FLAT TRACK
AMERICAN FL AT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 13/AUGUST 10, 2019
CAL EXPO FAIR/SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
P90
BY DAVE HOENIG
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE HOENIG/FLAT
TRAK FOTOS
T
he revamped American
Flat Track schedule saw
the Cal Expo Mile as the
first of five Mile track races of
the remaining seven to finish out
the 2019 season. Defending AFT
Twins Champion, Jared Mees
(Indian Motorcycle/Progressive
Insurance, Indian FTR750) fired
the first volley in his effort to run
down current points leader and
Wrecking Crew teammate, Briar
Bauman, (Indian Motorcycle/
Progressive Insurance, Indian
FTR750).
Mees was able to repeat his
2018 Sacramento win as he
played cat and mouse with the
field to maximize his points gain,
but in the end, Bauman was right
on his heels.
Mees got the holeshot with
seven-time Sacramento winner
Bryan Smith (Crosley Brands/
Howerton Racing, Kawasaki
Ninja 650) right behind. "For the
first four or five laps the pace was
slow," said Mees of his hopes to
get more riders between himself
and Bauman. "We were trying to
warm tires up and trying to get
some players in there honestly.
I thought, 'all right, cool, Bryan's
here and we should be good.'"
Briar Bauman was positioned
in third with Sammy Halbert (Har-
ley-Davidson Motor Company/
Vance & Hines, Harley-Davidson
XG750R), Bronson Bauman (Indi-
an Motorcycle/Progressive Insur-
ance, Indian FTR750), Brandon
Robinson (Kennedy Racing/Arm-
bruster Racing, Indian FTR750),
Jarod Vanderkooi (Harley-David-
son Motor Company/Vance &
Hines, Harley-Davidson XG750R)
and Davis Fisher (Bob Lanphere
Beaverton Motorcycle/Dick Wall
60, Indian FTR750) all fighting
over fourth.
Smith actually bolted into the
lead on lap three, but that was
short-lived with Mees back up
front a lap later. It was then that
Bauman made his move, lead-
ing laps seven and eight. "When
Briar came up it was just time to
go," said Mees, as he proceeded
to pull to over a second lead.
Briar Bauman patiently settled
into second as Smith fell back
into the pack, which now also
included Jeffrey Carver (Roof-
MEES
DOMINATES
