2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion Brad 'The Bullet' Baker Updates Us on His Season's End and Off-Season Fun

For almost anyone involved in the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship, a top-5 finish would seem to be a great finish for the season. But for defending AMA Grand National Champion Brad 'The Bullet' Baker, his eventual 5th-place finish in the final 2014 Grand National Championship standings was a major step backwards after capturing his first championship just over a year ago while winning the 2013 season-finale at the Pomona Half-Mile.

Baker did win his third AMA Grand National Championship race towards the end of the 2014 season with his win at the Calistoga Half-Mile in early October, but the run to the final races of the season was a rough road to hoe for the Washington State resident. After returning from his first trip to Europe where he won the Superprestigio Dirt Track Race while competing against defending 2013 (and now 2014) MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez, Baker's season in America was off to a slow start, and was slowed even further with his arm injury shortly after the season-opening rounds in Daytona.

After recuperating from that injury, Baker's season was dotted with equipment let down's and failures as he was getting his first season of racing under him while riding for the Harley-Davidson Motor Company factory effort, while competing in the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Twins Series events aboard the Milwaukee-based factory XR750s.

But as all champions do, Baker finally got his season heading in the right direction towards the early part of August and worked his way into his final 5th-place finish in the championship tally thanks to his determination and his ability to bring it home in one piece. In the final tally for the season, Baker still ended up with not only his win at Calistoga to his credit, but also had three top-3s, six top-5s and 12 top-10s to show for his hard work during the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship year. Not too bad for a rough year!

Baker also will be heading back to Spain to compete in the 2nd edition of the Superprestigio in early December, and also recently announced he would be adorning National #6 to the front of his mounts for the 2015 season, a National number that hasn't been in use since the mid-80s when last worn by former 2-Time AMA Grand National Champion and NASCAR race-winning crew chief, Randy Goss ('80 & '83 AMA Grand National Champion.)

In the shot above, Brad 'The Bullet' Baker is interviewed on the podium by AMA Pro Flat Track official announcer Barry Boone at the Springfield Mile II in round 14 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship after winning semi race #2 to punch his card to the National main at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on August 31. Baker had just taken the narrow victory in the first consolation race of the day over Scooter Vernon in one of the most closely-fought battles of the day on the #1 Harley-Davidson Motor Co/Screamin' Eagle Racing Parts/Dunlop Tire-sponsored factory Harley-Davidson XR750 in front of an enthusiastic crowd over the Labor Day weekend.

Brad has been kind enough to provide us with another of his positive and rousing updates that he has put together tirelessly for us throughout the season, and you can read all about his year-end exploits and what he has planned for the upcoming future below.

We wish 'The Bullet' the very best of luck in the final month of the year and for his upcoming trip to Spain to show us all proud as he defends his title in Barcelona in the Superprestigio Dirt Track Race on December 13. We know you'll make us all proud man, go get 'em, ride fast and ride safe, and thanks for all of the thrills and great memories!

Brad Baker year-end update

Hello friends! I hope this update finds all of you doing well as we approach the end of the year.

     Things have been going well for me. I have been home for a little less than a month now and it's been nice to wind down a little after the Grand National finale in Pomona, CA. It really hasn’t been too much of a wind down though as I have been racing indoor short tracks every weekend to keep pushing myself and dialing in my 450s for Daytona. I am more ahead of schedule this year than I have ever been in the past, which is awesome! The Brothers Power Sports who have supported me since I was an amateur have stepped up and supplied me with a 2015 Honda CRF450 which will be my 'A' race bike to kick off the season with. Harley-Davidson and I have also been working on our program together for the future. Although nothing is official, things are looking to be really good for us in the upcoming season. Myself being back on bikes that I’m comfortable on and working with people that I know have my back makes me feel really good about the upcoming year!

     The last part of the season ended off really well for me. Winning the second to last round of the GNC series in Calistoga, CA. was a big feat for the year. After breaking my arm really bad earlier this year and having problems getting bugs worked out of the new team really took a toll on a lot of my finishes this year. By the end of the year I was feeling just as strong as I ever have and the team, bikes and I were starting to gel together really well! My win at Calistoga proved to everyone and even myself that I still had what it takes to win races and a championship. It also marked my first win for factory Harley-Davidson and I was able to take my ecstatic mom on her very well earned first victory lap! I followed my performance at Calistoga with an almost clean sweep at Willow Springs Raceway and 3^rd place finish at the GNC finale in Pomona, CA. My strong finishes at the end put me in the top-5 in the year-end championship points. It wasn’t another championship but a top-5 against the best flat trackers in the world after having such a rough season was still a good accomplishment in my eyes. Ending the season off on such a good note has me super excited and pushing hard for next year.

     There is still plenty more events to come in the off season. Next month I will be returning to Barcelona, Spain for the 2nd edition of the Superprestegio race that will be held on December 13^th. The event was a massive success as many people around the globe tuned in to follow the race. This time around it won’t just be Moto GP World Champ Marc Marquez I will be racing against. Riders such as the newly-crowned GNC Jared Mees along with 2-time World Superbike Champion and dirt track enthusiast Troy Bayliss will be joining the roster. There is even a possibility that Nicky Hayden may decide to race. (Editor's note—unfortunately it was announced this week on Nicky Hayden's Facebook page that he would not be able to make the trip due to his recent wrist surgery recuperation.) As of right now with the riders that are scheduled to race there are around 15 World Championships combined among the racers. It is truly shaping up to be an amazing race! After the new year I will be making my first trip to Australia for the Troy Bayliss Classic event. After speaking with Troy in regards to the Superprestegio and the help of my good friend Paul Edwards we were able to get things arranged for me to participate in the race. Australians take their dirt track pretty seriously and this will definitely be a challenging race. For me, both these trips will be an experience of a lifetime and it will help gain massive exposure for myself and all my supporters

     I hope all of you have a wonderful Holiday with your families and I appreciate all the support you have given me in the past and continue to give me for the future. I will try to keep you all updated through social media as much as I can on my upcoming races in Australia and Spain.

---Brad 'The Bullet' Baker

2013 AMA Grand National Champion Brad 'The Bullet' Baker Wins the 2014 Edition of the Superprestigio Dirt Track Race in Barcelona

Brad 'The Bullet' Baker, the 2013 AMA Grand National Champion, stole the show yesterday in Barcelona, Spain by defeating the best of the European racers on hand at the 2014 edition of the Superprestigio Dirt Track Race, a special invitation race held on and off since 1979 that pits established racers against their European and American counterpart world champions in a dirt track race setting set inside the confines of Barcelona's Palau Sant Jordi arena.

Baker, who was invited to this prestigious event by 2013 MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez of the Honda Repsol team, fought tooth and nail with Marquez throughout the first part of the race's grand finale, before slight contact with Baker caught Marquez out and threw him to the ground in turn one in front of the crowed house in attendance estimated to be around 8K people.

The Bullet responded by slowing dramatically in the hopes that Marquez would be able to remount and rejoin the fray, but at that point the race was over and Baker went on to claim the victory. It also appeared that Baker was concerned that he may have been the real cause of the incident, but it was obviously a pure point of contact between the two and nothing intentional on our champion's part that caused the MotoGP champ to hit the ground.

Marquez wasn't hurt and did eventually remount only to complete the final lap or two, and to come around and congratulate Baker and let him know that there were no hard feelings due to the contact, as it was obviously a racing incident. Before the contact that put the 2013 MotoGP World Champ on the ground, the two had swapped the lead and made near and slight contact over the course of several laps, and the outcome could just have easily fallen the other way for our American AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion.

In the shot above, Baker relaxes in his pit area while talking with some of his crew members while his Dad, Kip (right, front of shot) helps another of The Bullet's crewmen out in making final adjustments to the #12 Fun Mart Cycle Center/Specialty Fabrication/Schenk Racing Enterprises-sponsored KTM SX-F prior to the start of the National main event at the Peoria TT in round 7 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season. Baker went on to take home the Dash for Cash win, get a hard-earned 2nd-place finish in the 25-lap main, and capture the Singles Series Championship on August 11. By the end of the season he was also crowned the 2013 AMA Grand National Champion at the Pomona Half-Mile after winning his second career National main at the season-finale.

Baker earned a lot of respect from the European contingent and fans, and did a great job of not only representing himself but all of the fans and people of AMA Pro Flat Track. And to think if not for the urging of motojournalist and Backmarker Mark Gardiner, The Bullet may never have had the chance to cross the pond to win such a great event.

A big thanks also goes out to not only AMA Pro Flat Track but to Cycle World, for making it possible for the fans in the U.S. to watch the events unfold live on their home computers with what was an excellent, HD feed direct and live from the races in Barcelona yesterday. Great job all around and thanks to all for making it happen!

You can watch the shortened version of the Superprestigio Dirt Track Race and the opening ceremonies here.

And you can check out the full race and the opening ceremonies at this link.

Full results and stories from the Superprestigio Dirt Track Race can be read here.

Brad Baker Wins the Pomona Half-Mile to Capture the 2013 AMA Grand National Championship, Wyatt Maguire Wins Pro Singles Championship at Season-Finale of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship

Dodge Brothers Racing's Brad Baker could have put things in cruise mode to earn his first AMA Grand National Championship, but the Washington State resident did just the opposite last night at the season-finale of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season.

From the onset, The Bullet took fast time and then went out to take the fastest heat race win of the evening, won the Dash for Cash for the extra 5-point bonus and then led 15 of the 25-lap National main to seal the deal to take the win and earn the 2013 AMA Grand National Championship in his third full season in the Expert class.

Baker, on the #12 Dodge Brothers Racing/Specialty Fabrication Inc/Saddlemen-sponsored Harley-Davidson XR750 ran away in his heat race to take the win over Sammy Halbert by just shy of 4 seconds in the 10-lap race, and then fought tooth and nail with title rival Bryan Smith on the #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki for the win in the main event.  Smith led the remainder of the laps in their battle at the front, which saw second-year Expert Briar Bauman round out the podium for his first-ever box appearance aboard the #14 Rod Lake Racing Suzuki 1000.

2012 AMA Grand National Champion Jared Mees ended up in the 4th-place spot on the #1 Rogers Racing XR in the main, and equaled that result in the overall championship standings, with TJ Burnett Farms Kawasaki rider JD Beach bringing the #95 mount home in the 5th-place spot.

Championship contender and double Springfield Mile winner Brandon Robinson still ended the season in the 3rd-place spot in the championship after taking the #44 TJ Burnett Farms Kawasaki to a 9th-place finish in the 25-lap National main at the LA Fairplex in Pomona. 

The final championship tally saw Baker end the season with 219 points to Smith's 202 points, with BRob44 tallying 185 points in the season.  Robinson and Smith led the championship contenders with three wins each for the season, with Baker taking two on the year to seal what is his first of what could be several championships in his bright and young career.

In the shot above, Baker wrestles with the #12 Dodge Brothers Racing H-D XR750 during timed qualifying at the Indy Mile, round 8 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season on August 17.

The Bullet's remarkable season was extremely strong, with only one finish outside the top-5 for the year (19th and last place at the Colonial Downs Mile in late August.)  With two wins (Hagerstown, Pomona), seven top-3's and 12 top-5's, Baker also became the third youngest AMA Grand National Champion behind Brad Andres and Jay Springsteen.

Wyatt Maguire only needed a 4th-place finish last night at the Pomona Half-Mile to take the 2013 AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles Championship over title rival and fellow competitor Ryan Wells, who brought his Waters Auto Body Honda home in the 2nd-place spot behind event and first-time Pro Singles winner J.R. Addison.

Maguire won the championship by just one point on the season, the closest-ever championship margin in the five year series' history, adding his name to a list of Pro Singles Champions including Brad Baker (2009), Jeffrey Carver, Jr. (2010), Mikey Martin (2011) and Stephen Vanderkuur (2012.)

In the shot above, Maguire finesses the #18M Kirkland Racing/Pro1Racingheads.com/FunMart KTM 450 SX-F through turn one at the Indy Mile during the Pro Singles qualifying session on August 17.

A big congratulations goes out to Brad Baker, your 2013 AMA Grand National Champion, for his stellar season in beating the best of the best and having a nearly-flawless year in doing so.  And a big tip of the hat to the Atherton duo of Dad and son, Dave and Kevin, for building great bikes for The Bullet to put his great season together and coaching him along throughout the year.  And congratulations also go out to your 2013 AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles Champion, Wyatt Maguire for putting together a super season to take the title in the junior/feeder series of The Rolling Thunder Show.

Brad 'The Bullet' Baker, your 2013 AMA Grand National Champion. Artwork courtesy of Pro Plates.





For a wrap up of last night's race, you can check out Larry Lawrence's report for Cycle News right here.

And AMA Pro Flat Track's official photographer, Dave Hoenig, snapped this album of great shots from last night's season finale.  A big thanks to Dave for all of his efforts and great work!

And you can view the full results of the evening from round 13 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season from the Pomona Half-Mile here.

A big tip of the helmet and a thank you to all the competitors, teams and sponsors, as well as AMA Pro Flat Track, J&P Cycles (for their title sponsorship of the Pro Singles class) and for all those involved in making the 2013 season another in a long line of exciting and competitive events in The Rolling Thunder Show, the greatest racing series on two wheels in the world.

It was a big blast and a great experience to be able to report on it and attend a few events this season, and we're looking forward to new, improved and more great racing in the season to come in 2014! 

Brad Baker Wins at Pomona in AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Season Finale, Earns Coveted National #1 Plate

POMONA, Calif. (October 12, 2013) - Brad Baker (Dodge Bros Racing/Harley-Davidson) capped off his most remarkable AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles season to date Saturday night.

 

Under the lights at the LA County Fairplex in Pomona, Calif., the Eatonville, Wash. product earned a hard-fought victory in the night's main event to bring the Law Tigers AMA Pro Flat Track Finals to a close, capturing the coveted No. 1 plate and overall Grand National Championship in the process.

 

"That was probably the best race of the entire season right there," said an ecstatic Baker. "Bryan (Smith) and I were going at it the whole time and I couldn't have asked for a better competitor.  There's no better way to finish off the championship than with a big win. I really have to thank my team, Dodge Bros Racing, for everything they've done for me this season and making all of this possible."

 

 

 

 

 

Brad Baker #12 leads Bryan Smith #42 and Jared Mees #1 in route to taking the win and capturing the 2013 AMA Grand National Championship at the season-finale of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship at the Pomona Half-Mile.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.

 

 

 

 

 

Baker began his dominant march towards sealing the title early. He earned the top spot in afternoon qualifying, won his heat race and then the Dash for Cash before eventually topping archrival Bryan Smith (Crosley Radio/Kawasaki) by .706 seconds at the end of the 25-lap main event.

 

Baker, who for the most part ran a very smooth and impressive race, had one notable mishap that could have very easily cost himself the title on lap five as he went into Turn 2 a little too aggressive. Not only did the bobble force him to sacrifice the lead to Smith for the first time, but the 20-year-old came extremely close to losing control of his motorcycle and going over his handlebars; a wreck that would have surely cost him the championship. Fortunately for Baker, he was able to recover from his mistake and the hard charger fought his way back to the top spot -- despite two red flag situations that bunched the field -- officially reclaiming the lead from Smith for the final time on lap 13.

 

Baker and Smith's game plans for the season's final race couldn't have been more opposite as the two rode completely different lines going into the turns on nearly every lap. Baker always stayed high while Smith would stay low, trying to get any sort of advantage on the soon-to-be champion.

 

In the end, Smith's efforts weren't enough as Baker proved to be too strong of an opponent. Smith's second-place finish tonight earned him 202 points in the overall standings, enough for him to claim second in the overall Grand National Championship just 17 points back from Baker. Though Smith wasn't able to overtake Baker in the overall standings, he did manage to obtain the 2013 AMA Pro Expert Twins Championship for the second year in a row. Smith's two huge wins on mile-long circuits and multiple podium appearances on the back of his powerful Kawasaki EX650 earned him 161 points in the AMA Pro Expert Twins standings.

 

No one conquered more feats this year in AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles than the 2013 AMA Pro Grand National Champion Brad Baker. The 2011 Saddlemen Rookie of the Year earned his first ever win at the GNC Expert level at Hagerstown Speedway after having finished in second-place three consecutive times to begin the season. At 20 years, seven months, and 23 days old, Baker is the third-youngest Grand National Champion in the history of the sport.

 

AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles

 

J.R. Addison (Parkinson Bros Racing/Honda) blew away the competition in the final AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles main event of the 2013 season Saturday night. The Bucyrus, Ohio native won by a convincing 7.236 seconds over second-place finisher and Albion, N.Y. product Ryan Wells (Waters Auto Body/Honda).

 

"This is great to come here and get the win in the last race of the year," Addison said. "It's definitely a confidence boost going into next year. I got a really strong start and just tried to build on the lead after that. I really took a liking to the track and I have to give a huge thanks to Parkinson Brothers Racing for putting me on a rocket ship tonight."

 

Aside from Addison's complete domination over the field, Wells and Mead, Wash.'s Wyatt Maguire (Kirkland Racing/Yamaha) garnered most of the attention as the two entered the final race just five points apart atop the J&P Cycles Pro Singles point standings. In the end, it was Maguire whose fourth-place effort was barely enough to hold off Wells' second-place finish for the 2013 J&P Cycles Pro Singles title. The final point standings showed Maguire edging out Wells by a single point, 137-136, to win his first professional title in his burgeoning career.

 

About AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles:

 

AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles is a national motorcycle racing series in North America. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the Series is one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing and is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing in the world. The 2013 schedule consists of rounds on the country's finest dirt track courses. For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles, 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