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/1497874
SINGLES The American Honda-backed Turner Racing Honda squad came into 2023 with high hopes of wresting the title away from Red Bull KTM in 2023 after finishing second and third in the points a year ago. While championship runner- up Dalton Gauthier left to form his own KTM satellite effort this season, Turner Racing turned up with another fearsome three - some, adding the talented Trent Lowe to holdovers Morgen Mis- chler and Chase Saathoff. The early-season results failed to match the hype or expecta- tions, as the squad had just a solitary Saathoff third-place finish in Daytona to point to for podium production through the year's opening four rounds. That changed in a big way in Dallas, as the Turner Hondas duked it out amongst them - selves, formation flying 1-2-3 at the front at Devil's Bowl Speed- way. mistakes so far this season. He's demonstrated race-winning speed at short tracks, TTs and half miles alike, and carries the knowledge that he was a two- time main event winner on miles even as a premier-class novice in 2022. Five rounds in, he's finished no worse than second in any given race, an achievement which has allowed him to accumulate an early 17-point advantage over Mees. Mees, for his part, has man - aged to outduel Daniels in two consecutive straight fights. But it's starting to look like he's going to need to continue to do that with regularity or risk seeing Daniels further entrench himself atop the standings. Occasionally, an all-time great athlete who is as accomplished as Mees requires a serious chal - lenge to stay focused and mo- tivated. Well, now he's got one, and the fans of the sport are that much richer for it. ROUND 5 / APRIL 22, 2023 DEVIL'S BOWL SPEEDWAY / MESQUITE, TEXAS FLAT TRACK I PROGRESSIVE AMERICAN FLAT TRACK P90 front and tumbled all the way down the order to be credited with a 17th-place result in the end. Beach said, "When the sun was out, we were going good and improving the bike. But as soon as the sun went down, I don't know what it was, but I felt like I was on ice. The team worked really hard and we kept fighting. In the main, when I got the holeshot, I knew I wasn't going fast, but I tried to stay on the bottom of the track and just be smooth. When I got passed by Jared (Mees) and Dallas (Daniels), I just tried to run there in third. Going into one, I just got into the loose dirt and lost the front. It was just gone and that was all she wrote. It was a bummer. That's the first main I've ever crashed out of, so it sucks. But we'll regroup and go race the short track." 13 MORGEN MISCHLER 3RD SINGLES An early-season title contender a year ago, Turner Racing Honda's Morgen Mischler suffered through a difficult start to '23, winding up 10th or lower in three of the opening four races. He and his team rallied to a huge night in Dal- las, with Mischler completing the po- dium sweep for the squad in third. He said, "We got a solid start, finally. We got to lead a couple laps, which was good. The whole time I was in front, I was being hounded by Chase [Saa- thoff] and just couldn't ever really seem to shake him. And then Trent [Lowe] poked a wheel past. Going into three, I just had too wide a line to make up that real estate. From there I just tried to play catchup and almost launched myself off the track. But we're moving in the right direction. It felt so good to MYOWNRACE Championship leader Dallas Daniels kept the damage to a minimum in the points. He's still 17 points ahead of Mees.