July 11, 2007

Mees' Hat Trick at Route 66 Raceway

No one had won three Grand Nationals in a row since Chris Carr did it twice in 2001, but that all changed as Blue Springs Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson’s Jared Mees led all twenty five laps of the rain delayed Joliet Half-Mile National.

After a two week delay the race became round four of the thirteen race AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Twins Championship. Mees finished a career-best second in the final AMA Twins point standings last season after posting one win.

It wasn't until after Jared Mees had earned his third consecutive AMA Flat Track Twins event Saturday night that someone pointed out the date. July 7, 2007 just might have been the lucky combo for the 21-year-old rider of the Blue Springs/Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson.

I can't believe it, Mees said. I feel like I've bumped my head or something because never in a million years would I have thought it would be possible for anyone to win three consecutive races. The competition is so fierce between guys like Kenny (Coolbeth, defending AMA champion), Chris Carr (multi-AMA champion) and Bryan (Smith, Wrecking Crew teammate) that I would never have imagined this happening.
- Jared Mees

Screamin' Eagle Wrecking Crew Riders Mees and Smith Earn Podium Finishes

Mees was fourth going into the first turn, but had the lead by the time the leaders crossed the stripe at the end of the first lap. Mees Screamin’ Eagle teammate, Moroney’s Harley-Davidson’s Bryan Smith had nailed the hole shot, then slipped up in turn three and lost several positions. Smith dropped all the way back to fifth before working his way back to challenge Jake Johnson and his American Suzuki / Parts Unlimited backed Suzuki.

Screamin' Eagle factory rider Coolbeth earned fourth place while Wrecking Crew rider Joe Kopp did not qualify on his Team Latus Harley-Davidson – his first miss of the season.

The winner in 2005 at Route 66 was Chris Carr. The seven-time AMA Grand National Champion has struggled so far this season, by his standards, but no one, especially his fellow racers, is counting out Carr even though he came into Saturday’s race ranked fifth. Carr came away from Route 66 on his D&D racer with 49 points and retaining his 5th position.

"Things went well overall, I just didn't get off the line very quickly and that cost me a lot of time," Coolbeth said. "I started way too late for me. By the time I started putting in good laps, everyone else was pretty much gone. If I had been on top of the start, I would have finished on the box for sure.

"The track was great and they did such a good job giving us such a racy surface. I hope it stays on the schedule because the facility is great and they kept the track in perfect condition."

Now Coolbeth has to battle his Wrecking Crew teammate for valuable points before Mees widens the gap even more.

Jared is riding so well and it's incredible the streak he's put together. Considering the caliber of riders out on that track every weekend, it says a lot about Jared and his Blue Springs team and what they have been able to accomplish lately. -
Harley-Davidson Racing Manager Anne Paluso

While Mees won his heat, he qualified third for the event. Smith qualified in the No. 1 position while Coolbeth was fourth. Mees admits his start in the main event didn't make his attempt at victory easy.

I still got a horrible start and I slammed the bike through the bottom of turn two and did whatever I could to get around to the lead. I rode the hardest laps of my career after that. I just went for it and hit all my points and did everything possible to stay in front.
- Mees

Mees finished more than two seconds ahead of Smith. And he can still hardly believe that he's not only the winner of three straight, but also continues to lead the AMA Twins point standings. Mees took over the points lead for the first time in his career on June 7 following his first win of the season (Bulls Gap, Tenn.) and has just padded the lead ever since.

(Mechanic) Johnny Goad is going through the bike with a fine-toothed comb and he has given me a great bike to ride. Blue Springs Harley-Davidson is giving us fresh parts and making sure we're ready for every race. Craig Pickett is in his 50s and he is in better shape than most people half his age and he's been helping me train. We ride bicycles, go motocrossing and I can hang with him, but he pushes me real hard. I have a trainer at the gym and all of that together is creating this amazing team that's capable of winning.
- Mees

Finally on lap twenty one Smith grabbed second, but could only close to within two and a half seconds of Mees. Johnson hung on to Smith’s coattails and grabbed another podium for Suzuki. Defending series Champion, Kenny Coolbeth slowly worked his Harley-Davidson Motor Company / Screamin’ Eagle backed Harley-Davidson into forth just passed the half-way point, but that’s where his charge stalled.

Johnson’s Suzuki teammate JR Schnabel held an early third right behind Johnson and it appeared the two Suzukis might both make the podium for the first time. It was not to be however as Schnabel lost positions to Smith and Coolbeth before settling into fifth place.

Paul Lynch was making his first ride of 2007 on the Lombardi Harley-Davidson, Carl Patrick tuned Harley and he made it a good one. Lynch got as high as fourth before dropping into a sixth place finish.

Rogers Lake Racing / Bartels’ Harley-Davidson’s Shaun Russell had to overcome a third row start and eleventh place on lap one to finish seventh just ahead of Quality Checked Certified Pre-Owned Ford’s Chris Carr who finished an uncharacteristic eighth well off the leaders pace.

National Cycle / Coziahr Harley-Davidson’s Johnny Murphree and R&D Machine / KK Motorcycle Supply’s AJ Eslick filled out the top ten.

Mees now leads Coolbeth by 13 points, with Smith 27 points behind in third place. While Mees admits there is too many races left (nine) on the schedule, he's going to enjoy the Route 66 Raceway win as long as possible. At least until next weekend's race starts anyway.

His third consecutive win came on a day that showed all lucky 7's? Perfect. Because Mees is looking for anything that could help explain the recent winning streak.

The next AMA Twins event is July 14 at Virginia Motor Speedway in Saluda, Va.

AMA Twins Top 10 Point Standings

(Following 4 of 13 events. Number of wins in parenthesis)

1. Jared Mees, Blue Springs H-D/ Screamin' Eagle H-D (3) 85

2. Kenny Coolbeth, Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson (1) 72

3. Bryan Smith, Pat Moroney's/Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson 58

4. Jake Johnson, Suzuki 56

5. Chris Carr, Quality Pre-Owned Ford Harley-Davidson 49

6. Glen Schnabel, American Suzuki 45

7. Shaun Russell, Bartels' Harley-Davidson 43

8. Johnny Murphree, Coziahr Harley-Davidson 39

9. Joe Kopp, Team Latus/Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson 31

10. Paul Lynch, Artic Circle Harley-Davidson 26

About Harley Racing
In addition to the direct team sponsorship, Harley-Davidson will also provide support through professional flat track contingency and the Rider Support Verification Program (RSVP). Under the Screamin’ Eagle banner the support will total more than $140,000 throughout the 2007 season. This includes a contingency program for qualified Harley-Davidson XR750 riders on the AMA Flat Track series.

Sourced from Harley-Davidson, AMA Proracing
Photography from www.amaflattrack.com

July 11, 2007 08:30 AM | send page