Cycle News

Cycle News 2014 Issue 21 May 28

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FLAT TRACK BY LARRY LAWRENCE PHOTOGRAPHY BY LARRY LAWRENCE A new era began in AMA Pro Flat Track racing over the Memorial Day weekend in Springfield, Illinois. In response to the speed shown by Kawa- saki EX650-based flat track machines on the big Grand National miles, AMA Pro Racing lifted the intake restrictors on all motorcycles for 2014. Though it was never explicit, everyone in the flat track community knew the rules change was an effort to keep the aging Harley-Davidson XR750s competitive at the big tracks. But at Springfield, Kawasaki-mounted Bryan Smith overcame the unrestricted Harley- Davidsons of Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. and Jar- ed Mees and the Ducati of Jake Johnson – albeit by the slimmest of margins. Based on this past weekend's Spring- field Mile, the new unrestricted rule change did its job. This race could have gone to any of the top three, and the win for Smith was in all likelihood because of his outstanding abilities on the miles and because of his excellent last-lap strategy - not simply because of his bike's speed advantage. The top Harley riders were encouraged and with team mechanics continuing to work with unrestricted mo- tors the XR750s should only get better this summer and make for well-matched racing. ROUND 3/MAY 25, 2014 INDIANA STATE FAIRGROUNDS/SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS P58 RESTRICT THIS! Smith and Kawasaki beats the unrestricted Harley-Davidsons of Coolbeth and Mees

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