VOL. 54 ISSUE 35 SEPTEMBER 6, 2017 P83
Kiesow Racing Productions are
turning Memorial Day and Labor Day
into Flat Track Holidays as the week-
ends are becoming more of a "Flat
Track Homecoming" than just
another race. The Class of '79/Aid
to Injured Riders charity golf tourna-
ment kicked off the action on Friday,
followed by the post tournament
street party at Boones Saloon, near
the State Capitol Building. Saturday
was a full day of short track racing.
Amateur and Vintage Nationals took
place in the morning followed imme-
diately by the AMA All Star Series (a
mixture of Pro and Amateur classes),
The Class of '79 Bultaco Invitational
and an AFT Singles National.
The star-studded Bultaco Invitational
was won by Garth Brow over Ron-
nie Jones and Charlie Roberts.
Henry Wiles topped the Expert
race over Davis Fisher and Briar
Bauman. In all, there were over
380 entries plus the 51 AFT Singles
entries.
With only one class running on
the mile, a Vintage exhibition was
added. Roy Taboada won on
his Harley-Davidson KR750. Ron
Atherton finished second on his Tri-
umph, while George Wills brought
his Harley-Davidson KR750 in third.
Near-perfect weather brought out
the spectators for both days as
Sunday's crowd filled the main
grandstand. The infield is becom-
ing more and more popular as it has
become one large "cookout" with
people standing on their trucks and
motorhomes to view the racing.
Both the AFT Singles short track
and the AFT Twins mile had over
full fields that made the qualifying
all the more important and a full
schedule of races with four heats in
both classes.
Jared Mees' win propels him that
much closer to his fourth grand
national title. "This year has been
so many little tiny things that add
up to big things. I'm just happy and
have a great team," said Mees. "I
have a great bike, the bike fits me
very well. I've got a great tuner. The
atmosphere is great. We've got
three races to go. I want to win the
next three races." Mees now holds a
46-point lead over Bryan Smith, the
only other rider with a mathematical
chance at the championship. Third
place, Brad Baker is 90 points
down with just three races remaining
at a maximum of 75 points.
Stephen Vanderkuur was a GNC2
Champion in 2002 and rode one
more year in the GNC2 before
leaving the sport for a while. He is
back and in his first appearance in
the AFT Twins class he put his Dan
Hodder Racing/Evans Enterprises-
backed Kawasaki into the main.
After running as high as seventh,
Vanderkuur dropped out after 21
laps and was credited with a 15th-
place finish.
On Saturday night in the AFT Singles
event, Jeremy Orr sat on the pole
for the first semi, but could not get
his Gianna Utility Construction-
backed Honda to start and he was
forced to the sidelines. "I was super
bummed that my good friend Jeremy
Orr had a mechanical in his semi
after sitting on the pole and qualify-
ing second. I was looking forward to
racing him in the main and battling
for the podium," said winner Dan
Bromley. "After the main, I gave
him the victory lap he deserved after
riding so well all day. Hopefully next
year he can take me for a lap!"
Briefly...
