Johnson wins flat track opener

From Daytona International Speedway
with files from John Hopkins and Frank Wood

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – Jake Johnson led from flag to flag on his factory Suzuki RM-Z450 to earn his third-career Daytona Short Track victory in the AMA Grand National Singles Championship Wednesday at Municipal Stadium – the first leg of a doubleheader.

Johnson, starting from the pole, opened up a three-second lead by mid-way through the 25-lap race and cruised to the checkered flag 3.325-seconds ahead of defending series champion Ken Coolbeth.

Coolbeth, using the low groove on his Honda, won out for second after a race-long battle with Wisconsin’s JR Schnabel, who tried in vain on his Suzuki to make the high line work.

Seven-time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr was fourth on a KTM. TT specialist Henry Wiles took fifth on a Kawasaki.

“This place has been good to me pretty much my whole career,” said Johnson, of Franklinville, NJ, who won at Municipal Stadium in 2005 and again last year. “They say your first win is the sweetest, but I think it just gets better and better. I’m not going to make it easy on Kenny (Coolbeth). I want to win that title back.”

The win for Johnson marked the fifth for Suzuki at Municipal Stadium making them number one in wins at the Daytona Short Track among all manufacturers.

Welland, ON's Donald Taylor finished 15th in his first AMA Grand National main event appearance. The Canadian champion qualified with a victory in his semi but set-up changes before the feature event apparently upset the balance of his Honda.

Doug Lawrence of Mississauga, ON failed to make the main along with Chris Evans of St. Catharines, ON.

Results
1. Jake Johnson, Suzuki; 2. Ken Coolbeth, Honda; 3. JR Schnabel, Suzuki; 4. Chris Carr KTM; 5. Henry Wiles, Kawasaki; 6. Nick Cummings, Honda; 7. Brandan Bergen, Honda; 8. Bryan Smith, Kawasaki; 9. Brandon Lee Robinson, Honda; 10. Joe Kopp, Honda; 11. Shaun Russell, Honda; 12. Robert Pearson, Yamaha; 13. A.J. Eslick, Suzuki; 14. Jimmy Wood, Suzuki; 15. Don Taylor, Honda; 16. John Raun Wood, Honda