BY CHRIS MARTIN
PHOTOGRAPHY TIM LESTER
A
s the 2024 Progressive
American Flat Track sea-
son reached its conclu-
sion at the inaugural Lake Ozark
Short
Track, reigning series king
Jared Mees could have easily
chosen to battle no one, effec-
tively ignore the field, and simply
focus on completing the task at
hand. With just
three points re-
quired to do what no rider in the
series'
seven-decade history has
done before—claim an unprec-
edented 10th Grand National
Championship—it
would have
been a reasonable decision had
the factory Indian Motorcycle
legend elected to stay safe and
cruise his way to immortality.
Of course, that was in oppo
-
sition to the approach that put
him in the position to
up that
championship tally to double
digits. So, instead, he chose
to battle everyone, past, pres
-
ent and future. Mees took on
the iconic
Scott Parker and his
once-untouchable nine GNCs;
Chris Carr with his 78 main-
event wins (second all-time) and
nine Short Track victories (tied
for first); Mission Roof Systems'
Brandon Robinson—the only
rider who could hope to stand
in his way for title number 10;
Dallas Daniels—the rising star
who earlier put Mees' Mission
AFT SuperTwins Championship
chances on the ropes before
missing time due to injury; and
every other rider in the world's
most talented field of dirt track
-
ers, all who hoped to end their
season with
a highlight perfor-
mance.
ROUND 16 / SEPTEMBER 14, 2024
LAKE OZARK SPEEDWAY / ELDON, MISSOURI
FLAT TRACK I AMA PROGRESSIVE AMERICAN FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP
P96
MEES
WRAPS IT UP
IN ST YLE
JARED MEES SEALS
RECORD 10TH