The AMA Pro K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by
Motorcycle-Superstore.com heads to the historic Knoxville Raceway half-mile dirt track in Knoxville, Iowa this Saturday, September 18th, home of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum.
The riders and teams are coming off a race held last Saturday at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, MN that changed the complexity of the series with a first time winner this season and a new points leader. Factory
Harley-Davidson rider and Three Time Champion Kenny Coolbeth came out swinging to take his first win of the season in front of a capacity crowd. Jake Johnson went into Canterbury Park 10 points behind former Champion Joe Kopp, but left with a 10 point advantage.
Joe Kopp riding a
Ducati was in the lead pack early, but scraped off his brake pedal on lap two and was forced to ride the tricky race track with no brake. Kopp was leading a huge pack in the battle over eighth place until lap twenty when he broke his chain going into turn one, ending his night. "It's not over," said a very optimistic Kopp. "I've been doing this a long time and I know with two races remaining anything can happen."
With only two rounds remaining in the 17 race series that began back in Daytona Beach in March, tension is building as 6 riders are in a battle for the championship; Jake Johnson (2-Wins/265pts), Joe Kopp (3-Wins/255pts), Jared Mees (239pts), Henry Wiles (5 Wins/239pts), Kenny Coolbeth (1-Win/231pts) and Sammy Halbert (1-Win/228pts).
Two classes will be competing; Pro Singles and Expert Twins. Pro Singles riders compete on high performance production 450cc race machines, with the Expert Twins riders competing on twin cylinder motorcycles ranging from 750cc to 1250cc.
With five wins, Jeff Carver riding a
Yamaha 450cc is leading the Pro Singles class over the 2009 Pro Singles Grand National Champion Brad Baker on a Honda with four wins to his credit this year.
Tickets can be purchased by going to
www.knoxvilleraceway.com or call 614-842-5431. Gates open at 3:00pm for timed qualifying practice, opening ceremonies at 7:00pm, first race 7:30pm.
