The championship complexion changed only slightly, Carr's lead now growing to eleven points, but as Chris commented on the podium, anything can happen, and eleven points is not much different than the four points he came in with.
With so many wins at Peoria, Chris Carr wears a huge bullseye on his back every time he returns to the fabled TT venue in Central Illinois. The seemingly endless hype that leads up to the event that Carr dominates is a bit unnerving at times. The only way that the pressure will lessen is if someone finally beats Carr head to head on his track.2001 wasn't the year for that, and Carr once again looked smooth, comfortable, and in control in winning his 50th career Grand National, and thirteenth Peoria TT. Carr's first win came at the TT, and it is fitting that he not only won the 50th running of the event several years ago, but now captured the landmark 50-win mark here as well.
The race was anything but boring. Track conditions started out questionably after heavy rains soaked the area on Saturday, keeping the Peoria Motorcycle Club busy preparing the surface Sunday morning. The softened clay started out as rough-and-tumble, loose, and bumpy, but by the time the main came around, it was in good shape.
Carr took the holeshot, leading Rich King, but the man on the move was Nicky Hayden. After Gary Rogers fell and brought out a red flag, the field restarted single file with three laps complete, and Hayden quickly took over second, keeping pace with Carr. It looked like the beginnings of a classic duel, but wasn't to be. Nicky crashed off the jump, derailing his chain. Another red flag flew. Carr got a third holeshot, and Hayden, forced to start from the back, eventually blew up his Rotax (borrowed from Will Davis earlier in the day.) King followed Carr home second at the checkers, with Joe Kopp third.
The championship complexion changed only slightly, Carr's lead now growing to eleven points, but as Chris commented on the podium, anything can happen, and eleven points is not much different than the four points he came in with.
This week, the circus heads to Sedalia, Missouri.
"We weren't the best early on, but we were the best in the end, and that's what counts.
"An eleven point lead - I mean, you could have a bad day and end up twelfth and the other guy win, and there you go. We're going for more wins - that's what we need to do."