Motourage

Today’s Motourage Video of the Day is the official Yamaha release of King Kenny’s return to the Indy Mile this past summer to ride the infamous TZ750 Flat Tracker.

For the original Motourage report on the Legend of the TZ750 and King Kenny ‘s return to Indy, Click HERE.

Defending AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion Kenny Coolbeth (No. 1 Harley-Davidson Motor Co. / Screamin Eagles Harley-Davidson) came away the big winner of the Lucas Oil Indiana Mile as Round 7 of the Grand National Twins Championship came to the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Ind. The Harley-Davidson Motor Company / Screamin’ Eagle backed Coolbeth led the 25-lap National wire to wire.

This weekend’s victory was Coolbeth’s second National win of the year, and coupled with the points from his Dash win, the three-time Champion was propelled to a four point lead over Jared Mees (No. 21 Blue Springs Screamin’ Eagle / Rogers Lake’s Harley-Davidson).

“Everybody was fast today,” Coolbeth said. “The best way to handle that is to just get out front, put your head down and try to get away.  I don’t worry about the points when I’m racing.  If I can keep winning, the points will take care of themselves.”

While Coolbeth pulled to a comfortable lead, Mees was locked in a race-long battle with yet another Screamin’ Eagle rider, No. 42 Bryan Smith and his Moroney’s Harley-Davidson. Smith took second by the slimmest of margins, keeping his Championship hopes alive.

The race in the distance behind Coolbeth was divided into pairs. Besides the Mees / Smith duo, No. 14 Jake Johnson (SuperTrapp / F&S Harley-Davidson) and No. 43 Sammy Halbert (Halbert Family / Kings Kustoms) were having a great race until Halbert slid down on Lap 20.

Another three seconds back, No. 4 Chris Carr Racing’s Chris Carr and No. 33 Memphis Shades / Parts Unlimited’s JR Schnabel fought over fifth, with the edge going to Carr at the wire.  The last dueling pair was No. 3 Joe Kopp (Latus Harley-Davidson / Screamin Eagle) and No. 17 Henry Wiles (KK Motorcycle Supply / Mike Adkins).  Kopp was able to hold off a hard-charging Wiles by the end of the race.

Harley-Davidson of Wausau’s No. 59 Willie McCoy was a lonely ninth over the Nation Cycle / Reiman’s Harley-Davidson backed No. 26 Brandan Bergen.

The first attempt to start the 25-lap National was short lived, as four riders quickly tangled. No. 44 Brandon Robinson, No. 69 Jethro Halbert, No. 28 Shaun Russell and Wiles were involved in a Turn 1 incident.  Only Wiles was able to make the restart, riding his backup Harley-Davidson.

Under the new points system, the Dash has taken on great importance, as the points garnered from the 5-4-3-2-1 bonus system can add up fast. Coolbeth was able to take the five points for the win tonight, with last year’s race winner Carr finishing second. The short, four lap races are packed with action every week.

The Pro Singles Main event was another “barn burner” as Red Bull / Team 95 / American Honda’s No. 95C JD Beach backed up last week’s Peoria TT win with a solid performance tonight. Although Beach would lead all 12 laps, he was under constant attack from Vans Yamaha / Stevens Racing’s No. 24P Jeff Carver.

As Beach and Carver dueled away, current Pro Singles points leader Mike Velasco / Brothers Powersports’ No. 17M Brad Baker closed in and grabbed second on Lap 19, setting the podium. Grove City Mile winner  No. 10J Stephen Vanderkuur brought his new Dallas / Fort Worth Honda home in fourth over Weirbach Racing / Barnett’s James Rispoli, who in turn made a last lap pass on No. 80B Corey Crawford (Mom & Dad / Priestley Racing) for fifth.

RESULTS
Indiana State Fairgrounds
Indianaolis, IN
August 29

AMA Pro Racing Pro Singles Championship: (18 riders / 12 laps) 1. JD Beach (Hon); 2. Brad baker (Hon); 3. Jeff Carver (Yam); 4. Stephen Vanderkuur (Hon); 5. James Rispoli (Hon); 6. Corey Crawford (Hon); 7. Michael Toon (Hon); 8. Michael LaBelle Yam); 9. Zach Palmer (Hon); 10. Colin Heggarty (Kaw); 11. Tony Davila (Hon); 12. Kayl Kolkman (Hon); 13. Brian Tapp (Hon) 14. Jake Shoemaker (Suz); 15. Shauyna Texter (Suz); 16. Wyatt Maguire (Yam).

Time 7:58. 929.

AMA Pro Racing Grand National Twins Championship: (19 riders / 25 laps) 1. Kenny Coolbeth (H-D); 2. Bryan Smith (H-D); 3. Jared Mees (H-D); 5. Jake Johnson (H-D); 6. JR Schnabel (H-D); 7. Joe Kopp (H-D); 8. Henry Wiles (H-D); 9. Willie McCoy (H-D); 10. Brandan Bergen (H-D); 11. Don Taylor (H-D); 12. Aaron King (Apr); 13. AJ Eslick (H-D); 14. Dan Gedeon (H-D); 15. Sammy Halbert (H-D); 16. Jethro Halbert (H-D); 17. Brandon Robinson (H-D); 18. Shaun Russell (H-D).

Time: 15:48.256.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  From its Daytona Beach headquarters, the organization operates and manages AMA Pro Road Racing, which includes AMA Pro American Superbike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro SuperSport and AMA Pro SunTrust Moto-GT.  AMA Pro Racing also manages and works closely with the day-to-day operational organizations of the AMA Pro Flat Track Championship and the AMA Pro Supermoto Championship Series in addition to other two-wheel and ATV series.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

AMA Pro Racing and Yamaha Motor Corporation will honor Kenny Roberts in recognition of the historic last lap win at the 1975 Indy mile on the Yamaha TZ750 that ultimately proved to be one of the most famous wins in American Dirt Track history.

Known as the King, Kenny Roberts, a two-time AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion and three-time World 500cc Champion, will take several hot laps on the infamous Yamaha TZ750 powered dirt tracker during the races on Saturday night, August 29th.

“That night was a memorable event for motorcycle fans the world over,” said Bob Starr, General Manager of Communications for Yamaha Motor Corporation. “Kenny’s accomplishments over the years played a major role in the basis of what Yamaha’s performance image is today. This will be a great tribute to a great man and his accomplishment 34 years ago will live on forever in the history of motorcycling.”

“I remember that night very well. You could hear that bike screaming no matter where he was on the track with Kenny hanging on for the ride of his life,” said Mike Kidd, Director of AMA Pro Flat Track. “Running about mid-pack early in the race, Kenny pulled up along side me down the front straight, then he shifted gears and I never saw him again.”

The Indy Mile is the seventh round of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship.
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  From its Daytona Beach headquarters, the organization operates and manages AMA Pro Road Racing, which includes AMA Pro American Superbike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro SuperSport and AMA Pro SunTrust Moto-GT.  AMA Pro Racing also manages and works closely with the day-to-day operational organizations of the AMA Pro Flat Track Championship and the AMA Pro Supermoto Championship Series in addition to other two-wheel and ATV series.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

They don’t pay me enough to ride that thing: The legend of Kenny Roberts and the TZ750

The rumor mill is churning up in Indianapolis, and if you can believe the whispers from the paddock, Kenny Roberts is expected to take hot laps on the 100% pure-evil Yamaha TZ750 at this year’s Indy Mile.

If you’ve never heard of the TZ750, the legend goes something like this:
One hot summer night in 1975, the devil himself appeared in a dream to Kenny Robert’s manager and tuner Kel Carruthers  and told him to take the 750cc two-stroke Yamaha engine from the GP bike that Kenny Roberts had used to win at Laguna Seca the previous year and shove it into The King’s flat track racer.  The purpose of creating such a monster was to hold off the hard-charging Harley Davidson XRs at the Indy Mile flat track race later that August.  Kel did as he was instructed, and what resulted was a fire-breathing demon motorbike that not even King Kenny could tame.

Roberts held the bike together and won that year’s Indy Mile, bouncing the Yamaha off the hay bales and holding on as best as he could.  After that season, the AMA and Kel Caruthers, the creater of the demon bike, banned its use out of fear it would eventually kill someone.

Apparently though, the TZ750 has been resurrected and will again rear its head this August in Indianapolis.
If you’re heading to Indy for the MotoGP race, make sure you get tickets to the Mile, as – if the rumors are true – you’ll be able to witness a piece of history told only in legends.

MOTOURAGE UPDATE (7/21/09 2:09AM): The TZ750 rumor is a rumor no more.  King Kenny will again ride the beast at the Indy Mile as confirmed by THIS YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION PRESS RELEASE POSTED ON FLATTRACK.COM!

For the entire legend, read THIS ARTICLE FROM SUPERBIKE PLANET.COM.

Here’s the footage from that fateful night…