FLAT TRACK
2017 AMERICAN FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 7 / MAY 27-28, 2017
ILLINOIS STATE FAIRGROUND / SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS
P86
"I think I passed Davis on the
start and I made a big move
when guys got like two, three
wide down the front stretch
and shot up to first or second,"
said Halbert. "With five to go I
was able to get the Yamaha out
front which was nice. It really
felt like I had a shot at the win.
I led lap 23 and 24. I just tried
doing the same thing that I had
done on those two laps. I obvi-
track gets really narrow when
you're in third."
The restart had condensed
the field and it wasn't just an
Indian playground anymore.
Halbert had his Yamaha in the
thick of it and on lap 23 a very
rare occurrence happened,
something other than an Indian
was in the lead. Halbert held
the smallest of leads on lap 24,
but it's a 25-lap race.
"I figured that off the restart
that the Indians would get
away," said Smith. "I saw Davis
Fisher there behind us. Then
Sammy was in the mix and I
thought, 'dang, his bike was
strong.' It was strong in differ-
ent places than the Indian. It
made it tough to maneuver your
way past everybody. It's weird
when the track is 80-feet wide
and you're going that fast. The
Halbert got in the
action and actually led
the 23rd and 24th laps
of the 25-lap race.
