Robert Hamilton (No. 273) races his Yamaha FZ600 ahead of Scott Russell (No. 846), John Glueck (No. 124), Jim Still (No. 352), Glenn Cooper and Rickey Bledsoe on the final lap of the C Production Novice race during the 1986 WERA Grand National Final at Road Atlanta. This was the battle over fifth and Hamilton held off Russell for the spot. Still finished sixth, ahead of Glueck, Cooper and Bledsoe. This was a meeting of the top up-and-coming riders from across the country. Hamilton had been dominating his class up at Nelson Ledges that summer, while Russell and Cooper were two of the leading Southeast Region riders and were racing on home turf. Still was a North Central Region racer, doing well at tracks like IRP and Grattan. Glueck and Bledsoe raced out of CRRC on tracks like Texas World and Oak Hill Raceway. Paul Bray won the race in a thriller over Scott Zampach.

Robert Hamilton (No. 273) races his Yamaha FZ600 ahead of Scott Russell (No. 846), John Glueck (No. 124), Jim Still (No. 352), Glenn Cooper and Rickey Bledsoe on the final lap of the C Production Novice race during the 1986 WERA Grand National Final at Road Atlanta. (Larry Lawrence photo)