COOLBETH AND HARLEY TEAM BATTLE TO THIRD AT THE INDY MILE

Season Points Race Tightens as Kopp Finishes Sixth

 

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Aug. 28, 2010) – Harley-Davidson® Screamin' Eagle® factory rider Kenny Coolbeth placed third in the Grand National Twins main at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The 12^th round of the AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com was won by Bryan Smith on a Kawasaki.

 

Smith was the fast qualifier for the main and finished third in the four-lap Dash for Cash bonus race behind Lancaster Harley-Davidson rider Chris Carr and King Kustoms/KK Motorcycle Supply rider Sammy Halbert, also on a Harley-Davidson.

 

Carr led the field at the start of the 25-lap main event, with American Agip/Lloyd Brothers Ducati rider Joe Kopp and Zanotti Racing rider Jake Johnson in second and third positions. Coolbeth finished the first lap in seventh place. The race was stopped for a crash by Steven Bonsey on lap three, and Carr again took the lead on the re-start, with Smith in second and Johnson in third. Smith got past Carr on lap six, and the pair of veteran riders began to open a gap on the rest of the field. Coolbeth worked his way through traffic and passed Johnson to take third place on lap 11, with Carr now holding a slim lead over Smith. Now more than a second behind the leaders and with no drafting help available, Coolbeth was stuck in third place. Smith and Carr continued to battle, with Smith taking the official lead on lap 17 and then holding off the seven-time champion Carr in the closing laps. Coolbeth finished the race 2.398 seconds behind Smith. Johnson was fourth, Halbert finished fifth and Kopp, the Grand National Championship points leader, finished in sixth place.

 

“Once I got up to third I was pushing hard to catch Carr and Smith,” said Coolbeth. “I was hoping they’d get caught up in their own battle and slow each other down. But my bike started to lose power on about lap 20 and that was it. I guess the factory Harley-Davidson and I both gave it all we had tonight. We’ve just got to stay determined and try to win some races now.”

 

After 12 events in the AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship, Kopp has 221 points and leads the series by only 12 points. Halbert is second with 209 points, and Johnson is third with 207 points. Blue Springs Harley-Davidson rider Jared Mees, who finished eighth at Indianapolis, is fourth with 198 points, followed by KK Motorcycle Supply/Mike & Eddie Adkins rider Henry Wiles with 188 points and Coolbeth in sixth with 179 points.

The AMA Grand National Twins will next race September 5 on the Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill.

Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle racing. Screamin' Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use applications, while Screamin' Eagle parts offer street-use performance options for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle owner. Visit www.harley-davidson.com for more information.

Just in case there was a doubt in anyone's mind about #1 Henry Wiles' prowess on the venerable Peoria TT, the Monster Energy Kawasaki / Don's Kawasaki backed Michigander dominated round 11 of the AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com. The win is the sixth straight for Wiles at the Illinois venue as he closes in on the "Prince of Peoria" Chris Carr's record of eight in a row.

Wiles had a perfect day, posting the fastest qualifying time, winning the fastest heat and leading all twenty five laps of the National. Winning by over 11 seconds over Rockysonline.com / Lucas Oil / Rogers Lake Racing's #21 Jared Mees.

"Today was just one of the days that I think even if I would have gotten a little behind, I could have came through real quick," said Wiles. "I think we had that much going on today."

Any suspense was soon put to rest as the 18 rider National hit the first turn. "I got the perfect start and that always makes things easier. There's a lot that can go wrong in this race," said Wiles. "Fortunately the bike ran strong the whole time and there were no issues there mechanically. There were a few times, because the track was a little bit sketchy, the bike was stepping it out or tucking the front a little bit here and there. I kind of wanted to look back just to see how I was doing. I know I had more in reserve and I was just trying to ride a smart race. I wanted to know if someone was there and if I should wick it up a little bit. Fortunately I didn't have to do that. We just rode a good race. The Monster Energy Kawasaki was running good today, that was probably the best bike we've had here yet."

Mees locked into second and proceeded to have an easy way to his runner up spot, but the action swirling around the last podium spot went on well into the race. #10 Johnny Lewis, riding Mick Kirkness' back-up Suzuki after his Scott Powersports Honda blew up during qualifying and #5 Jake Johnson (Zanotti Racing's Honda) were having a great race between themselves when #7 Sammy Halbert charged by both of them on lap 20 of the 25 lap National.

Johnson was able to hang tight in fourth, with Lewis fifth, despite a late race challenge from #28 Shaun Russell and his Fox Valley Cycles / Greg Crow Racing backed Honda.

Two weeks ago #3 Joe Kopp and #2 Kenny Coolbeth were fighting over the win, this week it was a duel over seventh. Current Series points leader Latus Harley-Davidson / Moto Concepts' Kopp once again came out on top of the Bettencourts' Honda / Jason Perry backed Coolbeth.

Dave Burks Motorsports / Yeager's Cycle's Mick Kirkness and Chris carr Racing / Dallas Fort Worth Honda's Chris Carr rounded out the top ten.

In the six-rider, four-lap Dash for Cash, Jake Johnson got the hole shot. That lasted one lap and would prove to be the only lap Henry Wiles would not lead all day. Just after the start-finish line Wiles roared into the lead and pulled to almost a second and a half lead over Johnson. Jared Mees was third over Joe Kopp, Shaun Russell and Johnny Lewis as they were all spaced about half a second apart.

Technical inspection following the Dash revealed that when Johnson put on a fresh rear tire for the race they used a CD5 Dunlop instead of the CD8 that is required. Johnson lost his three points and everyone moved up one position for that race.

#95C JD Beach made a successful return to the Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Series after his road race injuries. The Red Bull / Top 1 Oil backed Honda rider took over after defending series Champion #1 Brad Baker had led the first lap on his Rod Lake / Mike Velasco backed Honda.

Baker would not go quietly though and actually retook the lead on lap 10 of the 12 lap race. It was not to be however as Beach was back in command for the last two laps.

Series points leader #24P Jeffery Carver finished over two seconds back, barely holding off #29Y Craig Rogers / Rod Lake's Tyler O'Hara.

PEORIA RACE PARK
PEORIA, IL
RESULTS: August 22, 2010

GNS DASH FOR CASH (4 laps; 6 riders): 1.Henry Wiles (Kaw); 2. Jared Mees (Hon); 3. Joe Kopp (Hon); 4. Shaun Russell (Hon); 5. Johnny Lewis (Suz); DSQ-Jake Johnson (Hon) (illegal tire).
Time: 1:48.359

AMA PRO K&N GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED by MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM MAIN (25 laps; 18 riders): 1. Henry Wiles (Kaw); 2. Jared Mees (Hon); 3. Sammy Sweet (Yam); 4. Jake Johnson (Hon); 5. Johnny Lewis (Suz); 6. Shaun Russell (Hon); 7. Joe Kopp (Hon); 8. Kenny Coolbeth (Hon); 9. Mick Kirkness (Suz); 10. Chris Carr (Hon); 11. Bryan Smith (Kaw); 12. Matt Weidman (Hon); 13. Luke Gough (Yam); 14. Chad Cose (Hon); 15. Ion Stear (Hon); 16. JR Schnabel (Yam); 17. Aaron King (KTM); 18. Matt Burton.
Time: 10:53.840

AMA PRO K&N GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED by MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM POINT STANDINGS (After 11 of 17rounds): 1. Joe Kopp (208 pts / 3 wins); 2. Sammy Halbert (191 / 1 win); 3. Jake Johnson (190 / 2 wins); 4. Henry Wiles (188 / 4 wins); 5. Jared Mees (187); 6. Kenny Coolbeth (163); 7. Chris Carr (111); 8. Bryan Smith (101) 9. Johnny Lewis (82); 10. Rob Pearson (77); 11. Mick Kirkness (73); 12. Matt Weidman (71); 13. Jethro Halbert (57); 14. Stevie Bonsey (45 / 1 win); 15. Brandon Robinson (35); 16. Shaun Russell (33); 17. Luke Gough (32); 18. JR Schnabel (31); 19. Chad Cose (26); 20. PJ Jacobsen (19).

AMA PRO K&N GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED by MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM SINGLES POINT STANDINGS (After 5 of 6 rounds): 1. Henry Wiles (113 pts / 3 wins); 2. Joe Kopp (Hon); 3. Jared Mees (90); 4. Jake Johnson (76); 5. Sammy Halbert (73 / 1 win); 6. Johnny Lewis (68); 7. Kenny Coolbeth (66); 8. Jethro Halbert (43); 9. Bryan Smith (41); 10. Mick Kirkness (39); 11. Chris Carr (36); 12. Shaun Russell (33); 13. Rob Pearson (30); 14. Matt Weidman (25); 15. JR Schnabel (19); 16. (TIE) Brandan Bergen / Don Mullen / Raun Wood (17); 19. Brandon Robinson (12); 20. Chad Cose (11).

AMA PRO MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM PRO SINGLES MAIN (12 laps; 18 riders): 1. JD Beach (Hon); 2. Brad Baker (Hon); 3. Jeffery Carver (Yam); 4. Tyler O'Hara (Hon); 5. William Cato (Hon); 6. Kurtis Lee (Hon); 7. James Rispoli (Hon); 8. Andrew Smith (Hon); 9. Jake Shoemaker (Hon); 10. Mike Avila (Hon); 11. Mike Martin (Hon); 12. Ryan Foster (Hon); 13. Gerit Callies (Hon); 14. Adam Bushman (Hon); 15. Mike LaBelle (Hon); 16. Derek Hersh (Kaw); 17. Chaz Springsteen (Kaw); 18. Wyatt Maguire (Yam).
Time: 5:24.155

AMA PRO MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM PRO SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 11 of 17 rounds): 1. Jeffery Carver (211 pts / 4 wins); 2. Brad Baker (183 / 3 wins); 3. James Rispoli (146); 4. Mike Avila (128); 5. Mike Martin (99); 6. JD Beach (95 / 3 wins); 7. Mike LaBelle (89); 8. Chaz Springsteen (81); 9. Jake Shoemaker (62); 10. Gerit Callies (48); 11. Tyler O'Hara (44); 12. Wyatt Maguire (43); 13. Michael Toon (38 / 1 win); 14. (TIE) William Cato / Jeremy Hamilton (37); 16. Zakk Palmer (36); 17. Shayna Texter (35); 18. Brandon Laursen (33); 19. (TIE) Stephen Vanderbuur / Adam Bushman (31).

COOLBETH IS SECOND ON FACTORY HARLEY AT HAGERSTOWN

Race-Long Battle Ends in Win for Latus Harley-Davidson rider Joe Kopp

 

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (Aug. 7, 2010) – Harley-Davidson® Screamin' Eagle® factory rider Kenny Coolbeth led 12 laps and finished second in a back-and-forth battle with Latus Harley-Davidson rider Joe Kopp in the Grand National Twins main at the Hagerstown Speedway half-mile, the 10th round of the AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com. Kopp rode a Harley-Davidson XR-750 to take the win. Blue Springs Harley-Davidson rider Jared Mees was third, also on a Harley-Davidson.

 

Mees was the fastest qualifier for the event and won the four-lap Dash for Cash bonus sprint, but it was Coolbeth who got a jump on the field at the start of the 25-lap main. A crash on the first lap by Zanotti Racing rider Jake Johnson brought the race to a quick halt. Coolbeth was first again on the re-start and led Kopp, Mees and King Kustoms/KK Motorcycle Supply rider Sammy Halbert for the first two laps. The race was then stopped for another crash just as Coolbeth crossed the finish line to complete lap three. On the ensuing re-start, Coolbeth led with Kopp right on his wheel, and the pair of past champions immediately opened a gap on Robert Pearson and Halbert, as Mees slipped back to sixth place. Kopp took the lead from Coolbeth on lap nine, only to see Coolbeth get past on lap 13 as the pair maintained a lead of about 1.5 seconds on Mees, who had worked himself back to third place. Kopp passed Coolbeth again for the lead on lap 18, and began to gradually pull away as the laps wound down, and won by 0.974 seconds to take his third Grand National Twins victory of the season.

 

“This was a great race with Kopp and I’m sure it was exciting to watch,” said Coolbeth. “I was really happy to get the hole shot with the factory Harley three times tonight. At the end, I think Kopp just found a better line and was able to carry more speed in the corners. I tried to follow his line but could not make it work, and he was able to get away. Now we’ll get ready for the mile at Indy, where we had a big win last year.”

 

After 10 events, Kopp leads the AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship with 193 points. Halbert and Zanotti Racing rider Jake Johnson are tied for second place with 175 points. Mees is third with 164 points, followed by KK Motorcycle Supply/Mike & Eddie Adkins rider Henry Wiles with 160 points. Coolbeth is in sixth with 152 points.

 

The AMA Grand National Twins will next race August 28 on the Indiana Mile at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.

 

Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle racing. Screamin' Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use applications, while Screamin' Eagle parts offer street-use performance options for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle owner. Visit www.harley-davidson.com for more information.

 

The Screamin' Eagle Flat Track team is sponsored by Matco Tools.

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Steve Bonsey Rides a Harley to Win the Grand National Twins Main

CALISTOGA, Calif. (July 31, 2010) – Harley-Davidson® Screamin' Eagle® factory rider Kenny Coolbeth placed sixth in the in the Grand National Twins main at the Calistoga Fairgrounds half-mile, the ninth round of the AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com. The race was won by Dodge Brothers/Johnny Goad rider Steve Bonsey, a northern California native, on a Harley-Davidson XR-750.

Coolbeth qualified for the main through the first semi-final heat, started from the third row for the 25-lap main, and spent the race working his way through the pack to get a top-10 finish.

“We were a little slow off the truck, and this was the first time any of us had seen this track, so it took awhile to find the good lines,” said Coolbeth. “The track was really great. I need to work on getting up to speed more quickly for the short sprints in qualifying. In the longer race, I seem to find my rhythm and we are on the pace. Considering where we started, this was not a bad finish.”

Bonsey, a 20-year-old native of Northern California, crossed the finish line 1.176 seconds ahead of King Kustoms/KK Motorcycle Supply rider Sammy Halbert. Zanotti Racing rider Jake Johnson was third, followed by Lancaster Harley-Davidson rider Chris Carr in fourth, and Blue Springs Harley-Davidson rider Jared Mees in fifth. Series points leader and Latus Harley-Davidson rider Joe Kopp was seventh.

Kopp’s results in Calistoga tightened up the season points race for the combined AMA Grand national championship. Kopp has 166 points and still leads the series, but Johnson is just six points back with 160. Halbert, who won the four-lap Dash for Cash bonus sprint in Calistoga, moves up to third place with 159 points, followed by KK Motorcycle Supply/Mike & Eddie Adkins rider Henry Wiles with 149 points. Mees holds fifth place with 143 points, followed by Coolbeth in sixth with 132.

The AMA Grand National Twins will next race August 7 at the Hagerstown Speedway half-mile in Hagerstown, Md.

Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle racing. Screamin' Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use applications, while Screamin' Eagle parts offer street-use performance options for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle owner. Visit www.harley-davidson.com for more information.

The Screamin' Eagle Flat Track team is sponsored by Matco Tools.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

COOLBETH TAKES THIRD ON FACTORY HARLEY AT I-96 SPEEDWAY

Coolbeth is Fast Qualifier and Wins Dash for Cash Bonus Sprint

 

LAKE ODESSA, Mich. (July 10, 2010) – Harley-Davidson® Screamin' Eagle® factory rider Kenny Coolbeth paced qualifying at I-96 Speedway, won the Dash for Cash bonus race and finished third in the main event at the eighth round of the AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com. The race was won by Latus Harley-Davidson rider Joe Kopp on a Harley-Davidson XR-750.

 

Zanotti Racing rider Jake Johnson led the field on his Harley-Davidson at the start of the 25-lap main on the I-96 Speedway half-mile, but the race was halted after two laps for oil on the track.  Kopp grabbed the lead on the re-start and was on the point until the race was stopped again on lap 11 when Kawasaki Monster Energy Drink rider Bryan Smith crashed. With the track worn to a single fast racing groove, Kopp had the advantage when he grabbed the lead on the final re-start.

 

Johnson and Coolbeth ran second and third just behind Kopp, left waiting for the leader to make a mistake. That didn’t happen, and Kopp took the win by just 0.215 seconds over Johnson and 0.281 seconds over Coolbeth. King Kustoms/KK Motorcycle Supply rider Sammy Halbert was fourth, followed by Blue Springs Harley-Davidson rider Jared Mees in fifth. Each of the top-five riders rode a Harley-Davidson and finished less than a second behind Kopp.

 

“The track was good for us and the factory Harley-Davidson was fast right off the truck tonight,” said Craig Lager, crew chief for the Harley-Davidson factory team. “There was just one fast racing groove, so it was all about the start,” said Coolbeth. “I made a mistake in choosing to start from the inside for the main. They had watered the track for all of my heats and it was nice and sticky, but they didn’t water for the main and the track got dry and slick. Kopp and Johnson started up the track and had better traction. Jake and I were faster than Kopp all night, but he got the good start and stayed in defensive mode, which is what he had to do. We are down in points but I’m not giving up. This was a good night for the Harley-Davidson team, and gives us some fresh momentum.”

 

With the win, Kopp moved into first place in the combined AMA Grand National season standings. Kopp now has 154 points. Johnson moves into second place with 141 points. KK Motorcycle Supply/Mike & Eddie Adkins rider Henry Wiles, who finished ninth at I-96 Speedway, falls from first to third place with 139 points. Halbert is fourth with 135 points, followed by Mees with 129 and Coolbeth in sixth with 119.

 

The AMA Grand National Twins will next race July 31 on the Calistoga County Fairgrounds half-mile in Calistoga, Calif.

 

Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle racing. Screamin' Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use applications, while Screamin' Eagle parts offer street-use performance options for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle owner. Visit www.harley-davidson.com for more information.

 

The Screamin' Eagle Flat Track team is sponsored by Matco Tools.

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COOLBETH IS THIRD ON FACTORY HARLEY AT SPRINGFIELD
Last-Lap Passes Result in Podium Finish; Coolbeth Third in Season Points

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (May 30, 2010) –  Harley-Davidson® Screamin' Eagle® factory rider Kenny Coolbeth finished third after a furious finish at the AMA Pro K&N Grand National Twins series race on the Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The race was won by Zanotti Racing rider Jake Johnson on a Harley-Davidson XR-750 motorcycle.

Johnson, who was also fastest qualifier for the event and won the five-lap Dash for Cash bonus race, led the 25-lap main from the start. His only challenge came from Monster Kawasaki rider Bryan Smith, who raced with Johnson early but then faded as the dirt-track surface dried. A pack of riders that included Coolbeth, Blue Springs Harley-Davidson rider Jared Mees, American Agip/Lloyd Brothers Ducati Joe Kopp, and Moroney's Harley-Davidson rider Patrick “PJ” Jacobsen, reeled in Smith by the closing laps of the main.

On the final lap, Coolbeth had shuffled back to sixth place as the pack of drafting riders jockeyed for position heading to the finish. Coolbeth used the draft on the back straight to get back to third and was bearing down on Smith but could not make the pass for second place. Smith finished just 0.052 seconds ahead of Coolbeth, who in turn beat Mees to the line by just 0.009 seconds to claim the final spot on the podium. Kopp was fourth, followed by Jacobson.

“For a long time I was by myself in third place,” said Coolbeth. “So I was thinking I’d set Smith up for a pass on the last lap, but then I found myself surrounded when the pack caught me with about five laps to go and I had to change my strategy at the end. I got a great run on the last lap but just didn’t have enough to catch Bryan. It was a good night for the Harley team, and we are good in points. Now we need a win or two to get a little cushion.”

With the win, Johnson moves into a tie with Kopp for the season points lead in the 2010 Grand National Championship. Each rider has 98 points. Coolbeth is third with 82 points.
 
The AMA Grand National Twins will next race on June 26 at the Allen County Fairgrounds half-mile in Lima, Ohio.

Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle racing. Screamin' Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use applications, while Screamin' Eagle parts offer street-use performance options for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle owner. Visit www.harley-davidson.com for more information.
 
The Screamin' Eagle Flat Track team is sponsored by Matco Tools.

COOLBETH TAKES THIRD PLACE IN GRAND NATIONAL TWINS OPENER

Late-Race Charge Earns Screamin’ Eagle® Harley-Davidson Rider a Podium Finish

 

PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. (May 1, 2010) –  Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle® factory rider Kenny Coolbeth finished third aboard a Harley-Davidson XR-750 motorcycle in the opening race of the 2010 AMA Grand National Twins series on the Yavapai Downs Mile. The race was won by Joe Kopp on an American Agip/Lloyd Brothers Ducati. Halbert/Woody Kyle Racing rider Sammy Halbert finished second on a Harley-Davidson.

 

Coolbeth finished second in his heat race to transfer to the main, and was second behind Halbert in the three-lap Dash for Cash bonus race. The main event was stopped on a red flag before the first lap was completed because dust hanging in the air behind the riders limited visibility. While the riders waited for a re-start, the track was watered and the main was shortened from 25 to 20 laps.

 

Kopp took the lead on the restart and by lap four had opened a gap of 0.92 seconds on Zanotti Racing rider Jake Johnson, Halbert, Chris Carr of Chris Carr Racing, and Coolbeth. Halbert closed the gap on lap seven and passed Kopp for the lead on lap eight, pulling away from a string of riders, with Coolbeth dropping back to fifth place and more than five seconds behind Halbert by lap 13. Halbert was leading Kopp by more than 2.5 seconds and seemed ready to ride unchallenged to victory. On lap 17, Coolbeth passed Carr and Blue Springs Harley-Davidson rider Jared Mees to jump from fifth to third place, and closed to within 3.3 seconds of the leaders.

 

Kopp also began to move up on lap 17, as Halbert’s lap times began to slowly increase. Kopp closed to within 0.23 seconds at the end of lap 19, and the veteran and former Grand National champion drafted past Halbert on the last lap of the race and held on to win by just 0.024 seconds. Coolbeth held off the charging Mees to take third place by just 0.006 seconds.

 

“That was a nice come-back for the Screamin’ Eagle team,” said Coolbeth. “We were quite a way back until I figured out a better line through the turns. I actually watched what Chris Carr was doing, and changed my line up towards the middle of the track and was able to carry more momentum through the corners. I got by Carr in turn one-two, and then drafted past Mees to get on the podium. That’s a good way to start the Twins season, on a track where we’ve never raced before.”

 

This was the first Grand National event held at Yavapai Downs, a one-mile horse-racing track, and Coolbeth was impressed with the facility.

 

“You are in the desert so the track is going to be sandy,” said Coolbeth. “This was a really technical track as far as finding the best line. It was a little dusty, and we were looking right into the sun in turns three and four, which added to the challenge. They did a great job prepping the track and there was a big crowd. We were happy to be racing here.”

 

The Grand National Twins series will end its season at Yavapai Downs on Oct. 10.

 

Despite finishing second, Halbert will leave Arizona with the Grand National Twins series lead thanks to bonus points earned in the Dash for Cash and for setting fastest lap in qualifying. After one event in the 12-race Grand National Twins series, Halbert has 24 points. Kopp is second with 23 points, followed by Coolbeth with 20 points and Mees with 18 points.

 

The AMA Grand National Twins will next race on May 29 on the Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill.

 

Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle racing. Screamin' Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use applications, while Screamin' Eagle parts offer street-use performance options for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle owner. Visit www.harley-davidson.com for more information.

 

The Screamin' Eagle Flat Track team is sponsored by Matco Tools.

 

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COOLBETH RETURNS WITH HARLEY-DAVIDSON FACTORY TEAM

Racing for a Fourth Grand National Title in an Expanded Series

 

MILWAUKEE (April 14, 2010) –  The Screamin’ Eagle® Harley-Davidson® Factory Team will contest the 2010 AMA Grand National series with three-time Grand National Twins champion Kenny Coolbeth riding the team’s Harley-Davidson XR-750 motorcycle.

 

Coolbeth and the Harley-Davidson Factory Team will be racing together for a fourth Grand National Championship in 2010. Winners of three consecutive championships (2006-2008), the team placed second in the Grand National Twins series in 2009.

 

Also returning for the 2010 season with the Harley-Davidson Factory Team are veteran technician Craig Lager and team engineer Brad Bishop.

 

The new season will see some significant changes in the Grand National series. After racing just nine times in 2009, the Grand National Twins motorcycles will line up for 13 events in 2010, including stops at six new venues: Yavapai Downs in Prescott Valley, Ariz.; Gas City I-96 Speedway in Gas City, Ind.; The Red Mile at Lexington, Ky.; Calistoga Fairgrounds in Calistoga, Calif.; Canterbury Park near Minneapolis, Minn.; and Knoxville Speedway in Knoxville, Iowa. For the first time since 2005, the Grand National Championship will combine points earned at separate events for twin-cylinder and single-cylinder motorcycles. The Grand National Singles will race eight times on short-track oval and TT courses, while the Grand National Twins compete on half-mile and mile ovals. The entire schedule includes 21 events. Because Harley-Davidson does not manufacture a single-cylinder motorcycle model, the Harley-Davidson Factory Team will race only at Grand National Twins events.

 

“I’m glad the season will include more races,” said Coolbeth. “Last year the season was so short that if you had a bad night, or got injured like I did, it had a huge impact on your chances of winning the championship. You felt like you had to finish on the podium in every race, even if the bike wasn’t working well. So then maybe you push it a little too hard. We are also looking forward to racing at these new venues, and putting the thrill of Grand National racing on the Harley XR-750 in front of new fans.”

 

The Harley-Davidson XR-750 has been the dominant motorcycle in the Grand National Twins class for a generation, but with the new season comes new rules. For 2010 a rule change will require all teams racing an XR-750 to use a new 32mm intake restrictor plate, which is slightly smaller than the 33mm restrictor used in recent seasons. This will negatively affect power output and response, according to Coolbeth.

 

“We tested with the new restrictor, and I could feel it a little bit,” said Coolbeth. “I think I’ll notice it most on cushion tracks, like Lima and Beulah Park, where you want power instantly. Now the bike is a little less responsive. But I think the other brands that are racing in Grand National Twins are already making plenty of power. Our advantage is in handling and set-up, because we’ve got so much experience with the XR-750 package.”

 

The Harley-Davidson Factory Team will open the 2010 season at Yavapai Downs in Prescott, Ariz., on May 1.

 

Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle racing. Screamin' Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use applications, while Screamin' Eagle parts offer street-use performance options for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle owner. Visit www.harley-davidson.com for more information.

 

The Screamin' Eagle Flat Track team is sponsored by Matco Tools.

 

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Day two of Daytona.. Much better.  I found a line which was way lower than the previous night, however, the weather was still on the chilly side.  The restart  for me was much better than the initial start, but we had a lot of work to do.  I felt like I was flying in the heat, but ended with a 4th.  Now I am at the main, I needed a great start and then some to work up to the lead pack.  From the start, Jake johnson took off like a shot.  I was riding the low line in hopes to get it hooked up and fly.  I was making ground fast and enjoying this race, but it was all work.  Made some clean smooth moves on the inside to take over spots of Mees, Lewis and halbert and I was on my way.  I could see Johnson ahead and knew if I had some more time I could really race with him.  I was in second now and streching my lead away from company.  I was pretty stoked to see the checkered flag and finished 2nd.