---

AMA: Excitement Builds for Hall of Fame Race at Historic Springfield Mile

15 August 1998

WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- Just two grid positions remain for the Sept. 5 Hall of Fame Race at the historic Springfield Mile, and the excitement among fans -- and riders -- continues to grow. The 10-lap, $50,000-purse Hall of Fame race is the richest single race in the history of motorcycle dirt-track racing, and it will run as part of the evening program at the Sat., Sept. 5, American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) National HotShoe races at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, in Springfield, Ill.

Thirteen past champions, perennial heroes and rising stars have already qualified for the 15-rider Hall of Fame Race. These riders earned entry to the Hall of Fame race by finishing among the top four at one of first three BEER NUTS Hall of Fame Qualifiers held over the course of the AMA's Grand National Dirt Track season.

The top-four finishers in the first BEER NUTS Hall of Fame Qualifier at the May 25 Grand National races at Springfield, Ill., Mile, were: Chris Carr, of Fleetwood, Penn., Dave Camlin of Rock Island, Ill., Will Davis of Goldsboro, N.C., and Johnny Murphree of Winchester, Va. Eight-time AMA Grand National Dirt Track Champion Scott Parker, of Swartz Creek, Mich., finished 6th in the same BEER NUTS Hall of Fame Qualifier, but as a past champion, Parker was awarded a provisional spot on the grid in accordance with Hall of Fame race rules.

The next four riders qualified at the second BEER NUTS Hall of Fame Qualifier, held Aug. 2, at the Peoria, Ill., TT race. Dan Stanley of Bellingham, Wash., took first place honors, followed by Ken Coolbeth of Warren, Conn.; Joe Kopp of Mica, Wash., and Mickey Fay of Spanaway, Wash.

Current Grand National points leader Rich King, of Dysart, Iowa, won the final BEER NUTS Hall of Fame Qualifier at the Aug. 8, Grand National races at Route 66 Half-mile race in Joliet, Ill. Dirt-track veterans Jay Springsteen of Lapeer, Mich., and Steve Morehead of Findlay, Ohio, took second- and third-place, respectively. Kevin Varnes of New Holland, Penn., was fourth.

The two remaining spots on the Hall of Fame race grid will be filled by the top finishers in the 750cc Expert final at the Sept. 5, AMA HotShoe Series event at the Springfield Mile. The actual starting positions for the Hall of Fame race grid will be decided in two heat races, which will be also held as part of the program at the Sept. 5 event in Springfield.

The Labor Day weekend events at the Springfield Mile will include Grand National Dirt Track and Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance series races on Sun., Sept. 6.

ESPN2 broadcast times of the Hall of Fame race will be announced at a later date, and will be posted in the Pro Racing pages of AMA Directlink, the official website of the AMA, located at www.ama-cycle.org. BEER NUTS will offer a special-edition video featuring the BEER NUTS Hall of Fame Qualifiers and the actual Hall of Fame race. The BEER NUTS Hall of Fame video is sure to be a collector's item and a must-have for dirt-track fans. Details regarding the purchase of the video will be announced during Grand National telecasts on ESPN2.

For tickets and information about the Labor Day weekend Hall of Fame race, AMA Grand National, AMA National HotShoe and Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance series races at the Springfield Mile, call (217)753-8866.