SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (May 29, 2010) - The AMA Pro K&N Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com came to the Illinois State Fair Arena for round four of nineteen. Near record heat greeted the large crowd of spectators and the action on the race track proved to be just as heated.
Defending GNC Singles Champion, Henry Wiles continued his Arena domination as he pushed his # 1 Kawasaki USA / Don's Kawasaki backed entry to an easy win after passing early leader, Jared Mees, who was aboard his #21 Rockysonline.con / Lucas Oils backed Honda, on lap ten.
"After a really tough day, I fell three times in that right hander, The National was pretty easy," said Wiles. "I was just following Jared trying to stay smooth and all of a sudden the opportunity was there to take the lead."
Making his first appearance of 2010, # 28 Shaun Russell had his Fox Valley Cycle / Greg Crow Racing backed Honda in third until lap nine. Latus Harley-Davidson / Moto Concepts' # 3 Joe Kopp slipped by the transplanted Californian and set out after Mees.
Once in front Wiles steadily pulled away, finally winning the race by almost five and a half seconds. The scrap for second went down to the wire as Kopp took over on lap 24 and held on to an eight-tenths of a second margin at the end.
Russell barely held on to fourth as # 42 Bryan Smith was closing fast on his Kawasaki / Monster Energy Drink / Werner Springsteen Racing Baked Kawasaki.
# 5 Jake Johnson (Zanotti Racing / Leo Vince Honda), # 2 Kenny Coolbeth (Bettencourt's Honda / Jason Perry Honda) and Scott Powersports / Pit Posse's # 10 Johnny Lewis rounded out the top eight.
Dave Burks Motorsports' # 87 Mick Kirkness made the most of his provisional start bringing his Suzuki home ninth just ahead of # 45 Jesse Janish on his Woody Kyle Racing / Mid-Cities Motorsports backed Kawasaki.
Earlier in the night the all important points-paying Dash for Cash went to Mees as he got a quick lead in the four-lap race and easily outdistanced Kopp and Russell.
The twelve-lap Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles race was dominated by #95C JD Beach on his Red Bull / Top 1 Oil backed Honda. The real excitement came on the last lap as series points leader # 24P Jeffery Carver pushed his Van's Yamaha / GYTR backed Yamaha from fourth to second on the last lap.
# 91Y Weirbach Racing / General Engineering's Mike Martin and defending Series Champion, Rod Lake Racing / Mike Velasco's # 1 Brad Baker had been battling over second the whole race only to have Carver storm by on the last lap.
Carver's second-place finish extend his points lead in the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles series to twelve points over Baker with Beach another ten back.
With four different winners in four races, Joe Kopp holds a ten point lead over Jake Johnson in the AMA Pro K&N Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com series point standings. Sammy Halbert and Henry Wiles are just another three and four points back.
Action moves over the historic Springfield Mile on Sunday.