AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion Jared Mees Takes Home the Gold Medal at 2016 ESPN XGames Flat Track Competition at COTA

The second annual trip to the ESPN XGames Harley-Davidson Flat Track event in Austin, TX. last week saw the cream of the crop from The Rolling Thunder Show displaying their talents to the masses at the Circuit of the Americas-hosted event alongside other extreme sports (the Step Up competition was held right next to the flat track layout) and did another stellar job of showing off the skills of the greatest racing series on two wheels in the world.

After bitter disappointment in the inaugural event in 2015 when Jared Mees suffered a mechanical failure with less then half a lap to go, the defending and 3-Time AMA Grand National Champ took home the gold medal this year, winning the 20-lap final over Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. and Brad Baker. Coolbeth did an admirable job of pressuring Mees in the closing laps only to come up short at the checkered flag.

Defending XGames H-D Flat Track winner Bryan Smith suffered a crash on the first go around in the final that saw his fallen motorcycle also take out Sammy Halbert.

The coverage of the event was shown live on ESPN on Thursday, June 2 from 8:30-11:00 PM EDT and was viewed by over 309K people and was the 23rd most-watched sports program for the 24 hour period, behind several showings of Sportscenter and WWE offerings. Although those numbers were off from last year's events, game one of the NBA finals was being shown in prime time on ABC and drew over 19M people, most likely pulling away from what could have been a larger viewing total audience.

Nonetheless, ESPN's coverage did an excellent job of showcasing the talents of all of those involved, and the racing was excellent and the track was in much better shape then last year's was, even considering it was underwater just several days before the riders and teams arrived on Wednesday, June 1 for the first practice sessions of the event. Helmets off to former AMA Pro Flat Track manager Dan Johnsen and his crew for getting the track in as good of shape as it was. On Wednesday, they were using a helicopter to help dry out the surface, and both days were under constant threat of more rain which hung in the area like a bad penny.

In the shot above, Mees and his Rogers Racing head wrench Kenny Tolbert work to ready the #1 Las Vegas H-D/Rogers Racing/Harley-Davidson Motor Company-sponsored XR750s during round 6 of the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines series at the Springfield Mile I on May 29.

ESPN XGames recap is viewable here and complete results from the ESPN XGames Harley-Davidson Flat Track event can be seen here.

Word has it that the contract with the Circuit of the Americas is up after this year's competition, and at this time next year's event location for the XGames is still up in the air. But surely after two stellar years of competition in the long time event will see the stars of AMA Pro Flat Track return again next year, wherever that may be.

And a big tip of the helmet and congrats to Jared Mees for his gold medal-winning performance from Thursday night. Bravo! And as well to everyone involved for putting on a great show for all of the fans.

You can check out more below thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track.

Jared Mees claims redemption in Harley-Davidson Flat-Track Racing at ESPN's Summer X Games

AUSTIN, Texas (June 2, 2016) - Jared Mees claimed redemption in Thursday night's Harley-Davidson Flat-Track Racing main event during the opening night for ESPN's Summer X Games at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. Mees (No. 9 Las Vegas Harley-Davidson XR750) won by a margin of 0.369 of a second over Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. (No. 2 Zanotti Harley-Davidson XR750) with Brad "The Bullet" Baker finishing third aboard the No. 6 Factory Harley-Davidson XR750. Mees also secured the inaugural AMA Pro Flat Track win at the Harley-Davidson Lone Star Half-Mile at COTA in April and has bragging rights to call himself the king of the half-mile circuit. Mees came to Austin with a purpose, having suffered a mechanical failure on the last lap while leading the race in last year's X Games, and he used that memory as motivation during Thursday night's performance. "It's awesome," Mees said. "It's probably one of the biggest highlights in my career. It feels like I just won the Grand National Championship, honestly. Last year when we got invited to come to the X Games, I wanted to be the first guy to win it. I was so close and it didn't happen and I heard about it until tonight. I was bitter and upset. But to come here and to win it and to also win in April, I feel like I am definitely the dominant guy. My initial thought as I went through the finish line was, 'Hallelujah' and I'm so glad we got it in and I got what I wanted." When the starting gate dropped, Michael Kirkness bolted from the inside lane aboard his No. 87 Harley-Davidson XR750 to take the hole shot. The Australian led the 12-rider field into the first turn before calamity struck for the odds-on favorite in the race, last year's X Games gold medal winner, Bryan Smith. Despite having a lackluster start, Smith dove his No. 1 Crosley/Howerton Kawasaki Ninja 650 into the first corner with conviction from the middle of the pack. In a bout of bad luck, the Michigan native snagged the toe of his boot on the edge of the track, sending him to the ground and collecting the No. 69 BriggsAuto.com Harley-Davidson XR750 of Sammy Halbert in the process. Meanwhile up front, Jake Johnson's No. 5 Zanotti Racing Harley-Davidson XR750 grabbed the lead and officially led the first four laps before Baker overtook the former champion heading into Turn 4, with Mees in tow. Mees patiently stalked Baker until the eventual third-place finisher ran wide in the same area of the track on lap 8, opening the door for Mees to take the point. Coolbeth, Jr. then joined the fray, challenging Mees for the final 10 laps of the 20-lap main. "I showed him a wheel a little too early," Coolbeth said. "He was struggling in laps three and four trying to get it turned. I showed him a wheel with five or six laps to go and he played defense. All-in-all he deserves it after last year, so it's good. I'm happy and hopefully next year we'll be in his spot." Factory Harley-Davidson rider Baker made his team proud by putting the legendary XR750 on the box for a second year in a row. "It feels great any time you get on the box but here at the X Games it's just a little bit extra special," Baker said. "Hats off to Kenny and Jared, they had something for me. I got out there quick, I thought I had a good line and started over riding the motorcycle a little bit. I was hopping around some and Kenny and Jared were being a little smoother. It was a good race to get on the box. To get a bronze medal for a second year in a row is cool. Hats off to Jared for getting a gold after what happened last year. Harley-Davidson 1-2-3 it's pretty cool for the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. I can't give a big enough thanks to them for everything that they do for the sport, for my team and for myself." 2016 Harley-Davidson Flat-Track Racing Main Event Results: No. 9 Jared Mees No. 2 Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. No. 6 Brad Baker No. 5 Jake Johnson No. 87 Michael Kirkness No. 44 Brandon Robinson No. 10 Johnny Lewis No. 67 Davis Fisher No. 55 Jake Shoemaker No. 23 Jeffrey Carver No. 1 Bryan Smith No. 69 Sammy Halbert Next up for AMA Pro Flat Track, the series heads to Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for the OKC Mile. "Mile Specialist" Bryan Smith is sure to seek redemption of his own on June 18, 2016. For tickets and information, please visit http://okcmile.com/tickets-to-the-okc-mile-flat-track-motorcycle-race/. About AMA Pro Flat Track: AMA Pro Flat Track is the world's premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track, please visit www.amaproracing/ft, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or live stream the on-track action on FansChoice.tv. About AMA Pro Racing: 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

Preview the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Harley-Davidson Lone Star Half-Mile at COTA with Track Designer & 7-Time Grand National Champ Chris Carr

In just eight short days, round 3 of the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines series will roll into Austin, TX. alongside the stars of the MotoGP and MotoAmerica road racing series to pull out all of the stops in the first Twins Series event of the young season ahead.

The stars of The Rolling Thunder Show visited the COTA facility last year for it's first-ever start alongside the ESPN XGames event and put on one heckuva show alongside the long running stars of some of the highest profile extreme sports, and on a track that many called 'questionable' at best. But a show they put on and in it's initial live airing on ESPN pulled in just over 500K viewers in a primetime slot on cable tv.

In fairness to all for last year's track crew and facility, the folks that did a wonderful job of putting it together had just a few short days to put together a racing surface that just days before had been underwater due to the inundation of rain storms in the area. But the track prep crew and the riders all moved past the problems at hand and put in some darn fine racing for all to see.

This year will be different. Track-prep specialist and former 7-Time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr was tasked with designing an all-new surface for the new and points-paying event taking place next Saturday, April 9, and what a job he has done in getting this new facility ready to show off the talents of the greatest racing series on two wheels in the world alongside the European stars of MotoGP and the American stars of MotoAmerica.

In the shot above, 7-Time AMA Grand National Champ Chris Carr and his #4 American Motorcyclist Assoc/Classic Harley-Davidson/DFW Honda-sponsored XR750 team wait for the rider intros portion of the program in The Prince of Peoria's final full season of racing at the Springfield Mile II at round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship on Sunday, September 4.

So while we are all chomping at the bit waiting for next weekend's first Twins Series event at Austin, check out FansChoice.TV's interview with Chris Carr and hear him talk about putting together what looks to be an awesome track, and then look at the preview for next Saturday's big race at the COTA. And on next Saturday get ready to hold your breath during the bar banging action in what will surely be another exciting event for AMA Pro Flat Track!

FansChoice.tv Interviews Seven-Time Grand National Champion Chris Carr on Purpose-Built Flat Track at Circuit of The Americas

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Mar. 23, 2016) - Seven-time Grand National Champion Chris Carr dives into detail on FansChoice.tv about the purpose-built dirt track for The Harley-Davidson Lone Star Half-Mile at Circuit of The Americas debuting on April 9. Where AMA Pro Flat Track riders will take to their twin-cylinder bikes for the first time in the 2016 season.

For additional information and to purchase tickets, please visit http://www.texasflattrack.com/tickets/.

 

 

To stay up-to-date on AMA Pro Flat Track news and series coverage, follow us on our social media pages: 

• FansChoice.tv: http://www.fanschoice.tv/ama-pro
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMAProFlatTrackSeries/videos 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AMAProVids/videos

Every round of the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track season will be available live, in high definition and free of charge for fans to watch online at www.FansChoice.tv.

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.

Part Two of the FansChoice.tv Interview with Seven-Time Grand National Champion Chris Carr on Purpose-Built Flat Track at Circuit of The Americas

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Mar. 24, 2016) -  Watch part two of the FansChoice.tv interview with Chris Carr as he goes into further detail about how the new track, debuting on April 9 at The Harley-Davidson Lone Star Half-Mile at Circuit of The Americas, differs from the other fields on the AMA Pro Flat Track schedule.

For additional information and to purchase tickets, please visit http://www.texasflattrack.com/tickets/.

 

 

To stay up-to-date on AMA Pro Flat Track news and series coverage, follow us on our social media pages: 

• FansChoice.tv: http://www.fanschoice.tv/ama-pro
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMAProFlatTrackSeries/videos 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AMAProVids/videos

Every round of the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track season will be available live, in high definition and free of charge for fans to watch online at www.FansChoice.tv.

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.

Everything You Wanted to Know About AMA Pro Flat Track at The Harley-Davidson Lone Star Half-Mile at Circuit of The Americas

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Mar. 31, 2016) - AMA Pro Flat Track athletes are taking the spotlight on Saturday, April 9 at the inaugural Harley-Davidson Lone Star Half-Mile at Circuit of The Americas during the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas weekend on the new, purpose-built dirt track designed by flat track legend Chris Carr. Fans can get a taste of the origins of motorcycle racing during the high-intensity qualifying rounds and main events with the flat track athletes demonstrating racing in the raw as they conquer the new half-mile terrain. What is AMA Pro Flat Track? AMA Pro Flat Track is the world's premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. The sport is also regarded as the birthplace of the "Golden Generation" of USA Grand Prix stars, producing top riders such as Grand National and World Champion Kenny Roberts, Wayne Rainey and Nicky Hayden. AMA Pro Flat Track comprises two classes. The first is the Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines class, which features the world's elite flat track riders. The second is the GNC2 class where up-and-coming athletes compete to earn their spot in the GNC1 ranks.   Why Should I Care? Spectators of AMA Pro Flat Track events experience nail-biting action lap-by-lap as riders showcase racing that resembles not only the sound of a freight train but the proximity of one, too. As they whip around the freshly packed clay surface without front brake accommodation, riders demonstrate fierce competition as they try to force their way to the lead in bar-to-bar racing action. AMA Pro Flat Track has also grabbed the attention of elite international talent from MotoGP, in particular from Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi. In 2009, Rossi experienced "a magical night" at the Indy Mile while watching the talent of Yamaha TZ750-mounted Kenny Roberts and established his own Flat Track at his ranch in Tavullia, Italy. While in 2014 and 2015, Rossi's rival and fellow MotoGP competitor, Marquez hosted three Superprestigio dirt track events in Barcelona, Spain. Who Should I Look For? Fans have the opportunity to meet AMA Pro Flat Track superstars at 6:00 p.m. CST during the Dunlop Fan Walk in the rider paddock. Among these athletes are Las Vegas Harley-Davidson-mounted three-time Grand National Champion No. 1 Jared Mees, 2015 Summer X Games gold medalist and Kawasaki-mounted Bryan Smith sporting the No. 42 plate, 23-year professional rider and three-time Grand National Champion No. 2 Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. on his Harley-Davidson and Factory Harley-Davidson rider No. 6 Brad Baker in the GNC1 class. Among the GNC2 athletes competing on 450cc single-cylinder motorcycles are 2016 DAYTONA Flat Track season opening winners No. 14A Dalton Gauthier riding his Yamaha YZ 450F and KTM 450 SX-F rider No. 26E Dylan Morin. What Do I Get? A mile down from the road race at Circuit of The Americas, is the location of The Harley-Davidson Lone Star Half-Mile. Mees and Smith will duke it out once again at the Austin facility in a repeat of the 2015 Summer X Games, where Mees led the race for the majority of the event until technical difficulties cut short his race, allowing Smith to gap the pack and take home the gold medal. As fans enjoy an insider's view into the flat track paddock, they can watch as teams fine-tune bikes with engines from manufacturers of three continents, including Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Triumph, Ducati, Honda, Yamaha and more. Fans will also have the opportunity to engage in on-site giveaways with the Harley-Davidson and Vance & Hines promotional team. Swag items will include 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track series tickets, t-shirts, Sunoco gift cards and more. Roland Sands Design and the Super Hooligans will also put on a show during the evening with custom-built street bikes hurtling around the track. Where and When? Gates open at 6:00 p.m. CST. Upon the conclusion of the road races at Circuit of The Americas, fans can come to a meet-and-greet session with AMA Pro Flat Track stars. Opening ceremonies commence at 6:30 p.m. as riders suit up to demonstrate the true meaning of bar-to-bar action. Spectators coming from the road racing can utilize COTA transportation, picking up at Lot F and dropping off at the front gate of the dirt track. Fans arriving on motorcycles should head to McAngus Rd. where there is a grass parking lot past the entrance of the dirt track that is designated for motorcycle parking and will be free of charge. There is also a parking lot for VIP guests between the two public access entrances at the grass lot in front of the vendor area. General spectator car parking for the event is $20.00 and is located off of COTA Blvd. in Lot F with a transportation system to the track. How to Purchase Tickets: For spectators coming from the road racing circuit, tickets can be purchased at the Grand Plaza Ticket Booth in COTA until 5:00 p.m. General admission to The Harley-Davidson Lone Star Half-Mile at Circuit of The Americas is $55.00 at the Box Office. There are two ticket stations located at the entrance of the dirt track to the right of the shuttle drop off area and directly in front of the grandstands. Save 10% on admission by purchasing tickets online at http://www.texasflattrack.com/tickets/. Teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 will receive half-priced admission at the gate and children 12 and under are free. For additional information about The Harley-Davidson Lone Star Half-Mile at Circuit of The Americas, please visit their website at http://www.texasflattrack.com. How to Watch:   FansChoice.tv is the official home for live streaming coverage of AMA Pro Flat Track events. The site also provides coverage of IMSA's development and single-make series, and NASCAR's touring and weekly series. Catch all the action at http://www.FansChoice.tv. About AMA Pro Flat Track:   AMA Pro Flat Track is the world's premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track, please visit www.amaproracing.com/ft/, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or live stream the on-track action on FansChoice.tv.  About AMA Pro Racing: 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

Jared Mees Comes Up Just Shy of Getting Around 2014 Superprestigio Dirt Track Race Champion Marc Marquez During Yesterday's Event in Barcelona, Spain

2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion Jared Mees ended up with the best finish of the American contingent of riders that headed across the pond to contest the 2nd annual Superprestigio Dirt Track Race held in Barcelona, Spain yesterday. Mees won all of his heats races in order to punch his ticket to the main event, but came up just shy of equaling 2013 AMA Grand National Champion Brad Baker's inaugural win in the event held in January. Double MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez was able to take the win after crashing out of last January's event while battling with Baker for the lead.

Mees, Shayna Texter and Baker were all great representatives at the event for the American-based AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship series, but Baker crashed early in the day during one of the practice sessions that saw the former champ take a nasty highside and dislocate his shoulder. Texter wasn't able to qualify through the hectic system in order to represent the Americans in the main event, but American Kenny Noyes, fresh off winning the 2014 FIM CEV International Superbike Championship, was able to bring his ride home in 3rd-place to round out the podium and show the world his title in Spain's high-ranking road racing series was not only not a fluke for the popular rider, but that he hadn't forgotten his flat track skills along the way.

In the shot above, Mees and tuner Kenny Tolbert put the finishing touches on changes to The Jammer's Honda CRF450R 'A' bike in the #1 Montgomeryville Cycle Center/National Cycle/Rogers Racing-sponsored pit area between the practice session and qualifying sessions held at the Peoria TT on August 11, 2013.

You can check out the final of the Superprestigio event here thanks to YouTube and you can also view all of the results here on the official website of the Superprestigio Dirt Track Race. AMA Pro Racing's press release can also be checked out below.

A big congrats to The Jammer, Jared Mees for a stellar 2nd-place finish, to 2013-14 MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez for taking the victory in Barcelona yesterday, and to all of the contestants and representatives of the United States for giving it their all in one of the premier 'off-season' events of the year!

Jared Mees, Marc Marquez thrill international audience in Superprestigio flat track event

BARCELONA, Spain (Dec. 13, 2014) - The world was able to witness the excitement of flat track racing on Saturday, and it was able to see reigning AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion  Jared Mees come up just short in a thrilling battle with Spanish road racing superstar and two-time defending MotoGP champion Marc Marquez. Barcelona, Spain played host to the Superprestigio short track exhibition race, featuring some of the best riders from nearly every form of motorcycle racing in the world, including an American contingent representing AMA Pro Flat Track, the world's preeminent flat track racing series. Marquez held off a hard charge from Mees in the showcase's main event, the Superfinal. Mees settled for second in the race, which was broadcast around the world. 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion Jared Mees displays his 2nd-place trophy after coming up just short of the win in yesterday's 2nd annual Superprestigio Dirt Track Race in Barcelona, Spain. Photo courtesy of AMA Pro Racing. "I had an amazing time, it was my first time in Spain," Mees said. "I can't say enough for everybody that invited me, Marc Marquez and everybody that put the event on. It was amazing, I had a lot of fun. ... I hope I can come back next year." Mees dominated both heat races and all three finals to win his Open class. But in the Superfinal, Mees got caught up behind a downed rider in the first corner and nearly stalled his bike while running wide to avoid the crash. He was in the middle of the pack for the first time all night and one spot in back of Marquez. Methodically and impressively, the two picked off riders before they found themselves in front. Mees drew even with Marquez's back tire by the final lap, but ran out of time before being able to make a move for the lead. He settled for a hard-fought and well-deserved second." Marquez is a large supporter and fan of flat track racing, and uses it, like many top road racers, to train. In January, the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion, Brad Baker, won the Superprestigio after a thrilling battle with Marquez. This time around, the practice Marquez put in specifically in hopes of winning the Superprestigio really showed. "He kept his wheels in line very well," Mees said. "Keeping the wheels in line is the faster way to go around the race track, so hat's off to him. He definitely had amazing style for being a road racer (primarily)." Baker suffered a shoulder injury in practice on Saturday morning and was unable to compete. Leading up to the event, he had been the fastest rider in practice. "First and foremost, I would like to say thanks to Jared. He came from America to here, and also Brad," Marquez said. "I was worried for (Brad) because the crash this morning was scary." AMA Pro Flat Track's Shayna Texter, the only female rider in the event, crashed in her first heat race and found herself in unlucky spots on the track during later heats. She eventually bounced back and finished fourth in her Last Chance Qualifier. Fellow American and 2014 FIM CEV SBK International Superbike champion Kenny Noyes was third in the Superfinal. All three riders on the podium are current champions in their respective series. Additional AMA Pro Flat Track flare was provided by flagger Kevin Clark, who was invited to return for a second time to the event. The thrilling exhibition stoked plenty of interest in the sport, and fans only have to wait until March 12-13 for the 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track season to get underway with a doubleheader at DAYTONA Flat Track. Like the Superprestigio, every AMA Pro Flat Track race in 2015 can be seen live atFansChoice.tv.

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.

Jared Mees & Rogers Racing Crowned 2014 Grand National Champions at AMA Pro Flat Track Banquet

After 16 rounds and 15 races were completed, the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season came to an exciting end last weekend with the season finale at the LA Fairplex-hosted Pomona Half-Mile Flat Track Finals, where Jared Mees and his #9 Rogers Racing team fought hard to come home in the 4th-place spot to clinch the 2014 AMA Grand National Championship.

Mees, who had a career year in winning two races, capturing nine top-3s and 14 top-5s in route to winning his second overall Grand National Championship to go along with his 2009 AMA Grand National Twins Series Championship and the 2012 AMA Grand National Singles Championship.

Along with star rider and Michigan resident Mees, second year tuner for the team, Kenny Tolbert, won his eighth AMA Grand National Championship, second only to legendary tuner Bill Werner (13 championships with Gary Scott, Jay Springsteen and Scott Parker) and was awarded the Mechanic of the Year award along with fellow team member Sammy Sweet.

In the shot above, Mees and the #9 Rogers Racing/Las Vegas H-D/Blue Springs H-D-sponsored Harley-Davidson XR750 team of Kenny Tolbert and Sammy Sweet (partially hidden) are shown being introduced to the crowd by AMA Pro Flat Track official announcer Barry Boone at the Springfield Mile I during rider intros at round 3 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on May 25.

Read on to see who else copped the share of monies and awards for what was another great season of racing in The Rolling Thunder Show during the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season.

2014 AMA Pro Flat Track champions honored

POMONA, Calif. (Oct. 13, 2014) - The 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track season came to a thrilling end, with both the Grand National Championship Expert and Pro Singles titles being claimed by the tightest of margins at the Flat Track Finals at the LA County Fairplex on Saturday.   Sunday, following the exciting night of races, the champions and other riders of note were lauded at the yearend awards ceremony held at Pomona Valley Mining Company.   Jared Mees poses with his Rogers Racing Harley-Davidson XR750 during the AMA Pro Flat Track banquet where he was officially crowned the 2014 AMA Grand National Champion. AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.     The voices of AMA Pro Flat Track Barry Boone and Scottie Deubler hosted a fun afternoon that included multiple looks back at the 2014 season in addition to the distribution of awards and checks.   GNC champion Jared Mees was awarded the No. 1 plate by the American Motorcyclist Association's Joe Bromley, and he was joined on stage by the Rogers Racing Harley-Davidson he rode to fourth place in the season finale to clinch the title by three points over Bryan Smith.   Pro Singles champion Kyle Johnson also received his No. 1 plate from Bromley after finishing second in Pomona and taking the championship by a single point over Davis Fisher.   Jarod Vanderkooi was awarded the No. 1 plate for winning both Pro Twins races this season, as well.   Johnson is awarded a national number for being the Pro Singles champion, but other riders who earned their national numbers were recognized, including; Jay Maloney, Danny Koelsch, Shayna Texter, Cody Johncox, Chaz Landers, Ronnie Jones and Colt Chebultz.   After 16 rounds, the winners of the Sunoco "Go The Distance Award" were honored and presented with checks for being the riders who completed the furthest distance over the course of the 2014 season. In Pro Singles, the $2,000 winner's check went to Bronson Bauman. Mees received a check for $3,000 for being the top Expert rider in terms of distance traveled. Mees also received $1,000 from Cortech for winning the "Performance Edge Award" as the rider who recorded the most fastest laps in main events in 2014.   Bryan Smith's Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio team was recognized with the "Team Excellence Award' for their professionalism throughout the year, and Jeffery Carver Jr. was awarded the  "Outstanding Performance" award, mainly for riding so many different bikes and remaining competitive over the course of the season.   Saddlemen's Tom Seymour was on hand to congratulate the Saddlemen GNC Rookie of the Year, Wyatt Maguire, who made seven main event appearances in this first season in premier class.   Pro Singles runner-up Fisher was the recipient of a special award, the Brintlinger Award for Excellence in Sportsmanship, which was voted on by members of the AMA Pro Flat Track paddock. Craig Parkinson of Parkinson Brothers Racing, accepted his award for Pro Singles Mechanic of the Year, and Honda was named the Manufacturer of the Year in the class. In addition to Johnson and Fisher being honored, Pro Singles third place finisher Ryan Wells was given a check for $2,000 along with a trophy.   GNC Mechanic of the Year honors went to Kenny Tolbert and Sammy Sweet of Rogers Racing and Kawasaki was named the Manufacturer of the Year in GNC competition.   The largest checks were saved for last as the top three finishers in the GNC standings were honored. Jake Johnson was third and received $4,000 and a trophy. Smith took home a check for $6,000 with his trophy. Mees was awarded $10,000 in addition to the coveted No. 1 plate, and was also recognized with a stunning Rolex watch presented by Thom Duma of Thom Duma Fine Jewelers.   Thunder MultiMedia provided three excellent videos, including a fun look back at the personalities in the paddock and recaps of both the Pro Singles and GNC seasons.   A special No. 1 plate was presented to Dave and Kathy Hoenig for their many years of dedication to the sport of flat track. The couple has attended 444 Grand Nationals, including 369 consecutive.   The event served as a fitting end to an entertaining 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Season with excitement already beginning to build for 2015.   About AMA Pro Flat Track:   AMA Pro Flat Track is a national motorcycle racing series in North America and is considered one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the Series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing in the world. For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track, please visit www.amaproracing.com/ft.

AMA Pro Flat Track awards banquet

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

2012 AMA Grand National Champion Jared Mees Leads the Chase for the Cortech Performance Edge Award in the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship

Jared Mees' run for the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship is ready to hit the first of four remaining races for the season tomorrow at the Colonial Downs-hosting of the Virginia Mega Mile in New Kent, VA. Mees won the inaugural event in 2013 after outlasting this season's title rivals Bryan Smith and Jake Johnson on the 1.25 mile track that is not only the longest on the series' schedule, but also proved to be one of the toughest in terms of dust and traction.

But Mees hasn't had much problem this season with sight or traction in his quest to earn his second AMA Grand National Championship in the last three seasons. He currently is only one of five racers that has scored points in all 11 of the races that have been completed this year (Jake Johnson, Henry Wiles, Sammy Halbert and Briar Bauman being the others. Rapid City is still considered round 10 although the event was never completed due to being rained out and no points being awarded.)

The Rogers Racing rider also has scored the most top-5s on the season (10 races, Daytona II being the only missive with a 12th-place finish), the most podiums or top-3s for the year with seven, and the 2nd-most wins of the season (Lima and Hagerstown Half-Miles, and is tied with Henry Wiles in that category) behind Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. and Bryan Smith's three wins each.

Mees also leads all contenders this year in the quest for the Cortech Performance Edge Award, a $1K bonus given to the rider who runs the fastest lap at the most races during the season. At this point of the year with 3/4 of the races complete, Mees has accomplished that feat at five of those eleven races.

In the shot above, Mees' tuner Kenny Tolbert readies one of his three #9 Rogers Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Las Vegas H-D-sponsored XR750s in preparation for the day's action ahead at round 11 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship at the Indy Mile on August 8. Mees can be seen on the left side of the shot speaking with team member Sammy Sweet (behind hanging leathers) as KT gets Mees' bike ready for the day's first practice round coming up.

With two mile races (Virginia and Springfield) and two half-mile rounds (Calistoga and Pomona) left before the awarding of the 2014 AMA Grand National Championship, Mees has the upper hand heading into the stretch run of the season over Bryan Smith (204-195 points) with Jake Johnson another five points in arrears of Smith (190 points.) At this juncture of the season, it looks to be Mees not only leading the points for the grand prize but also the added bonus, which you can read more about below in AMA Pro Flat Track's press release.

Jared Mees leads AMA Pro Flat Track Cortech Performance Edge Award chase

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 22, 2014) - The $1,000 Cortech Performance Edge Award will go to the Grand National Championship rider who records the fastest lap in the most races during the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track season.   Cortech is the presenting sponsor of AMA Pro Racing's Live Timing and Scoring for both AMA Pro Flat Track and AMA Pro Road Racing. Similar to their contributions to AMA Pro Road Racing, the industry-leading motorcycle gear company has been very gracious in granting $1,000 to the winner of the Cortech Performance Edge Award in AMA Pro Flat Track at the conclusion of the 2014 season.   With over half the season in the books, Jared Mees has turned the fastest lap in five of the 11 races so far. The 2012 Grand National Champion got off to a fast start this year, as he won two of the first seven AMA Pro Flat Track main events. Mees's ability to maintain consistency all season long is the reason why he's not only leading the Cortech Performance Edge Award chase by two races, but also holds the top spot in the overall point standings heading into Colonial Downs this weekend.       Jared Mees on the #9 Rogers Racing XR750 is shown in action earlier this season at the Hagerstown Half-Mile. Mees is leading the running for the $1K bonus sponsored by Cortech for turning the fastest lap at the most races during the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season. AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.           Kenny Coolbeth is the rider with the best shot at catching Mees for the Cortech Performance Edge Award. Coolbeth has recorded the fastest lap in three races so far this season and looks to have found his groove with Zanotti Racing. Look for the three-time champion to give Mees a run for his money this weekend at Colonial Downs, as Coolbeth is the last rider to earn a victory on a mile circuit, having claimed victory at the Indy Mile less than two weeks ago.   Tune into FansChoice.tv this Saturday, Aug. 23, to catch all of the action in live time and see who will take one step closer to becoming the recipient of this year's Cortech Performance Edge Award.   For tickets and more information regarding the Virginia Mega Mile, please visit http://www.colonialdowns.com/motorcycle-race/.    About Cortech:   Cortech is one of the leading performance motorcycle gear brands in the United States. Having been developed not only with its parent company's product expertise in riding gear, but also with the feedback of professional racers and riders throughout the United States, Cortech offers performance motorcyclists a wide array of products in jackets, one piece leathers, pants, luggage, boots as well as snowmobile gear. Cortech is the performance brand of Helmet House, Inc. Helmet House, Inc. is one of the industry's leading powersports product and apparel distributors. Headquartered in Calabasas Hills, CA with an eastern distribution point in Southaven, MS, Helmet House was founded in 1969. Helmet House has brought over 45 years of success to the powersports industry. Helmet House currently has distribution throughout the United States, as well as Canada, Latin and South America, Australia and South Africa. Helmet House was selected as the top distributor in the 2009 Dealernews Distributor Report Card report. About AMA Pro Flat Track: AMA Pro Flat Track is a national motorcycle racing series in North America and is considered one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the Series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing in the world. The 2014 schedule consists of 16 rounds on the country's finest flat track courses. For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track, please visit www.amaproracing.com/ft.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.   For additional information contact:   AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com