AMA Pro Flat Track Pulls Out All of the Stops-& Restrictors-With Early Release of 2014 Technical Rules

In what amounts to a big change as well as an earlier than normal release, AMA Pro Flat Track late yesterday released the updated technical rules for the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season. And the big news that will without a doubt will/should silence all of the bickering and complaining that has occurred for the last several seasons, sees the loss and complete removal of ALL restrictor rules/regs in the Expert Twins Series class effective for the new season ahead.

One of the most common complaints heard throughout the paddock and the track over the course of the last several seasons, and for that matter even dating back to what some consider the 'hey day' of flat track racing in the mid-late '80s when Honda was dominating the sport, has been the use of various size restrictor plates in order to level the competition playing field.  AMA Pro Flat Track opened up the allowable opening for the XR750 teams with the use of 32mm restrictors for the half-mile tracks and 33mm restrictors for the mile tracks for the 2013 season (with a special formula used for teams running larger than 750cc and up to 1250cc for other machinery), but the 2014 season will see the restrictors completely removed for all machines on both size tracks.

This will undoubtedly be met with applause, especially from the XR750 camp, many of whom have complained of being able to keep in the draft, especially on the mile venues, with the hot Kawasaki mounts. However, as one team owner mentioned to me several years ago, 'no matter what size motor you are running' or how much power that mount may be putting out, you still have to get it to the ground. And with the spec tire currently being used in AMA Pro Flat Track will most surely be the final and lasting, deciding factor in not only getting that power to the ground, but managing that tire wear, as well.

However, this will be a great step all around for all comers and all campaigners in The Rolling Thunder Show, whether it be the teams running the Triumph 955-based mounts, the Suzuki 1000, KTM 950/990s or the Ducati 1098/1100 platforms, as it will allow each of these manufacturers and team's engines to breath freely and move any and all guess work to tire wear and a more finely tuned suspension setting in order to harness that free-breathing motor and properly supplant it to the track.

In the shot above, Zanotti Racing crew chief Ted McDermitt pulls the K&N air filters off of the #80 Zanotti Racing/RGR/Arai-backed Harley-Davidson XR750 of rider Steve Bonsey after the end of practice at the Springfield Mile I on August 31 during round 10 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship, in order to allow the AMA Pro Flat Track tech crew to measure the restrictor size for the day's events.

Also seen in this shot just behind Zanotti's McDermitt are the father and son duo of Dave and Kevin Atherton of the 2013 AMA Grand National Championship-winning Dodge Brothers Racing team of rider Brad Baker, Jared Mees' team working on removing the breathers from the #1 Rogers Racing team's XR, and one of the team cohorts from the Harley-Davidson Motor Company-sponsored #2 XR of rider Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. with the breathers removed and allowing a good look down the throat of the flat slide carbs on The King of Cool's factory mount.

There are a few other 'minor' tweaks that have been made to the new rulebook, but the leveling of the playing field with the loss or 'banning' of all restrictors in AMA Pro Flat Track competition for the 2014 season is the biggest move and change for everyone. And a big tip of the helmet to AMA Pro Flat Track for getting the rulebook out some five weeks earlier than what we saw in the release of the 2013 season rules in mid-December of 2012. Bravo guys!

You can check out the link below to the new rules as released by the folks on Fentress Blvd. in Daytona from late last evening below, as we get ready to 'weather' the cold winter months ahead while awaiting the release of the 2014 season schedule, reportedly being released 'very soon.'

2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Technical Rules

To: AMA Pro Flat Track Community
From: AMA Pro Member Services
Date: November 8, 2013
Subject: 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Technical Rules

 

A redline version of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Technical Rules has been made available on the competitor information section of amaproracing.com.

 

The 2014 redline technical rules document includes deletions from the 2013 rule book in strike-through font and all additions and modifications noted in red for additional clarification.

 

A direct link to the file follows:

• 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Technical Rules 

If you are unable to open PDFs on AMA Pro Racing's website, please do the following:

• If you are using Google Chrome, please try another web browser. There is a known compatibility problem with Chrome's built-in PDF viewer and PDFs created with certain versions of Adobe Acrobat.
• Ensure that you have the latest version of Adobe Reader installed. Visit http://get.adobe.com/reader/ for installation instructions.
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• Right click on the link for the file you would like to view and click "Save As..." or "Save link as..."
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AMA Pro Racing Competition Department

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wrapping Up Brad Baker's 1st AMA Grand National Championship & 2nd Win of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship Season at the Pomona Half-Mile

2013 AMA Grand National Champion Brad Baker was a monster in the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season, in winning two races, garnering eight podiums (one of which his points were taken away due to a protest filed at the Daytona Short Track II round where questionable use of improper front forks caused his finish to be questioned) and 12 top-5 finishes for the 13-round season. His only blip on the radar for his otherwise stellar season was a 19th-place finish at the Colonial Downs round in late August when his motor on his #12 Dodge Brothers Racing H-D XR750 went south during the early going of the National main.

Not bad for the fine young man out of Washington State, who had battled equipment and team issues throughout the 2012 season, and after earning the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Saddlemen Rookie of the Year while earning nine top-5 finishes on the season while piloting the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Ducati in the Twins Series and his own Honda's in the Singles Series. Oh, and not to mention also capturing the 2013 AMA Grand National Twins Series Championship after his 2nd-place finish at the Peoria TT in early August, to go along with his 2009 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Championship in the first year of the junior series on the schedule.

And now at the ripe young age of 20 years old, Baker has become the 3rd-youngest AMA Grand National Champion (or the fourth youngest if you consider Jay Springsteen had captured the '76-'77 titles at age 18 and 19.)  No matter how you spin the numbers, Bad Brad 'The Bullet' Baker has put together some very impressive numbers in nailing down his first of what could be many titles in The Rolling Thunder Show.

In the shot above, Baker and his #12 Dodge Brothers Racing/Sefnco Communications/Specialty Fabrication-sponsored XR750 team head out for the rider intros prior to the Indy Mile in round 8 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season on August 17. Team coach and rider strategist and former AMA Grand National #23 Kevin Atherton guides the immaculately prepared Harley-Davidson out to the line while his father, Dave Atherton, and the man behind the brains and brawn that powered Baker's XR throughout the year follows closely behind with the starter motor.  The Bullet pulled off a 3rd-place finish that night, one of his eight top-3s of the season, behind eventual winner Bryan Smith, the man Baker fought with throughout the season and at the final round in what was one of the best and closest battles on a half-mile track in what seems like ages, and 2nd-place finisher at Indy Brandon Robinson, who also battled with the duo to the end for the elusive championship honors.

To read more about the final round of the season, check out this great story from Cycle News' Andrea Wilson, who did a fine job of covering the season-finale on the left coast.

And for a super recap of Baker's season, Cycle News' Larry Lawrence does another fine job of touting the superior year that The Bullet had in 2013 in this story out this week. And a big thanks, again, to LL for putting up with me and dragging me along to the races this season-it was a grand time as it has been for the last four seasons and who makes the race weekends even more enjoyable and fun then what they already are--you are a fine man and a great friend and I appreciate all you have done to help me out and show me the ropes!

Last but not least, a big tip of the helmet and a hearty congrats to Brad Baker, for doing only what two other men younger than him have done in the over 60 years of racing in the AMA Grand National Championship, and for never getting down, letting up or hitting any major bumps (okay, maybe just one at Colonial Downs, but who's counting, right?!) along the way to capture what is surely the first of many more AMA Grand National Championships. You da man dude, so take a big bow as you and the Dodge Brothers Racing team and the Atherton Family deserve it for such super year and for being a wise old man for a wise young man.  Great job!

AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Recap: Pomona Half-Mile 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 17, 2013) - The way Brad Baker (Dodge Bros Racing/Harley-Davidson) threw his hands up in merriment as he stood atop the podium following his clutch win at the LA County Fairplex in Pomona, Calif. to close out the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles season and earn the coveted AMA Pro Grand National Championship last weekend, it looked as if he had just reached the pinnacle of his career. However, the 20-year-old from Mead, Wash. appears to have only breached the surface of his talent and seemingly unlimited potential as a professional motorcycle racer in the world's most elite form of dirt track racing.

 

 

 

Brad Baker on the #12 Dodge Brothers Racing XR750 is shown in action at round 13 of the AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season at the Pomona Half-Mile on October 12. Not only did The Bullet clinch the championship with his second win of the season at the season-finale round, but he did it by winning the event in total dominating form. Congrats to The Champ on a fine year, very well deserved! AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.

 

 

 

 

Baker's victory last weekend was his second on the season and the single-most important win of his young, yet already illustrious career. The former Saddlemen Rookie of the Year Award recipient has made nothing but huge strides since turning pro in 2009 and entering the Grand National Championship in 2011. Though Baker entered the 2013 season with an already impressive resume that included an AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles title in his debut 2009 season, he still set the bar high for himself this year as there were a few more accolades to be obtained.

 

Baker produced three consecutive bittersweet second-place main event results to open up the 2013 season and finally broke the win barrier at Hagerstown on July 6 when he earned his first career victory at the GNC Expert level. Baker didn't win again until the finale, when he rode his Harley-Davidson XR750 brilliantly to claim his first AMA Pro Grand National Championship and National No. 1 plate. Altogether, Baker claimed two race wins and six podiums in 13 rounds -- finishing outside the top ten only once -- and in 2013, those numbers added up to #1. The young star will have the iconic number emblazoned on his motorcycle with pride in 2014. 

 

After winning the coveted Grand National Championship crown, Baker said, "When I crossed the finish line for the final time it was almost a surreal feeling. To see the checkered flag and know that I had just won the championship was an incredible moment that I can't really explain."

 

When asked about his near incident between turns one and two early on, a potential wreck that almost cost him his shot at the title, Baker replied "I was just pushing hard out there. I never enter a race with aspirations of coming in second place. I go 100% every time out and have confidence in my ability to stay within myself and put up good results. Bryan (Smith) gave me a great run all day and the fact that the championship was on the line made it even more competitive. He's a great guy to race against because you know he's going to give you a clean strong effort as well."

 

Crosley Radio's Bryan Smith finished second in the overall GNC title chase but he did manage to lock up the AMA Pro Grand National Expert Twins Championship. Smith's second-place effort at Pomona was his seventh podium of the season and the Flint, Mich. product had one of his most impressive seasons to date.

 

Another rider who had an outside shot at overtaking Baker in the overall points was TJ Burnett Farms' Brandon Robinson. Robinson entered the weekend 15 points back after scorching the competition and completing the double with his back-to-back victories at Springfield. Robinson's late season heroics were halted at Pomona, however, as the Oxford, Pa. native never could get himself in position to threaten Baker in the main event. Robinson's ninth-place effort was enough, though, to salvage a career best third-place position in the final overall GNC point standings.

 

"It was a great opportunity for me to even have a shot at the championship going into the final race," said Robinson. "I struggled a little bit at Pomona but my team and I are definitely happy about the way things went this season. The great thing about it is that I'll be with the same team, TJ Burnett Farms, again next season so that will just be another year of chemistry that we'll have together as we try to roll over some momentum going into 2014."

 

Rod Lake Racing's Briar Bauman put together his finest performance of the season with a third-place effort at Pomona. Bauman closed out the podium mounted on the only Suzuki in the field. 

Defending Grand National Champion Jared Mees (Rogers Racing/Harley-Davidson) finished fourth at Pomona and in the overall standings. Though Mees had a below-average season for his undoubtedly high standards, he did manage to rebound after early-season woes and a mid-season injury that cost him severe ground in the points. Mees finished with one win and four podiums in 2013 and will strive to improve on those results and compete for the overall GNC again next season. 

 

All in all, five different makes of motorcycles made up the top ten in the finale at Pomona, magnifying the increased diversity of motorcycle brands competing for wins in 2013. Jake Johnson finished seventh on a Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Ducati while Johnny Lewis came in tenth place riding a Latus Motors Racing Triumph Bonneville. 

 

AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles

 

One point. That was the difference between the AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles Championship falling on the east coast or landing out west. Mead, Wash.'s Wyatt Maguire (Kirkland racing/Yamaha) edged out archrival and Albion, N.Y. product Ryan Wells (Waters Auto Body/Honda) last weekend by a single point in the final standings to claim his first ever championship. Maguire entered the final bout with a five-point cushion over Wells, a lead that looked to be safe for the majority of the evening until Maguire slipped from third on the grid to fourth with four laps remaining while Wells maintained a comfortable second-place position. Maguire would hold on to finish fourth and hang on to his lead in the points by a single marker, edging out a second-place finishing Wells on the AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles leaderboard 137-136.

 

Aside from the title fight between Maguire and Wells, the fastest man on the track in J&P Cycles Pro Singles competition last weekend was Bucyrus, Ohio's J.R. Addison. Addison (Parkinson Brothers Racing/Honda) led all but one lap in the main event and went on to record his best finish of his career, winning by 7.236 seconds over the field to close out the 2013 season. Addison is most definitely a name to watch out for in 2014 as the 16-year-old is just getting started in what looks to be a promising career for the young gun. He finished 13th in the standings in his first season at the J&P Cycles Pro Singles level and is already looking to improve upon that in '14.

 

Fan favorite and Willow Street, Pa. native Shayna Texter put together a decent performance in the season's final event, coming in seventh on her No. 25A Crosley Radio/DFW Honda to close out the year. Texter had a stellar year as she finished fourth in the points despite missing two races in 2013. What was most impressive about the 22-year-old female phenom this year is that her best performances came in AMA Pro Basic Twins competition, where she shredded the competition at Springfield, earning two landslide victories on a Kawasaki EX650. Texter's wins came in such dominating fashion that she left zero doubt in anyone's minds that she belongs at the most elite level of competition; and it's only a matter of time before she gets there.

 

Twin Lake, Mich. product and J&P Cycles Pro Singles rookie Kyle Johnson (Mike Raugh/Kawasaki) produced yet another podium result with a third-place finish last weekend at Pomona. Johnson proved to be one of the better stories of '13, as he catapulted onto the scene at Daytona with his first career victory in Race 1 and refused to let up on the throttle for the remainder of the season. Johnson captured four total podiums in 2013 and went on to finish fifth in the J&P Cycles Pro Singles point standings.

 

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

The Title Fight for the 2013 AMA Grand National Championship All Comes Down Today in Round 13 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship Season at the Pomona Half-Mile

In a championship hunt that started seven months ago at the Daytona Short Track, the protagonists in the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season will go into their final battle today at the L.A. County Fairplex to do some final handlebar banging on the Pomona Half-Mile to determine the 2013 AMA Grand National Champion.

With the title hunt down to the final three men standing in the fight, the stage has been set for what will be one of the closest battles for the #1 plate in recent history as Brandon Robinson and Bryan Smith will both try their best to wrestle that coveted top spot in the overall standings from Brad Baker, who has held the championship lead since taking charge from Robinson in the title hunt way back in early July after winning his first AMA Grand National Championship event at the Hagerstown Half-Mile.

Smith, who for the second year has proven his dominance on the mile track on the #42 Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki, sits between the two and will try to improve his 3rd-place finish at Pomona from the season-ending round just 12 months ago, while Robinson will try to atone for his Castle Rock TT DNQ and his 18th-place finish just a week later at the Peoria TT by coming from behind to regain the points lead at the end of the day, and hopefully for him, that coveted championship on the #44 TJ Burnett Farms Racing Kawasaki.

Baker meanwhile should be able to put things on cruise control and march the #12 Dodge Brothers Racing Harley-Davidson XR750 to the front on a track that has favored the XR mount of choice on the half-mile venues for over 100 events.  The last non-Harley win on a half-mile came at the Joliet Half-Mile in August '98 when Rick King took the #80 Corbin Racing Honda RS750 to the win ahead of a pack of XR-mounted riders.

But with Pomona being closer to a 5/8ths-mile track, and with Smith's strong 3rd-place finish in last year's finale, the question that will be on everyone's mind going into this afternoon's event will be 'have the Kawasakis been able to step it up on the smaller tracks' as much, or more, as they have on the bigger mile ovals? 

No matter which way the dice fall during today's events, which roll out for first practice at 5:30 PM EDT/2:30 PM PDT, the season-finale at Pomona will undoubtedly be another great event for the 2013 season.

In the shot above, Brandon Robinson and the #44 TJ Burnett Farms/USC/James Hart Racing Kawasaki team celebrate on the podium after sweeping the day's events at the Springfield Mile I, round 10 of the 2013 season on August 31 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

Robinson, who won the first Grand National of his young career at the Daytona Short Track II event on March 15, held the championship lead until his missive at the Hagerstown round in early July when he slid out during the main event and finished in the 17th-place spot. After the previously-mentioned results at Castle Rock and Peoria, the former 2008 Basic Expert Twins Champion went on a tear that started with his 2nd-place finish at the Indy Mile, continued with another podium and 3rd-place finish at the Colonial Downs Mile, and culminated with him sweeping the weekend at the Springfield Mile doubleheader.

With the Santa Rosa Mile main event rain-out, Robinson lies 15-points down from the top of the charts behind Baker, and 4-points down on 2nd-place man Bryan Smith heading into this afternoon's final clash.  His shot for that #1 plate may be more of a long-shot today with the dominance of the XR750s on the half-miles, but as we all know anything is possible in racing, and Robinson's total domination at Springfield from the start to the finish of each day over the Labor Day weekend was a bold, hard statement to how hard the TJ Burnett Farms team has worked this year and a testament to BRob44's will to return to top form after his near career-ending and life-threatening injuries at the Indy Mile in August '09.  He may be the long shot, but that will make him that much more ready to accept the challenge once the first green flag drops later today.

Smith on the other hand has all but totally dominated on the big tracks since hooking up with the Indy-based Howerton Motorsports team in late spring of 2012, and his 3rd-place finish at Pomona last season in a 'bogey' race that was just decided several weeks before the event unfolded was a testament to his ability to maneuver a wicked-fast Expert Twins Series machine around any size track, big or not-as-big.

The Flint, Michigan native, the senior member of the trio with the final shot at the #1 plate for the 2013 season, told us last month in an e-mail that Rick Howerton and his Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki 'resurrected his career' when the hooked up in April 2012, and Flyin' Bryan has paid back the Indy engineer and fabricator in spades, winning the 2012 Expert Twins Grand National Championship to go along with the two wins and five podiums in their first season together.

With today's final race Smith has the best shot of his career, up to this point, to grab that elusive overall championship and put the #1 plate on the front of the Howerton rocket for the 2014 season.

In the shot above, Smith climbs off the #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports/Villa Esparza-backed Kawasaki EX650-based mount after winning heat race #3 at the Springfield Mile II on September 1 last month.

Brad Baker has been the epitome of cool for a 20 year old this season, his third full year of competing in the Expert Series after having won the 2009, and initial AMA Pro Singles Championship and finishing in the runner-up spot during the 2010 campaign to life-long friend and fellow racer Jeffrey Carver, Jr.

After his stellar 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Saddlemen Rookie of the Year campaign while riding the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Ducati, Baker left the team to hook up with Kenny Tolbert to ride the first season of the master wrench's new Kawasakis after Tolbert was left out of a tuning job with 7-Time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr's retirement at the end of the 2011 season.

But a slow start to the season after getting the bikes together and lack of track time doomed what could have been a superteam pairing when Tolbert was forced to mothball the team after the first Springfield Mile event and Baker missed making the field.

Bouncing from bike to bike and riding for several teams in the 2012 season, by the end of the summer The Bullet had found 'home' when hooking up with the California-based Dodge Brothers Racing team, and with the help of rider/coach and former AMA Grand National competitor Kevin Atherton, with his Dad, Dave, taking the helm of the wrenching duties for the team, Baker and the team seemed to meld together even better out of the box in during the 2013 season.

By Hagerstown at the end of the first week of July, the Washington State resident had won his career-first AMA Grand National Championship event and had taken over, and held since, the points lead in the 2013 campaign.  And he hasn't had to look back, much, since.

With his confidence and overall riding ability what they have become (and always been!), The Bullet is on the cusp of what could very well be the first of many more AMA Grand National Championships, and with his 11-point lead over rival Smith going into today's season wrap, has The Rolling Thunder Show lead held firmly in his grip and his sights set on job #1-keeping it!

In the shot above, Baker and Kevin Atherton roll out the #12 Dodge Brothers Racing/Specialty Fabrication/Saddlemen-backed XR750 prior to the rider intros at the Springfield Mile II last month on September 1.

Today's events at Pomona will be the end of what has been an up-and-down season for the greatest racing series on two wheels in the world.  With the weather delays and cancellations on the season, the lack of a tv package for the series, and no title sponsor in 2013, the series has had it's share of hits, and not good ones.

But the racing that has happened at each and every round of the season has been nothing short of the usual stellar events that the folks in Daytona have been putting out since taking control of the series since mid-2008 from the former powers-that-be in Ohio, and have continued to put on the great racing shows that fans, like myself, have loved and followed for decades.

And today's events will be available for free live streaming ala AMA Pro Flat Track's ProLive feature, so should you not be able to attend, like myself, you WILL be able to keep up with the action along with their usual great Live Timing link throughout the day.

Things are looking up for the 2014 season as per Dan Johnsen, AMA Pro Flat Track's manager, as they have been in talks with several 'large sponsors' to carry the load for the title sponsorship for the 2014 season, and have also been working on a reality-based tv show to better help showcase the series' great racing.

But today is what it is all about, in spite of the series' bright future--which keep in mind can and could get even brighter by people actually GOING to a race and taking in the entertainment offered, instead of bit..ing and moaning about what they think is a bad deal from at home on their couches!  Keep that in mind the next time you make an errant comment that is filled with the hate-strewn negativity that fills social networks and racing forums of late, and get your a.. off the couch and go to one of these great events--this isn't your father's AMA Pro Flat Track, and the entertainment value alone, let alone the great racing which has always been present in the over five decades I have been following this great sport, is STILL there! 

Enough said--now let's go racing as we wish Brad Baker, Bryan Smith and Brandon Robinson and the rest of the racers, teams and sponsors on-hand today the very best of luck and the safest of conditions in what will surely be a day to remember on the left coast!

Go get 'em guys, and may the best man, team and machinery win and walk away with the 2013 AMA Grand National Championship!

AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Riders Gear Up for Season Finale at LA County Fairplex

POMONA, Calif. (October 9, 2013) - The LA County Fairplex in Pomona, Calif. will play host to the athletes of AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles this Saturday, October 12, 2013 for the Law Tigers AMA Pro Flat Track Finals, brought to you by Pomona Valley Harley-Davidson and Harley-Davidson of Glendale. The world's top dirt track racers will throw a leg over their powerful large-displacement motorcycles and compete against one another for the 13th and final time on the professional stage this year.

 

 

Jared Mees #1, Bryan Smith #42, Steve Bonsey #80 and Henry Wiles #17 battle during heat race #1 at the Santa Rosa Mile on September 29, 2013.  With the main events being called due to rain, or 'heavy misting' as it was categorized, Mees and Wiles were eliminated from the title chase heading into today's final round of the season at the Pomona Half-Mile, with a total of 15-points separating title leader Brad Baker from Brandon Robinson in the 3rd-place for the championship hunt, with Smith lying 11-points back from The Bullet in 2nd-place.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.

 

 

 

 

Brad Baker (Dodge Bros Racing/Harley-Davidson) enters the weekend with very little margin for error atop the overall Grand National Championship point standings as he leads Flint, Mich. native Bryan Smith (Crosley Radio/Kawasaki) by just 11 markers on the leaderboard. Baker has accumulated just one win this season but his six total podiums are what have placed the 20-year-old in the driver's seat heading into the series' final weekend. The Dryad, Wash. product needs a second-place finish or better in this weekend's main event in order to clinch his first ever Grand National Championship.

 

Smith and Brandon Robinson (TJ Burnett Farms/Kawasaki) are the only two legitimate threats to catch Baker in the overall GNC point standings and, quite honestly, both Kawasaki pilots believe they have precisely what it takes, and for good reason. Robinson, who hails from Oxford, Pa., and Smith enter the Pomona Half-Mile with tremendous confidence after coming off stellar weekends at Springfield where they finished first and second, respectively, in both of the weekend's main events.

 

Henry Wiles has put together a very impressive 2013 campaign and the Winn, Mich. native enters the weekend sitting fourth in the GNC point standings. The 27-year-old has the opportunity to complete his finest season to date if he can put together another solid effort this weekend at Pomona.

 

Due to difficulties at the start to the 2013 season, Grand National Champion Jared Mees (Rogers Racing/Harley-Davidson) will not be able to defend his title in 2013. The Clio, Mich. product found himself in a pretty big hole early on this season after lackluster performances and injuries caused him to fall too far back in the standings to contend for another GNC title this time around. However, Mees has made up significant ground since his rough start; The 27-year-old now sits fifth in the overall standings and will look to finish strong at Pomona with hopes of carrying over some momentum into 2014.

 

Kenny Coolbeth (Harley-Davidson Motor/Harley-Davidson) enters the weekend sitting sixth in the overall GNC standings. The fan favorite from Morris, Conn. was last season's winner at the Pomona Half-Mile and will be looking for a repeat performance on Saturday in hopes of bettering his position in the final point standings.

 

An unfortunate string of injuries and setbacks have left Graham, Wash.'s Sammy Halbert (South East Harley-Davidson) unable to compete at several events this season but the 26-year-old insists he's ready for Pomona. Though Halbert currently sits 12th in the points, he typically excels on half-mile circuits and is one of the favorites for the win in the season's final race.

 

The Championship Hunt

 

Brad Baker leads the Grand National Championship points chase with 190 markers, 11 more than closest rival Bryan Smith (179) and third-place Robinson sits just another four back at 175. If Smith were to take the perfect points haul of 29 by winning the Dash for Cash, the Main and earning the bonus point for leading the most laps, Baker would need to finish in second to maintain his lead and take home the #1 plate. Even if Robinson shows the form he so brilliantly exhibited at Springfield, he'll need a little help from his rivals to put the other championship contenders out of the picture.

 

AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles

 

As close as the AMA Pro Grand National Championship chase has become over the last several weeks, the AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles have a title fight of their own that is worthy of just as much attention. Mead, Wash.'s Wyatt Maguire (Kirkland Racing/Yamaha YZ 450F) and Albion, New York's Ryan Wells (Waters Auto Body/Honda CRF450R) are separated by a mere five points in the standings (122-117) and the two have been battling it out against each other all season long.

 

Maguire needs to finish in second or better to capture his first ever J&P Cycles Pro Singles championship. In order for Wells to claim the title, it would require him to win the main event and for Maguire to come in at third place or worse.

 

Although reigning J&P Cycles Pro Singles champion and Davison, Mich. product Stephen Vanderkuur (Parkinson Brothers Racing/Honda CRF450R) doesn't look like he's going to have a shot at repeating this year, the 21-year-old has made a late run that has boosted him to third in the points heading into Pomona.  Vanderkuur was the victor here a year ago and he will be looking for a repeat performance come this Saturday. It would be a long shot, but if Vandderkuur wins in California with Maguire in 15th and Wells in 10th, then he would repeat as J&P Cycles Pro Singles champion.

 

Fan favorite and Willow Street, Pa. product Shayna Texter (Crosley Radio/Honda CRF450R) enters the weekend sitting fourth in the standings with 98 points to her credit. Texter stands alone as the only rider in the J&P Cycles Pro Singles division with multiple wins this season and she looks to give it one final push at Pomona to add to her already impressive 2013 season.

 

Live Streaming on AMA Pro Live

 

For fans that are unable to attend the event, AMA Pro Racing will be live streaming multiple channels of in-depth and behind-the-scenes multimedia content on the AMA Pro Live streaming video website. AMA Pro Live puts fans in the director's chair, allowing them to choose from a variety of viewpoints while listening in on series PA announcers Barry Boone and Scottie Deubler. Alongside the streaming video content, AMA Pro Live features Live Timing & Scoring data and play-by-play commentary via Twitter. 

  

Beginning at 2:30 p.m. PT (5:30 p.m. ET), fans will be able to tune in to watch live streaming of timed practice and qualifying, followed by opening ceremonies at 6:05 p.m. PT (9:05 p.m. ET). The day's racing festivities will conclude with the 16-lap J&P Pro Cycles Main Event at 9:10 p.m. PT (12:10 a.m. ET) and the 25-lap Grand National Championship Main Event at 9:40 p.m. PT (12:40 a.m. ET). As an added bonus for the fans, AMA Pro Live will continue to stream as the champions are crowned on victory podium following the races.

AMA Pro Live can be accessed from any computer, tablet or smart phone with Internet access. Log on and tune in at http://www.amaprolive.com/ft/.

 

Ticket Information

 

The Law Tigers AMA Pro Flat Track Finals are scheduled to take place on October 12, 2013 at the LA County Fairplex in Pomona, Calif. with opening ceremonies beginning at 6:05 p.m. local time. For tickets and more information regarding the event, please visit http://www.flattrackfinals.com/ or call 818-881-6458.

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 and is considered one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the Series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing in the world. The 2013 schedule consists of rounds on the country's finest flat 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

AMA Pro Flat Track: Brad Baker Takes #12 Dodge Brothers Racing XR750 to Doubleheader 5th-place Finishes at the Springfield Mile I & II

Brad Baker came into rounds 10 & 11 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship at the Springfield Mile I & II with the overall lead in the point standings, and accomplished what he needed to over the weekend in order to keep it.  However, after a double helping of 5th-place finishes at the Illinois State Fairgrounds-hosted event, his lead shrunk from 17 to 10 points after the roar had subsided and the dust had settled, keeping a small, but distinct edge in the championship battle heading into the final two rounds of the season.

Baker, riding the #12 Dodge Brothers Racing/Sefnco Communications/Specialty Fabrication-sponsored H-D XR750, stayed in the heat of things all weekend at Springfield in spite of missing both of the Dash for Cash rounds.  When it came time for the National mains on Saturday, August 31 and Sunday, September 1 The Bullet was right at the front battling with the winning trio of Brandon Robinson, Bryan Smith, JD Beach and the 4th-place finishers in Willie McCoy and Kenny Coolbeth, Jr.

In the shot above from the Springfield Mile I on Saturday, August 31, Baker follows fellow title-rival Bryan Smith on the #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki out for the first round of qualifying for the day at the mecca of mile flat track racing.

With two rounds left in the 2013 season, the series takes a few weeks' break before unloading for round 12 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship at the Santa Rosa Mile on September 29.  Baker still leads the championship over Smith and Robinson, 184-174-171, with fellow racers Henry Wiles (159 points) and defending AMA Grand National Champion Jared Mees (158 points) still hanging tough with a mathematical chance at the title.

Check out The Bullet's Springfield Mile doubleheader race report below as we get geared up for the final run to the championship in just three weeks time.



Race report/press release courtesy of Brad 'The Bullet' Baker, the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Saddlemen Rookie of the Year and the current leader in the overall point standings in the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season.

Labor Day Weekend Springfield, Illinois Race Report

Friday, September 6, 2013 -- This last weekend took us back to the historic town of Springfield, Illinois. We had already been here once this year but this time the weather was way better! The Memorial day weekend of racing earlier this year was canceled due to excess rain.

 

This weekend there was absolutely no rain in the forecast but there was definitely excess heat. It was almost 100 degrees on both Friday and Saturday with humidity to the max. It seems like it just wouldn’t be Springfield if there wasn’t a delay or cancelation due to rain or its' just plain hot.

 

The weekend would start off on Friday on the awesome short track put on by the AMA Steve Nace All-Star crew. Usually this race has always been a Grand National in the past, but this year it was dropped down to an All-Star event. Nonetheless the track was still in awesome shape and made for amazing racing. This is a track were I have always excelled over most of the other riders and I have never had a bad finish here other then maybe a couple as an amateur rider.

 

I started off the night by winning my heat and earinng myself a nice spot on the front row. In the main I got off the line second right behind #95 JD Beach. I hounded JD on the outside for almost the whole race. Some of the time we were side by side for several laps. I guess we had the crowd going nuts. Finally on lap 16 I made the pass stick on the outside. Once I got ahead I broke free a little and eventually brought home the win. I really wish this would have been a National like years past because I would have been able to gain some valuable GNC points. Nevertheless it was still a really fun race with a competitor that I grew up racing with.

The next day is where things got serious on the legendary Springfield Mile! Just the weekend before at the National in Richmond ,Virginia I had a mechanical DNF when I was leading the National. This almost cut my points lead in half so I could definitely feel the pressure a little more coming into Springfield.

 

My goal for the weekend was to make the Dash for Cash races and get solid top-5 finishes to retain my points lead for the last two races in California. Springfield is such a forgiving race track and a lot of riders can go well in the corners here so I knew this would play more in the Kawasaki riders favor and make them tough to beat.

 

Unfortunately, on both days I finished right outside the transfer position into the Dash for Cash but I was in the GNC main event. Both main events of the weekend were some of the best racing I had been in all year! Other than Brandon Robinson breaking away in the lead on Saturday it was uncertain who was going to win all the way to the end of the race because there was so much passing going on. Each day it was three Kawasaki riders and three Harley-Davidson riders. The Kawasakis always seemed to have the edge though as they could pull out of the draft and past an H-D rider whenever they wanted.

 

On Saturday I finished a close 5^th-place finish only a couple thousandths back from second place. On Sunday I spent most of the time in the top three throughout the race but the closing laps would turn out to be the toughest ones. Brandon Robinson, Bryan Smith and JD Beach, all three Kawasaki riders, hooked up in the last couple of laps. This made them even harder to pass since they were towing each other at their own speed. Myself, Kenny Coolbeth, and Jared Mees were right there on their tail but we couldn’t seem to make the pass. This time I was only a couple thousandths back off of first place but I was still in 5^th-place.

 

I never exactly reached my goal because I didn’t make the Dash for Cash’s but I did finish with two top-5’s. Bryan Smith who is the main rider I am battling for the championship with got two second place finishes respectively. I was leading by 17 coming into the weekend and now I lead by 10 points. The other riders did gain some but I would much rather be leading by 10 then be behind by 10!

 

The next two races are tracks in Santa Rosa and Pomona, California that are tracks that I go very well at so the cards are still in my favor. We now have a little less than a month to get prepared for Santa Rosa which will be on the 29^th of this month. Literally right after I send this report I am taking of for northern Michigan where I will be riding a sweet little short track and TT on Saturday and Sunday.

Thank you very much to all my supporters! Please stay tuned for my next report which will be after the last GNC Race on October 16^th.

Follow this link to check out a video from Flat Track Live from the mile on Sunday:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r3Dwlhc8wc&feature=player_embedded#t=10

 

Special thanks to:

Dodge Bros Racing, Sefnco Communications, Specialty Fabrication Incorporation,

Mitas Tires, Schenk Racing Enterprises, Silkolene Lubricants, Boughner Racing Suspension, Saddlemen, Perry’s Harley Davidson, Cometic Gaskets,EBC Brakes, Sparkplugs.com, Barnett, Checkered Flag Productions, Millennium Technologies,

D&D Exhaust, Motion Pro, K&N Filters, Arai Helmets, KIbblewhite, Brother Powersports,

CP Carrillo, Fusion Graphix, YSR, Crank Works Incorporation, Gene and Gail Cummings,

Micro Blue Racing, MVR, Jack MIlls, Defy All Odds, Light Shoe, 100%, O'Neal USA,

Atlas Brace Technologies, Matrix Concepts, Alpinestars, Micah Racing Services,

Spencer Aircraft, Paint By Smokey, Rockstar Powder Coating, Renthal, PMP Sprockets,

Eddie Mulder 12, Devol Engineering, Mototassinari, Loudmouth MX, DandW Racing,

Boysen, Acerbis, PMP Sprockets, Moto Hose, Bam it All, Pacific Auto Trim