SPRINGFIELD, ILL. (June 3, 2011) – After several days of rain in the Midwest, the dirt oval at the Illinois State Fairgrounds was wet and tacky. Typically not the best conditions for a motorcycle flat track race; however the field for the first twins race of the young 2011 season for the AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Flat Track Championship was ready. Putting his Scott Powersports/Triple J Racing/DR.D Kawasaki 650 customer flat tracker into the Springfield Mile main event was Pennsylvania’s Johnny Lewis. The athlete bested last year’s finish by earning an eighth place on Sunday, May 29 after digging deep to move from the back of the field.

The rainy weather had rescheduled the previous day’s Springfield TT at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The AMA and crew did a yeoman’s effort to get the oval ready on Sunday and hope for sunny weather to dry the track. As a result they started the racing later in the day with a change to three heats and no semis. The top six riders from each heat would transfer directly to the main setting the field for the 18-rider, 25-lap main event in front of the nearly full grandstands.

In his heat race, Lewis was battling on his Penske Racing Shocks-suspended Kawasaki 650 in the front four. Besides the rain, it was one of the hottest days of the year for the Midwest which wore on the bikes and athletes. Lewis was soon running alone in third when his exhaust broke, causing him to lose power and not be able to take advantage of the draft on the mile track. At the checkers, Lewis was fourth, a direct transfer to the main.

In the main event, Lewis got a superb start until he shifted into second gear and the rear tire spun up due to the tacky track surface. That pushed him back to 17th in the first turn. Lewis focused on making moves while riding his groove on his Pit Posse-sponsored #10 Kawasaki. He worked his way through the field to eighth place. At that point the lead pack was far ahead. At the finish, Lewis crossed in eighth.

“Leaving Illinois with an eighth place at the historic Springfield Mile is a feat after the day we experienced,” said Lewis who was racing for the first time in custom black and red AXO leathers. “The mechanical situation in the heat race could have been much worse. If we ended up seventh or lower, we would have been watching the main from the grandstands.

Lewis continued, “The main was intense. You had to watch your lines closely so not to lose traction and stay on two wheels. It's an awesome feeling to know we drove away from Springfield with an eighth place considering our day and the conditions. It's a solid start to our twins racing of the AMA Pro Flat Track series and great momentum for our Scott Powersports' Kawasaki!"

Lewis sits in eighth place in the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship standings.

“I am looking forward to the Hartford Half-Mile in Michigan on the Kawasaki 650. None of us have raced at that track so we all are starting fresh.”

Race fans head to Hartford Motor Speedway in Hartford, Michigan on Saturday, June 11 for the Hartford Half-Mile. Stop by the Scott Powersports pit to meet Lewis, enter his JL10 Sponsor Giveaway drawing and get an autographed poster, and then watch him on the mile oval riding his Scott Powersports/Triple J Racing/DR.D #10 Kawasaki 650 flat tracker in his custom AXO leathers. Keep up with Lewis on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lewis10 and his new website at www.lewis10.com.