It was a fitting end to the 2003 AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championship as the season wound to a stop at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and the fabled Springfield Mile. Harley-Davidson Motor Company’s Rich King capped Harley-Davidson’s 100th year celebration by winning his second Springfield race of the year and his 17 career win. It was also fitting that Mother Nature had to make one last threat as a light sprinkle started to fall just as the National was called to the line. Fortunately it was light and short and the 18-rider, 25-lap main blasted off right on time.

True to the Springfield tradition the main turned into an 18-man war. The lead was exchanged all around track and who was leading depended on where you were standing. When the pack fanned out for the last charge to the finish line it was King leading National Cycles / Kersting-Perry Harley-Davidson / Saddlemen’s Kevin Atherton and KTM Sportmotorcycles / Jones Powersports’ Joe Kopp to the podium.

Quality Checked Certified Pre-Owned Ford / Lancaster Harley-Davidson’s Chris Carr was a close fourth with Coziahr Harley-Davidson’s Johnny Murphree right on his hip. KTM Sportmotorcycles / Jones Powersports’ Ken Coolbeth, Bartels’ Harley-Davidson’s Jay Springsteen and SuperTrapp / Moroney’s Harley-Davidson’s Mike Hacker filled out the lead pack that had been trimmed to eight by the final lap.

As usual the Illinois Motorcycle Dealers had generous “bonus” money provided fo0r the lap leaders and five different riders would cash in. Carr had the draft combination right the most times as he led 11 of the 25 laps. King had 10 including the all important last lap. Murphree took two, while Atherton and Kopp had one each.

Doc’s Harley-Davidson’s Terry Poovey and Lancaster Harley-Davidson / Saddlemen / Dodge Brothers’ Steve Beattie rounded out the top 10.

To start the day off, American Suzuki / Samson’s Kevin Varnes got everyone’s attention as he pushed his Suzuki to the fastest time in the four lap qualifying heats. Mechanical problems in his heat forced Varnes off the lead pace and into a semi. In the semi Varnes was able to win his way into the main, where a flat tire ended his day.

The four highly contested heat race wins went to Mike Hacker, Terry Poovey, Ken Coolbeth and Rich King.

The final Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance National went to the Series Champion Scott Scherb. That is not big news as Scherb has won five of the last six races on his Doc’s Harley-Davidson / Nallin Racing backed Sportster. But this race was most notable for who joined him on the podium. Seventeen-year-old Merle Scherb (Doc’s Harley-Davidson / Jim Wagner) finished second to his dad and had to make up the first ever father – son podium. Gutterridge Harley-Davidson’s Josh Toungett finished third.

Dan Stanley worked his way to the front and was on his way to spoiling the Scherb party when his Sportster coasted to a stop on lap ten of the 12-lap race.