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/1488031
the first time in six years. De- spite the extended absence the 32-year-old Minnesotan was able to score a slew of top-10 finishes and finish sixth in the final stand- ings. Jett Lawrence won his second AMA 250cc Motocross Cham- pionship in a row and his nine National wins moved him into a tie for eighth on the all-time AMA 250 Motocross wins list with Broc Glover, Marty Smith and Blake Baggett with 14 each. Most reports indicate that Lawrence will stand pat on that number since he's slated to move up to the 450cc class in 2023. Over in the American Flat Track Championship it was Indian fac- tory rider Jared Mees winning his seventh AFT SuperTwins (Grand National) Championship. It should be noted that Indian claims his 2022 title was his eighth Grand National Championship, by in- cluding his 2009 AMA Grand Na- tional Twins Championship (which technically was not the overall AMA Grand National Champion- ship, but that's a whole other can of worms we won't open here). So, either way you count them, Mees is closing in on Scotty Parker's record of nine AMA Grand National Championships, a record that for years was con- sidered untouchable. Mees won this year's title despite AFT rule changes meant to slow down the dominant Indian FTR750 in order to level the competitive playing field. Will the 2022 AFT season be one long remembered? If for nothing else, it will be remem- bered for AFT trying to neuter the FTR750 with some success. If Mees wins more titles in the fu- ture, 2022 will possibly simply be one of the building-block seasons that constructed a remarkable career that certainly will end with Mees being inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame. Indian led the way in AFT Su- perTwins with 10 wins and 30 po- diums, followed by Yamaha with six and 16, while Harley-Davidson and KTM earned one podium apiece. Despite finishing fourth in the championship, JD Beach (Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) led the way with the most vic- tories among the premier-class' six winners at four. Jesse Janisch (Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R), and Kody Kopp (Red Bull KTM Facto- ry Racing 450 SX-F FE) also won their respective AFT classes—Pro- duction Twins and AFT Singles. In MotoAmerica Superbike it was another championship performance for Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing's Jake Gagne. Gagne withstood a strong challenge by the factory Ducati effort, featuring former MotoGP rider Danilo Petrucci. After some early season set- backs Gagne proceeded to go on a tear winning 11 of the next 16 rounds aboard the Yamaha R1 Superbike, most of the time in convincing fashion, en route to wrapping up his second con- secutive MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. Gagne's outstanding campaign moved him past Nicky Hayden, Fred Merkel and Ben Spies to move up to sixth on the all-time MotoAmerica/AMA Superbike wins list. His 29 career Superbike wins—in just two seasons, by the way—place him sixth all time behind Mat Mladin, Josh Hayes, CN III ARCHIVES P172 diums, followed by Yamaha with six and 16, while Harley-Davidson and KTM earned one podium apiece. Despite finishing fourth (Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 tories among the premier-class' six winners at four. Jake Gagne scored his second consecutive MotoAmerica Superbike Championship despite a slow start to the season. PHOTO: BRIAN J. NELSON