VOLUME ISSUE MAY , P79
consistency was not—at least
not at the level required to hold
off peak-form Mees or Daniels,
who eventually both worked by
Halbert to reunite for their late-
race duel.
Halbert would fall into the
clutches of Mission Roof
Systems' Brandon Robinson,
running the final seven laps in
fourth before executing a final
lap strike to steal back the final
step on the box at the stripe.
Halbert said, "I could feel the
Harley faithful cheering me on.
That gave me the motivation
to dig deep to get that podium.
Running up front early with
Mees felt like old times, up on
the high banks, chasing him
down. It was sweet to get the
lead, but I knew I passed him a
little bit early and was going to
learn from that and come back
by. We didn't have it to race for
the win at the end, but I don't
race very often, so it's hard to
dial in the fine little improve
-
But that was seven days prior.
The inaugural Silver Dollar Short
Track would have not just fit in
with last year's Grand National
Championship battle but served
as an exemplar of that epic
title tilt.
Mees and Daniels fought
hard for top honors in Chico,
throwing increasingly desper
-
ate haymakers to the finish. At
least once, the Estenson Racing
Yamaha ace tracked down day-
long dominator Mees with just
three minutes and two laps left
to decide the victor.
The nine-time champion came
into the main as a heavy favorite,
topping every practice, qualify
-
ing, heat race and challenge he'd
participated in all day.
He slashed under Daniels
at the start, hoping to author
yet another runaway act at the
front aboard his factory-backed
Indian. That plan was initially
foiled not by Daniels but rather
by part-timer Sammy Halbert on
the Dodge Bros. Racing/Castrol
Harley-Davidson XR750.
Halbert proved his Daytona
stunner was no fluke or single-
track act at Silver Dollar Speed
-
way, where he not only hounded
Mees, but actually took control
of the race and threatened to
break free himself at one point.
While the sheer speed was
there to secure the iconic
machine's 503rd victory, the
stripped from his grasp after first-time
participant T.J. Welty had his wheel
clipped by Saathoff, as Saathoff put
him a wheel down. That put Welty on
the ground and directly into Drane's
path. "The day started out good," he
said, "and we won the fastest heat
race and got pole for the main. We
were going pretty good. I was running
third and struggling just a little to keep
pace, but I felt like I was starting to
make some improvements. And then
a rider got taken out in front of me,
went down, and ended up right in
front of me. I had nowhere to go. I got
caught up in that and ended up a little
bit wounded. I had to push my way
from the back of the grid to get sixth."
MYOWNRACE
(Left) Jared Mees (1) and Dallas
Daniels battled to the bitter end,
with the veteran Mees winning.
(Below) Harley fans were thrilled
to see Sammy Halbert leading
at one point. The part-time racer
ended up on the box.
