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AMA FLAT TRACK: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Written by: Dave Hoenig   
08/11/2007 - 07:00 PM
Castle Rock, WA
 
Moroney’s Honda / Tucker Rocky's Bryan Smith (Photo: Dave Hoenig / flattrakfotos.com) » More Photos

The Mount St. Helens Motorcycle Club wrapped their doubleheader weekend with a great night of racing on the bullet fast Castle Rock Race Park quarter-mile short track. When the checkered flag fell on Round 5 of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Singles Championship it was Michigan's Bryan Smith standing tall.

The Moroney's Honda / Tucker Rocky-backed Smith set fast time in qualifying, won his heat, and then led every lap of the 25-lap Grand National. On the surface that sounds one-sided, but the action was intense all night.

Smith got the holeshot with Obermeyer Yamaha / Troy Lee Designs' Henry Wiles, Zanotti Racing / Honda Penisula's Jethro Halbert and Saddlemen / American Honda's Jared Mees bunched right behind.

By lap two Mees was in second and Bettencourt's Honda / Spectro Oils' Kenny Coolbeth had squeezed into third while Wiles was starting a free fall through the pack that would drop him to last by the end of the race.

Last night's TT winner, Memphis Shades / Yamaha's Sammy Halbert, got by his brother Jethro and settled into fourth.

The finishing order was set for the top four, but the rest of the field was tightly packed. Jethro Halbert, Lanphere's Beaverton-Renton Honda's Joe Kopp, South Sound Honda / Hlebo Brothers' Scooter Vernon, Motorcyclists Post / Bruce Transportation's Logan Myers and RJ Performance / Maxxis' Matt Burton locked in a tight group as they worked their way around Wiles.

By the halfway mark the best race on the track was the battle for fifth between Jethro Halbert, Kopp, and Andrews Brothers Racing / Mayberry Builders' Joe Hernandez. Hernandez, last year's Pro-Am winner at the Rock, had slashed his way up from sixteenth on the first lap and was all over Halbert and Kopp.

On lap nineteen Kopp got by both Halbert and Hernandez and locked in his fifth-place finish.

Bromley's Suzuki / American Suzuki's Kevin Varnes was on the move through the pack and carved his way to an eighth-place finish. Varnes had won the second fastest heat on the night, but squandered his great starting position when he rolled across the starting line early.

Quality Checked Certified Pre-Owned Ford's Chris Carr was also sent packing and they joined defending Singles Series Champion and current points leader Jake Johnson on the fourth row. Engine problems forced Johnson onto his back up American Suzuki / Parts Unlimited bike thus his fourth row start.

Scooter Vernon was able to hold on to a solid ninth-place finish over Logan Myers. Mack Daddy Racing / Pro Honda Oils' Nick Cummings, Chris Carr, Matt Burton, Jake Johnson, SteveMurrayRacing.com / Thumb Motorsports' Steve Murray, Loggers Bar & Grill / Schenk Racing's Kyle Ragsdale, Steel Dreams / BBRP's Dan Stanley, and Henry Wiles rounded out the field.

Preceding the Grand National a 12-lap main which was held for the Pro-Sport riders. Schenk Racing Ent / YSR / Latus Motors Harley-Davidson's Brady Mueller thrilled the local fans as he stormed back from a penalty line
start to the win.

Lancaster Harley-Davidson / Don's Kawasaki's Shayna Texter got the holeshot and held last night's winner, Shift /A&A Racing's Chad Cose, at bay until Mueller stormed his way to the front at the halfway mark.

Lynnwood Motoplex / Don Wall's Amy Pruczinski closed on Cose at the end but could not improve on her fourth-place position. Bryan King Int / Southland Racing's Kris Bunch rounded out the top five.

Jake Johnson's sub par weekend opened the door for Kenny Coolbeth in the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Singles Championship point standings. The two are now tied at the top of the board with 79 points each. Jared Mees is ten back in third with JR Schnabel (who failed to make tonight's main) and Joe Kopp rounding out the top five.

Castle Rock Race Park
Castle Rock, Washington
Results: August 11, 2007 (Round 5 of 8)

GRAND NATIONAL (25 laps, 18 riders):

1. Bryan Smith (Hon); 2. Jared Mees (Hon); 3. Kenny Coolbeth (Hon); 4. Sammy Halbert (Yam); 5. Joe Kopp (Hon); 6. Jethro Halbert (Hon); 7. Joe Hernandez (Hon); 8. Kevin Varnes (Suz); 9. Scooter Vernon (Hon); 10. Logan Myers (Hon); 11. Nick Cummings (Suz); 12. Chris Carr (KTM); 13. Matt Burton (Yam); 14. Jake Johnson (Suz); 15. Steve Murray (Yam); 16. Kyle Ragsdale (Suz); 17. Dan Stanley (Hon); 18. Henry Wiles (Yam).

Time: 7 min., 44.106 sec.

AMA FORD QUALITY CHECKED FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS / AMA Grand National Singles Championship (after 5 of 8 rounds):

1. (TIE) Jake Johnson (2 wins) / Kenny Coolbeth (79 pts); 3. Jared Mees (69); 4. JR Schnabel (62); 5. Joe Kopp (53); 6. Sammy Halbert (52 / 1 win); 7. Henry Wiles (47); 8. Jethro Halbert (45); 9. Mike Rush (44 / 1 win); 10. Chris Carr (42); 11. Johnny Murphree (37); 12. Bryan Smith (33 / 1 win); 13. Jesse Janisch (23); 14. Nick Cummings (22); 15. Scooter Vernon (18); 16. Kevin Varnes (16); 17. Bryan Bigelow (14); 18. Raun Wood (13); 19. (TIE) Joe Hernandez / Rich King / Jimmy Wood (12).

AMA FORD QUALITY CHECKED FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS / AMA Grand National Overall Championship (after 12 of 20 rounds):

1. Kenny Coolbeth (220 pts / 4 wins); 2. Jared Mees (208 / 3 wins); 3. Jake Johnson (181 / 2 wins); 4. Bryan Smith (134 / 1 win); 5. JR Schnabel (132); 6. Joe Kopp (128); 7. Chris Carr (116); 8. Johnny Murphree (87); 9. Shaun Russell (84); 10. Jethro Halbert (77); 11. Henry Wiles (70); 12. Sammy Halbert (56 / 1 win); 13. Kevin Varnes (52); 14. Mike Rush (44 / 1 win); 15. (TIE) Nick Cummings / Rich King (42); 17. Bryan Bigelow (40); 18. Raun Wood (35); 19. (TIE) Paul Lynch / Ricky Marshall (32).

PRO SPORT SUPPORT MAIN (12 laps, 11 riders):

1. Brady Mueller (Suz); 2. Shayna Texter (Hon); 3. Chad Cose (Hon); 4. Amy Pruczinski (Hon); 5. Kris Bunch (Suz); 6. Wyatt Maguire (Yam); 7. R. Kenny Malaguarnero (Suz); 8. Doug Reinert (Suz); 9. Nick Anderson (Hon); 10. Austin Helwig (Hon); 11. Austin Greenland (Hon).