Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/824646
FLAT TRACK 2017 AMERICAN FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 4 / MAY 13, 2017 ARIZONA SPEEDWAY / PHOENIX, ARIZONA P74 My Own Race: 6 BRAD BAKER 2ND AFT TWINS Brad Baker had been the fastest rider all day and it was somewhat a bitter pill to swallow. "They call him [Smith] the master of the miles, I really wanted to beat him," said Baker. "This type of racetrack being dry slick and skitter, one line, usually isn't my cup of tea. I would usually struggle at a track like this, but to be doing so well all day long, and to give it away right there at the end, it's definitely a heartbreaker. It definitely would have been one of my favorite wins, because winning something that you're not good at feels better than when you're expected to win." 9 JARED MEES 3RD AFT TWINS Jared Mees had the third pick of starting positions and opted to start on the second row directly behind Baker. "I thought that starting on the second row would be a good place to get on the groove right away. It didn't really pan out that way for me," said Mees. "We were third place all day. We were third place hands down so that's the way it was." Mees also couldn't take advantage of the restarts. "I had a shifter fall off, so I couldn't really get it into gear off the line. We struggled with that. I started the race in first gear, but getting it into high gear was just tough because there was no shifter. Hey, you know it's racing. We'll come back next week." 69 SAMMY HALBERT 4TH AFT TWINS After heat-race problems forced Sammy Halbert into the last chance qualifier, where he garnered the last transfer spot into the semis, his day turned around once he was in the main. "I just had a little bit of a rough start to my day with an electrical issue in my heat race. Otherwise the bike was strong," said Halbert. "It was good in qualifying. I was able to get a decent lineup for the main event and was able to get up towards the front. It didn't quite happen today, but at one point I was really close. I tried drafting inside of Jared, so it was close. The track was better than last year, but very tricky to ride. The groove was so small, and there were bumps in the groove. It was just really hard to stick to the groove and if you slipped off the rubber you would lose a ton of time. It is what it is. I will leave here knowing I've got a shot to do something at the miles." 20 JAROD VANDERKOOI 5TH AFT TWINS Jarod Vanderkooi notched another strong finish after mechanical problems cost him a second-place finish in the Daytona opener. "It was tough early, we were like 17th fastest. I thought, man, we've got to change something up," said Vanderkooi. "The team just kept working and working. We've got James Hart wrenching away and it showed today. We came from the back and made it up to fifth place. We had a few dropouts, but fifth place today was a big accomplishment. This track is Arizona des- ert sand. It didn't really stay together too much; it was a little better than last year. It was cooler conditions this year; I think it only got up to 98 degrees. The track was tricky; it was pretty slippery actually. It started getting some ruts formed in it. It was tough for sure." 14 BRIAR BAUMAN 6TH AFT TWINS "We just chipped away at things all day," said Briar Bauman of his race. "I blew the groove in my heat race trying to go for fourth. Once you got off the groove it was over. I had six guys go by me and I ended up 10th. I went to the LCQ and I was able to win that. In the semi, I just kind of picked them off. I think my bike was a little down on horsepower today." Bauman's day was definitely an up and down affair, but the last five laps of the day went very well. "It was kind of a horse track and you had to ride the corners really hard. I actually didn't pass one guy on the inside. I went on the outside every time."