June 7, 2004
Milwaukee, WI - Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts rider Rich King executed a perfect last-lap pass of Bartels’ Harley-Davidson rider Jay Springsteen to win his third consecutive AMA Grand National race at the Springfield Mile. The race, held at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, was run on Monday due to poor weather conditions on Sunday.
In 2003, King rode his factory-sponsored Harley-Davidson XR750 to a pair of victories at this legendary dirt track, where average lap speeds exceed 100 mph. His victory this weekend was the first of the season for King and the 18th Grand National victory of his 20-year pro career. It also happened to come on his 41st birthday.
“It was great to win at Springfield again,” said King. “I couldn’t have wished for a better birthday present, and I’m really happy for the team, especially Bill Werner.”
King’s dramatic win served as a milestone for senior technician Bill Werner, who notched his 150th career victory as a Harley-Davidson factory tuner and formally announced his retirement. Werner, a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, started working in the Harley-Davidson race shop in 1966 and leaves a legacy of 13 AMA Grand National Championships. King, along with former factory riders, Springsteen, Scott Parker and Jennifer Snyder escorted Werner on a lap of honor as part of the Springfield Mile opening ceremony.
“What a great weekend for Harley-Davidson racing,” said Screamin’ Eagle Racing Manager Anne Paluso. “Springfield is a special place, and we were able to celebrate Bill’s achievements with that lap of honor, but it was especially fitting that the best dirt track tuner the sport will ever see earned his 150th win later that day.”
In the 25-lap final, King battled Quality Checked Pre-Owned Ford/Lancaster Harley-Davidson rider Chris Carr, Coziahr Harley-Davidson/National Cycle rider Johnny Murphree and SuperTrapp/Moroney Cycle rider Mike Hacker as eight different riders each led a lap. King first took the lead on lap 10, and later led laps 17 through 21. Hacker led laps 22-23 but slipped out of the groove and dropped all the way back to 11th place, handing the lead to Springsteen with King in fourth place. King passed Carr and Murphree on the last lap, and then set up Springsteen for a drafting pass coming out of the last turn, just nipping the popular veteran at the line in a classic Springfield finish. Murphree and Carr followed in third and fourth places. All riders in the Springfield final were aboard Harley-Davidson XR750 motorcycles. Carr retained his lead in the 2004 Progressive Insurance Flat Track Championship season points chase.
In other action at Springfield, King qualified for the Springfield TT on Saturday, May 29 aboard his Screamin’ Eagle Racing Harley-Davidson XR550, but retired after three laps of the tight and twisting course with a mechanical problem.
