Halbert Holds Off Bauman for New York Short Track I
Mission SuperTwins Presented by S&S Cycle
Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Coolbeth-Nila Racing Indian FTR750) beat the odds to score an inspiring victory in the Mission Foods New York Short Track I presented by Mad Max Indian Motorcycle on August 13 at Weedsport Speedway in Weedsport, New York.
Riding wounded after suffering a broken foot and missing multiple rounds earlier this season, Halbert grabbed the lead away from double defending Grand National Champion Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) two minutes into the 10-minute-plus-two-lap Main Event.
Bauman put up a fight, and briefly took the lead with less than 30 seconds on the clock, but Halbert had an answer and took the flag for a 15th career premier-class victory. Despite narrowly missing out on a third successive victory, Bauman's second meant he increased his title lead to 33 points, with seven races remaining.
Meanwhile, Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750), the newly announced Springfield Mile promoter for 2022, beat a resurgent Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Indian Motorcycle of Oklahoma City FTR750) to the line by 0.307 seconds for third, with Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) fifth.
AFT Singles
Reigning AFT Singles king Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) scored a thrilling, last-lap victory over Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) to reignite his title defense.
Morgen Mischler (No. 13 Mission Roof Systems KTM 450 SX-F) took third, with Trent Lowe (No. 48 WBR/Suzuki Motor of America RM-Z450) fourth and Ferran Cardús (No. 377 Roof Systems of Dallas TX/Bullet Strong Racing RM-Z450) fifth.
AFT Production Twins Presented by Vance & Hines
Breakaway Production Twins title leader Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) went wire-to-wire to notch up his fifth victory of the 2021 season.
He has a remarkable ability to bolt off the line and take the holeshot with regularity. He did so again in the first of the Short Track Doubleheader at Weedsport and leveraged the clear track to work up an immediate one-second gap. That ultimately proved vital in his efforts to hold off a hard-charging Cameron Smith (No. 44 Fredericktown Yamaha/Richie Reynolds Racing MT-07) in second.
Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Cycles/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) took third, with Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield Twins FT) fourth and Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) fifth.
Mission Super Twins Presented by S&S Cycle
1. Sammy Halbert - Indian FTR750, Coolbeth-Nila Racing, Roof Systems
2. Briar Bauman - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle, Progressive Insurance, S&S Cycle
3. Jared Mees - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle, Progressive Insurance, Mission Foods
4. Bronson Bauman - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle, Indian Oklahoma
5. Jarod Vanderkooi - Indian FTR750, Mission Foods, Roof Systems
Singles
1. Dallas Daniels - Yamaha YZ450F, Estenson Racing/Yamaha Racing
2. Trevor Brunner - Honda CRF450R, American Honda/Progressive Insurance
3. Morgen Mischler - KTM 450 SX-F, Mission Foods/ Roof Systems
4. Trent Lowe - Suzuki RMZ 450, WBR/Suzuki Motor of America
5. Ferran Cardus - Suzuki RMZ 450, Roof Systems/Bullet Strong Racing
Production Twins Presented by Vance & Hines
1. Cory Texter - Yamaha MT-07, G&G Racing, Yamaha Racing
2. Cameron Smith - Yamaha MT-07, Fredricktown Yamaha, Richie Reynolds Racing
3. Dalton Gauthier - Harley-Davidson XG750R, D&D Cycles, Vance & Hines, Boswells H-D
4. Johnny Lewis - Royal Enfield 650, Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield
5. Dan Bromley - Yamaha MT-07, Memphis Shades, Vinson Construction
Mees Got His Mojo Back for New York Short Track II
Mission SuperTwins Presented by S&S Cycle
AFT legend Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) was at his best for the second of the New York Short Tracks, the multi-time Grand National Champion claiming a dominant victory.
After a battle for the all-important racing low line at the super-slick Weedsport Short Track, Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) stole second by a 0.003-seconds from Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) in third - brake issues having ended the threat he appeared to pose to Mees at around half distance.
Race I winner Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Coolbeth-Nila Racing Indian FTR750) taking fourth this time, ahead of JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) in fifth, with defending Grand National Champion Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) sixth.
AFT Singles
Morgen Mischler (No. 13 Mission Roof Systems KTM 450 SX-F) earned his second-career AFT Singles victory - his first since 2018 - and did so starting from Row 3. Mischler ignored the deep pack of riders scraping down low and instead railed his way around the extreme high line. In just a matter of a couple of short laps, Mischler was in the lead and leaving the field in his wake en route to the checkered flag. Mischler had stacked up an incredible 16 podiums (including six this season) between victories.
Brandon Kitchen (No. 105 Husqvarna Motorcycles/Vance & Hines Husqvarna FC450) scored his first podium for 2021 in second, ahead of Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) third, Trent Lowe (No. 48 WBR/Suzuki Motor of America RM-Z450) fourth and pre-race title leader Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) fifth. Daniels now leads Whale by a narrow two-point margin (178-176).
AFT Production Twins Presented by Vance & Hines
It was several years in the making, but Cameron Smith (No. 44 Fredericktown Yamaha/Richie Reynolds Racing MT-07) is officially a Progressive American Flat Track Main Event winner at last.
Smith first showed the potential to run up front in AFT Singles competition as far back as the 2016 season, but he didn’t truly establish himself as a threat to claim the checkered flag until the switch to Production Twins. Following a pair of 2021 runner-up finishes - including second spot behind Cory Texter the previous evening - Smith at last broke through with a dominant 1.270-second victory.
Holeshot expert Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) didn’t get his usual fast start, which altered the complexion of the race completely. Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Cycles/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) took second, ahead of Texter in third, with Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) fourth and Ryan Varnes (No. 68 RVR/Rausch Fuel Kawasaki Ninja 650) holding off Ben Lowe (No. 25 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) to complete the top five.
Next up will be the Mission Foods Peoria, Il. TT (August 21st); followed by the Memphis Shades Springfield Mile I & II (September 4th and 5th); the Sacramento Mile I & II (September 11th and 12th) and what is presently slated to be the final race of the season, the Charlotte Half-Mile on Friday October 8.
Mission Super Twins Presented by S&S Cycle
1. Jared Mees - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle, Progressive Insurance, Mission Foods
2. Jarod Vanderkooi - Indian FTR750, Mission Foods, Roof Systems
3. Brandon Robinson - Indian FTR750, Mission Foods, Roof Systems
4. Sammy Halbert - Indian FTR750, Coolbeth-Nila Racing, Roof Systems
5. JD Beach - Yamaha MT-07, Estenson Racing, Yamaha Racing, Monster Energy
Singles
1. Morgen Mischler - KTM 450 SX-F, Mission Foods/ Roof Systems DFW
2. Brandon Kitchen - Husqvarna FC450, Husqvarna Motorcycles, Vance & Hines, TCD Racing
3. Dallas Daniels - Yamaha YZ450F, Estenson Racing/Yamaha Racing
4. Trent Lowe - Suzuki RMZ 450, WBR/Suzuki Motor of America
5. Max Whale - KTM 450 SX-FFE, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Production Twins Presented by Vance & Hines
1. Cameron Smith - Yamaha MT-07, Fredricktown Yamaha, Richie Reynolds Racing
2. Dalton Gauthier - Harley-Davidson XG750R, D&D Cycles, Vance & Hines, Boswells H-D
3. Cory Texter - Yamaha MT-07, G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing
4. Dan Bromley - Yamaha MT-07, Memphis Shades, Vinson Construction
5. Ryan Varnes - Kawasaki Ninja 650, RVR Rausch Fuel, Dick Ford Risbon Excavating