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Topic: RACING SCENE - (AMA Sacramento Mile) Email this topic to a friend | Subscribe to this TopicReport this Topic to Moderator
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ljennings
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May 26, 2016 at 01:29:18 AM
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RACING SCENE - (AMA Sacramento Mile) – By Tim Kennedy

Los Angeles, CA – The AMA GNC Flat Track Motorcycle racing circuit ran race five of a 14 race 2016 season May 21 at the one-mile Cal Expo Fairgrounds in Sacramento. The premier AMA dirt track series visits ten states: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, N. Carolina, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma,S. Dakota and Texas. The circuit will return to California on Sept. 25 for the season finale at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds mile in Santa Rosa.

A large crowd under the covered main grandstand watched an exciting race at Sacramento. The first four 2016 GNC races were a short track doubleheader in Daytona Beach, Fla., Austin, Tex. (COTA), and the initial Turf Paradise mile horse track in Phoenix. There were four different feature winners—Sammy Halbert, Jake Johnson, 2015 GNC1 champion Jared Mees, and Bryan Smith, of Flint, Michigan.

Smith became the first repeat winner on his No. 42 Kawasaki Ninja 650 after dominating the Sacramento mile again. It was his sixth consecutive Sacramento mile triumph dating to 2011. AMA returned to the Sacramento mile that year after a 12-year hiatus. The “mile master” won his 24th AMA GNC victory and 18th on a mile. Personable Smith jumped from fourth to first in 2016 point standings with 86 to 84 for former leader Halbert.

May 21 in Sacramento was a cooler day in the 60s and watering the dirt track periodically kept it dust-free and fast. The track mark was in the 36-second bracket last year. This year Kenny Coolbeth, Jr, from Florida, was fastest qualifier on his No. 2 Harley-Davidson 750 and ran 37.2 quick laps in the feature.

The GNC1 (Experts) main event was scheduled for the usual 25-laps. However, it was reduced to 20-laps to ensure the Dunlop tires lasted the entire race. AMA officials made the change for rider safety. Last year several riders had bald tires at the end of 25-laps. Tires lost side and forward grip. With no inner liners blowouts at speed could be disastrous for the two-wheel jockeys, who ran at 130 mph on the straights.

The GNC2 support class (for newcomers/younger riders) ran the usual 18-rider, 12-lap main event prior to the GNC1 feature. The top seven finishers in a pair of 6-lap heats were joined by the first four finishers in a “Last Chance Qualifier” race. Tristan Avery, from Virginia, moved from second in Sacramento last year to the top step of the three rider podium. His most recent victory came at the DuQuoin (Ill.) mile last July.

The GNC1 feature had the usual 18-rider field arrayed in three rows with six riders per row. Three 8-lap heat winners—Coolbeth, Mees and Smith—earned front row spots for the feature Heat race P. 2 rider--Brandon Robinson, Stevie Bonsey and Brad Baker--completed the front row. The top four finishers in each GNC1 heat transferred to the main event (12 riders).

A pair of 8-lap semi-mains advanced the first three finishers in each race to the main. No. 65 Cory Texter, a 28-year old Pennsylvanian, won the first semi. He placed third and made his first GNC1 podium at Phoenix a week earlier. His sister Shayna Texter, 26, did not transfer from her semi. She was the only female in the GNC1 class and rode a No. 52 Kawasaki Ninja 650. (No. 35L Harley-Davidson) Charlotte Kurtz, from Wisconsin, was the only female GNC2 rider. Shawn Baer won the second GNC1 semi. Davis Fisher grabbed the final feature berth by darting to the inside in the final turn when third place Wayne Maguire (No. 16) drifted high in turn four on the last lap.

After the heat races a special “Clash of Titans III” match race took place on the mile between three-time AMA National Champion Jay Springsteen, 59, and nine-time AMA National champ Scotty Parker, 54, on borrowed Harleys. They reside about 20-miles from each other in Michigan and get together periodically over meals. “Springer” beat Chris Carr in Clash of Titans I and II, a Sacremento tradition. This year Carr, 49, was in the telecast booth as the expert race analyst.

Springsteen used his No. 9 plate on the borrowed Willie McCoy bike. Parker was aboard Jared Mees borrowed No. 1 Harley. They took a rapid reconnisance lap together. From a standing start they raced six laps in close proximity while trading the lead. The duo even added a lap seven and crossed the finish line side-by-side with Springsteen outside and Parker inside. Who won was not important. Some said Springer had it. Both champs probably could have made the 2016 Sacramento feature if they had not retired years ago.

Springsteen was the 1976 AMA GNC rookie of the year and raced AMA almost 30 years. He won the Sacramento mile a record 13-times. Parker won at Sacramento nine times. Springer, who looked remarkably the same, won 43 AMA GN main events and three consecutive championships. Parker, who is now balding, won a record 94 AMA GNC features and nine AMA GNC titles. Carr, a seven-time AMA National champion, is now bearded but he looks as he did while racing. All three of the retired Michigan riders are deservedly AMA Hall of Fame inductees.

The GNC1 feature started at 9:22 pm and Smith led the first lap over Coolbeth and Baker. On lap 3 Kayl Kohlman (No. 98) fell in turn two, causing a brief red flag. He rose quickly and pushed his smoking No. 98 bike to the infield. Riders restarted lap 3 ten minutes later in a single-file, staggered formation for safety.

The race quickly became a three-rider dogfight for the lead. The Smith, Coolbeth, Baker contest had a bike-length separating each rider. On lap 11 Baker, a Harley-Davidson factory rider and 2014 champion, took second from Coolbeth. On lap13 Baker passed Smith for the lead but he almost immediately had a mechanical problem on the front straight. Smith and Coolbeth barely avoided contact with Baker's slowing Harley.

At 9:44 pm the on-track starter waved his twin-checkered flags to the dueling P. 1-2 riders. Coolbeth pulled out of Smith's draft and tried to pass at the finish line. He fell half a bike-length short (0.024 officially). Bonsey finished third (-1.629). Thirteen of 18 starters finished and last place was 22.2 seconds in back of the winner. AMA GNC racing now moves on to the Springfield, Illinois mile on Sunday, May 29. As usual, FANSChoiceTV.com will air the entire event via the Internet.






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