Rinker Returns To Top

Pittsburgh, Pa. ~ Terry Rinker has quickly become the story of the summer in the competitive world of ChampBoat racing. The 43-year-old Floridian broke an 18-month winless slump the first race of the season and hasn't looked back since. The 2003 champion just missed his third straight victory two weeks ago in Bay City, Mich. when he finished second by less than one boat length. So Rinker was determined to get back on top last weekend at the 28th Annual Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta on the Alleghany River in downtown Pittsburgh.

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Rinker took control of the race from the start of the 50-lap event. The series point's leader from Tampa jumped out from the second starting position. He immediately slipped by pole sitter Todd Bowden and moved the yellow #10 into a three second lead over the second place boat.

"It was great to be so dialed in at a race course we hadn't raced at before," said Terry. "We put together a great setup in practice this morning to put the boat in proper trim and it really paid off. Now, we look ahead to the Greater Cincinnati event as it should be a rough event as well."

The Great Cincinnati Grand Prix event starts the second half of the season the weekend of July 16-17 on the banks of the Ohio River on the Newport, Kentucky side. More than 50 drivers from close to 20 states are expected in all three classes.

Windham Spills, Gets Angry

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Buchanan, Mich. ~ Team AMSOIL riders love the dirt at Red Bud. They've accomplished a great deal at the Michigan track. The sport's biggest names will always try something extra at the annual AMA stop. One of the biggest feats in recent history includes one of the biggest names in the AMSOIL racing stable. It's at Red Bud where Team AMSOIL/Chaparral/Honda rider Mike LaRocco attempted and landed an amazing 90-foot jump that has appropriately been dubbed the "LaRocco Leap". "The Rock" is sitting the summer out, healing up for the long indoor season that starts in January. But Team AMSOIL was still looking to make some noise last weekend, and who better to bust out than Kevin Windham.

Windham has found mixed success on the outdoor circuit this summer. He entered round five with back-to-back fourth place finishes and hasn't sat on top of the podium in more than a month. His frustration has been teetering, even letting loose after the June 19 race in Budds Creek, Md.

"I'm very frustrated," Windham told Cycle News. "In both motos I was in a good position to make a move and just didn't capitalize on it. I don't know, I feel bad right now. … I don't know if I need to rest or need to hit it harder. But I'm just very bummed with how today went."

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Sometimes a person gets to the boiling point and is searching for something that will relight the fire that made them competitive. Windham found that spark this weekend after he got rubbed the wrong way by a hotshot rookie. After finishing third in the first moto behind Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart, Windham was hoping to get back into the point's race with a solid second moto.

Carmichael pulled ahead of the pack early, but the real race was unfolding just behind the series champion. Windham and Stewart were running second and third, swapping mud and places throughout the 30-minute moto. When two of the sport's fastest riders get moving and racing head on like that, something has to give. The breaking point happened just before the famed "LaRocco Leap". The two superstars got tangled going into a hairpin corner. Stewart held the inside and took Windham's wheel down, and that brought the boo-birds out in force. By the time he got around to LaRocco's Leap, Stewart had noticeably slowed when the inspired Windham (now turning better lap times the Carmichael), reeled Stewart in. With the fans cheering him on, Windham was riding as if he was gunning for a championship in the final moto of the season. Eventually, Windham caught and passed the young rookie. Windham's 3-2 finishes beat Stewart's 2-3 for second overall.

A poor weekend by Chad Reed allowed Windham to close the gap in the AMA Outdoor Nationals point's standings. K-Dub is only one point behind Reed. However both riders are at least 70 point's behind Carmichael.

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Meanwhile, the 125cc class didn't bring as much hoopla as anticipated. After five rounds, there have been six different moto winners in the junior circuit, including Team AMSOIL/Chaparral/Honda's Josh Grant. The 19-year-old picked up a win two weeks ago at Budds Creek, but could only muster a fourth and a sixth place finish at Red Bud for a fifth overall. Teammates Tommy Hahn (15th) and Billy Laninovich (17th) offered mixed results over the weekend and Juaqium Rodrigues returned from injury to post a 27th.

The AMSOIL team will be back on the road in two weeks. The AMA brings its show to New Berlin, NY and the Unadilla Sports Complex.

Back To Work

Topeka, Kan. ~ After a strong showing at the famed Crandon International Raceway two weeks ago, the AMSOIL/Kumho Tires "Super Team" will be back in the drivers seat this weekend in America's heartland. Dan Vanden Heuvel, Steve McCrossan and Mike Oberg will be traveling with the CORR series to Topeka, Kan. this weekend for rounds eight and nine.

On The Road Again

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Solon Springs, Wis. ~ Brady Smith had an up-and-down 4th of July holiday. His weekend started out last Friday night at the Farmer City Raceway in Farmer City, Ill. Smith failed to make the $10,000 to win UMP Summernationals event after finishing sixth in his heat race and second in the consolation event. Only the winner of each of the consolation races advanced to the feature event.

His weekend got a little better on Saturday night at Ken Schrader's I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo. "The Deuce" set the eighth fastest time in qualifying, but finished fourth in his heat race, which was one spot out of a transfer spot. Smith finished second in the consolation event to earn a valuable spot in the $10,000 to win UMP Summernationals feature. The young Solon Springs, Wis.-native wound up 16th in the final rundown of the 40-lap event.

Sunday night took the Brady Smith Racing team to Zanesville, Ohio and the Muskingum County Speedway to compete in the 'Creno's 50.' The NARA sanctioned event had a $7,000 to win feature. He piloted his AMSOIL #2 MasterSbilt from Mars / Pro Power Monte Carlo to a solid sixth place finish on the central Ohio oval.

Unofficially, Smith sits eighth in the latest version of the NARA point standings despite skipping three events throughout the course of the season. The next series event is this Saturday, July 9, at Jim Nier's K-C Raceway in Chillicothe, Ohio. The 50-lap feature event tabbed as 'The Night When the Stars Come Out' will pay the winner a cool $7,000 to win. For more information concerning this event, log onto www.naradirtcar.com and www.kc-raceway.com.

Gelling On A Roll

Aberdeen, S.D. ~ Team AMSOIL Late Model driver Curt Gelling has been tearing up WISSOTA tracks this season. The South Dakota native has driven his team to nine WISSOTA Late Model feature wins and 10 heat wins in only 18 events this summer. Gelling also won the South Dakota Governor's Cup at Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen, S.D. and two NLRA/WISSOTA Late Model wins at the Jamestown Speedway in Jamestown, N.D. He currently leads the point standings at both the Brown County Speedway and Casino Speedway.

Climbing On

Portland, Ind. ~ Lovell Rock Racing will once again test the AMSOIL line of products in the most extreme angles known to the motorsports world. Brothers Brad and Roger Lovell will be heading to Portland, Ind. for the fourth round of the United Rock crawling and Off-Road Challenge (UROC) series this weekend. The city plays host to the newest and largest manmade course UROC has ever developed. The event will be held Friday and Saturday night under the lights. Pictures of the course can be seen at: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=370652&page=1

The Lovell's are just two points out of first place and have a 14-point lead on third place. They grabbed their first victory of the season two weeks ago in St. George, Utah.

AMSOIL Co-op Notes