2008 AMA US Speedway Long Track National Championship
BIKE DAYS
Stark County Fairgrounds
Canton, Ohio
Saturday May 24, 2008
$3,000 Purse
Pit Gate Opens 8:00 am
Practice begins 11:15 am
Heat races start at 1:00 pm - All classes
Opening Ceremony 3:30 pm
Bike Days Event Information
AMA Half Mile Flat Track Motorcycle Races and Swap Meet - Saturday & Sunday
AMA/USA Speedway Long Track National on Saturday.
Standard Speedway class on Sunday.
All Bike Days Flat Track Classes offered both days.
Swap Meet (Vintage to Modern) - All makes
Indoor and Outdoor spaces available
Cool Bike Contest - Free entry - trophies awarded both days
Trials Exhibitions - Two Time National Vet Champion, Gilbert Reed
Live Music, Food & Drink
Gates open 10:00 am each day – Free Parking
VIP Motorcycle Parking
Daily Admission: Adults $10.00 Each Day
Ages 6-12: $5.00 Each Day
Under 5: FREE
Visit: www.bikedays.com - or Contact Bike Days Motorcycle Club at (330) 837-5694
Event Location:
Stark County Fairgrounds
305 Wertz Ave. NW
Canton, Ohio 44708
Note: Mark you calendar for Friday, July 18, 2008 Ohio Speedway Long Track Championship in Wauseon, Ohio at the Fulton County Fairgrounds.
More information at www.bikedays.com
2008 Speedway Long Track National Championship Results
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#1 Jeff Orosz - 2008 Long Track Champion
Jeff Orosz on route to his second AMA/USA Speedway Long Track National Championship during Bike Days in Canton, Ohio May 24th Memorial weekend. |
Podium 2008 Longtrack Championship
The National Champion Jeff Orosz celebrates with runner up Chad Rall, and third place finisher Rob Dixon after the AMA/USA Speedway LongTrack National Championship in Canton, Ohio. |
AMA/USA Speedway Long Track National Championship to Orosz
By Scotty Brown
Canton, OH May 24, 2008
Jeff Orosz came out on top at the AMA/USA Speedway Long Track NationalChampionship, Saturday May 24, 2008 at the Stark County Fairgrounds in Canton, Ohio.
The Long Track National was organized by Scotty Brown and the Bike Days Motorcycle Club www.bikedays.com and sponsored by Freedom Harley-Davidson, Miller Lite Racing, Cycle Trader, Applied Innovations, Dixie International, Engraver's Gallery, Kames Sports, K-K Motorcycle Supply, Moose Racing, PJ's Fabricating and Wiseco Piston. The championship ran in conjunction with the AMA Flat Track Motorcycle Races and Swap Meet at the BIKE DAYS 6th annual meet.
It was Memorial Weekend - spring time in Northeastern Ohio, with no rain in the forecast. The half mile limestone cushion track was in perfectcondition for the Championship. Brian Fowler of the Brian and Joe morning radio show and Bob Sigler were the announcers on hand to call the action.
North Americas' finest Long Track Riders assembled in Canton for the Championship. Peter Pederson former Danish league rider now living inSouth Dakota traveled across the country with a new Jawa sportingexperimental cams shipped in from Europe, these cams being one of only two sets in America. The other set of cams are being used by Drew Gatewood of GEARS.com in a world record speed attempt at Bonneville later this year. Riders also traveled in from Michigan, Indiana, and Canada.
The National long track format consisted of three rounds of point gathering heats, two last chance qualifiers, two semi finals and an "A, B and C" Main.
Top three finishers of the heats were:
Round 1
Heat 1 - 1st) #5 Rob Dixon 2nd) #30 Daniel Weicht 3rd) #37 GaryHesmer
Heat 2 - 1st) #31 Jeff Orosz 2nd) #52j Chad Rall 3rd) #82x Steve Glasgow
Heat 3 - 1st) #4 Brian Daily 2nd) #52c Dan Crawford 3rd) #18 ChrisThomas
Round 2
Heat 4 - 1st) #82 Chris Hathaway 2nd) #33e Mike Callen 3rd) #45 Tim Murray
Heat 5 - 1st) #127 Peter Pederson 2nd) #18 Chris Thomas 3rd) #82x Steve Glasgow
Heat 6 - 1st) #31 Jeff Orosz 2nd) #5 Rob Dixon 3rd) #52j Chad Rall
Round 3
Heat 7 - 1st) #9 Marc Monroe 2nd) #52 Ronny Rall 3rd) #43 Phil Mosquera
Heat 8 - 1st) #82x Steve Glasgow 2nd) #30 Daniel Weicht 3rd) #26 Dave Weicht
Heat 9 - 1st) #31 Jeff Orosz 2nd) #5 Rob Dixon 3rd) #127 Peter Pederson
A horrific crash in heat six involving Brian Daily, Gary "The Hit Man" Hesmer, and Dan Crawford retired these riders for the day.
The heat race points were tabulated transferring the top six riders into two Semi Finals leaving six positions open for the top three finishers from each the Last Chance Qualifiers.
Mike Callen won his Last Chance Qualifier with Doug Horner in second. Dave Weicht put in a good effort to maintain third for the final transfer spot to the Semi Finals.
In Semi Final #1 Jeff Orosz took the lead with Chris Thomas in second and Dan Weicht third. Orosz won wire to wire with Thomas and Weicht second and third respectively.
In Semi Final #2 Rob Dixon took the lead with Chad Rall in second and Steve Glasgow third. Dixon won from start to finish with Rall second and Weicht wrapping up the final transfer position.
Chris Hathaway made the gate in the C Main and led the entire race with Jon Massie finishing second and Tim Murray from Niagara Falls third.
"AMA Hall of Fame rider" Ronny Rall came from behind and one by one used
the outside line to pass Marc Monroe, Mike Callen, and then Dave Weicht to win the B Main in spectacular fashion.
In the A Main, Jeff Orosz made a great start and took the early advantagewith Rob Dixon second and Chad Rall third. On lap 2 Rall made his move to take the second position, moving Dixon to third.
Mark your calendar for July 18th 2008 to see the Ohio Speedway Long Track Championship combined with a great night of Antique Motorcycle racing at the 26th annual AMCA National meet at the Fulton County Fairgrounds in Wauseon, Ohio.
Visit www.bikedays.com for current information.
AMA/USA Speedway Long Track National Championship
Results of May 24, 2008
A MAIN FINAL
1. Jeff Orosz #31, Caistorville, ON Canada
2. Chad Rall #52J, Engadine, MI
3. Rob Dixon #5, Bowmanville, ON Canada
4. Chris Thomas #18, Mansfield, OH
5. Daniel Weicht #30, North Webster, IN
6. Steve Glasgow #82x Redford, MI
B MAIN FINAL
1. Ronny Rall #52, Engadine, MI
2. Dave Weicht #26, Pierceton, IN
3. Mike Callen #33e, Galesburg, MI
4. Marc Monroe #9, Tallmadge, OH
5. Peter Pederson #127, Belle Fourche, SD
6. Doug Horner #53, Gates Mills, OH
C MAIN FINAL
1. Chris Hathaway #82, Syracuse, IN
2. Jon Massie #77, Wooster, OH
3. Tim Murray #45, Niagara Falls, ON Canada
4. Phil Mosquera, Westland, MI
5. Kevin Sexton #60F, Elyria, OH
6. Rob Mosquera #35, Garden City, MI
Saturday May 31, 2008
Congratulations are in order for former Ice and Speedway Ace Scotty Brown and his Bike Days promotion of the 2008 AMA/USA Speedway Long Track National Championship race. "Last year it rained and I lost my shirt but this year I lucked out and we had wonderful weather both days Scotty told me. "It was a great, lots of riders, lots of sponsors, lots of spectators. After five years of promoting this Long Track event it is really starting to take off. Anyone who doesn't think we run competitive tight exciting speedway racing in Ohio has never come here for this annual Memorial Weekend extravaganza."
He must be right because over 3500 people came and watched the two day Bike Days event that was held at the Stark County Fairgrounds in Canton Ohio including our own USA Speedway Board member Ken Saillant who drove in from AMA headquarters in Pickerington Ohio.
For the second year in a row Canadian Speedway racer #31 Jeff Orosz took home the AMA #1 plate. "I love to come down for this race, there's nothing like riding a 1/2 mile especially when the tracks as well prepared as this one was. I can't wait till next year so I can do it again and make it three in a row."
An 18 rider field made up of riders from Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana and Canada competed for the $3,000.00 Speedway Motorcycle purse.
Scotty's next race will be the Ohio State Championship in Wauseon Ohio on July 18. This race is held in conjunction with the Antique Motorcycle Club of America National and Swap meet. I've been to this particular event with my good friend Walter Curro from Supercycles in New York. It is special and I would highly recommend it to all who love Speedway, Class C and early vintage motorcycles. And by early I mean 1905 and up machines. Like I said, it's very special.
For more information go to our usaspeedway.org website and click on Speedway Links and then on Bike Days.
Harald "Howie' Zechner
Chairman of the Board
USA Speedway
usaspeedway.org
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