Harley-Davidson Museum Racing Exhibit to Host Unveiling of 2013 H-D Factory Teams on February 22

Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. is shown on the #2 Harley-Davidson Motor Company/Screamin' Eagle/Spectro Oils/Fox-sponsored factory H-D XR750 lined up and ready to go for the first heat race of the day at round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Springfield Mile II on September 4.  Coolbeth would go on to win his heat, take home a solid 3rd-place effort in the Dash for Cash four-lap bonus race and take a 4th-place finish in the 25-lap National main behind winner Willie McCoy, runner-up Chris Carr and 3rd-place finisher Jake Johnson.

It was announced today that the Harley-Davidson Museum, located in Milwaukee, WI. would be hosting a special racing exhibit on Friday, February 22, 2013 that will serve at the official unveiling for all of Harley's factory supported efforts for the new season.  Coolbeth will be in attendance along with such luminaries as 9-Time AMA Grand National Champion Scott Parker and 3-Time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion Andrew Hines as part of a special presentation that will include a panel discussion held along with the official unveiling of Harley's 2013 racing efforts.

To read more about this special event, check out the links below.


Thanks to Roadracing World.com for this press release concerning the H-D factory team unveiling that will take place on February 22.

You can read more here about the Harley-Davidson Museum's racing exhibit and team unveiling scheduled for February 22, 2013, direct from the H-D Museum's official site.

Remembering Ricky Graham, Former 3-Time AMA Flat Track Grand National Champion

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Ricky Graham powers the USC Racing Honda RS750 out of turn two during a practice session at the Lima Half Mile round of the AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Series in June of '97. The former 3-Time Grand National Champion ('82, '84, '93) was one of the brightest talents to ever hit the track in the AMA Flat Track Series, coming into the series in the '78 season and winning his first Grand National event at the Indy Mile over former '75 GN Champ Gary Scott in August of 1980. While riding for one of the legends in the sport at the time, Graham won his first race (and championship) riding a Tex Peel Harley-Davidson XR750.
To this day, the man holds win records in the series that 13 years after his passing may never be eclipsed. In what has been referred to as his 'career' year in '93, 'Ricky G' won 12 Grand National events on the season, winning six events in a row during that glorious run, setting fast qualifying time in 12 of those events, and topped it off with six half mile wins on the season. He still sits fourth in the all-time win list with 39 Grand National event wins (behind Scott Parker, Chris Carr and Jay Springsteen) and holds the distinction of 'most years between championships' from his second championship in '84 until his career-topping grandeur year of '93. And those are just a few of the numbers this great racer put up throughout his career AND career year.
Ricky was reported to be making the switch back to the almighty XR750 for the '98 season after having been one of the last of the 'hold-outs' to stay with the Honda's. Honda's parts were running out finally after their late '80s pull-out from the sport, and what was left (according to those in the know) were extremely 'high dollar' compared to the costs of the H-D parts in those days. Several others were still running the RS750 in competition (including Terry Poovey and Rich King), but the red, white and blue bikes that took the dirt track scene by storm in the '84 season were quickly going the way of the dinosaur. Sadly, this is something we will never know, as the Man From Salinas died tragically in a house fire at his home in California on January 22, 1998 and the flat track community was left to mourn and wonder 'what if?' for what may be forever.
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One of Ricky Graham's USC Racing Honda RS750s sits in the display area of the infield during the inaugural AMA Flat Track Hall of Fame Race at the Springfield Mile in early September of '98. This event was the first that Dave Despain had put together for the AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Series stars to race in front of a sold-out crowd for a purse of $100K on the line.
Vendors had displays set up (Dan Mahoney was on-hand with part of his fabulous photo collection that had me drooling like a six month old baby) and people brought in former (and present vintage) race bikes for the crowds to peruse. Of course, Ricky's National #3 stuck out immediately to me, having been a fan of his since he had beaten another big fave of mine in his intitial GN event win at Indy in 1980.
I'm not sure who owned the bike at the time (or for that matter now!) but this one was always one of my personal favorites. Tuners to the Stars Johnny Goad and Skip Eaken had taken this (and others as well) to the tops of podiums against the might of the H-D Factory Machine and had thrashed them pretty hard for several years along with Ricky G and Bubba Shobert at the controls. Goad was the team owner/tuner and Master of All with Graham in that great run in '93 with the Audiovox/Team Undo Honda, and between Ricky's throttle hand and JG making those RS's sing, it was some year that gave Honda fans such as myself a glimmer of hope against the impending XR onslaught.
(Of side note, the Bubba Shobert bike I posted a couple of months ago from George Barber's museum was once also owned by Dave Lloyd, of Lloyd Brothers Motorsports fame.)
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On the 13th annivesary of his passing, Ricky Graham is still remembered for his charisma and his ability to do things on a flat track machine that mere mortals such as myself just shake their heads at seeing. I've been a big flat track fan since the early-mid '70s, and have never met, known or seen too many racers I didn't admire or like, on or off the track. Being one of the kinds of fans that likes and appreciates them all, over the years I have obviously had several favorites in the AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Series.

But like ALL fans, I also have my 'all-time' and/or 'top' favorites, and Ricky Graham pretty much tops that list for me, first catching my eye at Indy when winning his first AMA Flat Track GN event over '75 AMA GN Champion Gary Scott on August 24, 1980. And after winning his first championship with Tex Peel in '82 and then hooking up with the all-new Honda's in '84 and all but setting the series on fire at the time, well, it was pretty much all done by then. Let alone the damage he ensued on his competitors in his Career Year of '93. 'Ricky G' was the man!

Every year on January 22, I try to take the time to go back through my archives of shots, magazines and/or thoughts, and remember the man that passed away at an all-too young age, and reminisce of his great feats on the AMA Flat Track Series. And I remember all of the thrills,
chills and smiles he put on my face as a 'more than average' AMA Flat Track fan during those almost-two decades of watching him race. I also remember what a great run he had and how he was not only a great racer, but was also a mortal that dealt with, and got past his demons, and showed us all what a great talent he truly was. But most of all, I remember that big smile and his ability to whip it up on a flat tracker almost like no other.

Thanks for the memories Ricky, it was a great run. On this 13th anniversary of his passing, take time along with me to remember Ricky G and his great accomplishments over the years. And be thankful we had him here to bless us at all the way he did over the years we did have him. God Bless Ricky!
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Ricky Graham, The Career Year Part I:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV27OoRdQGM

Ricky Graham, The Career Year Part II:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AOa3nBnKY4&feature=related

Ricky Graham, The Career Year Part III:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwV47LYJ6m4&feature=related

Ricky Graham, The Career Year Part IV:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ0eIP8L7mk&feature=related
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AMA Flat Track: Kenny Coolbeth Returns With Screamin Eagle H-D for 2011 AMA Flat Track Season

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Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. can be seen looking over at his Screamin Eagle H-D Factory XR750 as the rest of his team gets the #2 Harley-Davidson Motor Corp/Screamin Eagle/Motion Pro/Wiseco-sponsored mount ready for the Labor Day Weekend running of the Springfield Mile back in September. The '06-'08 AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Twins Series Champion and '07 AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Singles Series Champion return to the factory H-D team was made official this weekend for the upcoming 2011 AMA Flat Track Series season. Harley-Davidson made all of their 2011 season racing announcements yesterday in Long Beach as part of the International Motorcycle Show.
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As previously expected, Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. will be returning to the Screamin Eagle Harley-Davidson Motor Corp. for the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series. The King of Cool, who has been with the Harley Factory Team since the '06 season according to AMA Pro Flat Track's rider bio on him, won the Canterbury Park Mile this year, one of the just announced returning venues for the upcoming 2011 season, and finished 5th in the final 2010 GN Championship point standings. He also garnered five additional podiums in the '10 season.

Coolbeth, who is currently 11th on the all-time wins list in AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Series Racing with 25 wins, had announced late last week he would be taking his Singles Series program over to Chaplin Kawasaki after being with Bettencourt's Honda for at least the better part of the last decade. He has finished in the top 10 in AMA Flat Track Series Racing season-ending point standings every year since 2000.

Paul Carruthers has the story at Cycle News.com and you can read the great news below.

Congrats to Kenny and it will be great to see you back on the Factory H-D XR750 again in 2011!

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2010/12/18/harley-s-racing-programs-for-2011
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Bryan Smith Signs With Werner Springsteen Racing Kawasaki For The 2010 AMA Flat Track Season....

In what could turn out to be THE super team in AMA Flat Track for the upcoming season,

Bryan Smith has stepped on board with Bill Werner AND Jay Springsteen to ride a Kawasaki

650 Ninja-based twin and 450 single in each of the flat track series this year.

Smith, who has been one, if not THE most consistent rider in terms of scoring top points finishes

in each of the last four or five years, will team with the all-time leader in championships when it

comes to Mr. Super Tuner, Bill Werner. Werner, having won his first of 13 championships with

Gary Scott back in '75, has been working with the Kawasaki's the last couple of years and looks

ready to put a big-time run in for the overall, and respective twins and singles championships.

And with 'The Old Gunslinger' Jay 'Springer' Springsteen on board as rider-coach for the team,

not too mention being arguably the most popular flat track racer of all time, this is sure to be considered an effort to respect, look out for, and be very wary of. And if not for the first

year, when they get any of the first year kinks worked out, look out.

Bryan Smith has more then proved himself on the track , as well, and will bring a work effort

and work ethic that is very admirable to the team. After finishing in the top 5 each of the last

four seasons in flat track, Smith's factory support was dropped at the end of last year from Harley. Revenge anyone? And Bill Werner's records of national wins, national championships,

and what the man has brought and given back to the sport is epic in itself. And then with

Springer in the loop to help coach, train and set up the bikes for the different track conditions,

well, has the train stopped yet?!

Being as how the Harley Davidson XR-750 has pretty much dominated the sport for especially the last 16 years in terms of championships, having a big play team like this come along is big!

Let alone one that EVERY major team member has been part of that domination over the course of the last four or so decades, this could really be GOOD and BIG for the sport of AMA Flat Track racing. And it could also help to instill some much-needed new blood, fan following, and outside looks into this wonderful racing series. I personally can't wait! GO WSRK!!! And thank you to all for making an effort to put something like this together.

You can read the official news releases here thanks to Paul Carruthers at http://www.cyclenews.com/! He has a great read on the team outlook and all of the sponsors involved. And the good folks at http://www.roadracingworld.com/ have a news release as well:
http://cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2010/01/12/smith-goes-green

http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=39104

Another good thing I really like about this team set up, especially with the way things have

been in the last few years with the split championships and all, is the fact that Bryan Smith will

be on one make, and one make only for this effort. Instead of splitting his time riding an XR on the big tracks and a 450-single based Honda or whatever on the short tracks, he will be Kawasaki-mounted all the way. This can't but help more with rider AND brand identification in the series, which seems to have lost some of that unless it's for each of the respective singles OR twins series. At least having one guy, on one make, for the whole year, trying to figure out where Bryan Smith is for the year just got a whole lot easier as you know he'll be on the green bike! Or at least assumptions being as what they are when it comes to a Kawasaki racing effort. Of course they do make red bikes, too......but you get my drift. You'll know where Bryan Smith is on the track this year in all the races.

And that's a good thing to new fans trying to come in to this sport or to tv viewers, as well. Brand AND talent identification is big for getting the masses to recognize you. Or whatever masses flat track racing may have, has had, or could and will have. For those that manage to see this sport, and those that have, you all know once you've been there, there is no turning back. Although flat track may not have the strongest and largest following of any of the motor sports series, anyone that's seen it will tell you the same thing--WOW! Kind of like the first time you had sex in your life...'where the hell has THIS been all my life!!' Still the best show on wheels, hands down. If this stuff doesn't excite you, you don't have a pulse.....

To help Werner Springsteen Racing Kawasaki and Bryan Smith celebrate their thrilling new announcement for the 2010 season, I've dug into the archives of Stu's Shots to try and bring you an overall view of the team make up for this season. Not to mention where the team members have been and come from in the last 35 or so years!

To start off with we have #42 Smith in the middle of turn one at the Springfield short track on Labor Day weekend of 2004. This heat shot has Joe Kopp on the #3 to Bryan's inside and #34 Nicholas Williams to his outside. Right behind Smith on the #11 is Bryan Bigelow.

Next up is Bryan signing for and speaking with a youngf an during the Springfield short track pit walk through over Labor Day weekend in '07. Behind him sit his #42's ready to rock 'n roll for later in the evening.

Then we have a shot of Mr. Super Tuner, Mr. Flat Track Wrench himself, Bill Werner, the all-time winningest tuner in AMA Flat Track racing, the 13-time Champ checking on his rider

Gary Scott during practice for the 1975 Peoria TT. Scott's back up is below BW in the pits. Bill earned his first of many championships at the end this season.

And we couldn't celebrate this team without a shot of Springer himself. You can see him in the orange shirt on the tailgate of his truck on the right side of this shot talking with some people while out front are one of his #9 Bartel's-sponsored XR's alongside one of Bart Markel's old

XR #4's. Springer had just restored this bike before he had it on display at the Indy Mile during MotoGP weekend in August of '09.

And finally we have the Springfield Mile from Labor Day weekend of '06. As the field drops the hammer for the national final, you have #42 Bryan Smith surrounded by #1, 7-time Grand National Champion Chris Carr, #3 and 2000 Grand National Champion Joe Kopp, #31 and future 3-time Grand National Champion Kenny Coolbeth, #28 Shaun Russell and #14 Jake Johnson. And that's just the front row. Also visible in this shot are #10 Dan Stanley, #17 Henry Wiles, #89 Kevin Varnes, #59 Rusty Rogers and #11 Bryan Bigelow. Smith went on to win what was his first, of what should be many, Springfield Mile Nationals that afternoon.

I hope you have enjoyed this celebration of what should be GREAT things to come for Bryan Smith and Werner Springsteen Racing Kawasaki, let alone the fans and friends of the AMA Flat Track series. This year just got a whole lot more interesting! Thanks for coming by and we hope to see you again soon. Take care and God Bless and stay warm.

Hot Diggitty Dog! Folks, We Now Have an AMA Flat Track Schedule for the 2010 Season...

Thanks to a posting from the great folks at http://www.flattrack.com/ we have learned in the last

couple of days that the AMA has released a schedule for the '10 season for the flat track

series. Below is a cut and paste from that schedule as was obtained from that post.

Tracks returning are Peoria, Lima, Indy, Springfield-spring and end of summer events-and

of course kicking off the season at Daytona. This of course comes as great news for fans

and competitors alike, as the flat track series is some of, if not THE BEST racing going bar

none, and showcases some of the most exciting racing, let alone personalities in the sport.

For a sport that has been around in more or less it's current form for over 55 years is a

testament to the level of competition, thrills, and down right adrenaline that will encompass

you when you take it all in. And not too mention what the riders go through.....

While you are planning your calendar for the coming season, and doing some bench racing

to get you through the long winter--especially here in the midwest--you can also check out the

shots I have thrown in for this post tonight to celebrate the upcoming year of competition for

the greatest racing on two wheels--or any, for that matter. And for the record, I'll see you at

Peoria, Springfield, Lima, Indy--that's a no brainer since it's less then 10 miles--and Gas City.

It's gonna be a fun year! Can't wait to go racin' again!

Starting off at the top is a shot of one of Ricky Graham's old RS750 Honda mounts that he ran

for Johnny Goad and USC Racing in the mid '90s. I didn't find out who, but someone had this on

display in the vendor's area of the Inaugaral Springfield Hall of Fame Race back in '98 over the Labor Day weekend. Sweet piece, and I have been a BIG Ricky Graham fan since I saw him win

his first national at Indy back in the summer of '80. RIP RG! You are missed....

I then tossed in a shot of various riders during practice for the June 2006 Lima, Ohio half mile.

This shot says it all for the different and varying lines available at the great pee gravel-based

track. And the folks that run this race do it right. As I have mentioned before, if you can get to

Lima the last w/e in June, you won't be dissapointed. Super racing and great little facility.

Next we have Chris 'Air' Carr flying off the jump at Peoria on his #1 Wood Rotax in August of 2000 during one of his many marathon run-from-the-field romps he put in at the home of the

natural amphi-theater track. Another great place to see some action, and the IMDA is the best

at putting on great events.

We then have a shot of Carr, again, but this time on the #4 Kenny Tolbert-tuned H-D XR750

leading a pack of riders into turn 1 at Springfield during the Labor Day running of this great

race in '01. Keeping in touch are #23 Kevin 'Cupcake' Atherton, #26 Steve Beattie, the great

Jay Springsteen, former 3-Time Grand National Champion on the Bartels #9, and #67 Mike

Hacker. I'm a big fan of mile racing, at it doesn't get any better then Springfield. You can

almost always get a seat, but you won't get to use it much as the 140mph action will keep you

on your toes all afternoon.

Last but not least we have a shot that has been a favorite of mine for quite a few years now.

I took this one at Louisville--back in the good ole days when you didn't have to put up with

the b.s. antics of the too-rowdy crowds. This was in June of '75 during the practice sessions

for that night's half mile national. This is coming off the back stretch and into turn 3 with

Corky Keener #62, Randy Scott #50, and '75 Grand National Champ Gary Scott on the

Bill Werner-tuned XR-750 #64. This shot pretty much says it all for style and grace for

running a half mile, and these guys had it nailed on this one. I just felt lucky to be there to

get it and see it. Stuff like this drew me in on flat track and I have been craving it ever

since. Great stuff!

Thanks again for coming by and checking us out, thanks to Wayne Hosaka and his folks

over at http://www.flattrack.com/ for the post and their tireless efforts to seek and keep the truth

and faith in flat track, and thanks to the Good Lord above for allowing us to be able to take in

this great sport of flat track racing. Take care and please come back and see us again!

2010 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Schedule

-- Confirmed Events --

1)March 3 DAYTONA® Flat Track (Daytona Beach, Florida) TT

2)March 4 DAYTONA® Flat Track (Daytona Beach, Florida) Short Track

3)May 1 Yavapai Downs (Prescott, Arizona) Mile

4)May 29 Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield, Illinois) TT

5)May 30 Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield, Illinois) Mile

6)June 5 Gas City I-69 Speedway (Gas City, Indiana) Short Track

7)June 19 The Red Mile (Lexington, Kentucky) Mile

8)June 26 Allen County Fairgrounds (Lima, Ohio) Half-Mile

9)July 10 I-96 Speedway (Lake Odessa, Michigan) Half-Mile

10)July 31 Calistoga Fairgrounds (Calistoga, California) Half-Mile

11)August 7 Hagerstown Speedway (Hagerstown, Maryland) Half-Mile

12)August 14 Beulah Park (Grove City, Ohio) Mile

13)August 22 Peoria Race Park (Peoria, Illinois) TT

14)August 28 Indiana State Fairgrounds (Indianapolis, Indiana) Mile

15)September 4 Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield, Illinois) Short Track

16)September 5 Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield, Illinois) Mile

17)September 11 Canterbury Park (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Mile

18)October 9 Yavapai Downs (Prescott, Arizona) Short Track

19)October 10 Yavapai Downs (Prescott, Arizona) Mile

Additional dates are expected to be added.

3-TT's4-Short Track's

4-Half-Mile's

8-Mile's