Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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VOL. 54 ISSUE 19 MAY 16, 2017 P69 Bryan Smith's win moves him into a tie with Jared Mees in the AFT Twins points race. The Indian riders have split the four races with each captur- ing two wins, one second and one third. Sammy Halbert's consistency has kept him in third place, but already 30 points behind the leaders. Jarod Vanderkooi is another 13 points back with Brad Baker closing at one more point back. In the AFT Singles class Shayna Texter has taken over the points lead. She is five points up on Kolby Carlile and Brandon Price's strong finish in the last two races have moved him to third. Former points leader Dalton Gauthier is still serving his suspen- sion and has dropped to fourth just ahead of Ben Lowe. The small turnout of riders left AFT officials scrambling to alter the pro- gram in both classes, but it was the AFT Singles class that had to be the most disappointing. When the class changed from GNC 2 to AFT Singles, the idea was to bring more riders in as they would ride 450 singles at all races. Last year, when the GNC 2 riders were aboard twin cylinder bikes there were 20 entries, the same as this year's total. The high winds and slick track condi- tions were a challenge. "The wind was crazy. On the front straightaway you would just barely get to the rev limiter before you got to the corner," said Baker. "Then the back straight-away, you were at the rev limiter sometimes halfway down the back straight- away. It was a huge effect. We could definitely feel it. Just watching the rev limiter was a gage that showed how much faster the back straight was. It was pretty treacherous getting into turn three. There were a lot of holes. There was a little small line and you would sail off into turn three with a lot more speed, because of that tail wind, but I felt like I had it pretty much figured out." "The Indians are strong. It's weird, they are as fast as the Kawasaki, but they are different at the same time. I'm still adapting," said Indian's Bryan Smith. "I think we can still make it quite a bit better. Everybody better look out." Smith's win gives him 28 Grand National wins, tying him with two other Michigan riders, Henry Wiles and the great Bart Markel. "It's pretty cool at 28 wins that I tied Bart Markel, the original godfather of the Michigan Mafia," Smith said. "And it's pretty special for me to be, I believe, the only rider to win a mile on three different brands and tie his record. Hopefully next weekend I can break it." It was a rough day for many AFT Twins riders as Dan Bromley, Cory Tex- ter, Brandon Robinson, Scooter Vernon, Jake Johnson and Ryan Foster all ended up on the ground at one point during the day. "I'm okay just a little headache and bruised elbow," said Vernon of his crash, "but the crash loosened up my oil filter and broke the safety wire holding it so she dumped a little oil out and that was the end of my day. But I still made the main and had fun." The heat also ended Shawn Baer's day as he pulled off after one lap in the main. Baer had finished third in both his heat and semi aboard his new KTM. There was only one Harley-Davidson in the AFT Twins final, and it was ridden by H-D/Vance & Hines Team rider Jake Johnson who retired on the 10th of 15 laps. He was credited with 14th place. Briefly...