Receive updates via email:

Meet Our Partners »

Ask Mr. D&D Q&A »

Shop »

Gallery »

September 8, 2009

Flat Track Racing: Mees Takes Point lead in Grand National Championship

Injury Forces Coolbeth to Miss Grand National Twins Race

2009 Flat Track Racing

Mees Takes Lead in Championship

Blue Springs Harley-Davidson/Screamin' Eagle rider Jared Mees took over the lead in the AMA Grand National Twins championship standings with a second-place finish on the Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The race, which was delayed to facilitate track grooming after heavy rains on Saturday and early Sunday, was won by SuperTrapp/F&S rider Jake Johnson on a Harley-Davidson XR-750.

All day, the fabled fairgrounds was under the threat of rain and as the Rolling Thunder Show rolled to the line, real thunder and lighting flashed just off of Turn 1.

2009 Flat Track Racing
Rain, rain, go away

Latus Harley-Davidson / Screamin' Eagles' No. 3 Joe Kopp led the 19 rider field into the first turn with Halbert Family / King Kustoms' No. 43 Sammy Halbert, Blue Springs Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson / Rogers Lake Racing's Jared Mees and SuperTrapp / F&S Harley-Davidson's No. 14 Jake Johnson.

Eager to regain his points lead from the injured defending Champion Harley-Davidson Motor Company's No. 1 Kenny Coolbeth, Mees had the lead at the end of Lap 1 and would hold it until Lap 11. Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson / Moroney's No. 42 Bryan Smith took over the lead for a lap, taking full advantage of his provisional start. Smith dropped out of his heat race earlier in the day after leading several laps.

It would be the only lap Smith would lead, however, as Jake Johnson took over on his Harley-Davidson. Officially, Johnson would lead the rest of the race, but that was only at the all important finish line. Johnson was under constant pressure from Halbert, and the Harley-Davidson Wrecking Crew of Smith, Mees and Kopp.

Slowly it turned into a two rider race as Johnson and Mees put a short distance on Smith and Halbert. Mees made a late-race charge to catch and then pass Johnson for the lead on the 25th and final lap of the main. But Mees faltered coming out of turn four, allowing Johnson to re-take the lead and nip Mees at the finish by 0.048 seconds. Halbert also made a last lap pass of Smith for the last podium spot.

Kopp was a lonely fifth with Rogers Lake Racing's No. 28 Shaun Russell cruising home 10 seconds back. Part-time racer Harley-Davidson of Wausau's No. 59 Willie McCoy edged out National Cycle / Reiman's Harley-Davidson's Brandan Bergen, while Team Movin' Mike / TNT Harley-Davidson's No. 22P Kevin Vance posted his best Grand National finish with a ninth, almost four seconds ahead of Chris Carr Racing / Lancaster Harley-Davidson's Chris Carr.

2009 Flat Track Racing

Johnson's win gives him the "Dirt Track Slam" of a Short Track, TT, Half Mile and now Mile victory.

The Dash
After the National, as darkness flooded the race track, the all important Dash came to the line. Jared Mees was poised to use the six rider race to a great advantage, but he failed to finish the first lap of the four lap race and earned no points. Mechanical problems also sidelined Memphis Shades No. 33 JR Schnabel after one lap. Halbert, Kopp and KK Motorcycle Supply / Mike Adkins' No. 17 Henry Wiles battled to the end, with Halbert pulling off the win by inches over Kopp.

Kenny Coolbeth's Broken Bone
It was certainly a disappointing day for three-time defending Grand National Champion No. 1 Kenny Coolbeth. After suffering a shoulder injury during a mid-week practice, Coolbeth could not get up to speed on the demanding oval and could only muster the 52nd best time during the two qualifying sessions.

Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle factory rider Kenny Coolbeth, the three-time defending Grand National Twins champion and series points leader following his win at Indianapolis on August 29, was injured in a training accident during the week and did not attempt to qualify at Springfield.

"I broke my shoulder," said Coolbeth. "I tried a few laps here but I just could not hold on. With all the rain last night the track is really rough. I think if we would have had normal Springfield track conditions I might have given it a shot, but it was just too much. I expect to be ready to race at the final event at Pomona."


Mees leaves Springfield with a 15-point lead over Coolbeth in the series championship with just one race left on the schedule, where a finish of eighth or better will be enough to secure the title.

"We still have a chance at the championship," said Coolbeth, "but Jared has really been riding well. I'm going to have to win at Pomona and then we'll see how it shakes out."

Mees has 128 points, followed by Coolbeth with 113, Smith with 111 and Halbert with 109. Lancaster Haley-Davidson rider Chris Carr, who was 10th at Springfield, is in fifth place with 104 points. Johnson is sixth with 101 points.

Despite all of the problems that Mother Nature threw at the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship this weekend, the Illinois Motorcycle Dealers Association, the Illinois State Fairgrounds crew and AMA Pro Racing staff were able to salvage Sunday's Springfield Mile race.

The gumbo soil that makes the Springfield Mile so great does not take well to rain, and such conditions normally make for a sketchy race surface. It was well into the afternoon before the track was declared ready and the shortened program was implemented. Two Practice / Qualifying sessions would trim the 61 rider field down to 48 and then six riders would advance from the three heats into the National.

Next Race
The 2009 AMA Grand National Twins Championship will conclude on Oct. 24 at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds half-mile in Pomona, Calif.

Race Results
AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Twins Championship: (19 riders / 25 laps) 1. Jake Johnson (H-D); 2. Jared Mees (H-D); 3. Sammy Halbert (H-D); 4. Bryan Smith (H-D); 5. Joe Kopp (H-D); 6. Shaun Russell (H-D); 7. Willie McCoy (H-D); 8. Brandan Bergen (H-D); 9. Kevin Vance (H-D); 10. Chris Carr (H-D); 11. Bryan Bigelow (H-D); 12. Matt Weidman (H-D); 13. Nichole Cheza (H-D); 14. Steve Murray (H-D); 15. Don Taylor (H-D); 16. Cory Texter (H-D); 17. Henry Wiles (H-D); 18. JR Schnabel (H-D); 19. Ronnie Jones (H-D).

Source: Harley-Davidson, AMA Pro Racing, Photography from AMA Pro Racing.

September 8, 2009 11:29 AM | send page