FLAT TRACK RACERS JARED MEES & BRYAN SMITH
P96
Interview
J
ared Mees and Bryan Smith
have become one of the best
rivalries in the 65-year history
of American Flat Track racing. In
the past couple of seasons, Mees
has gotten the best of the battle,
but that could change in 2019.
Smith is going back to Kawasaki,
the brand he won the title on in
2016. Ricky Howerton, the man
who owns the team Smith rides
for, has also gained a reputation
as one of the all-time elite build-
ers. According to Smith, the 2019
Howerton Kawasaki version is
even better than the previous ver-
sions, which were all considered
state of the art.
Yet for all the speed Smith has
shown on the Kawasaki, he'll face
the two-time defending champ Jar-
ed Mees, who has his own majorly
talented team behind him, spear-
headed by tuner-extraordinaire
Kenny Tolbert. And, of course,
Smith is riding the Indian FTR750—a
motorcycle so good that AFT had to
even up the playing field by giving
other motors in the field the advan-
tage of bigger intakes. There is that,
and the fact that Mees is one of
Champ
AND THE CHALLENGER
Archrivals Jared Mees
upcoming 2019
The
(Above) Rivals Bryan Smith
(left) and Jared Mees will again
battle it out on the track for the
championship in 2019 but on
different teams. (Below) Mees
says he's going about business
as usual for 2019 but knows the
competition is going to be tough.