STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY
DAVE HOENIG / FLAT TRAK FOTOS
T
he newly rebranded
American Flat Track Series
opened the 2017 season
inside the Daytona International
Speedway, the self proclaimed
World Center of Racing in Day-
tona Beach. For the first time
ever the "flat track" portion of
Bike Week was moved to the
same tri-oval area of the speed-
way where the Supercross has
been held for years.
When the dust had literally
settled the "firsts" continued.
Jared Mees dominated the tight,
slick TT track on his factory-
backed Indian Scout FTR 750.
Mees led wire to wire and
finished with nearly a 10-second
lead over fellow Indian pilot,
defending Grand National Cham-
pion, Bryan Smith.
Mees' lead wasn't as secure
until lap 22 of the 25-lap race,
as his nearest competition Jarod
Vanderkooi's RMR/McElroy
Packaging Kawasaki coasted to
a stop on the jump.
The win was Indian's first
since 1953 and gives them a leg
up in the first clash of full facto-
ry-backed flat track race teams
in many years as both Indian
and Harley-Davidson are fielding
three-rider teams with the Harley
team mounted on the relatively
new XG750R.
When the 18-rider field blasted
their way down the long "start-
ing" chute they were greeted by
an extremely tight 180-degree
VOL. 54 ISSUE 11 MARCH 21, 2017 P75
Jared Mees gave Indian its first
AMA flat track win since 1953.
