Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1002797
FLAT TRACK AMERICAN FLAT TRACK SERIES ROUND 11 / JULY 7, 2018 WEEDSPORT SPEEDWAY / WEEDSPORT, NEW YORK P78 iii My Own Race: 1 JARED MEES 1 ST AFT TWINS "We struggled early in the day, but I've got the best team out there," said winner Jared Mees of his day. "Kenny, Bubba and Jimmy worked all day to get it right. For the main, it was perfect. Our changes for the heat went the wrong way. We went with a harder tire, thinking tire wear might be a problem, but that didn't work at all. We went with a softer tire for the semi and main and that was much better. With a second in the semi, I knew I would be on the front row and all I needed to do was get off with them and ride my own race. I got a pretty good start and was able to catch Brad pretty quick. I just waited for a mistake. Once I got the lead, I just tried to make sure to hit all my marks and be smooth. It was just a phenomenal group effort tonight. I wish I could say I deserve all the credit, but the team really pulled me through on this one. It's really cool when you can unload in the morning, be perfect all day and not make any changes, but a day like today is sweet." 2 KENNY COOLBETH, JR. 2 ND AFT TWINS "We struggled in the semi and that put us in the back," said runner-up Kenny Coolbeth, Jr.. "We made a bunch of changes before the main event, it was kind of a gamble, but it worked out. The bike was pretty good in the main. When you give that guy (Mees) a head start, you just can't do that. It seems like on the days we are doing good, we do that. It's all right. I'm super happy being on the podium, that's my goal. My goal all year is to be competitive and show that I still have it in my last year. Jared and I have raced here before. I think it was in the late '80s when I rode here last. I don't really remember it. It's a unique race track. That shape is nothing like anywhere else that we run. It made for good racing. There were multiple lines. You just must be ready when you unload when you race against that number-one guy." 6 BRAD BAKER 3 RD AFT TWINS While Brad Baker was quick to take the lead, he faced a variety of problems. "The bike started feeling weird. The clutch started slipping coming into the corner," said Baker. "As soon as I would shut off the throttle, the thing would just take off. It would be almost like a false neutral feeling. That was messing me up. Since my helmet was all sealed up, there was no ventilation. It was like a windshield in a car getting fogged up. Halfway through the race I could barely see anything. Finally, I had to lift the thing up. I figured if I didn't get some ventilation I would start go- ing backwards. That messed my focus up for a little while. When I could see well again, I started picking off some laps. I heard Kenny, but I didn't know it was him. I was just trying to run my own line and hit my marks. I was having problems with the thing wanting to free-wheel. On the last lap, Kenny got up underneath me. I tried squaring him up going into three to get out of four, but couldn't do it." 67 DAVIS FISHER 4 TH AFT TWINS "We were struggling with a miss all day long," said Davis Fisher. "Dean and Paul from S&S helped me get that fixed. It ended up being the kill switch. It would cut out about every other lap. I would come off four and it was weird. In the semi, I was running third behind Jared Mees and Jeffrey Carver. My clutch started slipping. I had to pull it in then I looked down and I noticed that the suspender that takes the slack out of the cable had all the way backed out. I started spinning that back, then it took off again. I ended up fourth in the semi. I started the main on the second row. Getting off the line in 14th, I had my work cut out for me. I picked off Sammy Halbert and Henry Wiles with two to go. On the last lap, I thought about going on the outside of Henry Wiles. I figured he probably wouldn't give it to me going to the line, so I saw a little spot down below coming off four and I just pinned it. It hooked up and I wheelied all the way across the finish line. I probably looked like a goober, but I made the pass!"