Debats takes the Ohio State Long Track Title to Michigan
John Debats came out on top at the AMA/USA Ohio State Speedway Long Track Championship, Friday night July 20, 2007 at the Fulton County Fairgrounds in Wauseon, Ohio.
The Ohio State Speedway final was organized by Scotty Brown and the Bike Days Motorcycle Club www.bikedays.com and sponsored by Applied Innovations, Cycle Trader, Dixie International, Engraver’s Gallery, K-K Motorcycle Supply, Moose Racing, PJ’s Fabricating and Wiseco Piston. The championship ran in conjunction with the Antique Flat Track Motorcycle Races at the Antique Motorcycle Club of America (AMCA) 25th annual meet.
It was an unseasonably cool 70 degree evening for late July in Ohio, and the half mile limestone cushion track was in perfect condition for the Championship. JB Norris and Larry Reed were the announcers on hand to call the action.
The Ohio long track format consisted of three rounds of point gathering heats, a last chance qualifier, two semi finals and an “A” and “B” Main.
Top three finishers of the heats were…
Round 1
Heat 1 – 1st #52x Chad Rall 2nd #119 Alan Rush 3rd #30 Daniel Weicht
Heat 2 – 1st #41x John Debats 2nd #26 David Weicht 3rd #77 Jon Massie
Heat 3 – 1st #52 Ronnie Rall 2nd #9 Marc Monroe 3rd #11 Jim Terchila
Round 2
Heat 4 – 1st #52x Chad Rall 2nd #41x John Debats 3rd #119 Alan Rush
Heat 5 – 1st #30 Daniel Weicht 2nd #53H Doug Horner 3rd #77 Jon Massie
Heat 6 – 1st #33e Michael Callen 2nd #30x Chris Hathaway 3rd #11x Stephen Brinker
Round 3
Heat 7 – 1st #52x Chad Rall 2nd #41x John Debats 3rd #30x Chris Hathaway
Heat 8 – 1st #119 Alan Rush 2nd #11 Jim Terchila 3rd #9 Marc Monroe
Heat 9 – 1st #52 Ronnie Rall 2nd #11x Stephen Brinker 3rd #7 Mark Maurer
#52x Chad Rall (#3 in the nation) leads 41x John Debats and Alan Rush in heat race action .
The heat race points were tabulated transferring the top 10 riders into two Semi Finals leaving two positions open for the top two finishers from the Last Chance Qualifier.
Michael Callen won the Last Chance Qualifier from start to finish with Stephen Brinker in second. Fourteen year old Katie Keene put in a good effort to make third, but only the top two riders transfer to the Semi Finals.
In Semi Final #1 Chad Rall made the gate and was leading with Chris Hathaway in second. Rall’s bike quit on lap two, and Hathaway came home to take the win. As is turns out, Chad Rall’s bike ran out of fuel. The Rall pit area is a very busy place, with Chad and his father Ronny “AMA Hall of Fame rider” both racing in the Ohio Long Track Championship and a variety of antique classes. Unfortunately, the mistake in the pits cost Chad the possibility of the Ohio Championship.
In Semi Final #2 John Debats took the lead with Alan Rush in second and David Weicht in third. John Debats won from wire to wire with David Weicht passing Alan Rush to finish second and third respectively.
Chad Rall won by a large margin over Stephen Brinker and Jim Terchila in the B Main.
In the A Main, Alan Rush made the start and got the early advantage until lap 2, John Debats passed him to take the win. Chris Hathaway maintained the third position until lap 4 when Dan Weicht made his move to get in the top three. David Weicht also made a last lap move to put him in the fifth place spot moving Michael Callen into 6th to round out the field.
Mark your calendar for 2008 to see a great night of racing as this promises to be an annual event at the Fulton County Fairgrounds in Wauseon, Ohio.
Overall : Finishing Order
1st #41x John Debats, Kawkawlin, MI
* 2nd #119 Alan Rush, Speedway, IN * 3rd #30 Daniel Weicht,
North Webster, IN * 4th #82 Chris Hathaway, Syracuse, IN * 5th #26 David Weicht, Pierceton, IN * 6th #33E
Michael Callen, Galesberg, MI * 7th #52x Chad Rall, Engadine, MI * 8th #11 Stephen Brinker, Plainfield, IL * 9th
#11 Jim Terchila, Indianapolis, IN * 10th #53H Doug Horner, Gates Mills, OH * 11th #9 Marc Monroe, Tallmadge,
OH * 12th #52 Ronnie Rall, Engadine, MI * 13th #60F Kevin Sexton, Elyria, OH * 14th #7 Mark Maurer, Akron,
OH * 15th #777F Katie Keene, Centerville, OH
r forecast was for
80% chance of rain, which hurt the rider count, and at least four speedway
riders ,that we know of, could not make it due to work. It looks like we may be
able to turn this into a full time venue next year, as the fair board was very
happy with the way things went. Nine speedway riders. Paid
$200 to win, $50 to ninth. Track was a little rough, as the weather prevented
prepping ahead
of time. Although every other comment was positive. The fair board has asked
us to come to their September meeting and discuss doing 8-10 races next year.
We would make the track smaller, and add material to it so that it would not be
as hard, and also hold some moisture.
Marc Gauthier #44