Volunteer Speedway is set to host its first AMA Grand National
Championship race this Saturday, June 2. Round two of the AMA GNC
Twins Championship and round five of the AMA Ford Quality Checked
Flat Track Championship comes to Eastern Tennessee and the fast
half-mile track in Bulls Gap, Tenn.
“We’re excited about bringing the series to Tennessee,” said
Ken Saillant, Director of Flat Track for the American Motorcyclist
Association. “The fans there really enjoy racing and I think
they’ll be impressed with the show our Grand National riders will
bring to them.”
The race at Volunteer Speedway marks the first appearance of the AMA
Grand National Series in Tennessee in three years. The event is
being presented by the East Tennessee Harley-Davidson Dealers (Smith
Brothers Harley-Davidson of Johnson City, Colboch Harley-Davidson of
Morristown and Knoxville Harley-Davidson), with "The HOG"
95.9 WRZK and the Kingsport Times-News as associate sponsors.
The half-mile track promises to be fast. The turns are banked at 32
degrees making for amazing entry speeds for the big Grand National
Twin machines.
“Racing on banked tracks is all about carrying momentum through
the turns,” said defending series champ Ken Coolbeth, the Morris,
Connecticut racer who rides for the factory Harley-Davidson team.
“All I’ve seen is an aerial photo of the track so I don’t know
anything about it. You will have to come right out of the gate with
a good set up. The riders and mechanics who can work together to
come up with a quick set up for this type of unique track will
definitely have an advantage. I know I won’t have any problems
with that. Our team works great together and I have a really good
frame of mind coming into this race.”
Coolbeth comes to Tennessee with a narrow four-point lead over
seven-time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr. Along with
Coolbeth, Carr, of Fleetwood, Pa., will be one of the favorites to
win this Saturday. He rides for and owns the Quality Checked
Certified Pre-Owned Ford team.
Jared Mees rolls into Volunteer Speedway third in the standings on
his Blue Springs Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson. The 2004 AMA
Flat Track Rookie of the Year is one of the top up-and-coming riders
in the series.
Others to watch for this weekend include Bryan Smith, the Michigan
rider on the Moroney`s Harley-Davidson squad, and veteran and former
Grand National Champion Joe Kopp, who hails from Mica, Wash., and
rides for Screamin` Eagle and Latus Harley-Davidson. Both are ranked
in the top-five.
The race will be telecast on the MavTV television network. Visit www.mavtv.com
for details.
Adult grandstand admission for the race is $25, children 6-12 $10,
with 5-and-under admitted free. Pit passes and backside tier-parking
is $35.
The pits and backside tier-parking will open on Saturday, June 2 at
1 pm and the grandstands open at 3 pm
To inquire about reserved seating call the track office at (423)
378-5942 or visit www.volunteerspeedway.com.