Cycle News

FINAL ROUND/OCTOBER 12, 2013 LA COUNTY FAIRPLEX/POMONA, CALIFORNIA FLAT TRACK P62 AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Baker and his Dodge Brothers Racing team celebrate the fact that they are the 2013 AMA Grand National Champions. fastest qualifier. He then won his heat race, won the points-paying Dash For Cash, won a twice-restarted National and with that the Grand National Champion. And with that title he became the third youngest rider to earn the honor, following Jay Springsteen and Brad Andres. In just his third year in the Expert class, Baker was also crowned the Expert Singles Champion at the Peoria TT earlier this year AMA Grand National Championand he also earned his first ship. GNC Expert win at the HagerWhatever you want to call it, stown Half Mile. ultimately you can call him the So also call him king of the half My Own Race: #42 BRIAN SMITH 2ND Brian Smith finished just short of the win at the season finale Pomona Half Mile and also just short of the championship, but it wasn't for the lack of trying as he pushed himself and his Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki to the limit to try and beat a fast and confident Brad Baker. "It was good it was a dogfight between me and Brad [Baker]. We were back and forth every lap almost. So it was tough. We could've both took each other out at any moment. There was probably seriously 50 times that I could've took him out and 50 he could've taken me out. It was a really rough track and slick at the same time. So me and Brad [Baker] were dead even and we were both jumping through the holes, feet off the pegs, and just holding on for dear life. Luckily, it was a clean race. Obviously, I'd have liked to won and went out on top for the year. But we'll take what we can get. It was a good year." #14 BRIAR BAUMAN 3RD Briar Bauman had a front-row seat to the Baker/Smith dual on his Rod Lake Racing Suzuki, but as exciting as that show was he wasn't just there to watch. He made a play for the lead, but a second red flag interfered with his campaign. But the red flag didn't interfere with Bauman being able to earn his first Grand National podium. "It was wild. Watching Brad [Baker]… Kind of came from, not back, but I was fourth or fifth or something like that off of the start. And got up in there with them and they were just kind of going crazy off of each other. And I was like, 'Man, I should kind of get in there and get the mix going.' They started bumping and I got up almost in the lead at one point and then the red flag came out. It was just kind of long. And I wish we never got the red flag because I really think we had something for the top step. But it is what it is." #1 JARED MEES 4TH #95 JD BEACH 5TH For the first time, reigning AMA Grand National Champion, Jared Mees went into the season finale at Pomona without a shot for the title. Mees was hoping to put his Rogers Racing Harley-Davidson on the box and end the season on a high note even though he wasn't fighting for a number-one plate. "It was good. First time I ever came into Pomona with no championship on the line. Did pretty good in the heat. Did really good in the dash. And I'm like, 'Man, I think I got a shot at getting on that podium.' I got a really good start and was up running third and fourth and then there was a restart. I felt that maybe we were getting a podium, but came up a little short. It was good, though. It was a solid ride and a good way to end the season for us." Splitting his time between being a full time road racer and dirt tracker, JD Beach finished eighth in the championship - even though he only raced seven of the rounds this season. Never finishing worse than sixth, Beach brought

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