AMA Grand National Series Preview for Eldora Speedway Event
23 July 1997
R97080 July 21, 1997 For Immediate Release ATHERTON LOOKS TO REPEAT AT ELDORA'S HIGH-BANKED HALF-MILE WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- TCR Racing's Kevin Atherton, the defending Eldora Speedway American Motorcyclist Association Grand National winner, has shown a ton of promise during his ten years of racing in the AMA Grand National Series. This Saturday, at Eldora Speedway, Atherton will get a chance to add to his career total of 10 AMA national victories. Since Atherton earned AMA Dirt Track Rookie of the Year honors in 1988, many felt that the 26-year-old Michigan racer would quickly become a National champion. But, after nine seasons of being one of the top riders in the country, Atherton has yet to accomplish the goal of all riders in the series -- winning the title. He came as close as he ever has last year, finishing second to seven-time champ Scott Parker, winning a career best five Grand Nationals. One of Atherton's wins came last year at Rossburg, Ohio's famed Eldora Speedway. The half-mile Eldora dirt oval is famous for its high-banked turns. Most of the riders on the AMA circuit consider Eldora the most challenging track in the 23-race series. Defending national champion Scott Parker is the other rider that has been able to conquer the tricky Eldora Speedway in the two years that the AMA Grand National Series has visited the western Ohio track. A win at Eldora would bring Parker closer to series leader Will Davis. Davis, Atherton's TCR Racing teammate, won last Sunday's Grand National in Oklahoma City, Okla., extending his lead over Parker. Davis looks to have the best change of any rider this season to become the first rider to dethrone seven-time champ Parker since 1993. The last AMA Grand National Champion other than Parker was Ricky Graham. Graham is back this season after almost a year off due to injuries, and he is solidly inside the top ten in the series. Many dirt track followers expect Graham to win his first national of 1997 any weekend now. Another rider to watch this weekend at Eldora could be Washington State's Joe Kopp. Kopp was runner-up to Atherton last year at Eldora. Contact: Connie Fleming Phone: (614) 891-2425 Fax: (614) 891-7368