Smith gives Kawasaki first win

From AMA Pro Racing

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - History was made on the fabled Indiana State Fairgrounds mile oval last Saturday night as Kawasaki / Monster Energy / Werner-Springsteen Racing's Bryan Smith captured the AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship Twins main event in a hard fought, 25-lap battle.

Lancaster Harley-Davidson / Dallas Fort Worth Honda's Chris Carr grabbed the early lead from series points leader Joe Kopp on his Latus Harley-Davidson / ENI USA R&M backed Ducati, then repeated the feat as the race was red flagged on lap three, when Stevie Bonsey fell in turn three.

Carr picked up where he left off, but now Smith and Zanotti Racing's Jake Johnson were right behind. On lap six Smith took control, but White's Harley-Davidson / SNIP's Matt Weidman was up high on the cushion and flying to the front. Unfortunately for Weidman, when the high line went away, he backed up as fast as he had come forward.

As the race reached the mid-point it became a two rider race. Smith and Carr went back and forth several times, but as the laps wound down Smith took control. The race would end with Carr just over a tenth of a second out.

"I've been dreaming about this all year," said Smith. "And it wasn't a nightmare either. I was sure, as soon as we got to these tracks with long straight-aways, the Kawasaki's power was let us finally win one."

"I just couldn't draft him," said Carr. "I could get close, but he just had too much power."

Harley-Davidson Motor Company's Kenny Coolbeth brought his Harley-Davidson home third over two seconds off the lead.

Johnson took control of fourth and rode home a lonely three seconds off the pace. King's Kustoms / KK Motorcycle Supply's Sammy Halbert finished an uneventful fifth as Kopp made a late race pass of Rookie of the Year front runner, Moroney's 1-800fasthog.com's PJ Jacobsen.

Defending Series Champion Jared Mees work his way up to fourth before sliding back to an eighth place finish. It was another eight seconds back to Weidman.

The K&N Filter's dash for Cash saw Carr dominate as points leader Kopp suffered a blow to his points total when he couldn't get his Ducati to fire and he received no points. Sammy Halbert and Smith rounded out the podium as all three received 'Special Edition, Nicky Hayden watches.'

When JD Beach announced he was moving up to the Expert ranks for the Labour Day races in Springfield he said he wanted to win the Peoria, IL TT and the Indianapolis Mile before taking on the challenge.

Impressively Beach accomplished just that as he led the last 11 laps of the Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Grand National Championship main on his Red Bull / Top 1 Oil backed Honda.

Price Truck Line / Kennedy Wheels' Michael Toon and Van's Yamaha / Woody Kyle Racing's Jeffery Carver finished a very close second and third.

Carver's points lead continues to grow in the Pro Singles Grand National Championship. Carver now leads defending Champion Brad Baker by 31 points with James Rispoli another 36 points back.

The K&N Filters Grand National Championship point standing are still being led by Kopp but Sammy Halbert and Johnson are closing in, just 12 and 14 points back, respectively.

INDIANA STATE FAIRGROUNDS
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
RESULTS
AMA PRO MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM PRO SINGLES MAIN (12 laps; 18 riders): 1. JD Beach (Hon); 2. Michael Toon (Hon); 3. Jeffery Carver (Yam); 4. Mike Avila (Hon); 5. James Rispoli (Hon); 6. Brad Baker (Hon); 7. Mike LaBelle (Hon); 8. Zakk Palmer (Hon); 9. Corey Crawford (Hon); 10. Kurtis Lee (Hon); 11. Cody Johncox (Yam); 12. Jake Cunningham (Suz); 13. William Cato (Hon); 14. Tony Davila (Suz); 15. Jake Shoemaker (Suz); 16. Brian Tapp (Hon); 17. Brandon Laursen (Hon); 18. Jeremy Hamilton (Hon)
Time: 8:02.297
AMA PRO MOTORCYCLE-SUPERSTORE.COM PRO SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 12 of 17 rounds): 1. Jeffery Carver (227 pts / 4 wins); 2. Brad Baker (196 / 3 wins); 3. James Rispoli (160); 4. Mike Avila (143); 5. JD Beach (118 / 4 wins); 6. Mike LaBelle (101); 7. Mike Martin (99); 8. Chaz Springsteen (81); 9. Jake Shoemaker (66); 10. Michael Toon (57 / 1 win); 11. Gerit Callies (48); 12. Zakk Palmer (47); 13. Tyler O'Hara (44); 14. (TIE) William Cato / Wyatt Maguire (43); 16. Jeremy Hamilton (38); 17. (TIE) Brandon Laursen / Shayna Texter (35); 19. (TIE) Stephen Vanderkuur / Corey Crawford / Adam Bushman (31).
AMA PRO K&N GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MAIN (25 laps; 18 riders): 1. Bryan Smith (Kaw); 2. Chris Carr (H-D); 3. Kenny Coolbeth (H-D); 4. Jake Johnson (H-D); 5. Sammy Halbert (H-D); 6. Joe Kopp (H-D); 7. PJ Jacobsen (H-D); 8. Jared Mees (H-D); 9. Matt Weidman (H-D); 10. Willie McCoy (H-D); 11. JR Schnabel (H-D); 12. Larry Pegram (Duc); 13. Luke Gough (H-D); 14. Brandan Bergen (H-D); 15. Rob Pearson (H-D); 16. Shawn Baer (Tri); 17. Steve Murray (H-D); 18. Jethro Halbert (H-D); 19. Stevie Bonsey (H-D)
Time: 22:59.491 --RED FLAG--
AMA PRO K&N GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 12 of 17rounds): 1. Joe Kopp (221 pts / 3 wins); 2. Sammy Halbert (209 / 1 win); 3. Jake Johnson (207 / 2 wins); 4. Jared Mees (198); 5. Henry Wiles (188 / 4 wins); 6. Kenny Coolbeth (179); 7. Chris Carr (135); 8. Bryan Smith (127 / 1 win); 9. Johnny Lewis (82); 10. (TIE) Matt Weidman / Rob Pearson (81); 12. Mick Kirkness (73); 13. Jethro Halbert (58); 14. Stevie Bonsey (47 / 1 win); 15. JR Schnabel (39); 16. Luke Gough (38); 17. Brandon Robinson (35); 18. Shaun Russell (33); 19. PJ Jacobsen (31); 20. Chad Cose (26)