AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Heads to the Castle Rock TT for Round 9 on Saturday, August 2

The third of four AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Singles Series rounds kicks off this Saturday afternoon at the Mt. St. Helens Motorcycle Club-hosted Castle Rock Park, WA. in round 9 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship, where the series returns to the Pacific Northwest and to the home track of AMA Pro Flat Track stars Sammy Halbert and 2013 AMA Grand National Champion Brad Baker for the Castle Rock TT.

With the series in the meat of it's summer stretch run, the stars of The Rolling Thunder Show will race three events in a seven day period, with Castle Rock kicking off the busy week of racing, the Black Hills Half-Mile as part of the busy week of Sturgis Bike Week in Rapid City, SD on Tuesday, August 5 and the Indy Mile on Friday, August 8.

In the shot above, Briar Bauman on the #14 Rod Lake Racing/Specialty Fabrication Inc/Burkes Motorsports-sponsored Honda CRF450R leads Stevie Bonsey on the #80 Zanotti Racing/RGR/Arai-backed Honda and Rob Pearson on the #27 Weirbach Racing/KDM Forest Products/Michael King-sponsored Honda in their battle for the 5th-place spot in the 25-lap National main event at the Peoria TT in round 7 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship on August 11. The trio finished in this order after their great on-track battle.

The series eclipsed the half way mark at the Sacramento Mile last Saturday, and Bryan Smith took over the points standings after winning his fourth Sacto Mile race in-a-row and his third win of the season, over Jared Mees (150-148) with Sacto 2nd-place finisher Jake Johnson another six points back in the 3rd-place spot (142 points.)

After the consolidation of the AMA Grand National Championship from the 2010 season on, AMA Pro Flat Track no longer distinguishes between the Singles and Twins Series events in in terms of separate championships effective this season, although the four events in the Singles part of the schedule (the Peoria TT is set for August 17) play a very large part in the overall championship scope. Saturday night's race at Castle Rock has in the past been dominated by riders from the Northwest area, but last year saw 2010 AMA Pro Singles Champion and 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Rookie of the Year Jeffrey Carver, Jr. take the win aboard a Mack Daddy Racing Honda. The Southern Illinois resident also won his first-ever National main in last year's event, so the race can see it's share of surprises as well.

The next several events should play a big part in the championship battle, and Saturday night's race in Castle Rock could very well play a part in who ends up where in terms of the championship struggle, so you will want to be sure to keep an eye on what is happening in the State of Washington in just less than 48 hours as the greatest racing show on two wheels in the world hits the ground running.

AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship returns to Pacific Northwest this weekend with Castle Rock TT

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 30, 2014) - AMA Pro Flat Track began its West Coast stint earlier this month when the series rolled into Elma, Wash., for Round 7. Last weekend, the Sacramento Mile marked the first of three scheduled California races. This weekend, the series reverts back to the Pacific Northwest as it makes its way up to Castle Rock, Wash., for the Castle Rock TT at Castle Rock Race Park. The event is scheduled to go off Aug. 2 with opening ceremonies slated to begin at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET).   As the season closes in on its midpoint, the AMA Pro Expert points race is airtight, with eight points separating the top three contestants. Bryan Smith's fourth consecutive Sacramento Mile victory last weekend put him atop the standings for the first time this season. The Flint, Mich., native stands alone in first place with 150 points. Jared Mees remains two points back with 148 and Jake Johnson has 142 points to his credit heading into Round 9 of 16.   Smith has proven time and time again this year that he has what it takes to perform at a high level aboard his two-cylinder Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio Kawasaki EX650, but the question remains whether or not he can get it done on a 450cc machine. Smith will ride his Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio Kawasaki KX450 at Castle Rock. Smith's only test in AMA Pro Expert Singles competition so far this year came at the season opening doubleheader at Daytona back in March. The result? A missed main event and an eighth-place finish. This time around, though, Smith enters Castle Rock with the utmost confidence having won three of the last six main events.           Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. #2, Brad Baker #12 and Stevie Bonsey #80 battle for track position during heat race 2 at the Castle Rock TT in round 6 of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship in August 2013. AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.         Mees is entered to compete aboard his Montgomeryville Cycle Honda CRF450R this weekend at Castle Rock, the very same motorcycle that he finished second on at the northwest venue a year ago. The Clio, Mich., native is having a stellar season, as he's finished no worse than fourth in every race since Daytona.   Entered to ride a Ramspur Winery Honda CRF450R, Jake Johnson has now competed on a total of four different branded motorcycles in 2014, and he's experienced success on every one. Johnson, only eight points shy of the overall lead, has been consistent all year long, as he is yet to finish outside of the top ten in every main event.   If it weren't for his lackluster Hagerstown Half-Mile effort a few weeks ago, three-time Grand National Champion Kenny Coolbeth would be a lot closer in the standings than 21 points off the leader heading into Castle Rock. Coolbeth and Zanotti Racing have made huge strides together in 2014, and this next event could easily go in their favor. The last time Coolbeth threw a leg over a Zanotti Racing 450cc machine, he won.   After having his homecoming ruined a couple weeks ago in Elma, Wash., Sammy Halbert returns to his home state with some sort of chip on his shoulder. Halbert, a native to Graham, Wash., is entered to compete aboard his Fredericktown Yamaha YZ 450.   Brandon Robinson is slowly but surely creeping his way back into championship discussions. The Oxford, Pa., product sits sixth in the standings and has finished in the top four in three of the last four main events. Robinson also recorded third and fifth place finishes at Daytona to begin the season, so he's battletested on the shorter circuits and is clearly a threat to make some noise at Castle Rock's .6-mile track this weekend aboard his USC Kawasaki KX450.  How to Watch      FansChoice.tv will be the official home for live streaming coverage of AMA Pro Flat Track and AMA Pro Road Racing events in 2014. The site will also provide coverage of IMSA's development and single-make series, and NASCAR's touring and weekly series. About AMA Pro Flat Track      AMA Pro Flat Track is a national motorcycle racing series in North America and is considered one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the Series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing in the world. The 2014 schedule consists of 16 rounds on the country's finest flat track courses. For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track, please visit www.amaproracing.com/ft.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.   For additional information contact:   AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

AMA Pro Road Racing Announces 2015 Daytona 200 Set for March 14

74th Daytona 200 Set for Saturday, March 14

Sent on behalf of Daytona International Speedway, promoter of the DAYTONA 200   DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - July 31, 2014 -The 74th DAYTONA 200, which will showcase the return of the AMA Pro SuperBike class to America's most historic motorcycle race, will be held on Saturday, March 14. Tickets go on sale Monday, Aug. 4 at 9 a.m.   Earlier this year, AMA Pro Racing announced that its premier AMA Pro SuperBike class will return to the DAYTONA 200 in 2015. The season-opening event will be a 69-lap race contested on Daytona International Speedway's 2.91-mile short course.   Since 2005, the smaller-displacement motorcycles of Formula Xtreme and GoPro Daytona SportBike have been showcased in the prestigious event. With the 2015 return of the AMA Pro SuperBikes, the top teams and riders will again headline the historic event. "The DAYTONA 200 has a long and storied history on both the sands of Daytona Beach and on the high banks of the Speedway," Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. "We're looking forward to witnessing a new chapter in the event's history as the powerful SuperBikes from AMA's premier class return to compete in motorcycle's most historic and demanding race."       Monster Energy/Graves Motorsports Yamaha team mates Cameron Beaubier #2 and Josh Hayes #4 lead the rest of the pack during one of the AMA Pro SuperBike races at Daytona in March 2014. AMA Pro Road Racing had earlier this year announced that the 2015 Daytona 200 would return to the SuperBike class for next season, and the race has now been slated for Saturday, March 14. AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.       In addition to the Daytona 200, the Speedway will host a full complement of AMA Pro Road Racing classes March 12-14 with the GoPro Daytona SportBike and the Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series. The AMA Pro Flat Track doubleheader is scheduled for March 12-13.   The roots of the DAYTONA 200 can be traced back to the sands of Daytona Beach with Ed Kretz Sr. winning the inaugural event back in 1937 aboard an Indian. The DAYTONA 200 moved to Daytona International Speedway in 1961 and is the only endurance race on the AMA Pro schedule.   Triumph rider Danny Eslick dominated the 2014 edition of the DAYTONA 200. Eslick became the first rider to win the DAYTONA 200 aboard a Triumph since the late Gary Nixon in 1967 and joined a long list of motorcycle legends that have conquered the grueling race including Scott Russell, Miguel Duhamel, Mat Mladin, Kenny Roberts and Dick Klamforth. Kicking off DAYTONA 200 Week on Saturday night, March 7 will be the prestigious Daytona Supercross- the only AMA Supercross event in Florida in 2015. The tough and challenging course will once again be designed by Supercross legend Ricky Carmichael. Following the Daytona Supercross will be the sixth annual Ricky Carmichael Amateur Supercross on Sunday, March 8 and Monday, March 9 where amateur Supercross racers will have an opportunity to test their skills on the same course used in the Daytona Supercross.   Tickets for all motorcycle racing events are available by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com    Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for the latest news all season long.  Fans can follow the latest on DAYTONA Rising, the $400 million frontstretch renovation at the "World Center of Racing" by using #DAYTONARising on Twitter or visiting www.daytonarising.com.   About AMA Pro Road Racing:   AMA Pro Road Racing is the premier motorcycle road racing series in North America and is universally regarded as one of the most competitive road racing organizations in the world. The series is comprised of four production-based classes: AMA Pro SuperBike, AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro SuperSport and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series. Learn more about AMA Pro Road Racing at www.amaproracing.com/rr/.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.   For additional information contact:   AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

Bryan Smith Wins Fourth Sacramento Mile In-a-Row in Round 8 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship

Bryan Smith accomplished last Saturday night what no other rider has ever been able to do in winning his fourth race in-a-row at the Sacramento Mile in round 8 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship. Taking his #42 Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio/Howerton Products-sponsored Kawasaki EX650 to the win in front of a huge crowd, Flyin' Bryan managed to win again and make history in winning the second mile event of the season, at the season's halfway point.

The 25-lap National main saw four lead changes, with Smith leading the bulk of the laps (22 laps) at the stripe, with Jake Johnson, Henry Wiles and Jared Mees each leading a lap, although Smith's advantage never grew to more than .145 seconds and on a couple of laps as small as .003 seconds.

In the shot above, Smith can be seen talking with AMA Pro Flat Track official announcer Barry Boone after winning the Dash for Cash event on the #42 Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio/Howerton Products-backed Kawasaki at the Springfield Mile I on May 25 in round 3 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season.

The Sacto event was covered by several outlets, and some of the best coverage of the event, as always, came from Cycle News.com, with Andrea Wilson putting in a great story of the event in this write up.

The local newspaper, The Sacramento Bee, had this write up of round 8 of the 2014 season at Cal-Expo.

And Cory Texter, National #65 put this story together for Cycle World.com from Saturday night's Sacramento Mile. Also, a big congrats to Cory for his best-ever finish in an AMA Grand National Championship main event with a 10th-place finish on the Racing Unlimited Kawasaki!

Full results can be found here thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track.

AMA Pro Flat Track's official photographer, Dave Hoenig, shot these pics from Sacto.

With his third win of the season, Smith now leads the championship hunt over Jared Mees by just two points (150-148), with Jake Johnson still in the 3rd-place spot another 6-points back (142), early season leader Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. (5th-place at Sacramento) in the 4th-place spot (129 points) and Sammy Halbert (7th-place) in the 5th-place spot in the championship battle (123 points).

The series heads to the Castle Rock TT for Saturday night's running of round 9 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship.

Smith's narrow victory just another exciting chapter
in history of the Sacramento Mile

SACRAMENTO Calif., (July 29, 2014) - Four consecutive wins hint that Bryan Smith has been dominant at the Sacramento Mile, but a closer look tells a different story, that Smith needed every ounce of talent and every bit of muscle from his Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio Kawasaki to pull off the feat, which he completed Saturday at the Cal Expo in Round 8 of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season.   Smith won the Expert main by just .030 seconds over Jake Johnson for his record fourth straight win in the heralded event. His four victories have been by 0.192 seconds - combined.   Bryan Smith #42 leads Jake Johnson #5 and Jared Mees #9 to the checkers to take his fourth win in-a-row at the Sacramento Mile on Saturday, July 26. AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.   The back-and-forth affair drew the crowd to its feet on early every lap, and hit a fever pitch the final time around the mile oval. Johnson, on his No. 5 Ramspur Winery Kawasaki, made one last attempt to get by Smith, but wound up a half-bike short. Jared Mees came home in third on his Rogers Racing Harley-Davidson, just .056 seconds back of Smith in a finish no one will soon forget.   "The whole 25 laps boiled down turn four, the last lap," Smith said. "That four seconds, I just had to really dial the power on and not break the tire loose, luckily, obviously, it worked out. It was cool, not only to have a dogfight and come out on top of it - if I hadn't of won, it wouldn't have been so cool obviously - but it's awesome for me that I know the crowd enjoyed it and it kept everybody on their toes. I would rather just win by a straightaway, but from a fans standpoint, I can respect what they like."   Although it was four in a row for Michigan's Smith, and he was considered the favorite coming into the event, the result was far from a foregone conclusion. "It wasn't sure to me, it was a dogfight," Smith said. "Jake and Jared were right there the whole time. The way the track was, it made it so no one could really jump out there. ... It was a scrap the whole race, it felt like to me. I was just as little looser in the corners than them guys, and, luckily, I was able to hold onto it."   Johnson was the biggest thorn in Smith's side all night, powering by Smith in turns one and three multiple times. But on the final lap, the Pennsylvania rider elected to sit back and make one final attempt to take the checkered flag first. "If the straightaway was maybe 30 feet longer..." Johnson said. "It's fun, it's definitely stressful. ... It was a dogfight the whole way, I didn't know what was going to happen, really. I just knew Bryan was kind of controlling the race. I knew he was going to be the toughest to beat. I just tried to latch onto him and try a last-second draft pass at the line and I came up a bit short."   Smith walked away from California with the points lead over second place Mess. Johnson is right on their tails in third, eight points behind Smith and six in back of Mees (150-148-142).   "We're in it, we're consistently on the box, waiting for that win to happen," Johnson said. "It'll come. We're doing what we need to do, staying up front, staying on the podium. We just gotta keep rolling."   Mees had spots on the track where he was fastest and even put down the race's best lap, but ultimately he was third in the mad dash down the final stretch. "It was a good race, it was a lot of fun out there battling with these guys," Mees said. "I just had a little mistake on my end here and there and I just couldn't get there at the very end."   Brandon Robinson took fourth on his No. 44 USC Kawasaki and was one of a half dozen riders who ran out front at one point in the night. Robinson sits sixth in points, 40 in back of Smith, and certainly not out of title contention. Kenny Coolbeth and his No. 2 Zanotti Racing Harley-Davidson sit fourth in points following his fifth place showing Sacramento and Sammy Halbert is sixth in points following his seventh place finish aboard his No. 7 South East Harley-Davidson. Defending GNC champion Brad Baker was sixth on his Factory Harley-Davidson and is eighth in points as the AMA Pro Flat Track season enters a crucial span of three races in seven days.   What's being called the 2-5-8 starts with the Castle Rock TT in Castle Rock, Wash., on Saturday, Aug. 2, followed by the Black Hills Half-Mile by Dunlop in Rapid City, S.D. on Aug. 5, then the Indy Mile in Indianapolis on Aug. 8.   The championship hunt is sure to take a completely different form over just a week's time.   AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles   Davis Fisher looked to be the rider to beat Saturday night in the AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles main event at the Sacramento Mile. Fisher and his 67M T.J. Burnett Farms Honda built a comfortable lead on the pack through most of the race - then Kyle Johnson broke free of that group.   Following a thrilling fifth-to-second dive bomb into turn one, Johnson settled in and methodically cut down Fisher's lead, eventually reaching his rear tire on the final lap. Johnson made the pass in turns one and two, and held off a last-gasp draft pass attempt for his fourth victory in the last five races on his No. 77J Parkinson Brothers Racing Honda. "I really didn't think I would be able to catch him that fast," Johnson said. "I really had to make some perfect laps and just hit all my marks perfectly."   Once Johnson caught Davis and the crowd erupted in anticipation of a thrilling final mile, strategy came into play. With the draft playing such a large role, Johnson had to pick his spot and consider even sitting behind Fisher and making an attempt to draft by at the line. "I thought about it, I thought, 'Maybe if I get out front, he might draft back past me,'" Johnson said. "But I was out front, I just tried to make my corners perfect."   Fisher wasn't put off by being in second, knowing he'd have one more shot coming down the homestretch, but he was just short in that attempt. "I followed him into the corner in one, and just stayed in behind him and was hoping to draft by him on the front straightaway," Fisher said. "I was close."   While Johnson left California with the points lead, Fisher is right on his heels, 122-119, with three races slated over seven days starting with the Castle Rock TT on Saturday.   It was also a big points day for California's own Nick Armstrong, who rode his No. 44E Southland Racing Honda to a third place finish. "It feels awesome, California race, it's kind of like a home race for me," Armstrong said.   Dominic Colindres (No. 66Y Honda) and Brandon Wilhelm (No. 24J Honda) rounded out the top five in Sacramento.   While it's Johnson and Fisher in a dogfight atop the points standings just past the AMA Pro Flat Track's midpoint in the season, the battle behind them is tight, and the duo haven't left too many riders out of contention with seven races to go.   Ryan Wells and his No. 94B KTM are in third, 11 points back of Johnson, following a sixth place showing in California. Wilhelm and Bronson Bauman (No. 30Z Rod Lake Racing Honda) are fourth and fifth with 87 and 80 points, respectively. Jarod Vanderkooi is slowly creeping up the standings as well. The youngster on the No. 17F Johnny's Vintage Motorcycles Honda is eight after finishing seventh in Sacramento and he has two victories to his name this year - one at the Springfield Mile and a Pro Singles checkered flag at Grays Harbor.   AMA Pro Flat Track Expert top 10 finishers 1. Bryan Smith (Kawasaki) 2. Jake Johnson (Kawasaki) 3. Jared Mees (Harley-Davidson) 4. Brandon Robinson (Kawasaki) 5. Kenny Coolbeth (Harley-Davidson) 6. Brad Baker (Harley-Davidson) 7. Sammy Halbert (Harley-Davidson) 8. Stevie Bonsey (Harley-Davidson) 9. Briar Bauman (Harley-Davidson) 10. Cory Texter (Kawasaki)   AMA Pro Flat Track Expert top 10 points leaders 1. Bryan Smith 150 2. Jared Mees 148 3. Jake Johnson 142 4. Kenny Coolbeth 129 5. Sammy Halbert 123 6. Brandon Robinson 110 7. Stevie Bonsey 83 8. Brad Baker 82 9. Henry Wiles 76 10. Briar Bauman 63   AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles top 10 finishers 1. Kyle Johnson (Honda) 2. Davis Fisher (Honda) 3. Nick Armstrong (Honda) 4. Dominic Colindres (Honda) 5. Brandon Wilhelm (Honda) 6. Ryan Wells (KTM) 7. Jarod Vanderkooi (Honda) 8. Bronson Bauman (Honda) 9. Dan Bromley (KTM) 10. Ryan Foster (Honda)   AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles top 10 points leaders 1. Kyle Johnson 122 2. Davis Fisher 119 3. Ryan Wells 111 4. Brandon Wilhelm 87 5. Bronson Bauman 80 6. Dylan Morin 70 7. Dan Bromley 69 8. Jarod Vanderkooi 65 9. Kolby Carlile 52 10. Dominic Colindres 45   Next Up The stars of AMA Pro Flat Track will head to Castle Rock, Wash., and the Castle Rock Race Park on Aug. 2, 2014. Footage of the Sacramento Mile is available to view on AMA Pro Racing's YouTube portal at www.youtube.com/amaprovids.   How to Watch  FansChoice.tv will be the official home for live streaming coverage of AMA Pro Flat Track and AMA Pro Road Racing events in 2014. The site will also provide coverage of IMSA's development and single-make series, and NASCAR's touring and weekly series. About AMA Pro Flat Track AMA Pro Flat Track is a national motorcycle racing series in North America and is considered one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the Series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing in the world. The 2014 schedule consists of 16 rounds on the country's finest flat track courses. For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track, please visit www.amaproracing.com/ft.

Sacramento Mile    Expert Main Event Pro Singles Main Event Sacramento Mile Track Walk with Shayna Texter and Bryan Smith

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.     For additional information contact: AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

Press release courtesy of SMI, the promoters of the Sacramento Mile

Bryan Smith Earns Record Fourth Consecutive Sacramento Mile Victory

Top four separated by just 4-10ths of a second at the flag

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 26, 2014) -- Bryan Smith said this was the toughest one yet, but in spite of enduring relentless pressure all the way to the finish, Smith, 31, of Flint, Michigan, managed to win a record fourth consecutive Sacramento Mile on his Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio Kawasaki. Smith battled with as many as five other riders in the lead pack throughout the 25-lap main, in the end the race came down to a drafting war with Smith just holding off a surging Jake Johnson by 3-100ths of a second. Jared Mees and Brandon Robinson were in the hunt as well, the top four separated by just 4-10ths of a second.

The win not only gave Smith a record of consecutive wins at Sacramento, it also moved him to the series lead at the halfway mark in the season. He now holds a two-point advantage over Mees (150-148), who led coming into this race. Jake Johnson remains a very close third with 142 points.

Smith said he felt the pressure of trying to make history at Sacramento. "I was loose and the groove wasn’t as well defined as it has been in past years,” Smith said. “Definitely for whatever reason, maybe it was the added pressure of being four in a row I’m not sure, but Jake and Jared didn’t let me have it easy that’s for sure.”

Johnson ran a Ramspur Winery/Lloyd Bros Motorsports Kawasaki tonight. It marked the third brand of motorcycle he’s ridden in the Twins races this season. He did everything right on the final lap, but his slingshot move came up just short. “My strongest point of the track was going into three,” Johnson explained. “I tried to give Bryan a little bit of a lead so I could get a run on him. I got a good drive through three and came off of four and just… if the straightway was maybe 30 feet longer. We were close. It was good.”

This was the 49^th running of the Sacramento Mile and Smith was thrilled with putting his name in the history books. “It’s awesome,” Smith said of being the first to win four in a row. “Especially considering the guys I beat out. Scotty Parker is one of my best friends and an all-time hero of flat track. So to beat anything he’s accomplished is pretty awesome. It’s a proud day for me for sure.”

The top finishing Californian rider was Stevie Bonsey of Salinas, who was eighth. Briar Bauman , also of Salinas, was ninth in the 18-rider field.

Kyle Johnson took a come-from-behind win in the Pro Singles final on his Parkinson Brothers Racing Honda. He chased down and nipped Davis Fisher on the final lap, the TJ Burnett Farms Honda, by a scant 0.025 seconds. Nick Armstrong was third. The victory moved Johnson into the lead of the Pro Singles Series by three points over Fisher.

Jay Springsteen and Chris Carr brought the fans to their feet with their exhibition race. “Springer” drafted Carr at the line to win the exo and the two were running times within a half second of the leaders in tonight’s races.

Next up for the series is the Castle Rock TT on August 2.

Results of the Sacramento Mile – July 26, 2014

1 42 Bryan Smith Flint, MI Kawasaki EX650 25 Laps 38.425
2 5 Jake Johnson Coatesville, PA Kawasaki EX650 +00.030 38.448
3 9 Jared Mees Clio, MI Harley-Davidson +00.056 38.336
4 44 Brandon Robinson Oxford, PA Kawasaki EX650 +00.505 38.
5 2 Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. Morris, CT Harley-Davidson +01.923 38.689
6 1 Brad Baker Eatonville, Wa Harley-Davidson +06.361 38.419
7 7 Sammy Halbert Graham, WA Harley-Davidson +06.381 38.824
8 80 Stevie Bonsey Salinas, CA Harley-Davidson +06.393 38.846
9 14 Briar Bauman Salinas, CA Harley-Davidson +09.474 38.852
10 65 Cory Texter Willow Street, PA Kawasaki EX650 +13.899 39.025

AMA Grand National Championship Points Leader Jared Mees Hoping to Breakthrough at Today's Sacramento Mile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Press release courtesy of SMI, the promoters of round 8 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship at the Sacramento Mile.

Mees Looking for Sacramento Mile Breakthrough

Showdown between series leader Jared Mees and three-time Sacramento winner Bryan Smith expected

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 24, 2014) – Jared Mees comes into this Saturday’s Sacramento Mile on a hot streak. Mees won two out of the three AMA Pro Grand National Series races leading up to this weekend’s event at Cal Expo. Mees holds a five-point series lead over three-time Sacramento Mile winner Bryan Smith. That not only sets up what could be one of the best showdowns of the season between the two favorites in the 49^th running of the Sacramento Mile, it also positions the race as a bout between Kawasaki vs. Harley-Davidson.

 

 

Jared Mees has finished fourth, then third and finally second in the previous three Sacramento Miles. He hopes to continue that progression and earn his first win at the track this Saturday at Cal Expo. Mees is leading the series and is considered the leading prospect to knock off three-time winner Bryan Smith. (Courtesy SactoMile.com)

 

 

Mees, 28, of Clio, Mich., is eager to carry his momentum into Sacramento Saturday and hopes to win for the first time at the historic race. If you look at the past results of Mees at the Sacto Mile you’ll see he’s heading in the right direction. In 2011 he finished fourth, then third in 2012 and finally Mees was runner up to Smith in last year’s race. "I’ve had a lot of success there, seconds and thirds, but I’ve never won it,” Mees said. “I always have a lot of fun there. I love the atmosphere, I love the track. It’s one of my favorite miles.”

This year the Harley-Davidson XR750 that Mees rides, no longer has to run intake restrictor plates, so his motorcycle will have more power this season to deal with the speedy  Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio Kawasaki that Smith races. That should help Mees on the lengthy straights of Sacramento. “It’s pretty fast, with tight corners and long straightaways,” Mees explained. “It makes it a little different. It’s kind of one-lined in the corners. It’s definitely going to help the Harley-Davidsons having no restrictors, but it’s all about the same fundamentals as any race – (a good) start, stay consistent, stay smooth.”

Another Mees could be part of history at Sacramento as well. Jared’s racing wife Nichole Mees (formerly Cheza) has qualified in all three Sacramento Miles she’s appeared. This year Nichole is joined in the series by talented rookie Shayna Texter. Should Mees and Texter both qualify for the main at Sacramento, it would mark the first time two female riders raced in an AMA Grand National flat track race at the same time. Earlier this season Texter became only the third female rider ever to qualify for an AMA Grand National flat track event. Texter has a good history at Cal Expo. She won the Pro Singles support race there twice. This will be her first appearance at the track on a Grand National bike.

Practice for the Sacramento Mile begins at on Saturday, July 26 at 2:15 p.m. and opening ceremonies for the evening program kicks off at 6:15 p.m.

Visit us at: http://www.sactomile.com/

Via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SactoMile

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sactomile

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/sactomile

*** 2014 Ticket Information: Ticket information is available for the July 26, 2014 Sacramento Mile at www.sactomile.com.

Fans can order tickets online  at https://secure.interactiveticketing.com/a/c84136, by calling 1-844 SAC MILE (1-844- 722-6453) or by visiting the Cal Expo Ticket Box Office in the Administration Building at 1600 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (PT) Monday through Friday. Tickets can also be purchased at any ticket window during the 2014 California State Fair.

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Team Honda World Endurance Team Qualifies 8th for Tomorrow's Suzuka 8 Hours

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suzuka 8 Hours - Suzuka 26.07.2014                           Honda Racing EWC squad to start Suzuka 8 Hours from eighth The Honda Racing Endurance World Championship squad will start the 2014 Suzuka 8 Hours from eighth on a grid of 70 teams, having been the only permanent EWC outfit to qualify for today’s Top 10 Trial. The nail-biting Superpole-style qualifier took place in the blistering afternoon heat with the two quickest riders from each of the top ten teams taking to the track one at a time for a flying lap. Julien Da Costa was up first for Honda Racing, putting in a very respectable time of 2’09.891. Sebastien Gimbert followed this up with a lap of 2’09.224 to place the team eighth overall come the end of the session. Yoshimura Suzuki secured pole position after breaking the existing outright lap record. Pata Honda World Superbike rider Jonathan Rea took his FCC TSR Honda team to third on the grid, while Pata Honda World Supersport rider Michael van der Mark’s lap placed his MuSashi RT Harc Pro squad fifth. The Suzuka 8 Hours will begin at 11.30am JST tomorrow.  Neil Tuxworth     team manager We’re pleased with eighth on the grid. Our aim was to qualify as the highest-placed permanent EWC team and within the top ten, which we’ve achieved, and in fact, we are the only EWC team inside the top ten. Now we have to turn our focus to the race tomorrow, which we know is never easy here. The heat and humidity are always a factor and the weather forecast is predicting heavy rain and maybe even thunderstorms so it could be an eventful day.  Sebastien Gimbert I am happy with the results of qualifying and we are starting the race from a good position, but as we know, the starting place in endurance is less important and it’s what happens in the race that matters. Suzuka is a very difficult circuit and a very difficult race, but we are well prepared and I hope we can get a good result for the team and for Honda.  Julien Da Costa I’m happy that we qualified inside the top ten and that we are the only EWC team to do that, but qualifying is the easy part, the hard part comes tomorrow. I am looking forward to it, but I know that with the weather and the forecast for rain, it might be a difficult race. Whatever happens, it will be an amazing atmosphere, so we will enjoy it and hopefully finish as one of the top teams.  Freddy Foray I am really looking forward to the race because this will be my first Suzuka 8 Hours, but I have spoken to many riders who have told me how difficult it is. It is also forecast to rain tomorrow so that will make it even harder. We haven’t had any rain at all this week so it is not easy to be prepared for that, but we will do our best and we hope for a good result.    Copyright-free images © 2014 Honda Racing