Kenny Coolbeth (center) holds up the trophy for winning the AMA Grand National at Monticello Raceway on Sept. 7, 2008.  Coolbeth, riding his No. 1 factory Harley-Davidson, made a late-race surge and took over the lead from Moroney’s/Screamin’ Eagle’s Bryan Smith on lap 18 of the 25-lap final. At the flag Coolbeth took the checkered flag 2.054-seconds ahead of Smith. Nick Cummings was third on his Honda Pro Oils/TCR Harley.

The big story was that Coolbeth’s main rival Joe Kopp, inexplicably failed to qualify for Monticello. It was the first time all season that Kopp missed making a main at a Grand National. It was such an unexpected development that the AMA wasn’t even prepared for the scenario and didn’t have the ceremonial No. 1 plate to present to Coolbeth on the podium.

“I don’t care about that,” Coolbeth said of not getting to hold up the No. 1 for the third straight year. “All I care is that we won the championship. It was my goal when we started this whole thing at Daytona in March and it feels great to be able to wrap it up early.”

Coolbeth was only the sixth rider in AMA Grand National history to win three straight titles. He joined legendary three-straight champs Carroll Resweber, Jay Springsteen, Bubba Shobert, Scott Parker and Chris Carr.

Coolbeth finally hoisted the No. 1 plate at Indianapolis a week later.