Grand National Champion Jared Mees took a convincing win at the American Flat Track Twins presented by Vance & Hines season opener, the Daytona TT, demonstrating that he has no intention of relinquishing his No. 1 plate without a battle.
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| Photo Credit: Brian J. Nelson/American Flat Track |
The Indian Wrecking Crew rider took the “bigger, better and faster DAYTONA TT layout” win on his Indian Motorcycle Rogers Racing Sidi Scout FTR750 in front of G&G Racing/Rickdiculous Racing/Team95 Yamaha FZ-07JD MotoAmerica superstar JD Beach second, with TT master Henry Wiles (No. 17 Willy Built/Bandit Industries Kawasaki Ninja 650) in third spot.
Mees came into contact with fellow Indian Wrecking Crewman Brad Baker (No. 6 Indian Motorcycle Racing backed by Allstate Scout FTR750) multiple times over the race’s opening laps as he looked for a way into the lead, eventually making the decisive manoeuvre coming off the jump, jamming through as the two entered the following switchback.
“In the very beginning I had to get physical with Brad a couple times - I had to get by,” said Mees. “Over the jump I had a real good line, which allowed me to get aggressive. To come out and win the DAYTONA TT two years in a row is just huge.”
Briar Bauman (No. 14 Zanotti Racing Kawasaki Ninja 650) was fourth, with Bryan Smith (No. 4 Indian Motorcycle Racing backed by Allstate Scout FTR750) fifth. Other Indian Scout FTR750 finishers included Kenny Coolbeth Jr. in 8th; Brian Smith, 9th; Robert Pearson, 10th; Jeffrey Carver Jr., 15th.
The best placed Harley-Davidson XG750Rs were factory riders Sammy Halbert, 11th, and Brandon Robinson, 12th, with Jarod Vanderkooi 16th.
Next up is the Harley-Davidson Atlanta Short Track presented by Hellbender Harley-Davidson on Saturday, April 7 in Woodstock, Ga., followed by Fort Worth, Texas, April 28; the Calistoga, California Half Mile, May 5, and the first of the season’s Mile races, the Arizona Mile, Phoenix, May 12.
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