AMA Grand national Series Preview: Springfield, Illinois
25 August 1997
SPRINGFIELD SET TO HOST ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MOTORCYCLE RACING
WEEKENDS OF THE YEAR
R97097
August 25, 1997
For Immediate Release
WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- Already one of the most prestigious motorcycle races
in America, this weekend's American Motorcyclist Association Grand National
Series motorcycle race on the Springfield Mile track in Illinois, takes on
added significance this year. For the second year in a row, two AMA Grand
Nationals will be held this weekend--one on Saturday and one Sunday--after
the Memorial Day weekend race was rescheduled due to rain.
On the line Saturday and Sunday will be valuable points coming into the
home stretch for the 1997 AMA Grand National Series. The mile oval at the
Illinois State Fairgrounds has been very good to seven-time AMA champ Scott
Parker. Parker won his first race on the Springfield Mile in the spring of
1987. In the ten years since that race, Parker has gone on to win a total
of 11 Grand Nationals at the famous central Illinois track, more than any
other rider in the history of the race.
Parker is trying to chase down series leader Will Davis. Every time Parker
makes a run on Davis, Davis responds. Last week in Hagerstown, Md., Davis
came through to win his sixth AMA National of the season -- Parker was
second. Davis, a 32-year-old from Goldsboro, N.C., has never won the
Springfield Mile.
Springfield has acted as a springboard for Parker's late-season
championship run in past years, and the likable rider from Swartz Creek,
Mich., would love to start another run at Springfield this year.
Dave Camlin comes into this year's race the unlikely double winner of last
year's Labor Day weekend races. Camlin, of Rock Island, Ill., is fifth in
the series, but is looking for his first win of the season.
Nine-time Springfield winner Ricky Graham is looking better each weekend
after returning from missing most of last year due to injuries. Graham last
won the Springfield Mile in 1993, but is always a threat at Springfield,
one of his favorite tracks.
One rider who is surprisingly still seeking a victory at Springfield is the
legendary Jay Springsteen. Springsteen is the second-winningest rider in
the history in AMA Grand National history, but Springfield is not among his
41 career victories. "Springer" is having a decent year, currently eighth
in the series, and a win at Springfield is very possible.
Younger riders like Rich King, Joe Kopp and Mike Hacker have shown great
improvement this year. A victory for one of these young guns at Springfield
could serve as a catalyst to raise one of these riders to the next level.
RECENT WINNERS
YEAR WINNER, HOMETOWN MACHINE
1996 Sept. 1 Dave Camlin, Rock Island, IL Harley-Davidson
1996 Aug. 31 Dave Camlin, Rock Island, IL Harley-Davidson
1995 (Fall) Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI Harley-Davidson
1995 (Spring) Chris Carr, Valley Springs, CA Harley-Davidson
1994 Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI Harley-Davidson
1993 (Fall) Ricky Graham, Salinas, CA Honda
1993 (Spring) Ricky Graham, Salinas, CA Honda
1992 (Fall) Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI Harley-Davidson
1992 (Spring) Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI Harley-Davidson
1991 (Fall) Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI Harley-Davidson
1991 (Spring) Ricky Graham, Salinas, CA Honda
1990 (Fall) Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI Harley-Davidson
1990 (Spring) Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI Harley-Davidson
1989 (Fall) Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI Harley-Davidson
1989 (Spring) Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI Harley-Davidson
1988 (Fall) Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI Harley-Davidson
1988 (Spring) Bubba Shobert, Carmel Valley, CA Honda
1987 (Fall) Bubba Shobert, Carmel Valley, CA Honda
1987 (Spring) Scott Parker, Flint, MI Harley-Davidson
1986 (Fall) Bubba Shobert, Carmel Valley, CA Honda
1986 (Spring) Ricky Graham, Seaside, CA Honda
1985 (Fall) Ricky Graham, Seaside, CA Honda
1985 (Spring) Bubba Shobert, Lubbock, TX Honda
1984 (Fall) Ted Boody, Sapulpa, OK Honda
1984 (Spring) Ricky Graham, Seaside, CA Honda
1983 (Fall) Ricky Graham, Seaside, CA Harley-Davidson
1983 (Spring) Ricky Graham, Seaside, CA Harley-Davidson
1982 Ricky Graham, Seaside, CA Harley-Davidson
Track Records:
1 lap: Scott Parker, Swartz Creek, MI, May 24, 1992, 34.264
4 laps: Kevin Atherton, White Pigeon, MI, August 31, 1996, 2:22.475
25 laps: Chris Carr, Valley Springs, CA, May 28, 1995, 14:26.77
-30-
Connie Fleming
American Motorcyclist Association
Public Relations Administrator
http://www.ama-cycle.org
614-891-2425