AMA Pro Flat Track -- SPOILERS

[triangleforge]

Just back from a long day at the local horse track, where they ran the AMA Pro Flat Track Yavapai Mile. In the first race he's been on the bike, Joe Kopp rode this to the win in the Pro Twins final:



Really exciting finish to a fun race; Kopp led after the first lap and was stretching out a lead through the first half of the race when Sammy Halbert on a Harley reeled him in, passed him, and proceeded to pull away. Kopp was solid in second, then closed WAY fast on the back stretch of the last lap, passed him in the final turn & out dragged Halbert to the line. The consensus in the stands was that the veteran Kopp managed his rear tire better than the youngster and had more dig in the final turn. I looked at Kopp's tire after the race, and there really wasn't much of it left on the left edge...

The pits were really interesting -- two Expert Twins teams on Ducatis, a Rotax-powered BMW (running strong until a broken chain in the final), a KTM, an Aprilia and even a Triumph, along with lots of Harleys.

Race results here http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/events/results.cfm?year=2010&eid=2010021010

[Travman]

Thanks for posting.  Is this the first Dirt Track National that a Ducati has won?  It has to be the the first National Mile a Ducati has won. Congratulations Joe Kopp! 

[triangleforge]

It's the first ever National Twins win for Ducati -- not only that, it's the first non-Harley win in a National since the 1998 Joliet Half Mile, and the first win in the mile by anything but a Harley since the 1993 Springfield Mile, won by Ricky Graham on a Honda - which I got from:

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2010/05/02/kopp-wins-prescott-mile

A few more of my photos from the day: First, my favorite -- Matt Kellerman & his son at the race. Matt's a fantastic mechanic at the local Moto Guzzi/Royal Enfield/Hyosung dealer and is currently leading the CCS Southwest Lightweight series on his Hyosung GT650R

http://www.roadracerx.com/features/privateer-profile/privateer-profile-matthew-kellerman/



The other Ducati in the field, Cody Miles' #33k, which didn't fare as well; the bike seemed to have real trouble hooking up in the corners, and I think it was Miles' first race as an Expert.



The Aprilia



Triumph Bonneville



KTM



Rotax-powered BMW



One I imagine you'll like, Travman: what appears to be a Triumph street-tracker



And finally, I saw this bike in the flesh, after admiring photos on the 'net (and left the owner a note in hopes I can get some questions answered, as it's exactly what I'd love to do with my ST2):

[mitt]

thanks for the report and photos.


mitt

[kopfjäger]

Flat Track racing is, by far the most exciting form of Moto racing there is. 

[Jaman]

thanks for the report and photos.


mitt

+1!!  good stuff! 

[zooom]

Flat Track racing is, by far the most exciting form of Moto racing there is. 

I don't know...the 500gp bikes in Speedway are pretty durn competitive and whatnot!!!   

thanks for the report and photos.


mitt

+2 from me!!

[Rob Hilding]

Thanks for the report!

I actually heard about the win on Wind Tunnel (in one of the parts I didn't fast forward thru)

Nice mix of machinery, too

[kopfjäger]

I don't know...the 500gp bikes in Speedway are pretty durn competitive and whatnot!!!   

I like Speedway as well, but Flat Track has more bikes, bigger tracks, and multiple manufacturers. 

[triangleforge]

Nice write up on the event, with action pictures, including one of Kopp &  Halbert at the line -- believe me, you don't need to see all my shots of an empty track where a bike had been a tenth of a second before...

http://thefastanddirty.com/flat-track-racing/news/joe-kopp-and-ducati-win-budweiser-arizona-mile/

[Desert Dust]

Flat Track racing is, by far the most exciting form of Moto racing there is. 

Couldn't agree more! Especially the mile! I wore a skid shoe on Saturday nights and on Sundays for about fifteen years. That's why I bought a Monster. It reminded me of the dirt-trackers I rode for years. 

[BastrdHK]

I know how hard it is to get you guys riled up, so I figured I would give you a little atmosphere 

http://thefastanddirty.com/flat-track-racing/motorcycle/videos/


TF, thanks for the link, I should've been a little more proactive before the race to see if any DMFers would be there.

Anybody going to the Springfield TT and Mile May 29th/30th?

- Will

[zooom]

I know how hard it is to get you guys riled up, so I figured I would give you a little atmosphere 

http://thefastanddirty.com/flat-track-racing/motorcycle/videos/


TF, thanks for the link, I should've been a little more proactive before the race to see if any DMFers would be there.

Anybody going to the Springfield TT and Mile May 29th/30th?

- Will

he doesn't post in this section of the forum, but does post in CAM and a few other places occasionally..."twolanefun" Gene has been going to the flattrack events for 30+ years and I know he goes to the Springfield event as well as the Barbara Fritchie Classic and many others...usually he'll be riding on 1 of his fleet of V-Twins...

[atomic410]

the series comes down to AZ this weekend.  lets hope copp can pull it off on the duc

[triangleforge]

I'll be there! Along with fellow DMF-ers Alan Sean, Dietrich & Hoyden...