Kopp Squeezes In Quick Stop At Home
Joe Kopp’s seemingly non-stop whirlwind adventure on the American Motorcycle Association’s Grand National tour came to a welcome, but all-to-brief, stop Tuesday.
On the way from last Saturday’s GN race at Knoxville, Iowa, and headed to the season’s next-to-last race this Saturday at Sacramento, Calif., Kopp actually got to stop home at Mica, even if it was just for a day.
Kopp did a little bonding with his infant son, Garrett, who he hasn’t seen since the middle of June. He tried some of aunt Gail’s pasta and ribs, and took time to entertain family and friends with tales of how he spend his summer “vacation” riding in the big leagues of flat track motorcycle racing.
“This is my second year in the Grand Nationals,” Kopp said. ” My goal was to get into the top five.”
In his rookie season last summer, Kopp ran 12 races, had three top-fives and caught the eye of his 1996 sponsor, Harley Davidson of Sacramento.
“They saw (in me) a good all-around rider, one who can ride a half-mile just as good as a TT,” Kopp said.
And it looks like the sponsor was right.
With two runners-up and 13 top-10 finishes this season, Kopp has surpassed his early expectations. “Right now I’m fourth and there’s a possibility of ending up third,” he said.
AMA’s Grand National dirt track series is a real grind. Riders are on a fast-paced barn-storming tour covering much of the Midwest. Kopp has run fourteen races in the last 10 weeks.
After Saturday’s Sacramento Mile, there is a break in the schedule before the GN finale at Del Mar, Calif.
But Kopp won’t head home again. Since he’ll be in the neighborhood, anyway, he plans to enter an AMA Superbike road race at the new Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Kopp is looking forward to spending the winter back home in the shadow of Mica Peak. He plans on getting reacquainted with his son through something other than videos and snapshots and working at a local motorcycle shop, “so I don’t spend all the money I’ve won this year.”
Mods in season finale Saturday
With Mother Nature’s permission, the Northwest Modified Series will conclude its season Saturday night at Stateline Speedway.
Time trials begin at 6 p.m. with racing at 7:30. The Mini-Sprints, Bump-to-Pass cars and Fever Fours are also scheduled.
Eight points separate the top three drivers in the open-wheel series. Jeff Zimmerman of Spokane leads by five points over defending champ Greg Ochs of Colville.
Sunday at Stateline is the season’s final demolition derby. It starts at 1 p.m.
SRP decides titles Saturday
The regular season comes to a close Saturday night at Spokane Raceway Park. Gates open at 4 p.m. on both the drag racing and stock car tracks with racing at 7:30.
Point standings show Bart Knowles in command of the Super Pro points. Close races will be decided in Pro Eliminator between Tom Manfred and Dave Viall, and in Street Eliminator between Neil Hansen and Bob Haws.
The stock car racing finale will feature Hobby Stocks, Fever Fours and Super Streets. No points updates were available in the stock car classes.
Sunday is the running of the rained-out final race of the Mountain Dew High School Drag Racing Series.
Pit stops
The Spokane County ORV Park will have most of its facility in use this weekend. First the Northwest Off-Road Racing Association will conduct its final points race Saturday and Sunday. Events include sand drag racing, mud bogs and obstacle racing. Sign-up is at 7:30 each day. … The Spokane Kart Racing Association has another points race scheduled Sunday at the ORV Park. For info call (509) 924-6755. … Short track motorcycle racing is also scheduled Sunday on the clay oval at the ORV Park. Contact Jim Allen Jr. for details at (509) 467-0617. … The Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Association will stage an exhibition race this weekend at Las Vegas.