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FLAT TRACK AMERICAN FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 12 / AUGUST 5, 2018 BUFFALO CHIP / STURGIS, SOUTH DAKOTA P74 with him a bit in the semi and fol- lowed him around. I kind of knew where he was better and where I was better. I got to him and for- got that this is one of the hardest guys to pass in the business. I figured I would have to get creative. I followed him around for a little bit. I just couldn't make anything happen and I peeked back and saw that we had a little bit of gap. I tried to high-low a little bit. I knew he was strug- gling outside the right-hander. I figured if I could get a drive out of the right-hander that maybe I could beat him out of the last corner. Luckily that's what I was iii My Own Race: 5 JAKE JOHNSON 1ST PLACE AFT TWINS "I was nervous about the right hander after the rain. Everybody was saying how slick it was," said winner Jake Johnson. "I went out for the semi and I felt pretty good through it. I was a little bit cautious. In the semi Jared was having a real hard time there. I was just trying to be smooth. The track was good all day, but after the rain it was darn good. There was one fast line around the track. It kind of opened some options. It was a little racier than last year. It was tricky. It's been a long time since I won a race. It has been since Daytona 2016 on a 450. The last time I won a twin was Pomona 2011, when I won my last champion- ship. It's been seven years since I've won on a twin. It still hasn't set in yet. It kind of stinks that we have to race again in a couple days. I don't have too much time to enjoy it. I'm excited and hope we can bring this momentum into Tuesday." 169 HAYDEN GILLIM 4TH PLACE AFT TWINS Taking time off from his MotoAmerica road race duties was Hayden Gillim who had won the 2017 Buffalo Chip TT Singles race and was making his debut in the AFT Twins class. "It was an up-and-down day," said Gillim. "It started well. I started fifth then I bent the forks and some stuff on the bike. I was able to get back out for qualifying two and ended up 12th. In the heat race, the kill switch broke. Somehow, I was able to get a pretty decent launch in the main. I have no idea how it happened, honestly. My left leg hurts from getting hit by three or four guys. They were all trying to tell me to get out of the way, but I was just trying to stay right there." 37 BRONSON BAUMAN 5TH PLACE AFT TWINS When Bryan Smith opted to sit out the TT with his still mending leg injury, Bronson Bauman was tabbed to fill in. "I was gunning for a little bit better here tonight, but it is what it is. I'm happy with the top-five finish the first time out on the bike," said Bauman. "This was a one- race deal. I'm very thankful for the opportunity. It was huge for them to give me a chance. Maybe something could happen in the future—we'll see. I loved the Indian. Honestly, it was a dream ride. The motorcycle and the entire team were good. I now have three top fives finishes." FACTORY FOR A DAY In the AFT Twins class, Mikey Rush and Bronson Bauman were replace- ment riders for the day. Rush was aboard Brandon Robinson's factory Harley-Davidson XG750R and Bau- man rode Bryan Smith's factory Indi- an Scout FTR750. Bauman finished a solid fifth and Rush worked his way from the back to fifth, but slipped to seventh at the end of 25 laps. CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR One of California's rising stars made his first AFT Singles ride after turning 16 last week. Clayton Wil- liams qualified for the heat races, but came up just short of making it into the semis. GILLIM'S NOT FINISHED YET Hayden Gillim's side trip into the AFT Twins wars is not over. "I plan to ride three more as of right now. I will do Black Hills Speedway on Tuesday, Peoria, and then the Springfield Mile," said Gillim. "The Springfield Mile is the one I'm look- ing forward to the most. I've rode the mile on a twin in the GNC2 class, but it was nothing like this. Briefly...

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