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/963756
FLAT TRACK AMERICAN FLAT TRACK SERIES ROUND 2 / APRIL 7-8, 2018 DIXIE SPEEDWAY / WOODSTOCK, GEORGIA P90 Insurance teammates Brad Baker and Bryan Smith finished seventh and eighth. Baker had held a front-row start, but start- ing high on the banking, a poor start dropped him all the way to twelfth, leaving a long way to climb back to the front. Jake Johnson (Estenson Racing/McCandless Trucking Yamaha FZ-07) and Kayl Kolk- man (Kolkman Racing/Stamp Concrete Development Yamaha FZ-07) rounded out the top 10. up slot with just three laps re- maining. What had appeared to be a sure podium slipped away from Vanderkooi with two laps to go, as Carver grabbed the spot. Vanderkooi was able to hold on to fourth, matching his best GNC finish. Wiles made his de- but on the Indian Scout FT 750 a success as he secured fifth over Johnny Lewis (Ritchie Morris Racing/KE Motorsports Indian Scout FTR750). Indian Motorcycle/Allstate lunch, I just wasn't my normal self. We had good communica- tion and just a great team. We have a lot of tools in the toolbox to do what we need to do. It was awesome." Wiles was keeping Mees hon- est and staying on the champ's rear tire, but a slight bobble opened the door for Vanderkooi to grab second, putting the Fac- tory Harley-Davidson into new territory. Mees opened up the lead as a huge battle over second erupted. Vanderkooi, who has been fast all year on what has proved to be a fragile mount, was breathing new life into the Indian, Harley-Davidson war. Vanderkooi was holding two Indians at bay, but Carver injected his Harley-Davidson XR750 into third at the halfway point. Coolbeth worked his way around Wiles and dropped Carver to fourth on lap 15. The three-time Grand National Champion secured the runner- 17 HENRY WILES 5TH AFT TWINS "I felt really good actually on the start. I was kind of riding around with Jared," said Henry Wiles. "I would take a little different line and kind of roll up beside him at times. The track seemed to get slicker and I struggled a little. I messed up a little bit in three and four and Vanderkooi got by me. I just kind of hit one of those little ruts and it kind of worked me up the track. He got by and I held a pretty good pace with him for a minute. I was just trying some different things. I found out what not to do. I just kind of worked my way around the track trying to find something. I felt better at times in different spots. As the race went on, obviously [the track] got a little bit slicker. I tried going low a few times and tried moving around. There's always a possibility that you give some up when you do that. I'd rather go down trying I guess. Those guys got to racing each other a little bit. I don't know if I snuck back up there, but it sure did seem like it when three guys got together. I thought 'okay he's going to stuff him.' I was thinking 'get up in there so you can go with them,' but I was just a little too far off them. It was fun, super fun." Jarod Vanderkooi was the top-placing factory Harley rider in fourth.