FLAT TRACK
X GAMES HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLAT TRACK
JUNE 4, 2015
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS/AUSTIN, TEXAS
P68
in for gold to dead last. As a result,
Crosley Radio's Bryan Smith—the man
with a hot streak in the AMA Pro Flat
Track Championship with back-to-back
wins on the Mile—held off Briggs Auto's
Sammy Halbert to take the inaugural X
Games Harley-Davidson Flat Track win.
Joining the two Kawasaki riders was
2014 AMA Grand National Champion
Brad Baker on the Harley-Davidson
Screamin' Eagle Factory machine.
A NEW X-PERIENCE
The flat track world was pumped to
be on the big stage—kicking off the
2015 Austin X Games in the sport's big
debut in front of a primetime national
audience on ESPN.
It was uncharted territory, though. A
new track, a little shorter than normal
and the addition of a motocross-style
starting gate—the riders weren't exactly
sure what to expect. And then Mother
Nature decided it was time to unleash
record level water from rainstorms
leading up to the event, which compli-
cated the preparation of the track.
"It was definitely very exciting,"
Mees said after the event. "None of
us really knew what to expect as far
as the track and the starting gate and
all that stuff. There was a lot of talk
about the surface being more of like a
cushioned limestone, and then it was
back to clay, and then we all knew
that they got the big heavy downpour
of rain. We heard rumors that it was
under water. When we got there it was
a little different than what I think a lot
of us expected. The track was really,
Fans from our
neighbor up
north cheered
on Canadian flat
track racer Doug
Lawrence.
"Flyin'" Bryan Smith
took home top
honors, his third win
on the trot.
