This message was edited on
March 17, 2009 at
08:40:26 AM by AMP
An International flair occured Saturday night March 14th at the historic OK Corral Indoor Arena in Harrah, Oklahoma when Canadian racer AMA National Number 73 Doug Lawrence of Mississauga Ontario registered to race.
Lawrence made the comment, "do they race motorcycles in here" when he first walked into the building Saturday afternoon. Having never in his career raced an Indoor, Lawrence, riding a new 2009 Edge Kawasaki KX450F struggled in his hot laps and qualifying heat race early on.
But come money time, things changed dramatically. The full grid of Open Pro Singles riders, comprised of past AMP two time Champion in the Pro Singles, Bret Sowders, and local hot shoes plus the entire Scherb camp from Decatur, Texas were divided into two qualifying heats. The top to finishers from each were honored in the NOS Energy Drink Dash For Cash. And a second non-quaifier DFC ran in honor of all those that traveled the distance to competed Saturday night.
Bryan Collins won the NOS Energy Drink DFC with Chance Osburn taking the win in the NQ DFC race.
To add to the excitement, AMA Pro Racing Flattrack announcer Scottie Duebler interviewed the riders and called the action in the heats, dash for cash and Main Event for the Pro Singles. Lawrance was not quite sure about predicting his performance during a track-side interview early in the night's program, and had lots of very seasoned indoor racers to deal with. The Scherbs, coming from a family that worked Indoor Monster Truck and Shorttrack racing events for years have been making laps on this type of red clay since Moby Dick was a minnow. And in another interview Scottie Duebler explained that he had many a lap on his 600 Rotax inside the OK Corral.
Riders lined up for the Main Event in Pro Singles, engines were reved to the electronic controlers limits, twitchy fingers on the clutch levers and the riders were on their toes in anticipation of the green. Lights went green and it was total insanity inside the barn as the two rows of riders charged into the first turn of the 12 laps main. A blur of bright colors all scrambled together in a ballet that resembled dancers on rollerskates eventually flaired out into a three wide challenge heading towards turn for. Keep in mind this is all happening inside a rectangle rodeo arena measuring 200' x 110' on the outside. The dirt is a mixture of clay and sand and is dark red in color and offers a type of traction that at times is racing away from the rider, and at other times is coming in for the rider. Tonight's heavy track seemed to offer a challenge of both tire pressure and rider style of position on the machine.
Lawrance battled with Bryan Collins, Merle Scherb and Bret Sowders at the start. Scherb made a run at Collins near the end of the race, but could not make the pass stick. Lawrance, with an amazing start, got the hole shot and put the Edge Kawasaki on the point with everyone else in chase. Perhaps the few laps in the two practice sessions and his heat race with some of the best riders in the region, were all that was needed for this rider to capture a win tonight. One thing is for certain, and that is that Doug Lawrance rode the wheels off the Edge Kawasaki toinight at the historic OK Corral, and he can say for certain that the do race motorcycles at the OK Corral, and he now has his name carved on the winners list on the old hitchin' post. Eh!
Results Open Pro Singles
Saturday March 14, 2009
AMP Outlaw Winter Nationals
Indoor Short Track Series
1. 73 Doug Lawrance Edge (Kaw) Edge Performance; American Harley Davidson; 661; Works Connection
2. 61g Bryan Collins (Kaw) Collins Construction
3. 78n Merle Scherb (Hon) Docs Harley Davidson
4. 81g Bret Sowders (Hon) Adams Racing, Maxey's Honda
5. 32n Corby Scherb (Hon)
6. 20n Lucas Scherb (Hon)
7. 12 Chance Osburn (Yam) Osburn Graphix
8. 20n Logan Scherb (Hon)
9. 22 Scott Koonce (Yam) Enrem Materials; Sparks America
http://tkcphotos.com/main.php?g2_itemId=8995
Doug Lawrance with the Double Checkered Flag Salute
after winning Round 12 of the AMP Outlaw Winter Nationals
A Main Event Saturday March 14, 2009
http://tkcphotos.com/main.php?g2_itemId=8993
Doug Lawrance beginning an interview with AMA Pro Racing Announer Scottie Duebler
folowing his victory Saturday March 14, 2009
From an earlier press release from Edge Performance.
"Craig Steyn of Edge Performance is very pleased to announce that his Bradford Ont. based shop will be sponsor for national number 73 Doug Lawrence of Mississauga Ontario in the American Motorcyclists Association Grand National Singles Flat Track Championship. Doug will ride the 2009 Edge Kawasaki KX450F and will ride selected Canadian Motorcycle Association events as well.
"We met Doug through an employee of mine, Drew Robison ." explained Steyn from his shop, "Doug comes highly recommended so when the opportunity came up that we could help him he came up and we worked out a deal. He’s a good young man who comes from a good family and although I have yet to see him ride, his standings are impressive and hopefully we can help with that."
Lawrence will start his season with entries in the Florida flat track series and will be competing in Savannah Georgia, then on to the Barberville Florida to Volusia Speedway for the Saturday night Feb 28th and Sunday Mar 1st before moving on to the Daytona Short Track double-header on March 4th and 5th. This is Lawrence’s second career appearance for the green guys as he won the Canadian Motorcycle Association 250 Junior class championship on a Kawasaki in 1998.
"I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited for the start of the season." An enthusiastic Lawrence commented,"It’s great to be hooked up with Edge Performance. Craig has got race savvy but they’ve never been involved with dirt track before so I really want to do well for them. And yeah it’s cool to be back on a Kawasaki. I won with one before so…my buddy Bryan Smith rides one now and he really likes it and Henry Wiles won a GNC race on one so we know we’ve got a good basis." Lawrence acknowledged there will be some new challenges. "There’s going to be a lot to learn with these production frames. I’ve never run on a dtx bike so there’s going to be a lot of work to get up with the front runners."
With the new AMA rules the work load and cost to get ready for 09 is much lighter then in past years. "We’ll get a little headwork done and put an exhaust on it and a cam and that’s it for the motor." Lawrence explained, shortly after receiving the bike from Edge. "We’ll change the front and rear suspension and mount dirt track wheels and tires and we’re good to go."
Doug will continue to ride for the American Harley-Davidson team on the George Evans tuned XR750 in the AMA GNC Twins championship chase. "George consistently goes the extra mile for us. He does way more stuff then we ask or expect. I’m especially happy to have him wrenching for us again this year." He added. "Also Mike Boughner is going to be dialing in our suspension and I’m really excited to be working with him."
Doug Lawrence is proud to be a partner with the following sponsors.
American Harley-Davidson of Niagara Falls New York
Edge Performance
CVC Communications
Evans Racing
Boughner Racing
Saddlemen
MM Skidshoes
Greedy Racing Leathers
42
Amzoil
Vortex
Motion Pro
Ogio
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