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Kopp Holds On for AMA Pro Flat
Track Win at Lake Odessa
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 11, 2010)
- On Saturday night the AMA
Pro Racing elite came to the I-96
Speedway half mile and Latus
Harley-Davidson / ENI USA R&M /
Lloyd Brothers Motorsport's Joe Kopp
overcame two restarts to take his #3
clad Harley-Davidson to win round
eight of the K&N Filters Grand
National Championship presented by
Motorcycle-superstore.com series.
The race was stopped the first time
by oil on the track after just two
laps. The red lights flashed again
eleven laps in when Bryan Smith fell
in turn two on his Kawasaki Monster
Energy Drink backed #42 Kawasaki.
Zanotti Racing's #5 Jake Johnson had
the hole shot the first time, but
could not duplicate the second time
around. "I knew I had to get out
front and not make any mistakes,"
said Kopp. "I was the veteran, I
should be able to keep the 'kids'
behind me."
Kopp was pulling clear as Johnson
and Harley-Davidson Motor Company's
#2 Kenny Coolbeth fought over second
when the second red flag came out.
The single file restart saw Johnson
take a look inside going into the
first turn, but he just couldn't get
up along side and his fate was
sealed. Coolbeth was all over
Johnson, but no better luck. Late in
the race King's Kustom / KK
Motorcycle Supply's #7 Sammy
Halbert, Rogers Lake Racing / Blue
Springs Harley-Davidson's #1 Jared
Mees and Lancaster Harley-Davidson /
DFW Honda's #4 Chris Carr tried to
make it a six way race, but after
Mees passed Carr on lap twenty two
the top positions were set.
Scott Powersport's #10 Johnny Lewis
gave his Kawasaki it's best finish
with a seventh after falling victim
to the oil on the first start.
White's Harley-Davidson's #20 Matt
Weidman, KK Motorcycle Supply's #17
Henry Wiles and King's Kustom's
Jethro Halbert rounded out the top
ten.
AMA Pro Racing has implemented a new
program for three of this year's
races. The top ten riders in last
year's Pro Singles class can have a
provisional ride in the Expert class
if they can secure a twins ride for
the event. Tonight four riders took
advantage of that.
#24P Jeff Carver (Lloyd Brothers
Motorsports-Ducati), #71B James
Rispoli (Lloyd Brothers
Motorsports-Ducati), #25A Shayna
Texter (Lancaster
Harley-Davidson-Harley-Davidson) and
Brad Baker, who switched his #1 Pro
Singles number for a #17M Global
Products / Lancaster Harley-Davidson
backed Harley-Davidson were the only
riders to take advantage.
Baker really took advantage, winning
the second Expert Twins Semi. Then
after finishing second to Carver
(Van's Yamaha motor Co / GYTR) in
the Pro Singles main he got off his
Rod Lake / Mike Velasco backed Honda
and put in twenty five more laps and
came home a very respectful
thirteenth. The finish did not earn
him any GNC National points, just
the experience and the $775.00 that
went with it.
Cycle Dynamics / ANT Racing's #71B
James Rispoli filled out the
Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro
Singles Podium after the race was
stopped on lap eleven when #81C Zakk
Palmer (TLC Racing) fell in turn
four.
The K&N Filters Grand National
Championship presented by
Motorcycle-superstore.com now moves
west with Calistoga, CA the
destination on July 31.
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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.
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