Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Tommy Hayden finished fourth in the AMA U.S. Flat Track Championship Grand National short track event held September 27 at Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois, but fifth place in the penultimate race of the 17-round series earned Quality Checked Certified Pre-Owned Ford’s Chris Carr his fifth AMA Grand National Championship.

Listed in official results as riding a Yamaha, Hayden won his pre-qualifying heat and qualifying heat race, which transferred him straight to the 25-lap main event. The oldest Hayden brother was fourth after the first lap of the main, where he remained to the finish.

Carr had a tougher time in the main event, coming from 10th on the first lap to finish fifth on his Rotax. Carr’s fifth, combined with Championship rival Johnny Murphree’s eighth, allowed Carr to clinch the 2003 Grand National Championship.

The Springfield short track was won by J.R. Schnabel with Joe Kopp second and Henry Wiles third.

Part-time AMA road racer Danny Eslick finished 13th on a Suzuki in the 16-rider main event.

A total of 103 riders tried to qualify for one of the 16 starting spots in the short track, including Roger Lee Hayden and Larry Pegram. Roger Lee Hayden, who rode a Honda, was second in his pre-qualifying heat race, fifth in his heat race and ended his night with sixth in the semi. Pegram, who rode a KTM, won his pre-qualifying heat race, finished third in his qualifying heat race and finished the night with a fifth in the semi.

Pegram also rode an Aprilia-powered dirt tracker in the Mile event at Springfield September 28. He finished second in his pre-qualifying heat behind Carr, took 12th in the heat race and ended his day with sixth in the semi.

Rich King won the Mile. Carr was fourth but led the most laps of the race.

Suzuki-contracted Eslick finished fifth in the Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance main event at Springfield, riding, of course, a Sportster.