FLAT TRACK
AMERICAN FLAT TRACK SERIES
ROUND 10 / JUNE 30, 2018
ALLEN COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS / LIMA, OHIO
P86
BY DAVE HOENIG
PHOTOGRAPHY BY FLAT TRAK FOTOS
E
very year since 1984, the last
Saturday in June has meant
Grand National Motorcycle
racing at the Allen County Fairgrounds
in Lima, Ohio. This year the "pea
gravel" half mile was the kick-off of the
second half of the American Flat Track
season.
For the second year, Grand Nation-
al Champion Jared Mees and his wife
Nichole were the promoters of the
event, which is slowly being rejuve-
nated as old and new fans are return-
ing to one of the most exciting tracks
in the country.
The defending champion, Mees,
has been virtually unbeatable this
year, as he has posted victory after
victory on his Indian Motorcycle/Rog-
ers Racing Indian Scout FTR750. Any
thoughts that the pressure of planning
and promoting the event might leave
him vulnerable were quickly squashed
after Mees dominated the preliminary
events, winning both his heat and
semi handily.
A rare series of mental mistakes
last year left Mees on the sidelines
of his own race, and no doubt made
him even hungrier for a win this year.
Just as he has done almost all year, a
perfect start coupled with a few very
hard laps and Mees had control of the
25-lap main event.
"What a check off the bucket list.
My whole [track] crew put so much
hard work into this thing. I wanted to
just win it for them and myself," said
Mees. "There was just so much on
JARED MEES CHALKS UP ANOTHER
VICTORY ON HOME SOIL
ALL MEES,
ALL THE TIME
