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AMA: Grand National Secrets to be Revealed in Harrington, Delaware

6 May 1998

WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- What motorsport rumbles as loud as a NASCAR race and has more lead changes at a single event than a whole season of Formula One? Where can you see a pack of five racers rocket down a straightaway in such tight formation that you could fit all of them, and their vehicles, in the bed of a delivery truck?

Look no further than the American Motorcyclist Association's (AMA) Grand National Dirt Track Series. The oldest form of professional motorcycle racing in the U.S., the Grand National Dirt Track Series returns to the Harrington, Del., Half-mile, on Saturday May 16. The Harrington round will also feature the season kick-off of the 1998 Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Series.

The 1998 Grand National Dirt Track season kicked off on March 7 during Bike Week festivities in Daytona Beach, Fla. Much like NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt, eight-time Grand National Dirt Track Champion Scott Parker won the 1998 Daytona Beach round after being denied a Daytona win over his 19-year pro career. Harley-Davidson rider Parker leads the series to the Harrington round, where he took second-place at last year's race.

Round one of the 1998 Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Series will also be held in Harrington. Known until 1998 as the Harley-Davidson 883 National Series, the series still features racing motorcycles equipped with the Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster motor.

Rock Island, Ill., resident Davey Camlin enters the season as the reigning champion of the Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Series. Camlin took seven wins last year on his way to the title. Camlin also contends the Grand National Series, and took sixth place at last year's Harrington Grand National round.
A list of Harrington, Del., Half-mile winners follows:

PAST GRAND NATIONAL WINNERS
YEAR	WINNER, HOMETOWN	MACHINE
1997	Kevin Atherton, White Pigeon, MI	Harley-Davidson
1996	Main event rained out
1995	Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI	Harley-Davidson
1984	Terry Poovey, Euless, TX	Harley-Davidson
1983	Jay Springsteen, Lapeer, MI	Harley-Davidson
1982	Jay Springsteen, Lapeer, MI	Harley-Davidson
1981	Steve Morehead, Findlay, OH	Harley-Davidson
1980	Steve Morehead, Findlay, OH	Harley-Davidson
1978	Jay Springsteen, Lapeer, MI	Harley-Davidson
1977	Ted Boody, Royal Oak, MI	Harley-Davidson
1976	Corky Keener, Burton, MI	Harley-Davidson
1975	Jay Springsteen, Flint, MI	Harley-Davidson

Track Records: 4 laps: Chris Evans, St. Catharines, ON, CAN, May 17, 1997, 1:45.765 25 laps: Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI, May 6, 1995, 11:07.34

PAST HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORMANCE WINNERS
YEAR WINNER, HOMETOWN MACHINE
1996 Mike Hacker, Prince George, VA Harley-Davidson
1995 Matt Wait, Lodi, CA Harley-Davidson
Track Records: 12 laps: Mike Hacker, Prince George, VA, May 4, 1996, 5:42.33

For tickets and information about the May 16 Grand National Dirt Track and Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance races at the Harrington, Del., Half-mile, call (302) 697-3275.