GNC

| July 3, 2005
Mid America Harley-Davidson/Jones Powersports’ Kenny Coolbeth scored his first win of the season during round seven of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship at Iona Raceway Park in Lake Odessa, Michigan, last night.

Coolbeth sat on the pole for the 25-lap main event, only to come off the line fourth. He threaded his way past Bryan Bigelow and round-six winner Jared Mees to run second to former series champion Joe Kopp. Coolbeth then appeared to be closing in on Kopp, setting up a battle for the lead, but that battle never materialized, as Kopp dropped out with mechanical troubles on lap 19. Coolbeth inherited the lead and held it to the finish.

Mees finished second, upping his podium streak to two, while reigning series champion Chris Carr put together a charge that took him past Rich King and into to third place.

With the win, Coolbeth became the sixth different winner in the seven rounds of the series run thus far. Only Carr has two wins, and Carr remains in the series points lead, with 121 points, although Coolbeth trails him by just 16. Mees, who is enjoying the best season of his still-young career, is third, with 90.

Here are the results and points from Ionia Raceway Park:

GRAND NATIONAL (25 laps; 18 riders): 1. Kenny Coolbeth (H-D); 2. Jared Mees (H-D); 3. Chris Carr (H-D); 4. Rich King (H-D); 5. Shaun Russell (H-D); 6. Bryan Smith (H-D); 7. Willie McCoy (H-D); 8. Paul Lynch (H-D); 9. J.R. Schnabel (H-D); 10. Jake Johnson (Suz); 11. Johnny Murphree (H-D); 12. Jethro Halbert (H-D); 13. Henry Wiles (H-D); 14. John Raun Wood (H-D); 15. Charlie Italia (H-D); 16. Kevin Varnes (Suz); 17. Joe Kopp (H-D); 18. Bryan Bigelow (H-D).

AMA FORD QUALITY CHECKED FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES STANDINGS (After 7 of 17 rounds): 1. Chris Car (121/2 wins); 2. Kenny Coolbeth (105/1 win); 3. Jared Mees (90/1 win); 4. Jake Johnson (85/1 win); 5. Joe Kopp (83); 6. Shaun Russell (70); 7. J.R. Schnabel (67/1 win); 8. Bryan Smith (65); 9. Rich King (63/1 win); 10. Johnny Murphree (60); 11. Nick Cummings (56); 12. Kevin Varnes (50); 13. Willie McCoy (50); 14. Henry Wiles (45); 15. Bryan Bigelow (38); 16. John Raun Wood (29); 17. Jay Springsteen (28); 18. Geo Roeder II (23); 19. Dominic Beaulac (14); 20. Chris Hart (12).

By Scott Rousseau