2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Comes Down to the Final Round at the Pomona Half-Mile Today

The final round of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship happens today (first practice at 6:00 PM EDT/3:00 PM PDT) as the three title contenders looking to grab the crown will come together along with the rest of the stars of The Rolling Thunder Show at the LA County Fairplex for what promises to be another thrilling season finale in the greatest racing show on two wheels in the world for the Pomona Half-Mile Flat Track Finals.

With 2012 AMA Grand National Champion Jared Mees holding a decided advantage of 13-points over Bryan Smith (260-247 points) in the title chase, today's final race of the season will see many different scenarios play out, and with Jake Johnson another 3-points in arrears for the title (244 points) any type of missive by either of the three men in contention could play out into the final outcome of tonight's big race and race for the championship crown and that elusive #1 plate.

In the shot above, the action gets going hot and heavy at the end of the first lap of the 25-lap National main at the Springfield Mile II on August 31.

Bryan Smith on the #42 Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio/Howerton Products-sponsored Kawasaki EX650 shows a small advantage crossing the stripe for the first of 25 go-arounds at the Illinois State Fairgrounds oval. Jared Mees on the #9 Rogers Racing/Las Vegas H-D/Blue Springs H-D-backed Harley-Davidson XR750 and Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. on the #2 Zanotti Racing/Moroney's H-D/Burt Ives Honda-sponsored XR750 try to work in tandem to help break that advantage held early by Flyin' Bryan.

Jake Johnson on the #5 Ramspur Winery/Lloyd Brothers Motorsports/Parkinson Brothers Racing-backed Kawasaki flies by AMA Pro Flat Track official flag man Kevin Clark, while Henry Wiles on the #17 Don's Kawasaki/DPC Racing/EA Racing-sponsored EX650 flies low to bring up the rear of the front pack of riders early in the big race.

Several changes for today's race involve Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. having to skip today's final round 16 due to injuries suffered two weeks ago at the Calistoga Half-Mile, as reported the other day, and according to Tyler Porter's InSlide Line on FightForDirtTrack.com Henry Wiles is reportedly going to hop on the vacated Zanotti Racing hot rod to finish out the season. As many will remember, Wiles won the final round of the 2009 season on an Eddie Adkins-built XR, so this move may prove beneficial to The Hammer in the final outcome of points. Currently Wiles sits three points behind defending 2013 AMA Grand National Champion Brad Baker for the 5th-place spot in the championship standings. Coolbeth's 4th-place in the season-ending standings should be secure with his current 25-point advantage over 5th-place, providing Baker doesn't sweep the day in winning both the Dash for Cash (5-points to win) and National main at Pomona (23-points to win).

Smith will be looking to leap frog back to the front after his Calistoga DQ for a smoking machine, after going into the penultimate round with a 9-point lead, while Mees will be looking to nail his second AMA Grand National Championship, to go along with his 2009 Twins Championship. It would also be his first championship along with tuner Kenny Tolbert in their second year together, with Tolbert the 2nd-winningest wrench spinner in AMA Grand National Championship history behind the overall master at spinning the hardware, the legendary Bill Werner. And Johnson will be seeking out his first win of the season and first since the end of the 2011 season when he wrapped up his second AMA Grand National Championship at the LA Fairplex facility.

All three of these men have been strong throughout the season in terms of podium finishes and wins, although a win has eluded Johnson, but not for want of trying and hard charging on the track. Today could be that day for the double champ and 2-Time AMA Grand National Singles Champion.

Any other number of happenings today could involve the solid supporting cast. Defending champ Baker sewed up his championship season last year with the second win of his young career, as mentioned Wiles took the win in 2009, and absent for the day Coolbeth won the season finale in 2012. The season finale round of the 2010 season was held at the Prescott, AZ. mile where Johnson grabbed his first of his two Grand National Championships. Also of note, today's race at Pomona is reportedly going to be the last at that facility.

So buckle in and hang on as The Rolling Thunder Show wraps up the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season at Pomona, which means the winter will be long and cold after the racing is hotter than ever on the west coast tonight. Good luck and go get 'em, safe and fast racing to all today in what has been another stellar season!

FansChoice.tv Tune-In Alert: High-Definition LIVE Streaming of Saturday's AMA Pro Flat Track Finals at Pomona

POMONA, Calif. (Oct. 10, 2014) - With the 16th and final round of the AMA Pro Flat Track season ready to begin on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the LA County Fairplex in Pomona, Calif., fans who are unable to attend the event are encouraged to watch all of the racing action LIVE in high definition on FansChoice.tv. Even fans in attendance are encouraged to tune into FansChoice.tv on their smartphones and tablets.       Jake Johnson on the #5 Lloyd Brothers Motorsports entry will be looking to come back from a 16-point deficit and win his first race of the season today to grab the 2014 AMA Grand National Championship at the Pomona Half-Mile over Bryan Smith and Jared Mees. AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.       See if Jared Mees can finish off his impressive title run to claim his second Grand National Championship. Bryan Smith remains just 13 points back as the two have been at it all season long fighting for the top spot. Jake Johnson earned championships in 2010 and 2011 and sits third in the standings entering the weekend.  FansChoice.tv LIVE streaming of the Flat Track Finals can be viewed Saturday by clicking HERE. Flag-to-flag coverage of tomorrow's action will begin with practice and qualifying sessions scheduled to commence at 3 p.m. PT (6 p.m. ET). Opening ceremonies are set for 6:30 p.m. PT (9:30 p.m. ET).   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

2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship No. 1 plate on the line at Pomona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 8, 2014) - A total of 15 races over eight months couldn't separate Jared Mees and Bryan Smith by much.   The pair of Michigan riders have come to the season finale, the Flat Track Finals at the LA County Fairplex in Pomona, Calif., on Saturday, separated by just 13 points in the Grand National Championship Expert standings (260-247). Jake Johnson remains in the championship picture as well, as he sits three points behind Smith, but would need a little bad luck to befall his top two rivals for him to swoop in and claim the title in the season's final moments.   Smith looked to be in control of the championship battle before his No. 42 Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio Kawasaki began smoking and brought out a black flag at the Calistoga Half-Mile on Sept. 27. But Smith failed to pull into the pits and his second place finish was thrown out. Mees, on his No. 9 Rogers Racing Harley-Davidson was scored in second and retook the championship lead.           Bryan Smith on the #42 Crosley Radio Kawasaki will be trying to come back from a 13-point deficit today to capture the 2014 AMA Grand National Championship over title contender Jared Mees today at the Pomona Half-Mile. AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.           Mees' lead means he has to finish second or better in the main event to clinch, but the situation is expected to change all day with points on the line in the Dash for Cash and for the fastest lap.   Fans can watch the championship battle play out live in high definition at FansChoice.tv.   Pomona hasn't seen a repeat winner since Scott Parker in the 1990s. Since its return to the AMA Pro Flat Track schedule, four different riders, all on Harley-Davidsons, have taken the checkered flag. Mees and Smith, however, have never won at the LA County Fairplex.   Ramspur Winery's Johnson, meanwhile, has won at Pomona, crossing the finish line first in 2011 to cap the second of the Pennsylvanian's back-to-back GNC titles.   Brad Baker won in 2013 and left California with the No. 1 plate. Having won last time out, at the Calistoga Half-Mile, Baker's confidence on his Factory Harley-Davidson is as high as it's been all season.   Baker sits fifth in points behind Kenny Coolbeth and his No. 2 Zanotti Racing Harley-Davidson. Coolbeth is tied with Smith for the most wins this season and he's been dominant at times. However, the 2012 winner at Pomona will not race Saturday due to injuries suffered in a crash at Calistoga. Baker has reestablished himself at a perennial threat to podium after a slow start, no doubt attributed to a broken arm. Fully healthy and fully confident, Baker is one of just three GNC riders to finish inside the top 10 in the last nine races, joining Mees and Johnson. Baker has amassed 183 points, 25 in back of Coolbeth for fourth.   Just three points in back of Baker and itching for a top five finish in the points is Henry Wiles. The pilot of the No. 17 Don's Kawasaki used his sweep of the season's two TT (Tourist Trophy) events to catapult himself up the standings. The Michigan resident is now riding a streak of six top 10s.   Sammy Halbert won the Dash for Cash at Calistoga on his No. 7 South East Harley-Davidson and took fourth in the main. He's scored the fastest lap twice this year too. Currently seventh in points, Halbert is 15 in back of Wiles and the same amount in front of eighth place rider Brandon Robinson.   Robsinson has ridden his No. 44 USC Kawasaki to three straight top 10s. Zanotti Racing's Stevie Bonsey is ninth in points with 135 and Jake Shoemaker has climbed to tenth with 111 points on his No. 55 USC Kawasaki.   Racing begins with practice and qualifying at 3 p.m. PT (6 p.m. ET). Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. (9:30 p.m. ET) and the green flag should wave for the Pro Singles main event at 9 p.m. (midnight ET) and Expert main at 9:30 p.m. (12:30 a.m. ET).   For tickets and more information, visit www.FlatTrackFinals.com.   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