P28
IN
THE
WIND
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LARRY LAWRENCE
TYING THE FLAT
TRACK KNOT
D
efending AMA Grand National Champion Jared Mees married his longtime
girlfriend and fellow racer Nichole Cheza during opening ceremonies for the Springfield Mile II last weekend.
One funny moment during the ceremony came during
the vows when Mees was asked by AMA announcer
Scottie Deubler if he promised to love her in good times
and in bad, in sickness and in health. Nichole reached
over to the microphone and said, "Even if I beat you
today?" bringing a big cheer from the crowd.
Larry Lawrence
NO TV FOR LAGUNA
I
t was announced on Friday that
the final round of the AMA Superbike Championship at Mazda
Raceway Laguna Seca won't be
televised. The event, which also
features the Daytona SportBike
series finale as well as the Harley-Davidson season ender, is
set to run in conjunction with the
World Superbike Championship,
September 27-29.
According to a release issued
by AMA Pro Racing, this is a result of "unresolvable complica-
tions in the production arrangements for the event."
"We came into this with the
sole intent of improving the
sport of motorcycle road racing
in North America and AMA Pro
Racing has been a great partner," said Chet Burks, President
of Chet Burks Productions in the
AMA release. "Despite the best
efforts of all involved, the unexpected contractual and financial
elements that have arisen for this
event aren't feasible. We really
regret that this is happening but
we simply can't come up with the
funds we need to purchase production for this event."
The series faced a similar situation in July at Laguna Seca during the Red Bull U.S. GP weekend, but a deal came together at
the 11th hour with Dorna, who was
already televising MotoGP – to
share their production facilities.
Unfortunately it does not look like
a last- minute solution will be the
case this time.
FRED LEWIS PASSES
F
ormer AMA National racer Fred Herb Lewis, of
Goodlettsville, Tennessee, died on September 4.
He was 84.
Lewis raced in the late 1940s and early '50s. He was
a two-time Tennessee State motorcycle champ (1949
& '50) and competed in a number of Nationals during
that era. Lewis scored three top-10 AMA National fin-
Fred Lewis (85) is pictured from a race at the
Nashville Fairgrounds, circa 1949.
continued on page 30
