Cycle News

VOL. 50 ISSUE 41 OCTOBER 15, 2013 miles, as Pomona was his second win of the year. Sounds like a fairy tale, but it wasn't without some rough patches as the season started at Daytona with his second-place points being removed due to a protest from Smith's Crosley Radio Howerton Motorsports team regarding the fork on Baker's Honda. It was also a season that ultimately had 12 rounds, with two rounds cancelled because of rain (Lima and Santa Rosa) and one that was cancelled by the promoter (Grays Harbor). And you can add to that the excitement that it was also a year where there was no dominant winner, as there were eight different winners and only three repeat winners over the course of those 12 rounds. So there wasn't a more fitting end to the 2013 season than the barnburner of a race at the Pomona Half Mile between the top two contenders of the season – Baker and Smith. And although Baker was the man to beat and on top form, Smith wasn't going down without a fight. In the first heat race, Baker won convincingly with Sammy Halbert finishing second to make it into the Dash For Cash. Smith's heat didn't go as smoothly. Although he led early, his bike cut out after the second his Burnett Farms Racing Kawasaki to fifth in the main at Pomona. "It was a pretty good race. We kind of got a slow start and were struggling a little bit. And luckily we had two red flags and each time I kept getting closer and closer and then the last one we just had a 10- lap dash. We were able to push hard. I was just inching away from fourth and me and the bike just felt like it just kept getting better and better. So to finish out the year with a top five again… and I think I finished top five in almost every dirt track race I've done this year. So it was a good year and a fun race." #7 SAMMY HALBERT DNF South East Harley-Davidson's Sammy Halbert started the night out right, finishing behind Brad Baker in the first heat to earn a spot in the Dash For Cash. Unfortunately, the main ended up not going so well as Halbert fell victim to turn two and crashed into hay bales, causing the second red flag of the race. "So I got a decent start on that final start, the final start I was in, but I tried to run the outside and got roosted so bad it pushed me back. And I was in the thick of it. I got some dirt up under my visor, maybe a little fog too and so it was pretty tough out there just cause I couldn't see very well even when I would pull tear offs. So I wasn't having a lot of fun. And I should've added a tooth before the main. The bike was kind of bogging the whole way around the corner. It didn't start revving until halfway down the straightaway. So I was really struggling with that and just ended up a little too high in turn one and two, up in the deep, deep cushion, the last couple of feet of the track. And I tried to power through with the gas on, but got bucked off and went for a wild ride pointed right at the hay bales and luckily I was able to get off it without too much - without any injury, really. My forearm's a little sore, but it's no big deal. So it was a pretty fun crash to go tumbling like that and be just fine. I'm happy to walk away." P63 Briefly... to the history books by becoming the third youngest person to win the coveted title at 20 years, seven months and 23 days. The only two riders younger than him were Brad Andres, who won in 1955, and Jay Springsteen, who won in both 1976 and '77. With a slight change of wording, Springsteen's back to back titles in the late '70s makes Baker the fourth youngest to win the title. Although JD Beach does not have next year's road racing plans sorted out, he will return with Burnett Farms Racing team for the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track season. "Yeah, the dirt track team's been great," said Beach. "We've had great bikes. We didn't have one break all year. My dirt track side of stuff is set for next year. We're going to be back. Just kind of still working on the road race stuff." Also sticking with more of the same is Sammy Halbert, but he expressed the importance for him of putting in his time to raise his team's game for 2014. "For next season the plans are pretty much the same. Just kind of keep building the team up, keep making improvements. And you know, having to really work hard this winter to be prepared to run up front. Some guys are stepping up their game, so I'm going to do the same." While there can be only one champion, the 2013 Grand National Championship had eight different winners over the 12 completed rounds. There were only three repeat winners – Brad Baker, Bryan Smith, and Brandon Robinson – all three of whom headed into the season finale at Pomona with a shot at the championship. Robinson had the most continued on next page

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