The AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Flat Track Championship roared back to life at the Southern Illinois Center Saturday night, as the AMA Pro Racing Stars tackled the indoor dirt oval. While all the attention was being paid to the “Young Lions”—who were widely predicted to have an advantage on the tiny bull ring—it was in fact old age and treachery came out on top of the night's slam-bang action.
Chaplin Kawasaki/Spectro Oils’ Kenny Coolbeth scored maximum points on the night. After posting the fastest time during the afternoon qualifying, Coolbeth won the fastest heat, the six-lap Dash, and led all thirty laps of the Grand National.
“This is really exciting," said Coolbeth, "I worked hard for this. This is my gig—I build my own bikes, load them in the van, drive them here, and then race them. It’s really rewarding. It’s exciting for Kawasaki and my new sponsor, Chaplin Kawasaki.”
Even though Coolbeth led all the laps, however, he wasn’t alone out there, as American Motorcyclist Association/Dallas-Fort Worth Honda’s Chris Carr shadowed the former Singles Champion to the bitter end.
“I was gaining on Kenny and I thought I had something for him,” said Carr. “He was running right at the top of the groove, and that was the fast way around, but with about six laps to go I showed him a wheel in Turn 3 and I probably should have been more patient and hoped to make him make a mistake. Second is first loser," Carr added, "so I guess I won something tonight.”
“I knew Chris was back there, I looked a couple of times,” said Coolbeth. “Once [the track] got slicked off and not so aggressive, I knew that would benefit him. I just pretty much held my line and stayed calm. Thirty laps went pretty quick. After the heat race, I thought pretty much our tongues would be in our spokes, but in the heat race you had to be pretty aggressive and it was pretty much bending the bars to get around, but in the main it was more finesse and a little more relaxing.”
