Grand Champions crowned 
at AMA Dirt Track Grand Championships

July 6 – After four long days of racing at the AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship, the best of the best amateur dirt-trackers in the country were crowned.

Named Grand Champions for their prowess on four distinct types of dirt-track racetracks — short-track, TT, half-mile and mile — the winning racers were the ones who accumulated the most points in finishes on each track.

Two racers — Patrick Jacobsen of Montgomery, New York, and Michael Martin of Lockeford, California — earned two championships apiece, making them double Grand Champions.

Jacobsen finished his week out in style, not only winning the last races in 65cc DTX and 65cc Modified 7-11, but winning the modified class by a single point over Chad Cose and besting the 65cc DTX by 28 points over David Sharkey.

Martin used his consistency in the earlier races to get the points lead, and was able to cruise to easy finishes — second in 50cc Senior and eighth in 50cc PW.

Other grand champions included:

  • Bailey Spence in 50cc Junior
  • Travis Myers in 85cc DTX 9-13
  • Matthew Weidman in 85cc Modified 7-11 Premier
  • Christopher Miller in 85cc Modified 12-15

The day also saw a dual-class race winner in Matthew Weidman of Westerlo, New York, who bested the competition in both the 85 Modified 7-11 Premier class and the 65 Modified 7-11 class. In 85cc Modified, Weidman grabbed the holeshot and held on to the flag, despite a pack of bees made up of Troy Estabrook of Manchester, New Hampshire, and James Rispoli of Londonderry, New Hampshire, who dogged Weideman for the final race laps. It was the same in 85 DTX 9-13, with Weidman grabbing the holeshot and holding off a pack including Travis Myers, Troy Estabrook and and Andy Wood.

With their week over, the pilots of the small bikes packed up and hit the road, while the big bike racers would decide their grand champions on the famed Springfield Mile Saturday.

© 2002, American Motorcyclist Association

 Friday's Results
 Group 1 Series Points

Highlights:

50cc Senior: Hayden Gillim, of Philpot, Kentucky, came from a third-place start to take the lead by mid-race, with Michael Martin of Lockeford, California, in second and Harley Dunn of Petrolia, Ontario, in third.

50cc Junior: Kyle Schlimme of Narvon, Pennsylvania, may have grabbed the holeshot, but it was Jake Lewis of Princeton, Kentucky, who came around to take the lead by mid-race and hang on the for the win, with Schlimme in second and Bailey Spence in third.

50cc PW: It's all in the gearing: Daniel Bromley of Warrington, Pennsylvania, looked like his motor bogged off the start, but by the second lap he was up to speed and closing on the pack. At the start of the last lap, he had worked through the pack and came around for the lead and the win.

85cc Modified 12-15: He had to work for it, but Christopher Miller of Bergen, New York, held on to a holeshot lead for the win, beating out a hard-charging second place Shane Narbonne of Lowell, Massachusetts and Danny Stookesberry of Ottawa, Iowa.

grandchamps.jpg (104572 bytes)

After four hard days of racing, the best of the best became the best in the country. The 2002 AMA Dirt Track Grand Champions in the youth classes.

 
gillimhm.jpg (53982 bytes)
Hayden Gillim of Philpot, Kentucky did everything right in the 50cc Senior class.		 bromley.jpg (66848 bytes)
It's all in the gearing. A way-slow start only meant that he was geared high — high enough to take the win on the Illinois State Fairgrounds half-mile track in the 50cc PW class.		 weidmanhm.jpg (75938 bytes)
He was good enough for a double-win on the day Friday. Matthew Weidman of Westerlo, New York was perfect.
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You can't be a slouch and still win the 85 Modified 7-11 class. Chris Miller of Bergin, New York was no slouch. He won.		 jacobsenhm2.jpg (59490 bytes)
Patrick Jacobsen was good enough for two wins Friday, in 65cc DTX and 65 Modified 7-11.