Reviewing the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Season

Two weeks removed from the end of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season, and race fans all over the nation, especially those of us in the Midwest who have the approaching winter coming up soon, are all ready and waiting for the next few months to pass and for the racing to recommence in The Rolling Thunder Show for the 2015 season in what seems like eons away.

After a spectacular season in the greatest racing show on two wheels in the world, how can anyone think that the next season of banging bars and swapping dirt and rubber can even come close to eclipsing or equaling what has just transpired in the season that has just passed?

But of course, the unknown is what keeps us all coming back to the oldest and most competitive form of two-wheeled motorsports year after year, and even though the season ahead is much further away then the season just past, we also know that the next season of racing will be upon us all at the first opening rounds in Daytona come mid-March.

In the meantime, looking back on the season that was will help to keep the juices and adrenaline flowing as well as to remind us that even the great things in life you must take an occasional break from in order to maintain the status quo.

The 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship will be remembered for many things, the highlight of those being Jared Mees clinching his 2nd AMA Grand National Championship, Bryan Smith taking the Kawasaki to it's first half-mile win and winning a series' leading five races on the season, the title battle that went down to the line after 15 points-paying rounds that were completed and saw three men duke it out like the champions that they all are and only separated by 13 points when the last dust had settled, the diversity of not only the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports team in readying three different makes of Twins Series motorcycles for former 2-Time AMA Grand National Champion and team rider Jake Johnson to fight it out to the end with the leading duo of Mees and Smith, and for all of the changes in latitudes and changes in attitudes that captivated all of the fans, teams and sponsors throughout the year.

In the shot above, riders, teams and attending MotoGP fans and dignitaries get ready for the 25-lap National main in round 11 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season at the legendary Indy Mile at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on August 8.

(L-R) Bryan Smith on the #42 Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio/Howerton Products-backed Kawasaki EX650, Jared Mees on the #9 Rogers Racing/Las Vegas H-D/Blue Springs H-D-sponsored Harley-Davidson XR750, Brandon Robinson on the #44 USC Kawasaki/Hart Racing/Hot Shot-sponsored EX650, Jake Johnson on the #5 Ramspur Winery/Lloyd Brothers Motorsports/Parkinson Brothers Racing-backed Ducati 'L' twin, Brad Baker on the #1 Harley-Davidson Motor Co/Screamin' Eagle Racing Parts/Dunlop-sponsored factory XR750 and Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. on the #2 Zanotti Racing/Moroney's H-D/Burt Ives Honda-backed XR all get into position and get their race faces ready before the crowd on hand during the Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP weekend.

Changes and happenings of note for the season included BRob44 jumping ship two races after Indy from the USC Kawasaki team that he had started the season off with, and returning to the family environment and casual atmosphere of the T.J. Burnett Farms Kawasaki team at the Springfield Mile II in late August. Although his final results of an 8th-place finish in the championship were not indicative of his true abilities (mostly due to his injured shoulder holding him back throughout the season), it was obvious after the change that the former Basic Twins Champion was back in familiar territory and looking forward to finishing the season on familiar equipment and looking to the season ahead.

Baker, who fought off an early-season training injury, came back to win the penultimate round of the season at Calistoga to cap off an up-and-down season in his first year on the factory H-D team, and will carry the #6 in the 2015 season after relinquishing the #1 plate to friend and rival Mees at the season-finale in Pomona. The Bullet ended the season ranked 5th in the championship and will be heading to Spain in December to fight it out again with now-dual MotoGP World Champion and close friend Marc Marquez in the Superprestigio Dirt Track race, and will surely be ready to retake that elusive #1 plate come the opening salvo in March just shy of five months from now.

Smith, who came 'this close' to capturing his first AMA Grand National Championship, will shrug off the 3-point difference after his Calistoga DQ to return as strong as ever next season and try to do it all again after winning the 2012-13 Twins Series Championships.

Johnson, who reportedly is looking for a ride after his strongest season of racing in several years with the LBM team, will hopefully come back either with the Lloyd Boys again, where it seemed he was a natural fit with the family-friendly environment throughout the LBM camp, and not consider retirement as has been mentioned at such a ripe young age of 30 years-young and 13 great years in the series. Although he missed out on a win again during the 2014 season, and has come up empty in the 'top of the podium' department since his second GNC during the 2011 season, Jake's eight podiums and eleven top-5s on the season are nothing to be ashamed about. And with the series regaining in overall popularity and gaining steam in the big world of racing competition, losing one of the most popular, friendly and outgoing personalities of the sport would still be a major kick in the balls to all who follow the sport from either near, or afar. Please say it ain't so Jake.....

And we also know that former 3-Time AMA Grand National Twins Champion Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. (4th-place in the championship) will return to what was his new team this year in the Zanotti Racing fold after having to sit out the last round at Pomona due to the injuries he suffered in his Dash crash at the penultimate round at Calistoga. Coolbeth not only proved all of the naysayers wrong this year by winning four races on the season, he also stopped the Kawasaki stronghold on the mile tracks by winning two superb events at Indy and the Springfield Mile II, just the way the Coolbeth of 'old' had dominated on the track in his years with his former employer out of Milwaukee.

And Mees, well of course he has cut back on his off-season schedule of ice racing and indoor events, but you can be sure he will be showing up at some of the ICE Speedway events that he so dominated for several years in the past, and you can bet he and the Rogers Racing team, along with the second-winningest tuner in Kenny Tolbert and Sammy Sweet (who both captured Mechanic of the Year awards at the season-ending banquet) will be ready to keep their grasp on that coveted #1 plate throughout the 2015 season.

Henry Wiles 6th-place finish in the final 2014 tally was highlighted by his dual wins in TT competition at Castle Rock and his again-dominating and decade-long stranglehold at Peoria, but his new ride in the Twins Series this season aboard the Don's Kawasaki EX650-based mount really showed that The Hammer can wield a Twin almost as lethally as he can a Singles mount on the TT tracks. The biggest surprise of the season, however, came at the season-finale where he swapped his normal Kawi ride for a one-off seat on one of the pristine Zanotti Racing XRs, where he rode to a season-equaling Twins Series 5th-place finish (SF Mile II.)

Wiles is shown above on the #17 Don's Kawasaki/DPC Racing/EA Racing-sponsored Kawi during the first round of qualifying at the Indy Mile on August 8.

Stevie Bonsey ended the season ranked in the 9th-place spot, and with three top-5s and ten top-10s to show for the 13 points-paying rounds he did compete in after missing Calistoga and Pomona due to his practice crash at the penultimate round in Calistoga, Bonsai showed that he belongs and deserves one of the best rides in the business on the Zanotti Racing XR team. His casual and laidback demeanor translates only on the track in terms of him being a safe, calculated rider but also truly lethal when it comes to one-upping the rider or riders alongside in terms of ability and sheer will. And you can bet he'll be starting off the season right by trying to keep his dominance alive at the Gene Romero indoor series in Vegas come January.

Shown above, Bonsey throws the #80 Zanotti Racing/Classic Harley-Davidson/Top 1 Oils-sponsored and Steve Polk-tuned XR750 through it's paces during the first qualifying round at the Indy Mile on August 8.

Sammy Halbert missed winning a race for the first time in several seasons, but also missed the Colonial Downs round after suffering injuries at the Peoria TT in mid-August. Finishing in the 7th-place spot in the championship, The Slammer also went away from his steady XR750 program of the last several seasons to show up at Indy (above) with a Kawasaki Twins Series ride, still in the teething stages, but good enough for a 15th-place finish in it's first National ride out.

Jake Shoemaker, the 2013 Rookie of the Year, started the season out riding his own Montgomeryville Cycle Center Kawasaki, and ended the season riding the recently vacated USC Kawasaki for the final three races of the season. 'Shoe' finished the season ranked in the 10th-place spot with two top-3s (a season and self-best of 2nd-place at the Colonial Downs Mega Mile), three top-5s and seven top-10s. Not too bad for a second year Expert and for hopping on a new ride at the Springfield Mile II (4th-place.)

Shown above at Indy. Shoemaker on his #55 Montgomeryville Cycle Center/Greg Vietri/Penske Suspension-sponsored Kawasaki and Sammy Halbert on his #7 South East H-D/White's H-D/Specialty Fabrications-backed Kawi get ready to roll out for the first round of practice at Indy back in early August.

2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Champion Wyatt Maguire started the season on the Kirkland Racing Suzuki which they had purchased from the Weirbach Racing team during the off-season of late 2013, and ended the season riding for the father and son team of Richard and Ted Weirbach on their immaculate-prepped and new Kawasakis. In his first race out with the team, the Washington State resident took a 2nd-place finish in his semi behind winner Cory Texter, losing by just .038 seconds and turning it into a 15th-place finish at the Springfield Mile II in late August. For his 18th-place finish in the championship standings, he was awarded the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Saddlemen Rookie of the Year Award, and may have just found himself with a 'new' home with the Iowa-based Weirbach boys for the 2015 season.

In the shot above, Maguire rolls out for the first round of practice at the Springfield Mile II on the #16 Weirbach Racing/Racing Unlimited/Kirkland Racing-sponsored Kawasaki (in it's 750cc big track form.)

And a shout out has to go to former AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Champion and Alton, Illinois resident Jeffrey Carver, Jr. for his 15th-place finish in the overall championship this season, accomplished by taking six different makes of motorcycles and putting them into ten different points-paying rounds throughout the 2014 season. Can you say diversity?

Carver, one rider that many wonder why he hasn't or can't land a solid, steady ride in The Rolling Thunder Show after winning his first National main at Castle Rock last season and losing the great Kiesow Racing team after they stepped down after last year's season was over, proved if you can't do it one way, you can do it MANY ways by putting more makes of motorcycles into more mains this season than the second-closest rider in the series (Jake Johnson and the LBM team being that next rider!)

One of Carver's rides came aboard the #23 Lombardi's Harley-Davidson/Dan Dafner/Carver's BBQ-sponsored Harley-Davidson XR750, shown above during first practice at the Indy Mile in early August.

Carver finished the season with three top-10s on the year and earns our Ironman and Never Say Die Award for showing no matter what it is he throws a leg over, he can bring it home. Someone PLEASE help find this great young racer a steady ride for the 2015 season!

Well, as you can tell we could go on and on about all of the great stories in The Rolling Thunder Show's version of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season, but sometime even Stu's Shots has to take a breather and rest the adrenaline for the upcoming season (although we don't want to!)

Besides the great write up below from AMA Pro Flat Track, another great read by one of the greats of the sport comes from my longtime friend and traveling buddy, Larry Lawrence, who broke out his slide rule and calculator to run the numbers for the season in the most recent issue of Cycle News, which is a MUST read you can check out here.





Final point tally for the 2014 season is here to help you run those numbers alongside Double L, but I can guarantee you that you won't find any missives from the longtime pen of racing and one of Indy's longtime residents.

And if you're like me, you'll be watching and checking out the fine videos from AMA Pro Flat Track and FansChoice.TV for the next several months in order to keep you from going off of the deep end too badly in the cold winter weeks ahead.

Thanks for tuning in and turning on with us, as we do some hibernating for the winter ahead and await the great season of racing that will surely have us all on the edge of our seats for the upcoming 2015 season!

Jared Mees wins second AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship title after season-long battle with Bryan Smith and Jake Johnson

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 16, 2014) - Jared Mees, Bryan Smith and Jake Johnson all joked with one another on the front stretch while shooting a video before Saturday's Flat Track Finals.   There was a light, jovial atmosphere between the three close friends and closer competitors. That would change just a few hours later, when the leathers and helmets went on and the trio took to the track for the final time in 2014 to decide the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Expert title.   In the end, it was Mees putting the finishing touches on a season in which he finished outside the top five just once and walking away from the LA County Fairplex with the No. 1 plate for the second time in his career.   Smith, on his No. 42 Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio Kawasaki, won the Dash for Cash and the main event, but wound up three points short of Mees and his No. 9 Rogers Racing Harley-Davidson. Johnson was second on the night riding the No. 5 Ramspur Winery Harley-Davidson and third in the standings, capping a strong season.   "It was a heck of a day, and I knew coming in here, Bryan was going to be one of the toughest guys," Mees said. "I just rode hard. It's the best I felt at Pomona, and I wanted to win, I put it all out there. In the main event, I started racing Bryan a little bit, then Brad came in the mix, then I just went, 'Man, I just want to be alone. I just want to be by myself.' I just kind of rode pretty conservative and kind of knew where I needed to be. I felt like I rode it smart, really."   The top three riders in the GNC point standings were separated by just 15 points. Mees' lead was 13 coming into the night, though.   "I knew coming in here I pretty much had to go out and win," Smith said. "Whether it was bringing it back on the box or in a box, I knew I had to win it. Luckily the track came to me. ... It was all I had. Unfortunately Jared finished two spots higher than I needed for me to get that thing."   Smith won by 1.457 seconds over Johnson, who was on the podium for the eighth time this season. Johnson finished with 264 points.   The next three in the final standings were just as close with each other at the end. Kenny Coolbeth didn't race his No. 2 Zanotti Racing Harley-Davidson at Pomona after suffering an injury in the previous race at Calistoga. But the Connecticut resident finished fourth with 208 points.   Defending champion Brad Baker finished his year with a podium finish, taking third on his No. 1 Factory Harley-Davidson. Baker finished in fifth in points, six back of Coolbeth. It was the 10th straight top 10 for Baker.   Henry Wiles rode a Zanotti Racing Harley-Davidson in the finale and put it in fifth. He finished sixth in points with 196. Wiles was one of three riders, along with Mees and Johnson, to score in every Expert main event in 2014. He swept the series' two TT (Tourist Trophy) events and ended with a run of seven top 10s.   Sammy Halbert used a pair of top 10 finishes at the end of the season, including a sixth at Pomona, to lock in the seventh spot in points on his No. 7 South-East Harley-Davidson, scoring 178 points during the year.   Brandon Robinson was eighth in points, having put his No. 44 machine in the main event in each of the final four races, even though he was 19th at Pomona. With 151 points, Robinson was safely in his spot, 27 behind Halbert and 16 in front of ninth place rider, Stevie Bonsey.   Bonsey crashed out of the event at Calistoga and missed Pomona with an injury suffered there, but still held on to a top 10 spot overall in points. He was one spot ahead Jake Shoemaker, who rounded out the top 10 with 118 points, 17 behind Bonsey.       Jared Mees and the Rogers Racing team celebrate clinching the 2014 AMA Grand National Championship at the Pomona Half-Mile Flat Track Finals on October 11 with a 4th-place finish to cap off a superb year by the team. AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.

Flat Track Finals 2014 Flat Track Awards Banquet    Grand National Championship Main Event Season Outtakes, Bloopers and Racing Pomona Half-Mile track walk with Jared Mees, Jake Johnson and Bryan Smith Roland Sands Design 2014 Grand National Championship Season Video Recap  Jake Johnson Talks About His Runner-Up Finish at Pomona

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

Final News & Notes From Round 11 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship at the Indy Mile

Round 11 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship at the legendary Indy Mile was the first of a stretch run to the championship for the regulars on The Rolling Thunder Show, in which Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. took the #2 Zanotti Racing/Moroney's H-D/Burt Ives Honda-sponsored H-D XR750 to the win under the lights of the Indiana State Fair as a backdrop. Coolbeth won his first mile since the Minnesota event in late 2011 and also earned the 32nd AMA Grand National victory of his career, as well as breaking the mile win streak held by Bryan Smith's Kawasaki since the Virginia Mega Mile in August 2013 when Jared Mees last took an XR750 to a win on a big track.

But there were many other stories to be told at Indy, and we have some brief glimpses at some of them.

Smith's #42 Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio/Howerton Products-backed Kawasaki set fast time at Indy and was considered the favorite hands down going into the race what with his overall dominance of mile racing of late, and the way he romped away in last year's main event at Indy. His crew of Jeff Gordon, Dink Glidden and father, Barry Smith, stayed on top of it all evening and Flyin' Bryan still got a 3rd-place finish in the Dash-after winning his heat-and worked his way into the 2nd-place spot in the 25-lap National main to finish just over 2.4 seconds behind winner Coolbeth.

For a track that has treated him pretty well the last couple of years (after nearly ending his career in 2009), Indy was pretty cruel to Brandon Robinson and the #44 USC Kawasaki/Hart Racing/Stevens Racing-sponsored Kawasaki this year. Qualifying 17th out of the 38 riders who took a timed lap, BRob44 was able to keep within just over 1.6 seconds of fast heat 2 winner Coolbeth to make the Dash. But a 6th-place in the Dash and a blown motor in the main left him with a 17th-place finish in the main, and dropping him to 7th-place in the championship standings. Never fear, this hard-charging and hard working young man will be back, and with a bang not like what his motor experienced last Friday night.

Mikey Martin on the #91 Bonneville Performance/Factory Triumph Racing/Castrol Racing-sponsored Triumph Bonneville was the only Triumph to make the main at Indy, and had his best result of the season on the big tracks with a 12th-place finish.

Steve Murray was able to put his #51 Murray Mechanical/American Harley-Davidson/Stauffer Motors-backed XR750 into the main at Indy after a 3rd-place finish in semi race 2 behind Rob Pearson and Jake Shoemaker. The perennial funny man of AMA Pro Flat Track had a short night, unfortunately, after a broken cam put him out just 11 laps in and an 18th-place finish to show for his hard work.

For the first time in recent memory, Willie McCoy missed a mile main event on his #59 H-D of Wausau/Tucker Rocky/Independence H-D-sponsored XR750 after qualifying 20th on the day. A 5th-place in heat 2 and .207 seconds out of the final transfer in semi 1 relegated him to the truck before the main headed to the start line. Never fear, the 2-time Springfield Mile winner will be back to wow us again at Springfield in just over two weeks.

Cory Texter his having his best ever year in the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship. Qualifying in the 13th-place spot for the program, Texter took the long road to get to the National after a 6th-place finish in heat 1, but fought tooth and nail in semi 1 along with winner Nichole Mees for the entire 8-lap race, coming up just over .7 seconds shy on the #65 Racing Unlimited/McElroy Packing/Invisible Glass-sponsored Kawasaki. His 11th-place finish at Indy was his second best finish of the season (Sacramento Mile 10th-place being his best) and his battle throughout the evening for the top-10 with Rob Pearson and Mikey Martin was well fought throughout the 25-lap main.

Last year's AMA Pro Pro Singles Indy main winner, Shayna Texter, had a rough go of it at Indy and missed the field on the #25A Latus Motors/Triumph/Castrol Oil-backed Triumph Bonneville. After qualifying 25th, a 7th-place finish in heat 1 and a DNF in semi 2 left her out of the National main. Here she leads Shawn Baer on the #32 Baer Racing Products/KB 5/Kam's Performance-sponsored KTM LC8 950 and Cody Johncox on the #96B Dick Ford/Sunnyside/Brush-Eaken Racing-backed XR750 during the final round of qualifying. Neither Baer nor Johncox made the main, either.

Canada's Doug Lawrence took his #73 Lawrence Racing/Wiebler's Harley-Davidson/Jon Castin Racing-sponsored XR750 to a 13th-place finish after a direct transfer to the main with a 4th-place finish in heat race 3.

2010 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Champ Jeffrey Carver, Jr. rode his fourth different make of motorcycle into the main at Indy last Friday night, starting off with an impressive 8th-place qualifying effort on the #23 Lombardi's Harley-Davidson/Dan Dafner/Carver's BBQ-sponsored XR750, and culminating with a 14th-place finish in the 25-lap main event.

Sammy Halbert first tried out one of Bill Werner's Kawasakis during practice at Indy two years ago, but without enough time to get things sorted out, went back to his tried and true XR750, which he took to the win in 2012. This year, The Slammer showed up with his freshly-built #7 South East H-D/White's H-D/DC10-sponsored Kawasaki and took a 5th-place qualifying effort to start the day's events off with. With a 4th-place finish and a direct transfer to the main in heat race 2, Sammy went on to finish in the 15th-place spot in the National, never in contention at the front, but he held onto the 5th-place spot into the championship heading to the Peoria TT this weekend.

2000 AMA Grand National Champion Joe Kopp is the senior man on the Latus Motors squad this season, trying to help the team and new rider Shayna Texter come to grips with the factory Triumph-backed efforts. After a 5th-place overall practice effort, Kopp qualified the #3 Latus MotorsTriumph/Triumph/Castrol-sponsored Triumph Bonneville machine in the 22nd overall spot, and was running in the top-3 in heat race 1 before an electrical problem sidelined him with just two laps to go. In semi race 1, the same electrical malady sidelined him just three laps in after running near the front and what could or would have been a shot at the main.

In the AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles class, this year's class has been deep with talent, but has been overshadowed by Kyle Johnson, Jarod Vanderkooi and David Fisher. Vanderkooi came out on top of a big battle at the front of last Friday's Pro Singles main to take the win, with Johnson in a dead heat at the line. The margin of victory was .000 seconds and it took AMA Pro Flat Track officials until the cool off lap was complete to determine for sure that Ohio-resident Vanderkooi had nipped series points leader and wins leader Johnson by a wheel spoke. Unfortunately, TJ Burnett Farms' Fisher had a rough get off coming out of turn four on the final lap that put him into the airfence and on the ground, and will see him out of action for the next couple of races.

The Pro Singles main event riders line up in the shot above with Ryan Foster on the #23Y Bob Weirbach Race Team/Ross Powersports-sponsored Honda CRF450R (4th-place), Davis Fisher on the #67M TJ Burnett Farms/Bob Lanphere's-backed Honda (16th-place), winner Vanderkooi on his #17F Johnny's Vintage Motorcycle/Scott Drummond-backed Honda, 2nd-place finisher and points leader Johnson on the #77J Parkinson Brothers Racing/Hot Rod Harley-Davidson-sponsored Honda, and Nick McFadden on the #18C Arai Helmets/Pilot Leathers-backed Honda (8th-place.)


Again, a big thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track for another stellar event, and to the great folks at Family Events for promoting another big bang effort at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. A grand time was had by all and Stu's Shots salutes you and all of the riders, teams and sponsors for making The Rolling Thunder Show the best racing on two wheels in the world that it is!

2014 Indy Mile Track Walk with Brandon Robinson and Bryan Smith Two AMA Pro Grand National Championship riders that have had good memories in the past in Indianapolis' Indy Mile are Bryan Smith No. 42 & Brandon Robinson No. 44. They guide us racing around the track and talk about what it takes to win at an event as important as Indy. Indy Mile Opening Ceremonies Announcers Barry Boone and Scottie Deubler kick off the night of racing with opening ceremonies by interviewing riders, sponsors and more! "Barry'd Treasure" Star Barry Weiss Attends Indy Mile Barry Weiss, past star of Storage Wars and current star of Barry'd Treasure, is a big fan of flat track racing and paid a visit to the Indy Mile. Cristy Lee caught up with him on the podium. MotoGP Champion Marc Marquez Serves as Grand Marshal International superstar Marc Marquez was the Grand Marshal for the 2014 edition of the Indy Mile. See what the MotoGP champ had to say about dirt track motorcycle racing and his Superprestigio battle with AMA Pro Flat Track Champion Brad Baker. Season Update with Nicky Hayden Barry Boone catches up with MotoGP sensation and former AMA Pro Flat Track and AMA Pro Road Racing star Nicky Hayden at the 2014 running of the Indy Mile. Hayden recently underwent surgery and is on the mend. That didn't stop him from coming over to watch the Friday-night race. Indy Mile Heat Races For the Grand National Championship class, the top four finishing riders advance to the main event. Among those top four, first and second place finishers in each heat race get to race in the "Dash for Cash." Riders who finish their heat races outside the top four have to race their way into the main event via the semi races. For the Pro Singles heat races, the top seven riders advance to the main event. Riders who finish outside the top seven have to battle their way into the main event via the last chance qualifier (LCQ). Dash for Cash, Semi-Final Races and Pro Singles LCQ Watch the stars of AMA Pro Flat Track get a final chance to make their respective main events via the LCQ and Semi Final Races. The Pro LCQ takes only the top four riders to the main event, while the Semi Final races take the top three out of each race. Separating these is the Dash for Cash - A four-lap sprint race where the top two heat race finishers go bar-to-bar for $1,000! Pro Singles Championship Main Event Check out the AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles riders as they put their talent on display for the thousands of dirt track racing fanatics on hand at the 2014 Indy Mile. Grand National Championship Main Event AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Expert riders put on a thrilling 25-lap battle in front of a packed house at the Indiana State Fairgrounds to wrap up the 2014 running of the Indy Mile. NEXT ROUND: Peoria TT AMA Pro Flat Track heads to Peoria, Ill., for the Peoria TT at the Peoria Race Park for Round 12 of the 2014 Grand National Championship. Henry Wiles looks to earn his tenth consecutive Peoria TT win this coming Sunday.

AMA Pro Flat Track recap of last week's Rounds 9, 10, & 11

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 12, 2014) - A race won by milliseconds, an unprecedented victory by a Harley-Davidson on a mile track, a flooded front-stretch, a milestone win for one Grand National Championship contender - these are just a few things that defined last week's AMA Pro Flat Track action, that took place in three separate time zones all across the United States.   The week started with Round 9 on Aug. 2, in Castle Rock, Wash. when the series visited Castle Rock Race Park for the Castle Rock TT (Tourist Trophy). Henry Wiles, aboard his Don's Kawasaki, used a move late in the race to pass Mikey Rush to earn his 25th GNC win of all time and become the second-most winningest TT rider in series history.   Though he has been so successful in TT competition throughout his career, it was Wiles' first win at the Northwest venue. "I really like coming to Castle Rock," said Wiles. "The fans are always so hardcore and it's just an honor to race there every time."   Though he coughed up the lead, Mikey Rush's second place finish aboard his Cascio Rush Racing Honda was far and away his best finish of the 2014 season. "I can't complain at all about landing on top of the box at Castle Rock," said Rush. "I've been sitting out a lot of races this year and to come back like I did is just awesome."   After a tough season so far for the defending Grand National Champion, Brad Baker finally landed on the podium at Castle Rock. The No. 1 plate holder, aboard his Brothers Power Sports Honda, even contested for the lead at times throughout the race. "It feels amazing to get my first podium of the year," said Baker. "I was on the box a lot last year and to finally get my first one here this year feels amazing. After a rough outing at Daytona on my Honda, it felt great to bust it out of the stable and perform well on it."   In AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles action at Castle Rock, Dominic Colindres won his second consecutive Castle Rock TT. Colindres did so riding his Motorcycle Superstore Honda to a 6.120-second win margin. "It was a perfect night," said Colindres. "We rolled my motorcycle off the truck and didn't change a thing. I felt great all day and came out first in practice and set the fastest time. I can't thank my dad and my mom enough for all of their support and for sticking with me through all these races."   Following the Castle Rock TT, the series then headed east for the Black Hills Half-Mile in Black Hills, S.D., but unfortunately, torrential downpours caused the midweek showdown to be completely canceled.   AMA Pro Flat Track's next stop on the schedule was the famed Indy Mile in Indianapolis, which ran on Aug. 8. Kenny Coolbeth, riding his Zanotti Racing Harley-Davidson, stole the show with a dominating 2.470-second victory, on a Harley-Davidson, and has now earned three main event wins in 2014.   "It's good to finally beat Bryan Smith on a mile, that's the biggest thing," said Coolbeth. "That's his forte, he's got great equipment for it and he rides it well. I just wanted to regroup after the last couple races. I'm happy with everything right now and the people I have working behind me."       Brad Baker #1, Jake Johnson #5, Brandon Robinson #44, Jared Mees #9, Bryan Smith #42 and Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. #2 take off in the Dash for Cash event at the Indy Mile on August 8, where Johnson went on to earn the five extra bonus points with the win in round 11 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship. AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.         Bryan Smith entered the race as the favorite to earn his third Indy Mile victory in four seasons. However, it was second place that the Flint, Mich., product had to fight for down the stretch. Fortunately for him, he was able to seal the impressive runner-up finish aboard his Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio Kawasaki. "It was definitely a scrap the whole time," said Smith. "Kenny (Coolbeth) did exactly what I did last year. He got out front and let everyone race for second. Jared (Mees) and I were going at it a few times for sure as it was just a battle from second place on." Mees' third place finish aboard his Rogers Racing Harley-Davidson was his sixth podium of the season and his consistency in 2014 has him atop the overall point standings. Mees emerged from the stretch with a single-point advantage in the GNC title hunt over Smith (182-181).  In AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles action in Indianapolis, Jarod Vanderkooi continued to impress in what isn't even a full season for the youngster, since he was too young to compete as a professional in the season opener at Daytona. The 16-year-old took the checkered flag at the famed Indy Mile with a draft pass by Kyle Johnson on the final stretch.   "Getting a win by not even half a wheel is awesome," Vanderkooi said. "I wanted to go into Turn 3 and hopefully draft ahead for the win." The demanding stretch of race dates wore on all the competitors, including Vanderkooi, but the young Ohioan was the lucky one to get the week off with the sweet taste of victory still fresh. "It was a long time on the road, about 7,000 miles, but it was all worth it now," Vanderkooi said.   Johnson was happy to bounce back with a strong finish. Even though he wasn't on the top of the podium, he was able to regain the points lead he lost after the season's only other TT event, the Castle Rock TT. "We kind of had a rough weekend last week at Castle Rock, we were 11 points back," Johnson said. "So we're four points in the lead now. Hopefully we can get a couple more wins this season and come away with this points championship."   Nick Armstrong was confident coming off a podium finish in another mile, the Sacramento Mile, just weeks ago. The Californian rolled off the truck with speed, but his night wasn't easy. "First practice I thought I had a bike that could be on the podium," Armstrong said. "I did well at Sacramento and later in the night here (at Indy) the track felt pretty similar, it was a little more hooked up. But about halfway through (the main event) I didn't think I had it. I lost my brakes out there. So I was just trying to roll it in, be smooth and keep it on the groove. I slipped off a few times over there in (turns) 3 and 4, and I would lose a spot. But coming to get the checkered, I was pretty close to those two."   Top 10 in points in AMA Pro Flat Track GNC Combined 1. Jared Mees 182 2. Bryan Smith 181 3. Jake Johnson 174 4. Kenny Coolbeth 157 5. Sammy Halbert 138 6. Brad Baker 118 7. Brandon Robinson 117 8. Henry Wiles 115 9. Stevie Bonsey 105 10. Briar Bauman 82   Top 10 in points in AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles 1. Kyle Johnson 146 2. Davis Fisher 142 3. Ryan Wells 121 4. Jarod Vanderkooi 100 5. Bronson Bauman 100 6. Brandon Wilhelm 99 7. Dan Bromley 98 8. Dylan Morin 70 9. Dominic Colindres 69 10. Kolby Carlile 52

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