Cycle News

VOL. 50 ISSUE 31 AUGUST 6, 2013 P43 Briefly... bobble as turn one claimed yet another victim. Bauman spun down and off the inside of the track, ending the best ride of his young career. "I came off the line in fourth," said Bonsey. "I was hanging out and waiting, waiting. The track started to get a little bit hairball to where you go into the corner and I would go completely sideways. You couldn't pick up the throttle, people were criss-crossing everywhere. I was kind of settled in fourth, but I was not letting them get too far away from striking distance; just enough to where I could watch everything play out and stay comfortable. I was practicing my lines and staying consistent. Briar [Bauman] made a mistake and I capitalized on it. Sorry to him, but it turned out to be good for me." The podium positions were set, but the action raged on over fourth. Brad Baker was holding a tenuous lead over Don's Kawasaki/Ramspur Winery's Henry pened at first, I just thought I broke something like my collarbone or tore something. All of a sudden I looked down and my shoulder was like over by my pec [pectoral muscle]. They said it was out of place. I had to put it in place by myself. I've never done it, but they told me what to do and it popped right into place. It was just like they say when things go back into place. It was just like money. I really felt like we had the speed to win it, but having two banged up arms is tough on a TT. I want to thank Mike Hacker for coming over and taping me up and Gator Wait for giving me a brace. It really made the thing come around for sure." it. I couldn't be happier for him," said Brad Baker. "It is really cool. He won the Horizon Award and then I won the Horizon Award the next year. The next thing was the Pro Singles class. That was the next goal in our careers. I won it first, then he won it second. I won the Rookie of the Year and he got second. He won the first Dash for Cash. I won the first National and now he has won one. We just flip flop with our firsts. We have come up through the ranks together and it is cool to see him win. I was going to go tell him that it is my turn to win a championship before him, but the thing is if the trend keeps on going, he will eventually win a championship too." The injury isn't what Mees needed, but he's still in the battle. "We're pretty far back in the points. If I would have won the Dash, it would have helped me out," said Mees. "These TT tracks are going to be up my alley. I would really like to win Peoria next weekend. I was going to race the two outlaw races coming this week at Billings and Sturgis, but it might be better to rest. I will see how I feel tomorrow. They are right on the way and you can make some money. The money is definitely made on Sunday at Peoria. If there is one race that I can win this year it is definitely Peoria. I really want to win that one bad. I've been second there several years. There is definitely a guy [Henry Wiles] there that I would like to knock off his pedestal." "Brad [Baker] and I have been racing each other since back when I was 12 years old. First TT Amateur National I won, I think Brad got second or third," said Jeffrey Carver. "We have been stealing wins back and forth since I was 12. It was great for both of us to get our wins this year. I think we are going to have some real fierce battles no matter what. With Brad getting his first win just gave me more grunt. I wanted to get it before Brad and he wanted to get it before me. I was super happy that he finally got his first win. I know he's been trying really hard. We both have for our whole lives." Over the years two of the "young guard" who are coming into their own this year have had a fierce rivalry, but it appears their time is here. "It was awesome to see Jeffrey [Carver] win his first race, the same year as I did Perhaps the biggest story of the week happened before the weekend even got started. A mid-week press release confirmed the fact that two time Grand National Champion Jake Johnson and Zanotti Racing had parted ways. "I just felt it was time for a change," said Johnson. "It wasn't any one thing or another and we've parted on good terms, but I just continued on next page

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