Jared Mees Goes 4-For-4 in Winning 2012 ICE Speedway Series Round at Bloomington, IL on January 21

Jared Mees talks with the ICE Speedway Series announcer after winning his fourth main event of the 2012 season at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington, IL. on Saturday, January 21.  The 3-Time and defending ICE Series Champ took his #1 Honda to the win in front of an enthusiastic crowd at round 4 of the ICE Speedway Series season in the Manufacturers Cup Bike class ahead of runner-up Kevin Anderson #11 on his Honda and 3rd place finisher Jake Mataya #29 on his Kawasaki. 

The Jammer won both of his heat races to go along with his main event win in a field filled with several AMA Pro Flat Track regulars, including Rob Pearson, Justin Hittle and Brandon Robinson, to further his grip on the 2012 Manufacturers Cup Championship.  Anderson, the '09 ICE Series Champion, had a good night as well in winning his first heat and coming in second to fellow-Minnesota resident Mataya in his other heat.  Mataya also won both of his heats on the evening.

Eighteen riders showed up at the downtown Bloomington arena to take in the action on the ice in front of a crowd estimated at 3500 in attendance.  In a tightly run program and an exciting show, ICE President Brent Densford and his wife Tiffany helped to put together a great night for everyone to enjoy, and few delays were seen throughout the evening.  This is one show that doesn't give you much time to lounge around or take a break, as other then an occassional Zamboni break to work on the ice, would see racing run back-to-back throughout the evening's event.
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One of the heat races on the evening shows eventual main event runner-up Kevin Anderson #11 leading Kirk Cheney #15, with AMA Flat Track regular Justin Hittle #81 and former AMA Grand National competitor and Clermont, IN.'s Dan Ingram #22 trying to keep them honest.  Ingram made the trip over with his father, Sam, also a former flat track competitor from back in the '70s.

Ingram is in the process of trying to gain enough points in the AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Series and also in Steve Nace's DuQuoin indoor series to get his Expert license again.  He's hoping to be able to hit the track at the first Expert Twins Series event of the season at the Memorial Day Weekend Springfield Mile. 

Dan had a rough go of it in Bloomington, though.  Finishing 4th in his first heat, he was forced to borrow a competitor's bike to run his second heat when his mount wouldn't fire.  He ended up 4th in that second heat and failed to make the main event.

Believe it or not tidbit for the night--Ingram is still wearing the same leathers he wore when competing in the AMA Grand National Championship Series in the early '90s when he was injured at the Springfield Mile.
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Another one of the evening's exciting heat races has Brandon Robinson #44 battling with Tom McGrane #99, Jay Maloney #21 and Austin Greenland #31.  BRobb44 had a night he would just as soon forget, falling behind to 4th in this and his other heat, failing to make the main.  Hopefully luck will turn around for the personable Pennsylvania resident and '08 AMA Pro Expert Twins Champ when the series hits his home state on February 4 for the final round of the season at Johnstown, PA.
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Bryan McKenna #19 leads Jake Mataya #29, Mark Cheza #16 and another AMA Pro Flat Track regular, Brandan Bergen #26 during this heat race.
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Morton, IL. resident Rob 'Bugs' Pearson #27 made the short jaunt from his home to take in some of the night's racing at Bloomington.  Here he tried to get the jump on eventual winner Mees #1 in their heat race, with Derek Hersh #18 keeping them in sight.  The new Memphis Shades-signee for the 2012 GN season carded a 3rd and a 2nd place in his heat races, and went on to make the main with a 3rd place finish in the LCQ race.  He eventually finished 5th in the main event for the Manufacturers Cup Bikes.
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The atmosphere is much more casual in the pit area of the ICE Series races then what you would see at an AMA Grand National race.  Here Mark Cheza, Jared Mees and Tom McGrane wait for their next race to get some more sliding in on the ice.  The #15 machine of Kirk Cheney sits on the far left side of the shot.
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The eight-man LCQ race looked pretty wild as the riders entered turn one for their last chance to make the final.  Rob Pearson #27 takes the outside line around a field that included Austin Greenland #31 (LCQ winner), Jay Maloney #21 (LCQ runner-up), Tom McGrane #99, Bryan McKenna #19, Sammy Wiggins #56, Derek Hersh #18 and Jason Mott #75.
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Saturday 1/21/12

Results compiled by: Dustin Speed

US Cellular Coliseum – Bloomington, IL

Round 4 - 36^th Annual World Championship ICE Racing Series Results

Manufacturers Cup Bikes:

Heat 1:

1-Tom McGrane #99

2-Austin Greenland #31

3-Jay Maloney #21

4-Brandon Robinson #44

Heat 2:

1-Kevin Anderson #11

2-Kirk Cheney #15

3-Justin Hittle #81

4-Dan Ingram #22

Heat 3:

1-Jake Mataya #29

2-Bryan McKenna #19

3-Mark Cheza #16

4-Brandon Bergen #44

Heat 4:

1-Sammy Wiggins #56

2-Jason Mott #75

3-Ben Knight #85

Heat 5:

1-Jared Mees #1

2-Derek Hersh #18

3-Rob Pearson #27

Heat 6:

1-Jay Maloney #21

2-Jason Mott #75

3-Justin Hittle #81

4-Mark Cheza #16

Heat 7:

1-Austin Greenland #31

2-Sammy Wiggins #56

3-Tom McGrane #99

4-Ben Knight #85

Heat 8:

1-Jake Mataya #29

2-Kevin Anderson #11

3-Bryan McKenna #19

4-Brandon Robinson #44

Heat 9:

1-Kirk Cheney #15

2-Rob Pearson #27

3-Derek Hersh #18

Heat 10:

1-Jared Mees #1

2-Brandon Bergen #44

3-Dan Ingram #22 (ran #16 due to bike non-start)

LCQ:

1-Austin Greenland #31

2-Jay Maloney #21

3-Rob Pearson #27

4-Tom McGrane #99

5-Bryan McKenna #19

6-Sammy Wiggins #56

7-Derek Hersh #18

8-Jason Mott #75

Main Event:

1-Jared Mees #1

2-Kevin Anderson #11

3-Jake Mataya #29

4-Tom McGrane #99

5-Rob Pearson #27

6-Jay Maloney #21

7-Kirk Cheney #15

8-Austin Greenland #31

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In the final event of the evening, eight riders jet off  the line at the drop of the flag in the Manufacturers Cup Bike main event.  Austin Greenland #31, Jake Mataya #29 and Kirk Cheney #15 get the jump on eventual winner Jared Mees #1 as Rob Pearson #27, Tom McGrane #99, Jay Maloney #21 and Kevin Anderson #11 launch off of the second row.
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Jared Mees #1 gets the inside line going into turn one with Kirk Cheney #15 and Austin Greenland #31 spreading out and leading the rest of the pack in the Manufacturers Cup Bike final.
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By the time the pack is coming out of turn two, Mees has the edge on the rest of the field and went on to sail to the victory.  Racing is much tighter on the indoor track then what it appears from the shot and the adrenaline level is high with not only the racers, but the crowd on hand as well.
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Later this week we will be doing another story on our trip over to Bloomington that will include some of the action in the Outlaw Quads class featured in the ICE Series.  Stay tuned, but in the meantime you can check out some other info on the ICE Speedway Series.  I highly recommend putting one of these events on your calendar, you will NOT be disappointed!

And a tip of the helmet and a big thanks go out to Brent and Tiffany Densford for putting on a super show in Bloomington and for letting Stu's Shots be a part of a great night!


You can keep up with ICE Speedway events here via their official site below.  Round 5 of the season wraps up the shortened 2012 schedule on February 4 at the Cambria War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, PA. at 7:30 P.M. EST. 

http://icespeedway.com/cgi-bin/newsv/eventsv.cgi

Follow ICE Speedway via Twitter:

http://twitter.com/icespeedway

And check out some past video action from ICE Speedway at the U.S. Cellular Arena in Bloomington, IL. here thanks to MXPTV.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQY4yW7Zl20
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