Cycle News

Cycle News Issue 17 May 1

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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FLAT TRACK AMERICAN FLAT TRACK SERIES ROUND 3 / APRIL 29, 2018 TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY / FORT WORTH, TEXAS P78 iii My Own Race: 1 JARED MEES 1ST AFT TWINS "I was very cautious out there, it was tedious," said winner Jared Mees. "There were so many crashes and red flags. The track was so hard and there were so many blade ruts. There were a lot of wheel marks from when they packed the track. You would go in there and be completely fine, completely fine and then bam, step the back out or lose the front. I just wanted to get out front and not have to deal with anybody and that's what we did. You've got to know where your limit is. If this is my 100%, it might be better to run 90%. If you try to run 100% all the time, you're on the edge. If you can get the job done where you don't have to ride so hard to where you're making constant mistakes. I'm not saying that second or third didn't ride 90% as well. They are well aware that you will either push way forward or go way backwards or crash." 14 BRIAR BAUMAN 2ND AFT TWINS "Dave Zanotti let me know that the bike was going to be a little bit loose for the first couple laps and it really was. It was kind of jumping around on me," said Briar Bau- man. "I was thinking, I don't know if I can do this for 25 laps. At halfway, the thing just mellowed out and I was rolling really, really well. I actually felt like I was gaining on Jared and felt myself pull away from the other guys. It got to the point where we got into the lappers. I actually got sprayed down with a little bit of oil, I don't know who that was from. With five to go I thought, second right now is awesome. I just wanted to keep the thing right where it was at. We just rode it home." 49 CHAD COSE 3RD AFT TWINS "We gambled with the tire. I think we were the only one out there with a CD5 on. My hat's off to Tom [Engelhart], the tire lasted a little longer than I anticipated," said Chad Cose. "It was probably 14 or 15 laps when it started going away. From there I just had to manage it. I knew he [Robinson] was breathing down my neck. I thought if I didn't make any mistakes I could hold him off and luckily I did. I am just so pumped." 44 BRANDON ROBINSON 4TH AFT TWINS "I got a good start in the main and just kept working my way forward. It was a hard track to pass, more than anything," said Brandon Robinson. "I wish we had a better start for the main because I think we could have been on the box. I caught up to Chad after I got through those guys. They were all making little mistakes in three and four. Once I got to Chad, I started making mistakes. I was just sitting there waiting for a mistake and he was riding a pretty good defensive line. He was definitely holding me up a little bit, but he was going fast enough to hold me off at the same time. Kudos to him. We've been good buddies growing up. I'm so happy for him to get his first podium, but I wish I would have gotten on the box. I gave him a little nudge in three and four on the last lap, just to see if he would crack or not. He didn't." 17 HENRY WILES 5TH AFT TWINS "I was right up there on those guys for a little bit, but it seemed like the bike was working a little bit different in the main event than the semi. I struggled with it a little bit," said Henry Wiles. "In the semi it seemed like I could do no wrong on it. I had to compensate and override the thing in the main event. I made a few mistakes and lost a few spots. My fastest lap was on lap 19, so the bike started coming around a little bit more towards the end of the race. I was catching Jake [Shoemaker] but those guys had all split. Sammy [Halbert] stuck his nose up in there and then got a little greedy going into three. That allowed me to get back by him. He was still trying to get back by me on the last lap," said Wiles. "I think I might have seen him on the outside of me briefly. He was charging. Jake was right there and there was a lapper there too. He was up on the top side of the groove, but I don't know if that messed Jake up or what, and I beat them off the corner. It was a good day. A top five is good."

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