July 11, 2005
Lake Odesa, MI - Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts rider Rich King finished fourth aboard a Harley-Davidson XR750 at round seven of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship, held on the banked half-mile track of I-96 Speedway. The race was won by KTM/Mid-America Harley-Davidson rider Kenny Coolbeth.
King won his qualifying heat for the event, the first AMA Grand National race at this central-Michigan track since 1998, and the Screamin’ Eagle rider led the pack into the first turn at the start of the 25-lap main. King dropped back to third position at the end of the first lap, as Latus Harley-Davidson/Jones Powersports rider Joe Kopp took the lead. Kopp took control of the race and led until his motorcycle expired in turn one on lap 19. Coolbeth, who had been steadily gaining on Kopp, then inherited the lead and rode on unchallenged to take the win. Saddleman/Lancaster Harley-Davidson rider Jared Mees finished second, followed by Quality Checked Pre-Owned Ford/Lancaster Harley-Davidson rider Chris Carr.
King finished fourth and led a pack of riders that included Bartels’ Harley-Davidson/TNT Harley.com rider Shaun Russell, Moroney’s Harley-Davidson/Content Control rider Bryan Smith and Quality Checked Certified Pre-Owned Ford rider Willie McCoy.
With the round seven results in the book, Carr sees his AMA Flat Track Championship season points lead shrink from 23 to 16 points. Carr has 121 points, Coolbeth lies in second with 105 points and Mees is third with 90 points. King is currently in ninth.
“Rich and the Screamin’ Eagle team did a great job against some tough competition this weekend,” said Harley-Davidson Racing Manager Anne Paluso. “In the last few races he’s competed, his performances have been really strong. There are still 10 races left in the 17-race season, so there’s plenty of time to move up in the point standings.”
Round eight of the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship series is scheduled for July 23 at the Darke County Fairgrounds half-mile in Greenville, Ohio.
Also at Lake Odessa, KK Motorcycle Supply/F&S Harley-Davison rider A.J. Eslick won round four of the 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance National series. Lima Harley-Davidson rider Scott Stump was second, followed by F&S Harley-Davidson rider Ricky Marshall. The series points leader and fast qualifier, Doc’s Harley-Davidson rider Merle Scherb, was fourth, ahead of Harv’s Harley-Davidson Racing rider Chris Hart. The Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Series points race is wide open, as Stump and Scherb are tied for the lead with 69 points, followed by Hart with 68 points and Eslick in fourth with 60 points.
