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/128370
Mees Dominates STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAVE HOENIG/ FLATTRAKFOTOS.COM Half-miles kick off dirt track season raditionally, the top AMA flat trackers from all around the country flock to the southeast to kick off their season with four half-mile races in Savannah, Georgia, and Barberville, Florida, This is a tuneup for the important AMA Hot Shoe and AMA Ford Quality Checked Grand National in Daytona Beach, With two AMA Hot Shoe Nationals and two pro races on tap, it would give the competitors plenty of time to shake off the winter rust. T This year was no different, but normally there are a variety of winners. The 2004 Rookie of the Year, Jared Mees, accomplished what no one else has ever done as he dominated the 505cc Expert and 750/1 OOOcc Expert classes on his Saddlemen/Lancaster Harley-Davidson/ Dodge Brothers-sponsored Honda and Harley-Davidsons. Mees' third- and fifthplace finishes at the Savannah Hot Shoe National were followed by a complete sweep of the Barberville Hot Shoe National and the two AMA Pro races at Barberville, giving him six main-event wins in four days of racing. SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. MARCH 4 Historic Oglethorpe Speedway hosted round one of the AMA Hot Shoe National Series on its smooth, fast half-mile. Over 150 riders trekked to Savannah from all around the United States and Canada to contest the four classes that make up the series. The 750/ IOOOcc Expert main closed out the night, and defending Grand National Champion Chris Carr shot to the lead on his Quality Checked Certified PreOwned Ford-backed Harley. SJS/Parker Stores' Rob Pearson slipped into second, ahead of Bartels' Harley-Davidson/TNT Honda.com's Shaun Russell. Carr checked out, extending his lead to nearly a full straightaway, while Russell inched closer to Pearson. J.R. Schnabel, Kenny Coolbeth, Rich King and Mees all locked in the battle for fourth. The battles for second and fourth were cut short because in turn four on lap nine, Coolbeth and Schnabel hit oil, tangled and fell spectacularly. Coziahr Harley-Davidson's Johnny Murphree also hit the oil and plowed into the fallen duo. Fortunately, all riders involved were unhurt. Due to the amount of oil on the track and the fact that it was getting late in the evening, the race was called com- 44 plete, with Carr coming away with his first win of the year. Pearson and Russell filled out the podium. The 50Scc Expert main was a real barnburner. Ideal Env/Marshall Dist's Bryan Bigelow got the holeshot, with Mees, JMK Pro RacingjYoungstown Harley-Davidson's Cory McDermitt and Carr giving chase. Mees stormed to the front on his Honda as Bigelow felt pressure from the defending Champion. Carr had his KTM flying and quickly worked his way into second. After a couple of probes to the inside, Carr roared around the outside of Bigelow and then took off after Mees. Carr once again used the outside to grab the lead, but his problems were far from over as Coolbeth pushed his equally potent KTM to the front. After Coolbeth took over the lead, the podium was set, with Carr and Mees running second and third, respectively. The Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance main had two separate races going on as F&S Harley-Davidson's AJ. Eslick and Simpson Helmet/Mitchell Masonry's Robert Lewis battled over the lead. TNT MARCH 23, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS Honda,com/Powell Performance's Clayton Riggle and Patriot Harley-Davidson/ Battlefield Harley-Davidson's Shawn Baer dueled over third. Eslick came up with the win, with Lewis second, while Baer slipped by Riggle on the last lap for third. The 505cc Pro Sport class is largely made up of young riders getting their feet wet in professional flat track racing. However, Lew Woods, an old pro from Pennsylvania, roared into the lead, with young hot shoes Gary Conklin, Bryan Hazel and Chase Sconyers yapping at his heels, Soon, Sconyers blasted his way to the front, with Conklin and Hazel coming along. Late in the race, Ricky Marshall made it a four-rider freight train as he worked his way into fourth, which made up the final finishing order. BARBERVILLE, FLORIDA. MARCH S Over 100 riders made the overnight trip from Savannah to the outskirts of Daytona and the Volusia Speedway Park, The halfmile developed a tight, unforgiVing groove that proved to be quite a challenge. In the 505cc Expert main, Kevin Atherton got the holeshot on his Woody Kyle Racing/Ron Wood Racing Yamaha. JMK Pro Racing's Cory McDermitt and Mack Daddy's Henry Wiles were right behind him. Atherton looked to be well in control, when he hit a hole in turn three, knocking his Yamaha out of gear. Thinking he had lost his chain, Atherton pul!ed off the groove. McDermitt took the point over Mees, who had worked to the front after a slow start. Atherton solved his problem and was now charging back to the front. On the last lap, McDermitt made a mistake and both Mees and Atherton were able to get by, Unfortunately, the race ended with a spectacular finish as Nichole Cheza, who had been running as high as fourth, got tangled up in the charge to the checkers and fell just past the finish line. She hit the outside wall, apparently injuring her right wrist. The official finishing order listed Logan Myers, Shaun Russell and Cheza ahead of Grand National Champion Chris Carr. Coziahr Harley-Davidson's Johnny Murphree got off the line first in the 750/ IOOOcc Expert main, with Mees,