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AMA: Racers and fans get their kicks at Route 66 Raceway

29 June 2000

     PICKERINGTON, Ohio --  The AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track

Championships will roar into Joliet, Ill., June 30 - July 2, as part in the

Chicagoland Cyclefest at Route 66 Raceway.

     The half-mile, semi-banked clay oval at Route 66 has become a fast

favorite of AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track riders, according to

1-800-Fast-Hog rider Will Davis.

     Davis, who is tied for second on the all-time half-mile wins list,

expects great racing on the three-year old Route 66 track.  "It has big

sweeping corners that you can maintain a lot of speed through. It reminds

me of a miniature Springfield. If there's enough moisture in the track we

can run from the top to the bottom,"  Davis said.

     Davis placed second in the inaugural 1998 event at Route 66, and

pulled an impressive, come from behind win last season. "I got off the line

in fifth, but my bike was working real good. It took me six or seven laps

to get to the front and pass Chris Carr for the lead," said the Goldsboro,

N.C. native.

     Davis, who sits in series second place with 56-points, will need to

duplicate or better last year's effort in order to pressure current points

leader and defending champion, Chris Carr.  Carr stretched his lead to

23-points with his win at Lima  on June 25.

     The tough competition of the AMA Progressive Insurance Grand National

Championship is underlined by the 6 points separating second through

fifth-place in the standings. Joe Kopp is in series third-place with 53

points. Terry Poovey follows with 51, and Jay Springsteen is in fifth with

50 points.

     Also on tap for Saturday's program is the third round of the AMA

SuperTrapp SuperTrackers series, where Harley-Davidson has had considerable

success thus far. Saddlemen/Lancaster Harley-Davidson rider Mike Hacker has

grabbed the top-spot in the two previous SuperTracker events of the season,

and leads with 46 points. But defending champion Joe Kopp is hot on

Hacker's heels,  just 8-points behind.

     Kopp, of Mica, Wash., has retained the consistent style that lead him

to the championship in 1999, placing second in both SuperTracker events of

the 2000 season. Eight points behind Kopp is third-place rider Glen

Schnabel of Team Powell H-D. Schnabel, who finished third overall at the

end of the last year, won the first-ever SuperTracker event during the

inaugural 1999 season but has not repeated that performance since.

     In addition to the Saturday night half-mile, the Chicagoland Cyclefest

offers the AMA Pro Star Motorcycle drag races, running at the adjoining

quarter-mile Route 66 drag strip, with practice and qualifying runs set for

Friday and Saturday, and eliminations and finals on Sunday. Activities also

include demo rides by Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha, as well as a

vendor's midway and children's amusements.

     While at the Route 66 half-mile be sure to stop by the Progressive

Insurance tent, near the Grand Stand entrance, for rider autograph

sessions, video games, free magnetic schedules, posters and other giveaway

items. Once there you can support the sport by calling 1-800-FLAT-TRACK on

the hotline, or by receiving an on line quote on the Progressive computer.

Don't forget, for every quote made through 1-800-FLAT-TRACK, Progressive

pays $1 into the rider point fund.

     

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