VOLUME 58 ISSUE 36 SEPTEMBER 8, 2021 P73
Working against him was the
fact that four of those final five
fell not just on Miles, but the
Springfield Mile and the Sacra-
mento Mile where arch-nemesis
Jared Mees had usurped "Mile
Master" Bryan Smith's claim as
their modern-day ruler.
A bit of additional jeopardy
in Springfield was an entry list
made heavier by the additions
of prior Springfield Mile winners
Smith and Jeffrey Carver Jr.,
along with 2018 premier-class
runner-up Henry Wiles. With two
chances for them to get be-
tween Mees and Bauman in the
running order, the '21 title chase
had the potential to change its
BY CHRIS MARTIN
PHOTOGRAPHY AFT
T
he "World's Fastest Mile"
at the Illinois State Fair-
grounds was a fitting host
for a Progressive American Flat
Track weekend that saw the
temperature of both the Mission
SuperTwins title fight and the
rivalry at the center of it ratchet
up more than a few degrees.
Reigning back-to-back Grand
National Champion Briar Bau-
man came into the Springfield
Mile doubleheader with a
25-point lead to defend over the
final five races and a peerless
podium strike rate in his corner.
The Springfield
Mile doubleheader
managed to get it all in
despite a rain delay.
TROUBLE
SPRINGFIELD
