AMA Grand National Dirt Track Series Preview: Oklahoma City
16 July 1997
R97074 July 14, 1997 For Immediate Release DAVIS HOPES TO OVERCOME OKLAHOMA CITY DEMONS WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- Will Davis, points leader in the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Grand National Dirt Track Series, comes to Oklahoma City's State Fair Speedway this Saturday facing the challenging half-mile circuit that likely cost him the AMA Grand National Championship last year. Davis will have to overcome the memory of a bizarre set of incidents in which Davis broke his leg without crashing, then was involved in a horrible-looking accident with Ricky Graham. In the end, Davis missed races and was slowed for much of the rest of the season. Coming into this weekend's race, Davis faces nearly the same scenario as he did a year ago. The 13-year AMA racing veteran from North Carolina holds a narrow 13-point lead over seven-time AMA Grand National Champion Scott Parker. But Parker is known for the charge he typically puts on in the second half of the season, and he's a two-time winner at the State Fair Speedway. A number of other past Oklahoma City Half-mile winners will line up for Saturday night's race. Besides Parker and Davis, expected to race include Ricky Graham, Ronnie Jones, Jay Springsteen and last year's winner, Rich King. King, a 34-year-old from Waterloo, Iowa, is known as "Mr. Consistency" for being a top finisher week after week in the AMA series. King is having another one of those consistent years, earning one victory and five other top-five finishes in nine races. As a result, he finds himself third in the series standings, and a repeat win at Oklahoma City could help him narrow the gap on Davis and Parker. Oklahoma motorcycle racing fans hope to get to watch a local favorite, 1991 Oklahoma City winner and race promoter Ronnie Jones, race Saturday. Jones has gone into semi-retirement, but always holds open the possibility of racing at his home track. A Harley-Davidson 883cc Series race will also run at the State Fair Speedway this weekend. Rock Islands, Illinois rider Dave Camlin is dominating the series, winning four of the five races coming into Oklahoma City. Of local interest is Tulsa's Victor McAnally, who is just outside the top 20 in the 883cc series standings after racing in only two events. PAST WINNERS Half-mile Dirt Track, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma YEAR WINNER, HOMETOWN MACHINE 1996 Rich King, Waterloo, IA Honda 1995 Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI Harley-Davidson 1994 Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI Harley-Davidson 1993 Ricky Graham, Salinas, CA Honda 1992 Will Davis, Goldsboro, NC Honda 1991 Ronnie Jones, Oklahoma City, OK Honda 1977 Jay Springsteen, Lapeer, MI Harley-Davidson 1976 Hank Scott, Findlay, OH Yamaha 1971 Gene Romero, San Luis Obispo, CA Triumph 1970 Mark Brelsford, San Bruno, CA Harley-Davidson 1969 Jim Rice, Palo Alto, CA BSA 1968 Fred Nix, Lawton, OK Harley-Davidson 1967 Fred Nix, Lawton, OK Harley-Davidson Track Records: 1 lap: Larry Pegram, Baltimore, OH, July 27, 1992, 23.992 4 laps: Rich King, Waterloo, IA, July 30, 1994, 1:37.51 25 laps: Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI, July 29, 1995, 9:41.58 Contact: Connie Fleming Phone: (614) 891-2425 Fax: (614) 891-7368 -30-