AMA Flat Track: 7-Time Grand National Champion Chris Carr Calls It a Career at Pomona Season-Finale

For the final time in his career as a legendary rider, 7-Time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr walks out towards rider intros at another track that made him famous.  A 12-time winner on the Springfield Mile, The Prince of Peoria came up just-short of his 13th on September 4 in round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series.  How short?  Just .012 seconds short, to first-time winner Willie McCoy.  Leading the majority of laps throughout the red flag-delayed 26-lap National main event, Carr was one of the first to greet winner McCoy on the victory podium, giving his former team mate a bear hug for the ages, and commenting that if he had to lose to somebody that he was 'glad it was Willie.'

With his long-time tuner, Kenny Tolbert rolling out his #4 American Motorcyclist Assoc/Classic Harley-Davidson/DFW Honda/Arai-backed H-D XR750, Carr's 50th and final main event at the Illinois State Fairgrounds was just like the almost 400 races the man has run throughout his AMA Flat Track career--fast and exciting, leaving fans and friends alike on the edge of their seats and the tips of their toes as the former champ showed the way at the front and battled side-by-side with his fellow competitors.

The long-time racer announced his Farewell to Flat Track Tour 2011 early in the year, and besides running the 20-race schedule on the AMA Pro Flat Track Series, competed in another 15 events this season to close out what can only be described as a phenomenal run for a 44 year old man.  There wasn't an event on the National schedule where the fans weren't mobbing him in their quest for that final autograph or t-shirt, and from the first, at the Steve Nace AMA Flat Track race in DuQuoin back in January, to the last at last week's season-finale at Pomona, the transplanted Californian wowwed the crowds at each and every event he hit this season.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The MavTV cameras are rolling and AMA Pro Flat Track official announcer Barry Boone is ready to talk with the winner of the 2nd heat race at round 3 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series inside the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds' Southern Illinois Center's indoor short track back in April.  And it was Chris Carr who came out fighting after ending combined practice in the 4th spot, but then qualifying 11th. 

But when it came time to lay down the law, The Prince of Peoria delivered in winning his heat, and then going on to get 2nd in the Dash for Cash event behind event and Dash winner, Kenny Coolbeth, Jr.  From that point in the season, you knew it was on as he went on to take 2nd in the main behind Coolbeth, with then-and eventual-repeating Grand National Champion Jake Johnson rounding out the podium.  The Farewell to Flat Track Tour 2011 was off to a pretty darn good start for the former 7-Time AMA Grand National Champion.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the track that made him not only famous, but a true legend in the great sport of AMA Grand National Championship Series racing, Carr hammers the #4 American Motorcyclist Assoc/DFW Honda/Classic Harley-Davidson/Arai-sponsored Honda CRF450R out of the turn 5 area heading towards the start/finish line at the Peoria TT in round 14 of the 2011 season on August 21.  Practicing in the 7th spot overall and qualifying 5th behind Henry Wiles, Jared Mees, Jake Johnson and Brad Baker, Chris finished 4th in his heat, and had a great battle in the National main event to finish the day in the 6th spot.  The Peoria Motorcycle Club honored the 13-time National main event winner at the track with a ceremony including his family that left very few dry eyes on anyone in attendance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

These two men hold records in AMA Grand National Championship Series racing that put them second only behind former 9-Time AMA Grand National Champion Scott Parker.  Chris Carr and Kenny Tolbert have been racing together for 23 years, and have produced together all of Carr's championships, and a majority of his 78 National main event wins in the series.  Looking to the future, the duo are hoping to get the sponsorship together to put a young up-and-coming rider on their equipment for the 2012 season and beyond. 

At the Springfield Mile II event when this picture was taken, Carr told Cycle News.com's Larry Lawrence and myself that they 'weren't there yet' in being able to get a full-season program together, but were hopeful to be able to get things worked out to be able to do so.  With the tutelage of this great pair of racers and people, whomever that person may end up being will have a rock-solid program under them when it comes to fruition.  And they'll have a great time hanging with two of the nicest guys in the sport as well.

Carr has some ideas he is hoping to jointly work with the AMA and some other entities in order to help AMA Flat Track grow even more and prosper in the future, and he talks more about that with Cycle World.com's Matthew Miles below. 

We salute the now-retired champ for his super year in placing 5th in the overall championship, and are definitely going to miss him on the track.  One of the fiercest competitors to ever throw a leg over a Grand National machine, his presence in the series has left a lot of great memories over the years for alot of fans, sponsors and competitors alike.  Thanks for those memories Chris, they're golden, man!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Read and view on below more about Chris' great final season in competition, and his last race event a the Pomona Half-Mile.

Paul Carruthers was on-hand at last Saturday's season-finale round 20 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series at the Pomona Half-Mile, and got a chance to talk with Chris about his season and his great career over the course of the last quarter-plus century.  You can read it hear, and also see the short video clip with Chris as he reflects on calling it a day, in the latest edition of Cycle News.com's Digital issue:

http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20111018#pg31

Paul also talks about covering Chris' racing over the years, starting with his first win at the Peoria TT back in '86:

http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20111018#pg117

Moto Syndicate put up this super video of Chris' last ride at the Pomona Half-Mile over on YouTube.  This is a must see!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYKWNPA6k7g

And Matthew Miles also talked with the 7-Time AMA Grand National Champion and put up this interview with Chris on CycleWorld.com:

http://www.cycleworld.com/2011/10/19/cw-5q-chris-carr-racing/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AMA Flat Track: Watch Chris Carr On Dave Despain's Wind Tunnel

7-Time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr sits on his #4 American Motorcyclist Assoc/DFW Honda/Arai/Phoenix Racing-sponsored Harley-Davidson XR-750, while waiting for the 'go' sign for practice to begin at the Springfield Mile, during round 6 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series in May.  Carr's long-time tuner, and one of the winningest wrenches in the series, Kenny Tolbert, awaits the on-track action alongside him with his stop watches in hand.

The Prince of Peoria, who is in the midst of his 'Chris Carr Farewell to Flat Track Tour 2011' made an appearance on Dave Despain's Wind Tunnel show the other night on SpeedTV, talking with his long-time friend and fellow flat track fanatic about a variety of subjects.  Some of those topics included his record at Peoria, his land speed record at Bonneville from several years ago, and his relationship with former team mate, and the only man he is second to in terms of wins and championships, 9-Time AMA Grand National Champion Scott Parker.

One of the topics of discussion was Chris' future in terms of AMA Pro Flat Track Series racing is concerned, as he has made it know to all that once he hangs up his steel shoe, he plans to head up a team along with Tolbert to field a young rider on the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series trail.  With the economy having an affect on everyone across the nation, and around the world, one of the hardest hit sectors is in the recreational vehicle areas.  And motorcycle sales have been impacted in the industry as well, so finding sponsorship to run a team from the '12 season and on, is still being sought out. 

With the upswing in AMA Flat Track Series racing over the course of the last several seasons, Stu's Shots is hoping that this comes together soon for one of the greatest champions of the sport.  A team headed up by Carr and Tolbert would be a serious threat, as well as a big help to the series.  With their combined wins and years in the series, a Carr/Tolbert teaming in AMA Flat Track seems like a natural, and would be a strong bet to be a sure winner right out of the box with the right rider/sponsor combination.

Do we have anyone out there wanting to sponsor a team headed up by this Dynamic Duo?  If so, now is the time to get on board with two of the greatest to have ever campaigned the AMA Grand National Championship Series.  You CAN'T and WON'T go wrong with these guys!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to SpeedTV.com and the best flat track race announcer to ever hit the planet, Dave Despain, for this link to Chris Carr's appearance on Dave's Wind Tunnel from Sunday, July 17:

http://www.speedtv.com/video/popup/1064699859001/595125382

You can check out Chris Carr's AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame bio here to read more about the '85 AMA Flat Track Rookie of the Year:

http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=331
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AMA Flat Track: 7-Time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr Scheduled for Dave Despain's Wind Tunnel on July 17

AMA Pro Flat Track Legend Chris Carr to Appear

on SPEED TV's Wind Tunnel, July 17

 

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (July 7, 2011) - Chris Carr, one of motorcycle racing's greatest competitors, is currently celebrating more than a quarter-century's worth of outstanding AMA Pro Flat Track Racing with his 2011 "Chris Carr Farewell to Flat Track Tour." Now halfway through his final season, Carr -- contending thirty-five races in seventeen different states -- took a break from his busy schedule to reflect on his career and future in this AMA Pro exclusive, which Carr will follow up with an appearance on SPEED TV's Wind Tunnel, hosted by Dave Despain at 9:00 p.m. ET Sunday, July 17.

AMA Pro: How's the Farewell Tour been going?

Carr: The reception has been really good, in a couple of senses. We've been able to give something extra for the promoters to market and to help some fans rediscover flat track racing, [and] it's also been an opportunity for me to say goodbye to a lot of friends and fans who've supported me for many years. The tour itself consists of more than just the Grand National circuit; I'm doing a lot of Steve Nace All Star races and also some regional events around the country. It's been a lot of fun. We're about halfway though, and I look forward to the next four months of racing nearly every weekend in different parts of the country.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chris Carr in action at Daytona on his American Motorcyclist Assoc/DFW Honda-sponsored Honda CRF450R.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What does it mean to you to go back to some of the smaller tracks?

There are so many other pockets of the country that have flat track racing, and to be able to go to many of those areas and have something to promote is meaningful to those flat track fans who aren't near some of the bigger tracks. In August, I'll be going back to the Rook's County Free Fair for two days of racing in Stockton, Kansas. That was one of the races I went to when I was 16 years old as a Pro Novice, cutting my teeth and trying to get some experience to prove myself as a racer. It's great to be going back there for the final time in August, and those are the kinds of events I've been wanting to do.

What other significant races are coming up?

The upcoming Peoria TT was the site of my first Grand National dirt track victory in 1986. To race there for the final time will be kind of bittersweet; it will be hard in some respects, but it's going to be pretty cool in others. I've made a lot of friends there and have some real good local connections, too. We have the Sacramento Mile coming up -- my first Mile win was there in 1987, and being from Northern California means that's going to be a pretty special event. But the one race that stands out the most would be the Sacramento Mile in 1999. There were three races to go, and a young man had fallen and gotten hurt the week prior in Dallas, Texas. His name was Toby Jorgensen and our families had been close for some forty years. I had been with him in the hospital in Dallas until the Thursday before Sacramento. We flew out there, and then to win the race by a straightaway in the hometown with all the emotions of the week was pretty special.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Prince of Peoria takes the checkered flag during an AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Twins Series event.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who have been your biggest flat track rivals over the years?

My biggest rivalry was with my Harley-Davidson teammate Scott Parker. For a good fifteen-year period, he and I were going at it, but if you look at the Grand National Championship list, I've had the opportunity to race against every GNC champion dating back to 1975 with the exception of Mike Kidd. I've been very fortunate to share the racetrack with a lot of champions in the last twenty-six years.

You've been a great proponent of flat track racing over the years. Why did you take on that role?

I always felt that there's no one individual who is bigger than the sport. I felt that if I did my part to elevate the sport to a bigger and better level, then I would benefit too. I've always tried to think of improving the sport overall because I knew in the end, if I continued to do my part as an athlete, it would pay off. That's just the way I always looked at it.

How long have you known Wind Tunnel host Dave Despain?

I met Dave Despain in 1983 in Peoria. He was the flat track series announcer and I was 16 years old. I've known Dave for a long time, and I look forward to being in the Wind Tunnel studio on July 17 and having a good chat with him.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7-Time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr in action at the Daytona Short Track in March of 2011.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Catch Chris and the rest of the AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Flat Track stars at Maryland's Hagerstown Speedway this Saturday night, July 9. For tickets, event schedule, or other information, please visit www.hagerstownspeedway.com.

Visit www.speedtv.com for Wind Tunnel and other motorcycle programming info, and become a part of the AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Flat Track Championship by visit www.amaproracing.com and joining us on facebook.com/AMAProFlatTrackSeries and twitter.com/AMAProFlatTrack. 

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.    For additional information contact: AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AMA Flat Track: AMA to Sponsor Chris Carr's 2011 Farewell to Flat Track Tour

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of Chris Carr's H-D XR750s sits at the ready in his pit area during a break in the action at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile round of the AMA Pro Flat Track K&N Filters presented by Motorcycle Superstore.com Grand National Championship Series in August of 2010. Several members of his family can be seen off to the side of the #4 Lancaster H-D/DFW Honda/Arai/Red Line Oil-sponsored Harley-Davidson while Chris is signing autographs for the fans during the fan walk. The man regularly has the longest line of fans waiting to meet him, sign autographs or pose for pictures at virtually each and every round the series hits.
Master Tuner Kenny Tolbert does the wrenching on Carr's machines in both the Twins and Singles Series and the pair have combined for numerous race wins and championships over the years. Their long-time association with Lancaster Harley-Davidson (Carr's primary sponsor)
has proven to be a lethal combination, especially on the mile tracks, where The Prince of Peoria is second to only 9-Time AMA Flat Track Grand National Champion Scott Parker in terms of wins (55-29). Carr is also only second to Parker in two other areas-overall wins (94-78) and overall championships (9-7.)
Carr enters the 2011 season in what will be his last year of full-time competition in the AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Series. Having won his last race at the '08 running of the Lucas Oil Indy Mile, The Champ should be on his game this year even more then he normally would be. But regardless of whether he gets that 79th win or that 8th championship, the man will still be going out on top in the sport that he has stood atop (or close to it!) for the better part of the 27 seasons he has been around contesting it. When he is done, we may not lose the great smile or the great approach to life from him, but we will surely lose one of the greatest competitors that the series has seen in it's over six decades of existence.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7-Time AMA Flat Track Grand National Champion Chris Carr picked up some additional sponsorhip for his Farewell to Flat Track Tour for the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series season, as the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) out of Pickerington, OH. is jumping on board with him in his final year of full-time competition. AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman made the announcement that will see The Champ teaming up with the AMA offices in Ohio to help promote and sell the AMA brand to race fans as well as the public motorcycling community. You can read the official press release below.

Chris was on the scene racing in some of the Steve Nace Racing/AMA Flat Track All-Star events in Georgia and Florida this past weekend in preparation for his assault on his final full year in the AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Series. Unfortunately, he had a DNF at one of the events, but will surely be ready to go Thursday, March 10 when the action kicks off in the Singles Series at the Daytona International Speedway short track event. Practice kicks off at 1300 EST and heat races begin at 2000 EST on Thursday evening.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the official press release from the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, OH. on their sponsorship of Chris Carr for the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series season:

http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/NewsView/11-03-04/AMA_backing_Hall_of_Fame_dirt-tracker_Chris_Carr_s_farewell_tour.aspx
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow Chris Carr's Farewell to Flat Track Tour here via Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Chris-Carr-Farewell-to-Flat-Track-Tour/172526069447517
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AMA Flat Track: Chris Carr Talks About 2011 Retirement Tour and Taking Chris Carr Racing Into the Future

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the most powerful duos in AMA Pro Flat Track Racing are shown at the Springfield Mile on September 5 as legendary tuner Kenny Tolbert gets ready to hand the #4 Lancaster H-D/DFW Honda/Wiseco Pistons/Cometic Gaskets-sponsored XR750 to 7-Time AMA Flat Track Grand National Champion Chris Carr for the final qualifying session of the day. After setting the fastest time in combined practice and the 8th fastest time in combined qualifying, Chris went on to finish 2nd on the day, just .048 seconds behind event winner Bryan Smith on the #42 Werner Springsteen Monster Energy Kawasaki and .048 seconds ahead of 3rd place finisher on the day Jared Mees on the #1 Rogers Lake Racing XR750. The duo finished the year ranked in the 7th position in the overall AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship point standings.
With the announcement last Friday of Chris' retirement after the 2011 season, a pro racing career that started in the 1985 season with winning the AMA Flat Track Rookie of the Year, the future looks very bright for Chris Carr Racing for the '11 season and beyond. Together these two men have won multiple races and championships, and plans to continue into the future with that winning combination are in place, according to the multi-time champ.
Also some of the most personable people you will ever come acrossed at the track, the duo look to add an up-and-coming rider to help carry the winning ways forward for the team. And with the background and abilities of these two gentlemen heading up the effort, the future looks great for the team, as well as for the great sport of AMA Flat Track and The Rolling Thunder Show. With KT's wrenching abilities, and Chris' noted ability to be one of the greatest ambassadors that the sport has ever seen, the groundwork is already in place to make a major assault on the AMA Grand National Championship for 2011 and beyond. And this is great news for ALL fans of the series, especially long-time fans such as this writer. The best sport on wheels just got a major infusion of adrenaline for the future!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Although last Friday's announcement that 7-Time AMA Flat Track Grand National Champion Chris Carr would be retiring after the 2011 season was met with some sadness, the best part of this news is that Chris Carr Racing is poised for the future in the great sport of AMA Flat Track. CCR plans to continue into the future, and with Master Tuner Kenny Tolbert, Carr's long-time tuner, to head up the program. In making the announcement, the great news that came out of this for the future is that the long-time duo plans to continue into the future with The Rolling Thunder Show, helping to bring young riders up into the series to showcase their talent, as well as that of Chris Carr Racing.

Most everyone by now has heard the news, but I took the time to put some links/stories together about the announcement and the future for AMA Flat Track and Chris Carr Racing. In spite of the fact that we will be losing one of the greats of the sport on the track, the man's presence will be known, seen and heard in the future of the series. And that in itself is GREAT news for all fans of flat track racing. Chris Carr's abilities to bring outside sponsorship into the sport as well as his teaching abilities in the areas of motorcycle control are legendary, and his role as a spokesperson for the sport should all play major roles in taking Chris Carr Racing and the sport of AMA Flat Track down the road ahead.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the original retirement press release from Chris as it appeared on Larry Lawrence's site, The Rider Files.com. LL also has the audio portion of his interview with Chris, which is WELL worth the almost 14 minutes to listen in on and hear what the 7-Time Champ has to say about the past, present, and future for Chris Carr and Chris Carr Racing. Great stuff for sure:

http://www.theriderfiles.com/?p=7774

And here's Larry's interview with Chris Carr as it appeared on Cycle News.com late last Friday:

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2010/12/11/carr-to-retire-after-2011
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is the link to the original story I posted when Chris officially announced his retirement tour last Friday:

http://stusshots.blogspot.com/2010/12/ama-flat-track-chris-carr-announces.html

This was the original story/link as posted over at the Flat Track.com forum. You can tell from the different responses just how popular this man is:

http://www.flattrack.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=46&func=view&id=123415&catid=3#123415

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's Chris' AMA Hall of Fame page:

http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=331&lpos=0px&letter=C&txtFname=&rblFname=S&txtLname=&rblLname=S&discipline=0

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's a nice video that showcases Chris when Ford Quality was his main sponsor, as well as the sponsor for AMA Flat Track from a few years back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkgQ5KYekhM&feature=related

And here is a short video of Chris setting the land speed record a few years ago on Dennis Manning's Streamliner at Bonneville:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZpJlnQBXgs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

AMA Flat Track at Springfield Starts Today: The Best Show On Dirt On Two Wheels

This afternoon The Illinois State Fairgrounds will host what

is and has been for decades the finest two wheel show on dirt. Starting

with the Springfield TT today at the rodeo/multi-purpose stadium, the 450-class bikes will take on the hand-made TT track, and move tomorrow to the mile fairgrounds track several hundred yards away for the big twins class and The Infamous Springfield Mile Memorial Day W/E Classic.

Riders such as 7-time Grand National Flat Track Champ #1 Chris Carr, #23 Kevin Atherton, winner of over 15 GN races in his over 20 year career, #3 and former GN Champ Joe Kopp, #14 and former Singles Grand National Champ Jake Johnson, and a host of others will thrill the crowds--and some of the other riders--with their prowess not only on the TT course today, but especially with their skill to handle a 320 Lb. flat track motorcycle at close to 140

mph on the straightaways on the mile dirt track.

What has become not only an institution, but a must-see race in any bike racing fans' eyes, the w/e should prove to be very exciting especially if Mother Nature cooperates. And if you can't make it to the races which are located some 195 miles west/southwest of Indianapolis, then you can follow the action via the links below thanks to the wonderful folks at http://www.amaproracing.com/ . The 3rd link will have the live timing as provided by the AMA so you can keep up, and in case you aren't sure where to go, I have provided a link to the Illinois State Fairgrounds as well:

http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/events/event.cfm?eid=2009020920

http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/events/event.cfm?eid=2009020921

http://wire.ama-cycle.org/

http://www.agr.state.il.us/spacerental/map.html

Thanks to not only AMA Pro Racing, but to the Illinois State Fairgrounds for the

super links to all of the w/e action. Guaranteed fun and if you have never seen

a mile flat track motorcycle race, then your time is now. But if you already have

plans as most of us do by now, you can set your calendar for the Labor Day W/E races, as well, to see the short track as well as the mile race.

The shots above you are viewing are a smattering of pics I took at the '04 Labor Day W/E Classic. Riders such as aforementioned 7-time Champ, #1 Chris Carr, #23 Kevin Atherton, #14 Jake Johnson, #3 Joe Kopp, as well as #9, 3-Time Grand National Champion and perenial crowd and fan favorite Jay Springsteen, can be seen ready to go and in action on the mile during the main event.

Also in these shots you will see #89 Kevin Varnes, #18 Terry Poovey, #80 Rich King, #31 and NOW #1 and 3-Time Grand National Champ Kenny Coolbeth, and former and now semi-retired as last I heard #20 Johnny Murphree all doing battle at 140 on the straights and close to 95 mph diving into the turns.

Springfield is always a magical time, I myself went there my first year in '86 when The King, Kenny Roberts, came back to the dirt tracks after a 7 or 8 year abscense while winning 3 World Championships in 500 GP from 78-80 to try and put a Harley in the field for what at the time seem like a dream after all of his years aboard Yamahas. Unfortunately, he didn't make the field but it wasn't for lack of trying as the field was 'littered' with now retired greats Bubba Shobert, Jimmy Filice and even Wayne Rainey. Not too mention the dearly departed Ricky Graham, former 3-Time Grand National Champion. I've only missed 5 or 6 of the Labor Day Classics since that time after returning nearly every year since '91, and always leave shaking my head and thinking for hours---WOW---WHAT A SHOW!!

Believe me, an old pro at following GREAT motorcycle racing for over 3 1/2 decades, it DOESN'T get any better then this and you better forget that you bought a ticket for a seat because you will be on your feet for 3/4 of the time anyway.

Just a nod to Mike Kidd, the former '81 AMA Grand National Flat Track Champion, who when I started following the sport in the summer of '74 was laid up with injuries that he suffered earlier that year while riding for the Triumph Factory Team, and who also won races and helped Team Honda develop the RS750's that came along in the early '80s to defeat the long-running stand of Harley dominance. Mr. Kidd, who I saw win the Terre Haute, IN. Half Mile Race in '76, is now the man on the point for the new DMG-led AMA Pro Racing Flat Track series. With this w/e being the 3rd and 4th events of the '09 calendar, we could also be seeing history made as he tries to help turn around the declining attendance, the slow decline of new riders into the sport, and the

general problems of what tracks are proper tracks to race at. He will have his hands full this year trying to find a course of action and hope for the series, and with the help of the IMDA---the Illinois Motorcycle Dealers Assoc., who also run the Peoria TT in August, and by following their lead in putting on a class show, he would be the man to do it. I and many others wish him luck and realize the future of Grand National Flat Track Motorcycle Racing is in his hands!

Go enjoy your weekend, and mark Sun., June 14, 2009 on your caledar as well because at 4 P.M. ET, SpeedTV will be showing tape-delayed coverage of the weekend.

And last but definitely not least, remember to honor and pray for the men and women of our armed forces that gave their lives in battle for this wonderful country so we would still be allowed to do what we have always been able to do as a free country and to be able to attend the many, many different types of events that we do over the years, decades, and eras. God Bless Our U.S. Forces for what they have done and will do to protect us!!

Chris Carr's XR-750

This was one of Chris Carr's display bikes at the Ford Quality display tent
at the Springfield Mile during Labor Day Weekend in 2006.
Super sano equipment at it's finest.