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/1125433
FLAT TRACK AMERICAN FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 6/JUNE 2, 2019 THE RED MILE/LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY P72 Factory Racing/Roof Systems, KTM 450 SX-F). Texter led laps 10 through 13, but Rush led to the white flag. "I felt I had Mikey set up really good (Waters Autobody Racing/Staci Howell, KTM 450 SX-F), Kevin Stollings (Roof Systems of Dallas/ Notion Pro, Honda CRF450R), and Dan Bromley (Red Bull KTM iii My Own Race: 1 JARED MEES 1ST TWINS "I knew I was going to get a red flag. I thought it was going too easy, too smooth," said winner Jared Mees. "When we had the red flag, I looked down at the tire. I thought we were going through that thing pretty quick all of a sudden. I thought they forgot the halfway flag, and at the halfway, I thought, 'whoa, we still have a long way to go.' I tried slowing the pace down. I knew [Bauman] was going to come up on me. I let him go by one time. I wanted to see how much stronger I was than he was. I was able to control the race." 14 BRIAR BAUMAN 2ND AFT TWINS "This one feels really good. Jared claims he was saving his tire, but he was hung out to dry pretty bad in the corners," said Bauman. "He had a horse under him. He could run off the corners, and I couldn't really draft him at all. Either way, I got second. This is my first mile podium, I couldn't be happier, really. I actually felt like we were better at the end than the way he looked, honestly. I think if I could have gotten a bike length or two on him, that maybe I could have broken away. That's always tough to say when you're sitting behind someone. I don't think having to work through traffic to catch him hurt us. We had plenty of grip still off the corners." 4 BRYAN SMITH 3RD AFT TWINS "We should be extremely happy after the way our last race turned out," said Smith. "When it's a mile, we're supposed to win, just ask anybody. I'm slightly bummed, but we will take it. We made a bunch of improvements. Even in that final, we learned a lot. It's different racing the Kawasaki with the Indians. They obviously run better than the XRs did, but they are fast in different spots on the track. I felt like with the Kawi, I would kind of match the XR. It's different, so we have to reshuffle the deck a little bit. I think we can do it. My brakes faded big time about halfway through. I was hesitating getting into the corner behind them. If I got too close, the double draft was just pulling me in there. The brakes were just barely working. I was a little hesitant then I decided it was time to do something. I pushed hard, and they screwed up. I thought that maybe I could sneak by those guys. I just about laid it down in three and four. Both wheels slid off the groove. After that, I thought, 'I would get third today.' I didn't want to crash this thing. I looked back once and didn't see who was behind me until after the race. I looked back and knew that I couldn't relax too much. The last couple of laps were not my best. I was hoping that I could stay ahead of him. I wasn't sure who it was." 21 STEPHEN VANDERKUUR 4TH AFT TWINS "I hadn't ever finished a main before. I had a lot of bike problems last year," said Vanderkuur. "This was the first day on this bike, it feels pretty good. I could get them in turn one and turn a little better. In three and four, they would get me a little bit. It was back and forth. In the end, Bryan bobbled once, and I thought here's my opportunity to get on the podium. He wouldn't give it to me. It was fun, though." Roger Lee Hayden (95) filled in for JD Beach on the Estenson Yamaha but missed a transfer position by one spot. on that last lap, but I got a little spun up, and Mikey got a killer drive," said Texter. Rush's 10th-of-a-second lead at the checkered flag was his biggest of the race. "I was really, really hun- gry for this win; I was getting tired of second," said Rush. "My team worked their tails off for me. It's a great group of people, and we're having a great time doing this. And when you're having a great time, you're going to win races." Two seconds after the leaders crossed the line, a wave of eight riders bore down on the finish line. Kevin Stollings was able to edge Gauthier and Wells at the line for the last podium spot, with Avery