INTERVIEW
2014 AMA PRO GRAND NATIONAL CHAMPION JARED MEES
P160
Okay, right up front let me ask what was your
reaction to the way the championship battle
between you and Bryan Smith ended up with
him having the oil leak problem in Calistoga?
I knew that [question] was coming. I really don't
have too much of a comment. The rule was put in
place and that was it. In a way you could look at it
like he was pretty lucky to be allowed to race the
last race. I'm sure with a lot of racing bodies if you
ignored a black flag they might be pretty aggres-
sive on the enforcement. I think when Bryan saw
that black flag, he decided, sort of, to shoot first
and ask questions later, in the sense that he would
finish the race and then try to get them to give him
a different penalty. You know, keep my points take
flag is a black flag.
Have you and Bryan had a chance to talk
since?
Oh yeah. We talked a few times and we went off
north, trail riding like we always do. Of course he
was bitter about it, not really towards me, just the
way that might have cost him the championship.
It's unfortunate, but I know he'll be just as strong
next year and twice as hungry.
AMA Pro Racing abolished the long-stand-
ing intake restrictor plate rule for 2014. Overall
"SOME PEOPLE THINK I TRAIN
TOO HARD FOR THIS SPORT,
BUT…I'VE ALWAYS FELT THE
HARDER YOU WORK, THE
BETTER YOU'RE GOING TO BE."
my money, something along those lines was in the
back of his head keeping him from pulling off. The
flip side to that, someone the next time might try to
do the same thing and it could be very dangerous.
I'm not saying it was handled properly or improp-
erly. I'll keep my mouth shut on that, but I'll just say
it was handled the way it was handled and that's
how the chips fell.
Have you thought about what you would
have done if you'd been in Bryan's situation?
Sitting here calm in an interview I'd like to say I
would have pulled off. If I'm out on the racetrack
with the championship on the line I might try to
stay out and fight it like Bryan did. I'm not really
sure. I guess next year if it were to happen to me
I probably would pull off, because I know what's
going to happen. You get the black flag, your day
is done. You might as well pull off because a black
