Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship Jared Mees landed his first career AMA GNC win at the Lima Half Mile. It was Mees' first GNC podium finish of any kind, as well. he rain clouds that have followed the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship over the last month were not enough to stop Jared Mees as he blasted his way to his first career AMA Grand National win at the Allen County Fairgrounds. The fact that Mees won a National should not come as a surprise, but the track at and the manner in which he won surprised even the former AMA Rookie of the Year. "Out of all the racetracks, I can't believe I won Lima." the Saddlemen/Lancaster Harley-Davidson/Montgomeryville Cyclebacked Mees said. "I rode my first GNC race on a big bike here two years ago. and I didn't make the main. Last year, 1 was eighth. All my good experience on clay tracks with throttle control. and I just can't believe it came through at Lima. Ohio. It was awesome. I came in today saying if I can get in the top five. I'll be so happy. I went out there and put it on top of the box. I can't believe it still. I won't believe it until T next week." Amazingly. it was the first time Mees had even been on a GNC podium. 30 JULY 6,2005 • CYCLE NEWS "You know. Will Davis won his first National at Lima. and this is really special to me." said Mees, who chose to use the number 21 of the late Will Davis when he earned his National number. "It's so cool." Just as practice was winding up. a light sprinkle began to fall. qUickly changing to a heavier rain that pelted down on the standing-room-only crowd. sending everyone to seek shelter. After a lot of work. the track was repaired. but the late hour forced AMA Pro Racing officials to alter the normal program. Qualifying heats were eliminated in favor of five heats and three semis. The first three from each heat. along with the winner of each semi, would go to the 2S-lap main event. Joe Kopp. Dominic Beaulac and Steve Beattie led the pack into turn one at the start of the main. but the red lights soon flashed as Henry Wiles and Bryan Smith hit the dirt in the first turn. The restart saw Latus H arley- Dav idson/j 0 nes Powersports' Kopp once again out front. with KK Supply/Picotte Performance's Beaulac nipping at his heels. "I felt Dominic [Beaulac] on me for the first 10 laps. but I wasn't too worried about him," Kopp said. "I thought the track was going to get slicker and I could kind of work him down. I got away from him, and it seemed like a little bit. then here came Jared Mees. I knew I had a young one on my hands. and he had never had a win. I knew he was pumped up going for his first win; I knew I had my hands full. He rode a good race." Mees methodically worked his way to the front and took over for good on lap 12. "I had to work my way up. Once you pass somebody, it's really hard for them to pass you back." Mees said. "You break their concentration. In the very beginning. I was kind of riding over my head a little bit. Then I shut it down a little bit. I just wanted to keep hitting my marks. I just kept picking people off. I looked back a couple laps later and had a comfortable lead. It was the longest 2S laps I have ever raced in my life." Kopp still had Beaulac to deal with for a few more laps. until Mid-America Harley-Davidsonl Jones Powersports' Kenny Cool beth dropped Beaulac back to fourth. "I caught up to Joe [Kopp] and was running my own line," Coolbeth said. "I was paying more attention to what he was doing than what Iwas doing. Ithink it hurt me a little having to battle with Beaulac for a while. Those guys got away from me a little." Kopp said that Cool beth was using a low line and making it work pretty well. "I had no idea it was him." Kopp said. "We were talking before the main event about him struggling out there. After the checkered flag. I looked back to see it was Kenny and thought that's pretty cool." After struggling all day. Cool beth threw any race strategy out the window. "Come the main event. I just put my head down and said. 'It's either do or die...• Coolbeth said. "Struggling all day I was pretty frustrated. but with a third place coming out of here. I'm pretty happy. I got fourth last year and third this year. I'm climbing the ladder." Defending AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Champion and current points leader Chris Carr cruised most of the race in fifth place on his Quality Checked Certified Pre-Owned Ford-backed HarleyDavidson after a second-row start. But on lap 22. he slipped by Beaulac for fourth. "I got a great start from the second row. and I was able to get another spot off of Beaulac there at the end." Carr said. "On the start. I was behind Joe [Kopp] and followed him right up into the corner. I passed [Steve] Beattie and Willie [McCoy]. They were on the front row going into the corner. I beat my whole row. I got a couple more. so it was a good start. Going into the main event, I wasn't overly confident that we had anything better than maybe seventh or eighth. So, I feel like I stole a few points."

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