Cycle News

VOL. 54 ISSUE 31 AUGUST 8, 2017 P73 My Own Race: 9 JARED MEES 2ND AFT TWINS Jared Mees' "excellent adventure" of a year continued as he corralled yet another podium finish. "I had a lot of fun, but it was so technical and tedious and treacherous out there as far as messing up and shoving the front," Mees said. "I'm glad we got some good, valuable points and had a solid ride. It was unfortunate for Wiles, but we were second or third. I came really close to falling too when Briar fell. It was cool that they put him back on the front row, because he didn't fall because of his mistake. He fell because of someone else's, so it was cool. You just had to get a start. I don't think there was very much passing..." 5 JAKE JOHNSON 3RD AFT TWINS It's no secret the Harley-Davidson Motor Company Race Team has struggled most of the year, but Jake Johnson was able to better his finish from the first race of the year in Daytona. "Coming into this race I felt like we had a pretty good chance. It was one of the races I looked forward to the most, especially after Daytona, as we had a pretty good run there," said Johnson. "I kind of didn't know what to expect here. I figured it was going to be a little more carnage than what there was. Everybody held it together pretty good. Just to run up front again and be able to see the leaders and be able to smell the podium, it felt good. It's definitely a big confidence-booster. I've struggled a lot lately. You kind of start to get some doubts in yourself of whether you can still do it or not. After tonight, it was definitely a good thing and hopefully we can keep that going the rest of the season." 69 SAMMY HALBERT 4TH AFT TWINS To say Sammy Halbert had a challenging day would be an understatement. Halbert was second-fastest qualifier, then won his heat with a last-lap pass on Bryan Smith. In his semi, however, things did not go as planned. Halbert took the lead from Jake Johnson on lap four and pulled to a small lead. Then on the last lap he lost his chain. Halbert then pushed his Yamaha down a short straight around the last turn and all the way down the front straight to the checkered flag just ahead of Chad Cose, who had fallen on the last lap, remounted and tried to limp home also. "We were fast right from the word go, which was a relief, especially after the Daytona TT didn't go that well for us," said Halbert. "In the main event, I got kind of lucky there. I was able to work my way to the front when some guys got tangled up and stuff like that. I found myself in a pretty good position. With all those restarts we definitely had a shot at the podium, but we had a small issue with the bike. It was cutting out at quarter throttle so I had to just nurse it around there and run a gear higher." 37 BRONSON BAUMAN 5TH AFT TWINS Bronson Bauman was able to match his Daytona results with a very respectable fifth- place finish. "We were fast right out of the truck tonight and qualified in fourth, I think," said Bauman. "Then in the heat race and the semi, I didn't get very good starts, that left me trying to come from the back all night. In the main, I got pushed to the outside, when Bryan [Smith] fell and I was in like 11th or 12th the first lap [actually 13th]. It made me kind of mad and I was able to pick a few guys off, but all the restarts really helped me." 4 BRIAR BAUMAN 1ST AFT TWINS "There were a lot of up and downs in that one. I was mad about the red flags and I was happy, then mad and happy. We weren't beating Henry tonight," said winner Briar Bau- man. "Luckily we were in position to be the next-best guy. It all worked out for us. Hat's off to Henry, he was riding great and he was going to win that national. I was doing every- thing I could, but I think he had us. Once again, that's racing. Michele told me during the first two reds that I had a good gap on Jared and that I had him covered and just to focus on what I needed to do to get to Henry. After I was told that I could go back to the front [for the restart] I just figured we were going to be okay. She gave me the confidence I needed. I felt like I had Jared covered pretty well, but with him he always gets great starts. Luckily we were able to get up in there and get the holeshot..."

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