FLAT TRACK
AMA GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
FINAL ROUND/OCTOBER 11, 2014
LA COUNTY FAIRPLEX, POMONA, CALIFORNIA
P62
young champion had to settle for
a podium this time around.
"We don't use brakes a whole
lot, but the little bit we do it's re-
ally crucial," Baker said. "Started
to back her down a little bit and
said, 'Hey, man, he's [Smith] go-
ing in there fast; he's got a point
to prove.' So do I, but its not
worth tossing her into the fence
for that."
Brake issues aside, Baker is
fired up for 2015 and winning
back that number one plate.
"In 2015 I'll be coming back
with the big number '6' on my
plate," Baker said. "I'm taking
number six, half of 12, Randy
Goss' old number and try and go
back to that number-one plate.
Harley Davidson and I have been
gelling really well here the last
part of the season and had some
really good results here the last
part of the season. Looking like
we're going to be together here
for next year - if not the next
couple years. Looking forward
to it big time. I'm feeling good.
I'm feeling healthy. It should be a
good deal."
Henry Wiles, filling in for the
injured Stevie Bonsey on the
Zanotti Racing Harley-Davidson,
finished seventh ahead of South
East H-D's Sammy Halbert. Hal-
bert got off to a bad start, but
found his way through to make a
charge and a pass on Mike Rush
on the Rod Lakes Racing Suzuki.
But he was too late to pass Wiles
and make a run at the top five.
Privateer Jeffrey Carver Jr.
was eighth, the privateer plagued
once again with bike woes. For-
tunately Carver was loaned a
bike and was able to not only
make the main, but finish ahead
of fellow privateers Doug Law-
rence on a Harley-Davidson and
Robert Pearson on a KTM. CN
GRAND NATIONAL
1. Bryan Smith (Kawasaki)
2. Jake Johnson (Harley-Davidson)
3. Brad Baker (Harley-Davidson)
4. Jared Mees (Harley-Davidson)
5. Henry Wiles (Harley-Davidson)
6. Sammy Halbert (Harley-Davidson)
7. Mike Rush (Suzuki)
8. Jeffrey Carver Jr. (Harley-Davidson)
9. Doug Lawrence (Harley-Davidson)
10. Robert Pearson (KTM)
Jared Mees (center right) earned
his second Grand National Champi-
onship and his first with legendary
tuner Kenny Tolbert (center left).
