Friday, December 10, 2010

AMA Flat Track: Chris Carr Announces 2011 Season Last in Full Time Competition

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The annual stop at the Springfield Mile over the Labor Day Weekend always means close and exciting action for the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series, and the 2007 round was no exception. With less then five laps to go, the battle had come down to three main riders in the series going for it at nearly 140 MPH on the straight aways. Diving into turn one are Chris Carr #4, the 7-Time AMA Grand National Champion, on his Ford Quality Care Harley-Davidson XR750, Bryan Smith #42 on his Screamin Eagle H-D XR750, and future 3-Time AMA Flat Track Grand National Twins Champion Kenny Coolbeth on his #1 Harley-Davidson Factory XR.
Carr, the winner of 29 total mile victories in the AMA Flat Track Series (and second to only Scott Parker in total mile wins 55-29) would pull out the win by inches over Coolbeth, with Smith just a bike length or two behind the duo. Carr, whose last of 78 total wins in the series came at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile in September of 2008, announced today that after the 2011 season he will be stepping down from full time competition after competing on the pro level since the '85 season.
The man from Pennsylvania via California, who earned the nickname 'The Prince of Peoria' for his total domination of the infamous Illinois TT track in the '80s and '90s, would most probably also have an AMA Grand Slam on his record list if not for the lack of a road race National victory. Although he managed to put the H-D Factory VR1000 on the pole while running the AMA Superbike Championship Series in the mid '90s, he was nonetheless kept off of the top step of the podium in the series, but not due to his inability on the track by any means.
One of the nicest guys and most laid-back people in the paddock, Chris Carr will leave a legacy behind in the AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Series that serves as an example to professionalism in any and all racing series around the world, let alone in how to bring sponsors into the sport, and how to keep the fans coming back for more. Also known for being the fastest man on two wheels for his Bonneville runs in Dennis Manning's Streamliner, Carr will still be seen around the track after hanging up the steel shoe, as he will continue to run Chris Carr Racing while supplying some of the young, up and coming riders with top-notch and bullet-proof equipment. His long-time tuner, Kenny Tolbert, has headed up CC's team for years and the two have visited victory lane numerous times together. And really, when was the last time you saw a Chris Carr/Kenny Tolbert machine sitting off to the side of the track smoking? I sure can't remember when!
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One of the nice guys of the AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Series announced today that the 2011 season will be his last in full time competition. 7-Time AMA Flat Track Grand National Champion Chris Carr (and the fastest man on two wheels) will be hanging up the ole steel shoe after racing in the pro/expert ranks since the 1985 season. The winner of 78 AMA Grand National Championship Series events over the years, Carr will continue to head up Chris Carr Racing after '11 and will have his program set-up to help bring and establish new talent to The Rolling Thunder Show. Second only to 9-Time GNC Scott Parker in terms of championships and wins, he stands head-to-toe with all of the best of the best over the years and decades for his never-say-die approach.

And you'll never meet a nicer guy!
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You can read the press release from AMA Pro Flat Track here, thanks to the great folks at Road RacerX.com:

http://www.roadracerx.com/breaking-news/chris-carr-announces-“farewell-to-flat-track”-tour/
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Chris Carr's biography over at his official site can be read here. This resume would impress anybody:

http://www.chriscarr.com/bio.php
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2 comments:

Keep it nice, but keep them coming!

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