AMA Flat Track: Cycle News.com's Larry Lawrence Talks With 2012 AMA Grand National Champion Jared Mees

2012 AMA Grand National Champion Jared Mees can be seen talking in the pits while being filmed by the Lucas Oil Motorsports MavTV crew during round 4 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Springfield Mile I event on May 27.  Crew chief Brent Armbruster works on the fleet of #9 Rogers Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Saddlemen/Lucas Oil-sponsored XR750s in preparation for the day's events at the Illinois State Fairgrounds running of the Memorial Day Weekend classic during the fan walk, which is hosted by AMA Pro Flat Track at each and every event on the series' calendar.

Mees wrapped up his title a little over two months ago at the season-ending round at the Pomona Half-Mile after battling it out again with 2-Time AMA Grand National Champion Jake Johnson and Sammy Halbert, the three riders who have dominated the competition in The Rolling Thunder Show for the last four seasons, and for what should most likely be several seasons to come.

The Rogers Racing team and Mees announced shortly after the season-ending round that crew chief Armbruster would be leaving the team (to crew for the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports team with rider Henry Wiles) and that 7-Time AMA Grand National Championship-winning tuner and master XR wrench spinner Kenny Tolbert would be coming on-board to helm the mechanical efforts for the team's mounts in the upcoming 2013 season.

Round 14 of the 2010 AMA Pro Flat Track K&N Filters Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season found the Rogers Lake Racing crew going about applying the finishing touches on rider Jared Mees' #1 Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Rockysonline.com/Lucas Oil-sponsored XR750 at the Springfield Mile II on September 5.  Mees can be seen talking with crew chief Brent Armbruster and team owner Craig Rogers during a break in the on-track action at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

The 2009 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Twins Series Championship will again get to have the #1 plate adorn his mount for the upcoming 2013 season after winning the overall championship this season over runner-up Sammy Halbert and 3rd-place finisher and defending 2-Time AMA Grand National Champion Jake Johnson.

From 2006-2009 the series championships were awarded to each of the Singles and Twins Series contenders and Mees won the final 'separate' Twins Championship in the '09 season based on his overall finish in the split championship battle, without winning a single event in the series.  In each of the following seasons, the #1 plate was worn by each series' champion at each of the Singles and Twins Series events on the schedule.  From the 2010 season on, AMA Pro Flat Track again combined the overall championships while still recognizing each series' accomplishment with a ceremonial #1 plate and trophy to go along with it, but only one person thusly will wear that special #1 plate for the full season.

Mees consistency won him the overall championship (and the Singles title as well) during the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season, while still winning the Hagerstown Half-Mile round in early July, his only win of the 2012 season after winning a series' leading five events and finishing runner-up to Johnson in the 2011 season.

Check out what the champ has been up to since wrapping up the crown at the Pomona Half-Mile on October 13 as Larry Lawrence interviews Jammin' Jared in the season wrap-up issue of Cycle News below.  Mees talks about, among other things, departing crew chief Brent Armbruster and new crew chief Kenny Tolbert, his close friendship and association with team owner Craig Rogers, and whether or not he will choose to campaign a Kawasaki (or other brand) in the upcoming 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season's mile events.


Thanks again to my close friend and traveling companion Larry Lawrence for another out-of-the-park interview with 2012 AMA Grand National Champion Jared Mees, featured in the year-end issue #50 of Cycle News:

http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20121218#pg71

AMA Flat Track: Jared Mees, Blue Springs H-D & The Fast and Dirty.com Bring You Pomona Half-Mile Season Finale Video

Rogers Lake Racing team crew chief and head wrench Brent Armbruster discusses one of the team's three machines on hand with another crewman during a break in the on-track action at round 11 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series at the I-96 Speedway on July 23.  Team rider Jared Mees went on to win his 3rd of 5 wins on the season later in the evening on the #9 Rogers Lake/Blue Springs H-D/Screamin' Eagle/Lucas Oil-sponsored H-D XR750, leading Bryan Smith and Jake Johnson to the podium ceremonies in Lake Odessa, MI. 

Mees and Armbruster had a super year together, winning Brent's first AMA Grand National Championship Series event together at the Springfield Mile I event, and going on to capture the 2011 AMA Grand National Twins Championship at the end of the season, based on their fine efforts on and off the track.  Along with Mees' other wins at Hartford, Knoxville and Brainerd, Jammin' Jared racked up an amazing run of top 5s that saw only three finishes on the year where he didn't score double-figure points in a National main event, and at the end of the season led all competitors with the most wins. 

Mees also won the '09 AMA Grand National Twins Championship, but based on solid finishes, as before his Springfield win back in late May, had not stood on the top of the podium in an AMA Grand National Championship Series event since July '07.  After finishing 3rd in the 2010 AMA Grand National Championship Series standings, he also moved up a spot in finishing 2nd to repeating and now 2011 AMA Grand National Champion Jake Johnson.

Look for Mees to come back strong as ever for the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series season.  And don't be surprised to see him competing in the ICE Speedway Series over the off-season, and maybe even repeating as the champion in the ICE Series again. 


Check out the great season-finale wrap-up video from Will Fulford & Yve Assad of The Fast and Dirty.com below, as Blue Springs H-D and Jared Mees finish off the season in grand style at the Pomona Half-Mile!
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Thanks go out to Will & Yve from The Fast and Dirty.com, Blue Springs H-D and Jared Mees for this great season-ending video from the Pomona Half-Mile:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccjwJV8GsNA
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AMA Flat Track: Jared Mees, Blue Springs H-D & The Fast and Dirty.com Bring You More Knoxville Half-Mile Video

Crew chief and head tech, Brent Armbruster rolls the #9 Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Screamin' Eagle/Lucas Oil-sponsored H-D XR750 of rider Jared Mees through the AMA Pro Flat Track tech line, minutes after The Jammer had won heat 2 at the Springfield Mile II on September 4, round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series.  Mees and the Rogers Lake Racing team later went on to win the Dash for Cash event and brought the sparkling blue & burnt orange XR home in the 5th spot during the National main for the day after what was a two-part 21- and 5-lap dash to the checkered flag after a short red flag delay in the program.  Mees finished the Springfield Mile II round just .261 seconds behind event and first-time winner Willie McCoy on the hot and windy Illinois State Fairgrounds mile oval.

Heading to the Knoxville Raceway for the next weekend's event, round 17 of the series' season, Mees duplicated his wins in heat 2 and the Dash for Cash event, and then went on to win what is being called the closest-ever finish in an AMA Grand National Championship Series event over title rival Jake Johnson by just .0004 seconds in a virtual dead heat checkered flag finish.  It was Mees' fourth win of the season, and he would grab the overall points standing lead over season-long leader Sammy Halbert for his efforts.

Mees and the team have proven to be a sponsor's marketing dream throughout the season (and in all likelihood only second to Halbert in terms of media exposure) in releasing photos, press releases and videos highlighting their great season together.  The 2009 AMA Grand National Twins Series Champion and his Brent Armbruster-wrenched XRs have been a threat on and off the track all season, whether it be in the Singles or the Twins Series (where he has now won five events on the year.)  And although The Jammer failed to score a win in the Singles Series on the year, his string of podiums and top 5s on the year has also been spectacular by anyone's standards for the year.
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Thanks to Jared Mees, Blue Springs H-D and Will & Yve from The Fast and Dirty.com for this excellent wrap-up video from the Knoxville Half-Mile, round 17 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series:

http://www.youtube.com/user/BlueSpringsHD1#p/u/0/a0Dbas3s-VQ
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You can also check out more on Jammin' Jared Mees via his official website here:

http://jaredmees.gatzstudios.com/

Blue Springs Harley-Davidson is one of Jared Mees' main sponsors in the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series, and you can check out their race pages here as they post info on Jared's season:

http://www.bluespringsharleydavidson.com/default.asp?page=jaredmees
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And whatever you do, check out Will Fulford & Yve Assad's official website, The Fast and Dirty.com for ALL of their excellent photos and videos straight from The Rolling Thunder Show of AMA Pro Flat Track Series racing.

Also, a big congratulations go out to Will & Yve who will be tying the knot over the off-season in Macon, GA. 

This great couple is going to make it 'official' (or legal, whichever you prefer!) during the break between the end of the 2011 season and the beginning of the 2012 season which fires up at Daytona on March 15, 2012:

http://thefastanddirty.com/flat-track-racing/
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AMA Flat Track: Jared Mees Reports on Winning His 5th Event of the Season at the Brainerd Half-Mile

Jared Mees and the #9 Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Screamin' Eagle/Lucas Oil-sponsored team roll out one of the team's XR750s in preparation for round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series at the Springfield Mile II on Sunday, September 3.  Mees took 5th in the main, after earlier in the day winning the Dash for Cash event, to go along with the major-cool Nicky Hayden Tissot Watch that went to the victor of the Labor Day Weekend event.

Mees debuted his set of retro Gary Nixon riding gear at the Illinois State Fairgrounds mile oval, to honor the loss of one of the sport's icons, who had passed away in early August.  From his helmet down to his riding boots, The Jammer had it going on and was big-time styling in the looks department, and along with the re-worked #9 number plate, looked every bit the part as the late 2-Time AMA Grand National Champion did back in the late '60s and early '70s when he was still active on the American flat track scene.  Mees' tuner, Brent Armbruster, rolls the machine out while Jammin' Jared walks along with another of his crewmen.

After taking his 5th win of the season at the North Central Speedway 'half-mile' last Saturday, Mees and company took a commanding lead in the overall championship series with an 18 point edge on defending AMA Grand National Champion Jake Johnson (348-330), and a 20 point lead over former series point leader, and now 3rd in the standings, Sammy Halbert (328 points.)  With the run in the Twins Series events that Mees has established for himself and the Rogers Lake Racing team, the championship is arguably his to lose with the final two west coast events to run this season.  Johnson and Halbert are the only riders left at this point in the championship hunt with a matematical chance of taking the title away in the final stretch.

Although the Brainerd track was reported to be closer to '3/8ths' of a mile as opposed to the half-mile it was advertised at, Mees' win in Minnesota made his tally for the season 4 half-mile wins and 1 mile win, all since late May at the Springfield Mile I (Hartford, Lake Odessa and Knoxville are the other rounds The Jammer has bagged in the last four months of racing.)

Obviously the big question and/or thought on everyone's mind going into round 19 this Saturday at Calistoga, CA. and the season finale in Pomona, CA. on October 15, is can Jared and The Rogers Lake Racing team be stopped?  With both of those remaining events on half-mile tracks, going in you have to give the overall on-track advantage to Mees and Company.  At this point, if you don't, you could be the big loser when Jared and the team hoist that #1 plate over their heads in just over two weeks time.  Mees also won the 2009 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Twins Series Championship, but should he accomplish this great feat after the Pomona checkers have flown, it will be his (and tuner Armbruster's) first AMA Grand National Championship, a very worthy feat by anyone's standards.

I'm not a betting man, but if I was......I'd wish The Jammer the best of luck and let them all have at it, and may the best man win!
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Jared Mees checks in after winning round 18 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series at the North Central Speedway in Brainerd, MN., for his series-leading 5th win of the season.


BRAINERD MN – 24 September 2011

I was told this track was small. I didn’t know quite what to expect, but when we got there it was small ! When we finally got on the track it seemed even smaller yet. I have never run on a track this small before racing a Harley-Davidson XR750. Well I thought, hope for the best.

Qualifying went well… it was my first time this year as Fast Qualifier. This put me in the 1st Heat Race with Kenny Coolbeth among others. I got a lousy start behind Mick Kirkness but made my way up to the front after getting past Jake Mataya. From then on I was able to run my own race but felt someone on my heels the rest of the way. Coolbeth was right on me as I looked back after crossing the line to win the First Heat. I needed just a little more from somewhere.

For the Dash for Cash we tried a couple of different things. I got off the line well but halfway thru Bryan Smith went down, bringing out the red flag. On the re-start I got another decent jump, but Coolbeth and Matt Weidman were getting it done. I finished 3rd. I needed a little bit more speed in turns 3 and 4, so we changed a few minor things and My mechanic, Brent Armbruster, pounded in my head a few small things to pick up, and it worked.

In the Main Event I nailed the holeshot and was in the lead. Those “few small things” I had picked up from Brent made the difference. Halfway flags and I was still in the lead. Five to go and I was still in the lead. I didn’t look back a single time but heard people behind me. I was able to hold them off and win my 5th race of the season, extending my points lead to 18 ahead of second place Jake Johnson. It felt great to make it happen. After my Heat and the Dash I had thought that Kenny Coolbeth was the guy to beat and maybe, had he gotten the holeshot in the Main, he may have been the race winner, but we got it done on this night.


We are now on our way out West, with Calistoga CA this weekend. I really like the track a lot, so I’m looking to have some fun and get another good finish, and gain even more points on the Championship run.

Thanks to all my supporters and fans. Until next Saturday, Jammin’ Jared Mees # 9


Jared Mees' #9 Rogers Lake Racing Sponsors:


Rogers Lake Racing, Blue Springs H-D, Screamin’ Eagle, Lucas Oil, National Cycle, Twisted Beverage CompanyTM, Saddlemen, Digger Helm 57, M.E.H. Corp, Rod Lake, Goodwin Racing, Rockysonline .com, Arai Helmets, Speed Strength Leathers, KK Motorcycle Supply, A&A Racing, Steve & Cindy Vizzo, Battley Cycles, MRT Racing, Kelly’s, MTA, JE Pistons, Cometic Gaskets, VP Racing Fuels,Tsubaki, Motion Pro, TCX Boots, Troy Lee Designs, K&N Filters, Millennium Technologies, Vortex, Craig Pickett, Goodridge, Works Connection, Rekluse Clutches, Gene & Gail Cummings, Eddie Mulder, NGK, Z Gallerie, Dick Winters, Oakley, WestCoast Hot Shoes, Jupiter Wheels, Supertrapp, ARC Levers, Moto Tassinari, EBC, Mikuni, Web Cam, Ancra, J&M Racing Frames, Pro Plates, Kold Kutter, Turn 1 Distributing, Crank Works Crank Shafts, EZ-up, Suburban H-D, Twenty Six Suspension, Flash, G2, Penske Racing, Chicken Hawk, Ferrea Valves, J2 Motorsports, Royal Publishing Co., Applied Diamond Coatings, M&Z Anodizing, Brent Armbruster, CV4, Bristol Core, Universal Coatings, Hammer Head , Hot Rods, TSS Graphics, Dyno Jet, DVS Shoes, Xtremely Fit, Aerodyne, Boyesen, Wrex .ca, Fluidyne, Helix, Gunk, Kicker.
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AMA Flat Track: Jared Mees/Blue Springs H-D Review Knoxville, The Fast and Dirty Releases Springfield Mile II Video

Jared Mees checks out the goings on in his pit area in between the break in the on-track action at round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series at the Springfield Mile II on Sunday, September 4.  The Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Screamin' Eagle/Lucas Oil-sponsored XR750-mounted rider had a great day on the mile oval at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, starting with a win in heat #2 after qualifying 5th on the day.  The Jammer went on to win the Dash for Cash event over then-overall point leader Sammy Halbert, and coupled with his 5th place in the National main event, left Springfield within 5 points of leader Halbert in the standings.

At round 17 at the Knoxville Half-Mile the next weekend, it was ALL Mees as he won his heat, took home the points and the cash in the Dash event, and went on to win the National main over defending AMA Grand National Champion Jake Johnson, in what could very well be the closest margin of victory in the Grand National Series in years...just .004 seconds ahead of title rival Jersey Jake.  With Slammin' Sammy coming home in 3rd at the World Capital of Sprint Car Racing, Mees stole the show--and the point lead--and now leads the standings over Sammy, 321-317, with Johnson in 3rd with 312 points, with only three events remaining in the season.

Mees has been ultra consistent for the last few years, but with his 4th win of the year-to equal Halbert's-and his strong run of top 5s and podiums, you could very well say 'advantage-Mees' going into round 18 in Brainerd, MN. on Saturday, September 24.  And with the final two events on the West Coast-and both also half-mile events at that-Mees arguably has the steam to run away with it all.  Three of The Jammer's wins this year have been on half-mile tracks, and if you are betting against him, you could come out a loser come mid-October at Pomona.
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Jared Mees #9 Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Screamin' Eagle/Lucas Oil-sponsored rider talks about winning round 17 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series at the Knoxville Raceway Half-Mile:

Last year this race was rained out. This year it seemed we would finally get to race as the weather looked good. This track has a lot of history as the site of the Knoxville National Sprint Car races. I was here last year for a small exhibition race and it was packed, so I was excited to come back. I knew the track would favor my style a bit.

Qualifying went well as I ended up 2nd overall, with Jake Johnson 1st. I won my Heat and everything felt good, with some quick times, so we did not change much on the bike. The track was very hooked up, and as hard as you could charge it in the corner and pick up the gas, the faster you could go. It was like riding Savannah. Hard to pass for sure.

For the Dash for Cash I came off the line side by side with Jake and got the lead going into the corner. I knew it wasn’t over as Jake was sitting right on my heels but I was able to hold him off the five laps and win the $1000 bucks and the 5 bonus points. Still, I knew he would be tough in the Main and it would be a close one.

For the Main Event we made no changes, just a fresh tire and gassed it up. I picked 3rd starting spot…same place I was in the Dash, got a decent start and was 2nd behind Jake. I followed him for a few laps and seemed to be faster in a certain spot. I made a move and got by. I took note where I was faster, but he was also breathing down my neck, it was close.. Right before the half-way point he came back by me in that spot. I followed close, trying to rebound, but there was a red flag when Jeff Carver went down. It was a staggered re-start, with me in the 2nd spot. Jake got the jump and I was running all over him trying to get up the inside but could not make it stick…he was guarding the bottom of the track really well. On the last lap I was on his butt going into turn 1 and just picked up the gas and drove to the outside of Jake. He spun it up and dropped to the bottom of the groove going down the back stretch. I kept it high and drove it around the outside and made it stick. Coming off turn 4, I just held on to it at the line for the win. It was an “oh so” close finish! My Harley-Davidson XR750 was flawless, and we were riding them with everything we had to give’em!!

This was one of the best half-mile races I have ever had. It was another highlight to the season. It was great to battle it out with my friend Jake who came in 2nd. We rode against each other hard and aggressive but never once touched.

Thanks to my mechanic, Brent Armbruster, and the whole Rogers Lake Team for all the hard work… thanks to my sponsors and everyone else who makes this all happen. I now have taken a 4 point lead in the Championship Series standings. We are just going to take this one race at a time, and we are looking forward to a great end to a memorable season.


We have next weekend off. I am going fishing. Hope to see ya at Brainerd MN.


Jammin’ Jared Mees # 9


Rogers Lake Racing, Blue Springs H-D, Screamin’ Eagle, Lucas Oil, National Cycle, Twisted Beverage CompanyTM, Saddlemen, Digger Helm 57, M.E.H. Corp, Rod Lake, Goodwin Racing, Rockysonline .com, Arai Helmets, Speed Strength Leathers, KK Motorcycle Supply, A&A Racing, Steve & Cindy Vizzo, Battley Cycles, MRT Racing, Kelly’s, MTA, JE Pistons, Cometic Gaskets, VP Racing Fuels,Tsubaki, Motion Pro, TCX Boots, Troy Lee Designs, K&N Filters, Millennium Technologies, Vortex, Craig Pickett, Goodridge, Works Connection, Rekluse Clutches, Gene & Gail Cummings, Eddie Mulder, NGK, Z Gallerie, Dick Winters, Oakley, WestCoast Hot Shoes, Jupiter Wheels, Supertrapp, ARC Levers, Moto Tassinari, EBC, Mikuni, Web Cam, Ancra, J&M Racing Frames, Pro Plates, Kold Kutter, Turn 1 Distributing, Crank Works Crank Shafts, EZ-up, Suburban H-D, Twenty Six Suspension, Flash, G2, Penske Racing, Chicken Hawk, Ferrea Valves, J2 Motorsports, Royal Publishing Co., Applied Diamond Coatings, M&Z Anodizing, Brent Armbruster, CV4, Bristol Core, Universal Coatings, Hammer Head , Hot Rods, TSS Graphics, Dyno Jet, DVS Shoes, Xtremely Fit, Aerodyne, Boyesen, Wrex .ca, Fluidyne, Helix, Gunk, Kicker.
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Check out The Fast and Dirty.com's latest video featuring Jared Mees on his #9 Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs H-D XR750 from the Springfield Mile II round over the Labor Day Weekend.  Great action from The Jammer, Yve and Will from The Fast and Dirty, as well as Blue Springs Harley-Davidson.  The Jammer also talks about wearing the Gary Nixon tribute riding gear during the event at the Springfield Mile II.

Click here to go for the ride of your life on the fastest mile circuit in the nation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM1caojAZew&feature=colike
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AMA Flat Track: Jared Mees Checks in With His Retro Gary Nixon Gear from The Springfield Mile II

Jared Mees rolled off and out of the truck at the Springfield Mile II last Sunday with a retro Gary Nixon gear set that absolutely rocked the pits at round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series season.  In carrying on the tradition of the #9 plate, which Nixon made famous after he won the '67-'68 AMA Grand National Championships, and later worn by 3-Time AMA Grand National Champion Jay Springsteen, Mees' homage to the passing of a hero just over a month ago was worthy of a champion in itself, and IMHO looked damn bitchin' and he was REAL easy to spot all day long, too! 

What was a very nice gesture and a super-look for the '09 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Twins Series Champion,  Mees took his #9 Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Screamin' Eagle/Lucas Oil-sponsored and Brent Armbruster-tuned H-D XR750 to the win in the Dash event (and a new Tissot Nicky Hayden replica watch) and the 5 point bonus.  Coming home 5th on the day in the National main event on the wild, windy and worthy venue that is the Illinois State Fairgrounds mile oval, Mees now sits 5 points back of series' overall point leader, Sammy Halbert.  Hmmm, are we seeing a pattern of '5's going on here.... 

Mees and the Rogers Lake team head to the Knoxville Raceway Half-Mile in Knoxville, IA. on Saturday, and look to saw some more points off of Slammin' Sammy's lead in the series.  If Jammin' Jared comes away with the results he did earlier in the season in winning Hartford and Lake Odessa, those 5 points could be history.  With just four rounds left in the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series season, look for Mees and the rest of the contestants in The Rolling Thunder Show to take it down to the end at Pomona in October.

Check out Jared's press release below and hear what he had to say about the great get-together at the Springfield Rodeo Arena and the Springfield Mile II.  And good luck to Jared and the Rogers Lake team this weekend at the home of the Sprint Car Hall of Fame this weekend!
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Jared Mees checks in with his #9 Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Screamin' Eagle/Lucas Oil-sponsored team from the weekend that was at the Springfield Labor Day Weekend doubleheader.  And check out his bitchin' retro Gary Nixon gear.  Awesome!


(NEWS RELEASE)

Short Track – 3 Sep 2011

Over the years the Short Track has always been pretty tough for me. Going into this weekend I knew it could be almost make or break. The two-day racing could really pack away some points. If you get some momentum rolling you can just carry it on. The May Springfield race was almost picture perfect.

This short track was smaller than it has ever been. Flat, which I liked and made for better racing, but very tight in turns 3 and 4. Qualifying did not go that well for me, but what else is new!! We made some changes and at least I was in the front row for the Heat. I got a good jump and was up to 2nd but Brad Baker got around me, pushing me back to 3rd. I really wanted to be in the Dash for Cash because the points race is getting tight. So we made some more changes for the Main Event… hoping to take us to the next step. Well, sometimes you go forward and sometimes you go backwards.

In the Main Event, after about 5 re-starts we finally got going. I had a decent jump to the front but faded quickly. The changes I had made to the bike really didn’t pan out too well. I dropped back to 10th place. This was something I was not anticipating. For some reason I seem to always struggle at the Springfield Short Track. Not sure why but we are working hard to figure it out.
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Jared Mees #9 shows some style as well as his usual form on the Rogers Lake Racing XR at the Springfield Mile II on Sunday, September 4.  Jammin' Jared donned the retro Gary Nixon gear from head to toe to honor the former 2-Time Grand National Champion who passed away on August 5.  Mees did Nixon proud with a great looking set of leathers, helmet and boots, as well as the different configuration on the #9 as well.  AMA Pro Flat Track/Flat Trak Fotos.com photo by Dave Hoenig.
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The Mile – 4 Sep 2011

The Mile was the next day and I couldn’t wait to get out there again. This place is so much fun. I did something really special to honor Gary Nixon, who recently passed away. I had Speed and Strength make me up a really cool all-white set of leathers with the gold and blue Nixon used to run, and Troy Lee Designs paint me a Nixon Star helmet just like he used to wear, all in his colors. I can’t thank Speed and Strength and Troy Lee Designs enough for working hard to get it all done in time. They actually had it ready to go for Indy but since it was cancelled, we show-cased it at Springfield. It was an honor to wear Gary Nixon’s colors and I really enjoyed doing it.

I felt good in practice. The qualifying put me in another tough Heat race: Willie McCoy, Chris Carr, Jake Johnson, Brad Baker, Jethro Halbert and myself on the front row. Note that the first three ended up on the podium after the Main Event. I got a good start and was dicing it up with the guys back and forth. On the white flag lap I led it going into turn 3, pushed it in there hard, and came off turn 4 with the lead and won the Heat. It felt good to win this Heat with what could have been the front-row riders in any Main Event.

For the Dash we did not change a thing. I got off to a good start but did not have the traction I had before. I couldn’t get going and suddenly it came right in and bang! — I was in front. I was getting ready to draft by Carr and noticed his bike was missing and spitting. I went around the outside of Carr and Sammy went up the inside. I drafted Sammy at the line for the Dash win. I want to thank former GNC Rider Tommy Duma who donated a Nicky Hayden watch from Tissot to the winner of the Dash for Cash. I have always admired and wanted one of these watches and to earn it this way made it special. Nicky Hayden is like Rocky Balboa. He is an American Hero. To a flattrack racer this award has special meaning and is greatly appreciated.

For the Main Event we again did not make any changes as the bike felt great. I got off to a good start and was behind Johnny Lewis, dicing with him, but got trickled back to about 7th. The pace was very fast and as to the draft, if you were 3rd on back you couldn’t sling shot by anyone. You would go to pull out and you couldn’t go by. It was tough. Sitting in 5th place, there was a red flag with 5 laps to go. On the staggered re-start we got going and got up to 2nd on the last lap. But Carr came up and drafted by, putting me in 3rd going down the back stretch. With the draft, Willie made a really smart move and Johnson and Kenny Coolbeth went by. I ended up 5th. I was disappointed for sure as I had been fast all day, but made a couple of bad decisions in the Main. Good thing I did not lose much in the points race for the Championship. Going into this weekend I am only 5 points out of the Championship lead!


Thank you to all the fans and sponsors for the great support.


Jammin’ Jared Mees – # 9


Rogers Lake Racing, Blue Springs H-D, Screamin’ Eagle, Lucas Oil, National Cycle, Twisted Beverage CompanyTM, Saddlemen, Digger Helm 57, M.E.H. Corp, Rod Lake, Goodwin Racing, Rockysonline .com, Arai Helmets, Speed Strength Leathers, KK Motorcycle Supply, A&A Racing, Steve & Cindy Vizzo, Battley Cycles, MRT Racing, Kelly’s, MTA, JE Pistons, Cometic Gaskets, VP Racing Fuels,Tsubaki, Motion Pro, TCX Boots, Troy Lee Designs, K&N Filters, Millennium Technologies, Vortex, Craig Pickett, Goodridge, Works Connection, Rekluse Clutches, Gene & Gail Cummings, Eddie Mulder, NGK, Z Gallerie, Dick Winters, Oakley, WestCoast Hot Shoes, Jupiter Wheels, Supertrapp, ARC Levers, Moto Tassinari, EBC, Mikuni, Web Cam, Ancra, J&M Racing Frames, Pro Plates, Kold Kutter, Turn 1 Distributing, Crank Works Crank Shafts, EZ-up, Suburban H-D, Twenty Six Suspension, Flash, G2, Penske Racing, Chicken Hawk, Ferrea Valves, J2 Motorsports, Royal Publishing Co., Applied Diamond Coatings, M&Z Anodizing, Brent Armbruster, CV4, Bristol Core, Universal Coatings, Hammer Head , Hot Rods, TSS Graphics, Dyno Jet, DVS Shoes, Xtremely Fit, Aerodyne, Boyesen, Wrex .ca, Fluidyne, Helix, Gunk, Kicker.
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AMA Flat Track: Jared Mees Checks In After Winning His 3rd Race of the Year at Lake Odessa

Jared Mees' #9 Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Lucas Oil/Saddlemen-sponsored mounts sit underneath the team's pop-up awning during round 11 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series at the Lake Odessa, MI. half-mile event.  Team crew chief Brent Armbruster (background, right) and another member of the team work on getting The Jammer's machines ready during the break in the on-track action.  Mees' can be seen walking between the team's pit area towards the transporter in the background.

Mees and the Rogers Lake Racing team showed up ready for whatever may come their way for the I-96 Speedway half-mile event, with three immaculately prepared Harley-Davidson XR-750s.  Mees opted to ride two of those machines during the day's events, and went on to win the main and take second place to Jake Johnson in the Dash for Cash event.  The team loaded up after the Lake Odessa round to head for round 12 on Saturday, July 30, at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds, for the return of the Sacramento Mile.
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Jared Mees #9 & Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs H-D Press Release: Lake Odessa Half-Mile, Win # 3 on the Season for The Jammer and Team!


This is a race I have been itching to win for years now. I have come close several times, finishing 2nd to Kenny Coolbeth one year, and at another time I had a good shot at it but three laps from the finish I had a flat tire. Like Hagerstown, it is just one of those races I have really wanted to win. It’s my adopted hometown crowd and a lot of friends come out to watch this race which gets pretty hyped up around the area.

The first time out on the track for practice I felt awesome but was slow. I tried a different bike for the next round, the first qualifying, and was 5th fastest, and then in the last round, the final qualifying, I was 1st, giving me a combined 3rd fastest. I was on the pole in the 3rd Heat with Jake Johnson who was very close to my time in the final qualifying. So I knew he was going to be THE guy. Sure enough, he grabbed the hole shot and set a very fast pace. I had nothing for him, and then we had a red flag when Steve Murray went down. ON the re-start I got a decent jump. Jake missed a shift going down the back stretch allowing me to get by. A few laps later Jake went sailing by again. I ended up 2nd in the Heat, good enough to get into the Dash for Cash.

For the Dash I changed bikes again to see if this one was better. I got the hole shot and felt good but slipped in one of the corners and Jake got by me again. I got a 2nd, which I was pretty happy with—especially the 4 points that went with it.

For the Main Event I was not ready to give up on it but again figured that Jake was the guy to beat. I thought that if I could just stick right behind him and get a 2nd it would be a pretty good night. He waxed me in the Heat and the Dash, so I knew his speed was better than mine. I got a decent, not great, start and was riding my same line I had been all day, which earlier had not helped. I went into turn 1 down low and passed two riders, and off turn 2 passed Bryan Smith and took off. I just kept hitting my marks and when the 5-to-go flag came out I peeked over my shoulder and saw my gap. I was able to maintain the lead until the finish to make one of my dreams come true by winning the I-96.

This was my 3rd win of the year. I had a lot of making up to do as I had not won a race in ’08, ’09 or ’10—in spite of winning the 2009 GNC Twins Championship, (one of the years in which the AMA chose to not have a Combined Championship) and instead split it into the Twins and Singles Championship , which Henry Wiles was the Singles Champion.

It was very exciting to have two of my good buddies, Bryan Smith and Jake Johnson, sharing the podium at I-96, having finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.

We are on our way to Sacramento right now, driving the rig out with Jake, Nichole Cheza and Jimmy Wood. No time to relax and enjoy the win.

Until next time, thank you to my team, sponsors and all the flat track fans out there.


Jammin’ Jared Mees # 9

Rogers Lake Racing, Blue Springs H-D, Screamin’ Eagle, Lucas Oil, National Cycle, Twisted Beverage CompanyTM, Saddlemen, Digger Helm 57, M.E.H. Corp, Rod Lake, GoodwinRacing, Rockysonline .com, Arai Helmets, Speed Strength Leathers, KK Motorcycle Supply, A&A Racing, Steve & Cindy Vizzo, Battley Cycles,MRT Racing, Kelly’s, MTA, JE Pistons, Cometic Gaskets, VP Racing Fuels,Tsubaki, Motion Pro, TCX Boots, Troy Lee Designs, K&N Filters, Millennium Technologies, Vortex, Craig Pickett, Goodridge, Works Connection, Rekluse Clutches, Gene & Gail Cummings, Eddie Mulder, NGK, Z Gallerie, Dick Winters, Oakley, WestCoast Hot Shoes, Jupiter Wheels, EBC, Mikuni, Web Cam, Ancra, J&M Racing Frames, Pro Plates, Kold Kutter, Turn 1 Distributing, Crank Works Crank Shafts, EZ-up, Suburban H-D, Twenty Six Suspension, Flash, G2, Penske Racing, Chicken Hawk, Ferrea Valves, J2 Motorsports, Royal Publishing Co., Applied Diamond Coatings, M&Z Anodizing, Brent Armbruster, CV4, Bristol Core, Universal Coatings, Hammer Head , Hot Rods, TSS Graphics, Dyno Jet, DVS Shoes, Xtremely Fit, Aerodyne, Boyesen, Wrex .ca, Fluidyne, Helix, Gunk, Kicker.
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You can check out some of Jared Mees and Blue Springs H-D's videos below via their You Tube.com links.  They don't have a new vid posted yet from Lake Odessa, but should soon.  All of the team's videos are put together by the great team of Will Fulford and Yve Assad from The Fast and Dirty.com, so you won't be dissapointed!

http://www.youtube.com/user/BlueSpringsHD1
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AMA Flat Track: Jared Mees & Blue Springs H-D Get You Up to Date With Some Video Action in Grand National Racing



2009 AMA Flat Track Grand National Twins Champion Jared Mees is seen talking to Cycle News.com's Larry Lawrence (through wheel, in sunglasses) during the program delay at the Springfield Mile on May 29, round 6 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series, and the first Twins Series event on the year.  Mees' immaculately prepped stable of #9 Rogers Lake/Blue Springs H-D/Lucas Oil/Saddlemen-sponsored XR-750s sit at the ready behind him in his pit area as the fans stream by and peek at the action off the track.

Jammin Jared's win at the Memorial Day classic on the Illinois State Fairgrounds was the stuff legends are made of, especially when those legends contest the tracks on the AMA Grand National Championship calendar.  Springfield, besides having the distinction of having the series only double-double rounds for some time now, also is known for it's own legendary status amongst the sport's elite over the decades.  With the return to the winner's spot on the top of the box for the first time in almost four years, Mees also now adds his name to the list of greats who have achieved that goal at the fastest mile on the circuit's schedule.

Mees and his Rogers Lake/Blue Springs Racing team also backed up the first 2011 Twins Series event win with another some 12 days later at the Hartford Half-Mile in Michigan.  In between Grand National weekends, he visited Peoria Speedway and the Peoria TT as part of the Steve Nace Racing/AMA All-Star Racing Series, and won both of those events, probably just to keep fresh.  (Yeah, right!)  Of course, in both the Singles and Twins Series events on the Steve Nace schedule, he is running away with and leading the point standings after 6 of 11 scheduled rounds.  (And I believe he is running the Independence Day event in Maryland as well as the Virginia event the day before the Hagerstown National.) 

Mees has more then proven that he is a racer's racer.  During the off-season, he regularly races several West Coast events (Gene Romero's and Eddie Mulder's Series) and regularly wins, and he also runs the ICE Speedway Championship Series, where over this last off-season he won the championship, again.  And with his extremely strong run of solid finishes, especially over the course of the last 2 1/2 years on the Grand National circuit, he has racked up solid, good point-paying results  He was the first Twins Champion in the sport to ever win the championship without a series win on the year.  The man who rides the Brent Armbruster-prepped Rogers Lake machines knows how to bring it home, and bring it home solid.  The two wins at Springfield and Hartford were the true icing on the cake in terms of finishing off those solid results over the course of the last three seasons (and we still have 13 scheduled events left in 2011!)

Mees left last weekend's event at Lima, where he finished a very strong 5th on the day, 3rd in the overall championship standings in the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series, behind series leader Sammy Halbert and runner-up Jake Johnson, where he now sits 31 points behind Slammin Sammy (186 points) and just 6 points behind Johnson (161 points.)  With a weekend off to go play in the All-Star Series, they will all roll in to Hagerstown, MD. on July 9, unload, and do it again for the first of 13 more races this year.  And you can pretty much bet (if you are the betting type, of which I'm not, just sayin.....) that The Jammer and the Rogers Lake/Blue Springs team will be there, and ready to go with the #9 machines, to bring home more of those rock hard results.  And maybe another step, or two, atop the box along the way.

Just like The Rolling Thunder Show, this train is coming fast and it's not going to slow down for anyone!
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We want to take the time to thank Jared Mees, Rogers Lake/Blue Springs H-D and The Fast and Dirty.com for bringing us this great action from two of the great events this year on the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series schedule.

For those of you not familiar with Will Fulford and Yve Assad, they are some of the hardest working people at an AMA Pro Flat Track event.  Between the wonderful photos and videos they bring to the table to showcase the great sport of The Rolling Thunder Show, these folks put a truckload of work into the quality of their products.  If you aren't checking out their stuff, you are missing the action!

In this video we see and hear from Jared and the Rogers Lake/Blue Springs crew about Springfield:

http://www.youtube.com/user/BlueSpringsHD1#p/a/u/0/kNy_yUkaVaY

And in this video, we see the team again go to town at the Hartford Half-Mile:

http://www.youtube.com/user/BlueSpringsHD1#p/a/u/1/WlqdkMdwMds

And for some great action wrap-up from the 2010 season, you can review this 'fist fight in a phone booth' full of highlights for the year:

http://www.youtube.com/user/BlueSpringsHD1#p/a/u/2/4o6dAB831xk
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And you can catch some of Yve and Will's other work here on their site, The Fast and Dirty.com.  Well worth the visit!

http://thefastanddirty.com/flat-track-racing/
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AMA Flat Track: Jared Mees Talks About Winning His 1st Springfield Mile & the Memorial Day Weekend Races

Jared Mees, AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National #9, looks over his Rogers Lake/Blue Springs H-D/Lucas Oil/Saddlemen-sponsored Harley-Davidson XR-750s while his Rogers Lake Racing crew preps his machines for the racing that lies ahead at the Springfield Mile on Sunday, May 29.  Round 6 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series at the Illinois State Fairgrounds mile oval saw the '09 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Twins Champion break his winless streak at the legendary track after almost a decade of trying. 
Jammin Jared only led 2 of the 25 lap main event, but it was the second lap that he led that counted the most-by .016 seconds over runner-up Sammy Halbert #7 and 3rd place finisher Jake Johnson #1 by .068 seconds.  Mees also broke a winless streak of almost four years--having won his last Grand National race at the Joliet Half Mile on 7/7/07. 
The man who in my book is and has been Mr. Consistency in the Expert class over the course of the last two seasons is making a great effort to fight for the top spot in the series championship after having done a super job of gaining podiums throughout the course of the 2010-2011 seasons.  Coupled with his 2nd place behind TT event winner Jake Johnson on Memorial Day, Mees now lies 3rd in the overall 2011 point standings (Halbert 145, Johnson 138, Mees 112 points) and is working on making the 2011 season a three-rider affair with now 7 of 22-scheduled races in the bag for the season.

Of note, Jared took his #9 Montgomeryville Cycle Center/Rogers Lake Racing-sponsored Honda CRF450R to the win last night, his third in a row, at the 27th Annual Dairyland Classic presented by Hoban Brothers in Plymouth, WI.  Mees bested a National-caliber field that included runner-up Sammy Halbert on his #7 and 7-Time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr on his Kenny Tolbert-tuned #4. 

The Steve Nace Racing/AMA All-Star Series is in Wisconsin today and tomorrow before heading to Hartford, MI. for the half mile on Saturday, June 11.
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JARED MEES SPRINGFIELD RACE REPORT

Springfield IL – Saturday May 28, 2011

The weather did not look good for the Springfield weekend, but then again, the weather changes every minute in Springfield and I can probably predict its weather for the next 5 years: sunny with a slight chance of rain, partly cloudy... Covers all bases!! We got into the pit area with it being really cloudy, looking like bad weather was coming. Pretty much as we had finished unloading , got all set up and had the bikes teched and ready, the rain came crashing down. So the TT was postponed until Monday.

Right after we had left the pits, hail the size of golf balls came down. We all knew that next day’s Mile would be delayed since the haulers cannot cross the track when it is soaked. So I was able to sleep in a little and relax.

The Springfield Mile – Sunday May 29, 2011

Sure enough, we could not cross the track until 11 am, instead of the normal 7 am. We got in, set up, but practice did not get going until about 2:30 pm. The decision was made to run only the Heat races to save time, taking the top 6 out of each Heat into the Main Event, no Semis to be run. The track wasn’t too bad when we finally got on it, a little choppy, but nothing like in 2009 when we almost got rained out. The first practice was actually the best shape the track was in all day. I qualified 11th overall. I knew I was better than what it showed, but the guys who placed higher may have had better drafts for the timed spot or maybe they just simply were faster.
I was in the 2nd Heat with Bryan Smith, Willie McCoy, Sammy Halbert and Nichole Cheza. Pretty stacked. I got the holeshot but Smith and Halbert passed me. I got back by them and for most of the race it was Halbert and me dicing it up. Then on the last lap Smith came up and was a player. Going into turn 3 on the last lap I was sitting 2nd behind Smith, then all of a sudden he hit a hole and went right up the track. I had to step off the gas and had no momentum to get me going quickly. Halbert and Smith got me at the line, and I ended up 3rd.

For the Main Event we made a gear change and put on the tire we thought would be best. I got off a good start from the second row, quickly getting into 4th off turn 4. There I was, playing with Jake Johnson, Bryan Smith, Sammy and Brad Baker. Baker, from the Pole, seemed to have the nod early on the fast 1200 Ducati. It was almost impossible to draft by that machine. As the race progressed, the track got dryer and rougher, making it harder for Baker to control his bike. We diced it up a bit and with about 8 laps to go Baker went into turn 3 and blew the corner badly. Time to leave the Ducati behind us and make it a Harley race, drafting each other much better!! By then it was Johnson, Halbert and myself going back and forth with the lead. With 5 laps to go Sammy was actually running away with this race but he went sideways really bad off turn 4 on the last lap. It gave me a huge run on him and made it within striking distance for the lap that counted the most. I came off turn 4 and was able to swing right by him for my first ever Springfield MILE Main Event win.

It was also my first win since 2007, almost four years. It felt like my very first win all over again. It was also the first Springfield Mile win for Craig Rogers, owner of my team. And the very first win for my mechanic, Brent Armbruster. Steve Beattie has been with us for the last couple of years, so for him also to be there and enjoy the moment was awesome for all of us on the team. It is every Grand National dirt tracker’s dream to win the Springfield Mile and it had just come true for us. I cannot thank my entire team enough!!

Of course, the joke of the day was that I won because of my new haircut—shaved my hair all off... went to the Mile and WON!!
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Jared Mees takes his #9 Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Screamin Eagle-sponsored XR-750 on the victory lap after winning his first Springfield Mile on Sunday, May 29.  AMA Pro Flat Track/Flat Trak Fotos by Dave Hoenig.
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Springfield IL TT - Monday, May 30, 2011

Not much time to celebrate yesterday’s Mile win. I did not sleep well... just jazzed up I guess. I woke up at 4 am, wired, and could not go back to sleep. It had sunk in that I had just won Springfield. At 6 am I had to get up to take the bikes to the track. It looked like it would be a hot and muggy day.

Practice went well. We made a change for the last qualifying session and jumped to 3rd fastest overall. That put me in the 3rd Heat with Bryan Smith, Kenny Coolbeth, Matt Burton and Raun Wood. I got a good jump behind Kayl Kolkman, but he fell in the right-hander, leaving me in the leading spot. After some hard laps I pulled away and won the Heat race with the fastest time, putting me in the Dash, with first pick of starting spot.

The Dash is important because of the points awarded for it. I got a good start but blew the 1st corner badly. Four guys went by but I was able to get Chad Cose right away and pulled in Sammy. With a lap to go I got underneath Sammy and finished 2nd behind Schnabel.

For the Main Event, after looking at some times from my Heat race, I knew my times were good. I needed a good start. I did not get the hole shot but was 3rd up over the jump. I ran into the back of JR Schnabel on the 3rd lap coming into turn 1 and about stepped off the bike and two guys got by me. I got back by the both of them and ran down JR again. I finally made a clean smooth pass on him but missed a shift and could not make it stick. A few laps later, with about 6 to go, I got a little bit more physical with JR and we both drifted up the track, but this time I made the pass stick. In the next left-hand corner JR came back with some force but I pinned it and we were stuck together until the next corner, when I got the position. I was after Jake with 5 laps to go. His gap was about 2.5 seconds and I closed it to about 0.5 seconds but could not make up the time quickly enough. Catching is one thing; passing is another. But I finished 2nd with a 1, 2 weekend—heading in the right direction. I really did want to be the first rider to win both days. That would be history. But it did not happen.

I want to thank my team once more for all they do. My 450 was working great on the TT—best I have felt there in a long time. My Mile bikes were really fast and also worked great. Can’t wait to get back out and win some more races.

A Special "Thank You" to all the flattrack fans that make all this happen...

Jammin’ Jared Mees # 9

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Jared Mees' Springfield 2011 Memorial Day Weekend press release story courtesy of FlatTrack.com:

http://www.flattrack.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1077&Itemid=1
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AMA Flat Track: Jammin Jared Mees Continues On Winning Path Into 2011 Season

Jared Mees cools off during a break in the on-track action at the Gas City/I-69 Speedway Short Track round of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series in June of 2010, while his #21 Rockysonline.com Honda CRF450 is attended to by his crew.  After several rain-outs over the previous few years and just weeks before the event actually did run, the event finally took place on June 16.  However, for what was a very nice little facility, the crowds didn't return and the event wasn't included on the 2011 schedule. 
Mees had a great event and put on a great show for those that did turn out to watch, and came home second to event winner Henry Wiles, finishing just .624 seconds behind the Singles Series Champ.  Gas City was just one of eight podium finishes in the '10 season (out of 16 events) for Mees and his versatility in both the Twins and Singles Series events, along with his Blue Springs H-D/Rogers Lake Racing team's knack for setting up great equipment, propelled him to 3rd in the year-end overall point standings. 
The AMA Horizon Award winner and former Rookie of the Year has switched National numbers for the 2011 season, and will be carrying the #9 in both the Singles and Twins Series (where he won the '09 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Twins Championship) for the upcoming season.  He debuted his new National # at the season opening rounds at Daytona last month, where he tallied 9th/7th-place finishes to start off the year 7th in the overall championship for the 2011 season.  Some may see that as a slow start for this young charger, I see that as reason for the rest of the field to be even more worried.
The Jammer was one of many racers competing in the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series that didn't have much time off during the normal off-season, as he competed in (and won, again) the ICE Speedway Championship Series and in several other events, including the Digger Helm National in Bakersfield, CA. (part of the Eddie Mulder Series) and the San Jose Indoor several weeks ago.  He won both of those events competing against National-level talent.  With DuQuoin just 10 days away, it may be time for the competition to start worrying, as this man's indoor racing pedigree is pretty strong and he should be considered a major threat at the Southern Illinois Center and throughout the 2011 season.
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'09 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Twins Champion Jared Mees has been staying busy on the track since the last AMA Flat Track event in Arizona back in October.  Competing in and winning the championship (again) in the ICE Speedway Championship Series, The Jammer has also gotten in some short track racing indoors and out.  Two weekends ago, he competed in the San Jose Indoor put on by one of his sponsors, Rod Lake, and again pulled off the win on the concrete short track.  Along the way he made various stops (and several more wins) at some Eddie Mulder events, the Stockton Mile, and several of the Steve Nace Racing events in Southeast Georgia and in Florida on the way to the '11 AMA Flat Track season openers in Daytona in March.

Although going winless in the '10 AMA Pro Flat Track K&N Filters presented by Motorcycle Superstore.com Grand National Championship Series, Mees still ended up ranked the third rider in the nation in the year-end standings.  Garnering eight podiums on the year in both the Twins and Singles Series events, the Rogers Lake/Blue Springs H-D/Rockysonline.com-sponsored rider was in the fight in for the top spot in most of those races only to come up just short of the win at the checkers.  And it wasn't for lack of trying!

With the 2011 GNC season underway, and round three at the Southern Illinois Center in DuQuoin just shy of 10 days off on April 16, Jared Mees is one of the riders to watch out for during the upcoming year.  Off to a slow start at Daytona, look for Jared to make a big move in the next several events on the schedule before the series hits it's stride at Springfield over Memorial Day Weekend.  Carrying his new National #9 now, look for The Jammer to put the hammer down and add to the winning ways of it's former wearers, Gary Nixon and Jay Springsteen.  And I can guarantee it will be fun to watch, if you can keep the #9 in your line of sight!
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Jared released this press release at the end of March where he talks about running the San Jose indoor event.  Thanks to the great folks at FlatTrack.com for carrying on Wayne Hosaka's legacy and posting this release from this great rider:

http://www.flattrack.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1054&Itemid=1

Larry Lawrence's The Rider Files.com has this update from early March on The Jammer's online updates that are now available:

http://www.theriderfiles.com/?p=9763

Digger Helm is a former National-ranked rider (he wore #57 back in the day) who is now one of Jared's personal sponsors.  He puts on the Digger Helm National in Bakersfield, CA. of which Mees is a former winner.  This great vido is a nice look at this great National-caliber event:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNBHO2pdaBs&feature=feedrec_grec_index

Thanks to FlatTrackToday.com for this link to keep up with Jared's racing endeavors.  Most recently posted as of this writing is Jared's review of the Daytona action and has some great shots of both his Twins and Singles Series bikes with his new National #9 on them:

http://flattracktoday.com/jaredmees.html

Jared reviews the 2010 AMA Pro Flat Track K&N Filters presented by Motorcycle Superstore.com Grand National Championship Series season in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o6dAB831xk

And a BIG thanks goes out to Miriam Deitcher, who along with her Flat Track Live Facebook page got this great little video on the San Jose event over the last weekend in March.  This is another great site to bookmark for 'Live' coverage this year of the AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series, and Mir has you covered if you can't make the races:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150164180445498
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AMA Flat Track: Jared Mees Wins 3rd ICE Series Championship & Reviews the '10 AMA Flat Track Season

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'09 AMA Grand National Flat Track Twins Champion Jared Mees can be seen talking with his Rogers Lake Racing team members shortly after coming up just .096 seconds short of winning the Springfield Mile on September 5, 2010. Finishing third behind winner Bryan Smith on the #42 Monster Energy Werner Springsteen Kawasaki and Chris Carr on the #4 Lancaster H-D XR, Mees won the second heat of the day to earn his ticket to the main event, starting from the middle of the front row, over the annual Labor Day weekend round on the Illinois State Fairgrounds oval. Battling for 25 long, hot and fast laps with two of the other bests in the business (as well as with Jake Johnson, Willie McCoy and Kenny Coolbeth) the the Kawasaki pulled it out over Carr by .048 seconds to take it's second win in a Twins Main event in eight days.
Prior to the podium ceremonies to close out the day's activities, the #1 Rogers Lake/Blue Springs H-D/Rockysonline.com/Lucas Oil-sponsored and XR750-mounted Mees cools off after a great battle, held in front of one of the as-usual stellar crowds at this fine facility. Jammin Jared would finish the 2010 AMA Pro Flat Track season in the third place in the championship, and he was only one of two riders (Chris Carr being the other) that finished the season in the top eight without a series win.
Jared's program is and has always been exceptionally strong, and his riding abilities are top notch, allowing him to post some top finishes in the series to rank high in the points. The former Rookie of the Year and Horizon Award winner should prove as tough as ever in the upcoming season, and as his record has shown, you better not EVER count him out when it comes to top finishes.
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Jared Mees wrapped up his second in a row, and third overall ICE Speedway Series Championship in Bloomington, IL. over the last weekend in January. The '09 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Twins Champion took home the honors again this year in the popular east and west coast off-season series, and with the 2011 AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Series getting ready to kick off in Daytona in just over 28 days, Jammin Jared has a great start to the season due to his off-season training regimen and ICE Series participation.

The Michigan rider has long had one of the best overall programs in the series and his outlook to racing, as well as his consistent finishes prove he's one to always keep an eye out for on the track. Catch up with Jared in some of the press and news releases below, as well as his 2010 season review. And be on the look out for this fine young man when the 2011 season goes green on March 10.

We'll be anxious for the season to get rolling, and as always will be watching for the new #9 (yes, Jared will carry a new number in the 2011 season, and chose Jay Springsteen and Gary Nixon's legendary racing number to campaign!) when things get rolling next month. Good luck to you this season Jared!
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Here's Jared's press release after clinching his third ICE Speedway Series Championship in Bloomington, IL. over the last weekend in January, and thanks as always to Larry Lawrence at The Rider Files.com:

http://www.theriderfiles.com/?p=8923

You can check out the ICE Series here with results posted for the winter events:

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

Jared Mees reviews the ICE Speedway Series season here in this press release over at Larry Lawrence's great The Rider Files.com:

http://www.theriderfiles.com/?p=8879

Video highlights of Jared Mees' 2010 AMA Pro K&N Filters presented by Motorcycle Superstore.com Grand National Championship Series season:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o6dAB831xk&feature=player_embedded
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AMA Flat Track Countdown to The Arizona Mile: Your Chance to See The Champ Jared Mees at Hacienda H-D in Scottsdale On Thurs 10/7

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Jared Mees talks with the crew from his #1 Rogers Lake Racing/Blue Springs
H-D/Rockysonline.com/Lucas Oil/Saddlemen-sponsored team in the pit
area at the Springfield Mile on Sunday, September 5. Mees won the '09 AMA Grand National Twins Championship while riding as a member of the Screamin' Eagle H-D team, and was also the '04 AMA Flat Track Ricky Graham Rookie of the Year, and a former winner of the AMA's Horizon Award in '01 for being the nation's leading amateur rider.
Mees heads to Prescott Valley this weekend 3rd in the AMA Pro Flat Track K&N Filters presented by Motorcycle Superstore.com Grand National Championship overall point standings with 246 points. Jake Johnson leads the series overall with 265 and Joe Kopp is second with 255 points. Jammin Jared Mees is only one of four men still in the hunt for the overall GNC, the other being Henry Wiles.
The Jammer will be making a stop in Scottsdale, AZ. at Hacienda Harley-Davidson tomorrow afternoon for a 'meet and greet' with his local fans. You can check out the press release below from AMA Pro Flat Track to see what time you'll need to get in line to check out The Champ tomorrow, and see his ultra-clean racing operation. If you are in the area it will be worth the trip to go see Jared.
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With the final event of the 2010 AMA Pro Flat Track K&N Filters presented by Motorcycle Superstore.com Grand National Championship season less than 72 hours away, the time is now to head west to check out round 16 of The Rolling Thunder Show in Prescott Valley, AZ. on Saturday, October 9. With the championship hunt narrowed down to Jake Johnson, Joe Kopp, Jared Mees and Henry Wiles, one of these four men will walk away with the overall Grand National Championship and the priviledge of carrying the #1 plate on their respective racing machines for the 2011 AMA Flat Track season. And one of these men will be meeting the fans tomorrow in Scottsdale, AZ. as well.

If and while you are in the area, the current Twins Champ, Jammin Jared Mees, will be in Scottsdale, AZ. tomorrow afternoon to sign autographs and hang out with his fans at Hacienda Harley-Davidson. The Jammer sets up one of the nicest 'meet and greets' that there are while campaigning the AMA Flat Track Series, and should have some of his ultra-sano equipment with him on display for the fans to drool over.

Check out the links below to see the times and info on Jared Mees, the 2009 AMA Grand National Twins Champion, and when you need to be at Hacienda H-D in Scottsdale to get a chance to say hi to The Champ. It should be fun for all. And a great chance to meet The Champ!
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AMA Pro Flat Track press release with times and info on Jared's autograph session tomorrow afternoon:

http://amaproracing.com/ft/news/index.cfm?cid=40044

Here's The Jammer's official website:

http://www.jaredmees.com/

And here is Hacienda H-D's website for info on their offerings:

http://www.haciendaharleydavidson.com/

And here is the Google Map location for Hacienda H-D. NOTE--Scottsdale is only about 90 miles from Prescott Valley:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=15600+N+Hayden+Rd,+Scottsdale,+AZ&sll=39.823346,-86.33043&sspn=0.007894,0.019205&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=15600+N+Hayden+Rd,+Scottsdale,+Maricopa,+Arizona+85260&t=h&z=16
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AMA Flat Track Off Week: Jared Mees Wins Digger Helm Short Track National at Bakersfield

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Jared Mees #21 CR450F Honda's sit in his pit area at Gas City during a break in the action for the day's AMA Pro Flat Track K&N Filters presented by Motorcycle Superstore.com Grand National Championship Series short track round at the I69 Speedway in June 2010. The 2009 AMA Flat Track Grand National Twins Champion leans against a table in the background overlooking his pit. Jammin Jared is sponsored by Rockysonline.com/Lucas Oil/Rogers Lake/
Montgomeryville Cycle Center in the AMA Flat Track Series.
Mees took last weekend's off week on the AMA Pro Flat Track schedule to head to Bakersfield, CA. and compete in the Eddie Mulder West Coast Vintage Dirt Track Series round of the Digger Helm Short Track National. A total of 51 pro riders showed up for the $18K purse that was up for grabs in the 'outlaw race.' The Jammer made a clean sweep of the day's events in winning his heat (the day's fastest good for pole in the main), the dash for cash event, and topped it off with the main event win. Not a bad 'off' weekend! Great job Jared!

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Jared Mees has had a very consistent year in campaigning the 2010 AMA Pro Flat Track K&N Filters presented by Motorcycle Superstore.com Grand National Championship Series. The '09 AMA Grand National Twins Champion currently sits third in the overall standings heading into the final round in Prescott Valley, AZ. on October 9th for the Budweiser Mile, where back in the May running of the event he placed just off the podium in fourth place. Since then, other than series point leader Jake Johnson and runner-up Joe Kopp, Mees has been the most consistent man on the track, whether it be in the Twins class or the Singles class. He lies ahead of several other racers-Henry Wiles to name one-who have won at least one race this year-in the point standings on the virtue of that consistency as he hasn't won a race this year...yet.

With an off weekend, The Jammer headed west to contest the Digger Helm Short Track National in Bakersfield, CA., part of the Eddie Mulder West Coast Vintage Dirt Track Series. The annual event had 51 pro riders entered in what was billed as the Digger Open Pro Class, including AMA regulars The Halbert Brothers, Chad Cose and '09-'10 AMA Flat Track Singles Champion Henry Wiles. Pretty stacked field of regular National riders competing at this sixth annual race!

The Jammer may be sitting in the third spot in the AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship overall point standings by virtue of his great equipment and his extremely consistent runs this season, but at Bakersfield he flat spanked the field in winning his heat-the night's fastest, winning the dash for cash event, and topping it off with a win in the main of the Digger Helm National while riding a Honda put together by Ed Steffen, one of his long-time supporters. Great job by Jared and team to pull this off and to take home a little more bacon in the process. Congrats man!

Here's The Champ's official spot on the web:

http://www.jaredmees.com/

Jared put out a press release on his great win at Bakersfield from last weekend. Larry Lawrence's fine site TheRiderFiles.com had this up this morning from The Jammer that also includes a shot of the race action from the Digger Helm Short Track National in Bakersfield:

http://www.theriderfiles.com/?p=6295

Mark Cernicky posted this report with some pics of the race weekend at Bakersfield over at the Cycle World Blog:

http://blog.cycleworld.com/?p=1589

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Congrats to Jared Mees, 2009 AMA Grand National 'Twins' Champion

After not transfering directly out of his heat race, Jared Mees nailed down 2nd in the

second of 2 semi-races last night, transfering him to the main event last night in Pomona.

After 25 laps, Mees ended up in 5th place, good enough to win the 'twins' championship over 3-time and defending champ Kenny Coolbeth by 9 points in the final tally.

Congrats to Jared and his Blue Springs Screamin Eagle Team in grabbing the championship

in what was a hard fought year! Great job!

The shots above are of Jared dropping the hammer off the line at Springfield at the Labor Day

W/E running of the mile classic during his heat race in 2006. Also alongside Jared on the #21

bike in the front row are among others #67 Mike Hacker, #42 Bryan Smith, #28 Shaun

Russell, #89 Kevin Varnes and #33 J.R. Schnabel.

In the second shot Jared holds the throttle open coming out of turn 2 at Lima while ahead of

#9 and 3-time GNC Jay Springsteen during practice for the summer classic held the last w/e

of June of every year. This shot was in June of '06.