Memphis Shades Springfield Mile I (Sunday, September 5th)
Mission SuperTwins Presented by S&S Cycle
Following the weather-induced postponement of the Memphis Shades Springfield Mile I, on Saturday, September 4th, AFT legend Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) overcame a checkered flag challenge from rival Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) to take the win in the Sunday race at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois.
Most of the 14-minute-plus-two-lap race was dominated by a six-rider lead group consisting of Mees, Bauman, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Coolbeth-Nila Racing Indian FTR750), Brandon Price (No. 92 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750).
Vanderkooi and Halbert (mechanical issues), Price were all dropped one way or another and then Robinson lost the draft to leave Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle title rivals Mees and Bauman to duke it out in a final lap showdown - Mees eventually trumped Bauman's high line efforts to take the win by 0.116 seconds, with Robinson a further 0.205 seconds back for the third podium place.
Robinson's teammate, Price, finished fourth, with an impressive Kolby Carlile (No. 36 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) collecting his third-career premier-class top-five. The victory was Mees' sixth-career Springfield Mile triumph, including four of the last five. Referencing the fact that he and his wife, Nichole, will also serve as the race promoter for the series' crown jewel event starting in 2022, he said, "I love the Springfield Mile. I figured if I'm gonna own it, I've got to win it, right?"
A frustrated Bauman made it clear in Victory Circle that he considered Mees' tactics unsafe and added that his plan would be "not get mad" but to "get even" in the second race.
AFT Production Twins Presented by Vance & Hines
Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07) continues his inexorable march towards AFT superstardom. The 18-year-old prodigy dominated the Springfield Mile in his first attempt, winning Sunday's AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines Main Event.
The victory followed his Friday, September 3rd AFT Singles sweep (leaving Daniels with two wins and a runner-up finish in his three career AFT Production Twins starts at that stage), setting the stage for a possible Springfield quadruple with the postponed SuperTwins race.
As if that wasn't enough, Daniels also pocketed an extra $5,000 for winning the Memphis Shades Babe DeMay Challenge dash for cash.
Vance & Hines' talented trio gave chase early before settling into a strong 2-3-4 finish. Second place went to Morgen Mischler (No. 13 Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Harley-Davidson XG750R), with Chad Cose (No. 49 Voodoo Ranger/Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) drifting past Jesse Janisch (No. 96 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) at the line to secure the final spot on the box.
Tanner Dean (No. 38 Racing Unlimited Kawasaki/Bel Ray Oils Kawasaki Ninja 650) inherited fifth after Jeremiah Duffy (No. 42 Sammy O Racing/Geiger Construction Kawasaki Ninja 650) encountered issues, leaving Cose as the only class regular to finish in the top five. An uncharacteristic seventh place finish by Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing MT-07) didn't stop it being a positive day for his championship campaign, especially with Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Cycles/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) still on the mend and Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) suffering a mechanical problem of his own.
Mission SuperTwins Presented by S&S Cycle
1. Jared Mees - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle, Progressive Insurance, Mission Foods
2. Briar Bauman - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle, Progressive Insurance, S&S Cycle
3. Brandon Robinson - Indian FTR750, Mission Foods, Roof Systems
4. Brandon Price - Indian FTR750, Mission Foods, Roof Systems
5. Kolby Carlile - Yamaha MT-07, Estenson Racing, Yamaha Racing
Production Twins Presented by Vance & Hines
1. Dallas Daniels - Yamaha MT-07, Estenson Racing, Yamaha Racing
2. Morgen Mischler - H-D XG750R, Vance & Hines, Mission Foods
3. Chad Cose - H-D XG750R, Voodoo Ranger, Mission Foods
4. Jesse Janisch - H-D XG750R, Vance & Hines
5. Tanner Dean - Kawasaki Ninja 650, Racing Unlimited Kawasaki, Bel Ray Oils
Memphis Shades Springfield Mile II (Monday, September 6th)
Mission SuperTwins Presented by S&S Cycle
Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) made it a double header double at the race that he will be promoting from next year, when he left the field in his wake - twice - in the rearranged race that was staged on the Monday to complete an AFT Labor Day Weekend sweep at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois.
After being accused of closing down the lines of his rivals during Sunday's victory, Mees responded by making any such allegations irrelevant on Monday. He immediately shot out into the lead and drove away from a five-rider pack of would-be pursuers, building up an eight-plus-second advantage with just two minutes remaining.
Despite the monster lead, he was forced to prove his Springfield supremacy one more time, when a red flag brought the race to a momentary halt at that point. Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Coolbeth-Nila Racing Indian FTR750) managed to slide in front for a few seconds, but Mees ultimately re-established himself out front on the way to a 1.134-second margin of victory.
Halbert, the 2020 Springfield Mile winner, came home second, while Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle championship leader Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) finished third - albeit not until after surviving a close call with wild card Jeffrey Carver, Jr. (No. 23 Happy Trails Racing/DPC/Bryan Bigelow Indian FTR750), who finished fifth behind third-ranked Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750).
Mees' sixth- and seventh-career Springfield Mile wins tightened up the title fight considerably. Bauman continues to lead, but a once healthy 25-point gap has been reduced to just 12 (254-242) with two more Mees' friendly Miles (Sacramento) to come.
AFT Production Twins Presented by Vance & Hines
Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07) pulled off the nearly unthinkable Springfield double-double with a heart-pounding victory in Monday's AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines Main Event.
A hugely entertaining contest saw as many as eight riders still within shot of the victory with two minutes to go. Adding to the entertainment factor was the fact that several different lines were in play, with riders routinely railing corners several riders wide, utilizing extreme low and high lines in search of the fastest way around the high-speed Mile.
The final lap opened with Daniels leading a tight four-rider pack that also included Jesse Janisch (No. 96 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R), Chad Cose (No. 49 Voodoo Ranger/Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing MT-07).
Janisch threw it up the inside of Daniels entering Turn 3 and held the advantage exiting 4 for the final time. Daniels sucked up in the draft and swung alongside just as Cose and Texter fanned out four-wide in the sprint to the checkered flag.
Daniels just nipped ahead of Janisch by 0.022 seconds, with Cose in third another 0.016 seconds back. Title leader Texter missed the podium in fourth, despite coming up a mere 0.089 seconds short of the victory.
Morgen Mischler (No. 13 Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Harley-Davidson XG750R) grabbed his fourth top-five of the weekend in fifth, with Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) bouncing back from his Sunday disappointment in sixth.
In addition to sweeping both AFT Singles and both AFT Production Twins races at Springfield, Daniels now owns three wins and one runner-up in four career AFT Production Twins starts.
Texter now leads Bromley by 67 points (249-182), which puts him in prime position to clinch his second AFT Production Twins title next weekend in Sacramento.
Next Up - Sacramento Mile I & II (September 11, and Sunday, September 12) and the final race of the season, the Charlotte Half-Mile on Friday, October 8.
Mission SuperTwins Presented by S&S Cycle
1. Jared Mees - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle, Progressive Insurance, Mission Foods
2. Sammy Halbert - Indian FTR750, Coolbeth-Nila Racing, Roof Systems
3. Briar Bauman - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle, Progressive Insurance, S&S Cycle
4. Brandon Robinson - Indian FTR750, Mission Foods, Roof Systems
5. Jeffrey Carver Jr. - Indian FTR750, Happy Trails Racing, DPC Racing
Production Twins Presented by Vance & Hines
1. Dallas Daniels - Yamaha MT-07, Estenson Racing, Yamaha Racing
2. Jesse Janisch - H-D XG750R, Vance & Hines
3. Chad Cose - H-D XG750R, Voodoo Ranger, Mission Foods
4. Cory Texter - Yamaha MT-07, G&G Racing, Yamaha Racing
5. Morgen Mischler - H-D XG750R, Vance & Hines, Mission Foods
www.americanflattrack.com