Mees Steamrolls Sacramento Mile I
Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle
The first of the Sacramento Mile Double Header saw AFT legend Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) continue to perform at his vintage best, notching up another blowout victory at the Cal Expo Sacramento, California, on September 11th.
Executing the Springfield Mile II escape plan from a few days prior, Mees eked out some breathing space in the opening minutes, effectively reducing the race to a tussle for the other podium positions as he continually added to that advantage, lap after lap.
Defending double Mission SuperTwins Champion Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750), became embroiled in a race-long multi-rider melee for second. Eventually Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) took second ahead of Bauman, with Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Coolbeth-Nila Racing Indian FTR750) fourth and JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) fifth.
AFT Singles
It's hard to imagine a scenario more intimidating for a prospective AFT Singles star than to lead coming out of Turn 4 on the final lap of a Mile with both the class' defending champion and its all-time winningest rider breathing down his neck. That's exactly the predicament Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) found himself in at the conclusion of a frenetic race-long pack war.
Coming out of the final bend he managed to get the better of Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE), taking the win by 0.024 seconds, and Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) in third, 0.041 seconds behind the winner.
Mikey Rush (No. 15 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) was fourth ahead of Kevin Stollings (No. 99 Mission Roof Systems Honda CRF450R) fifth.
AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines
Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing MT-07) only needed to finish 11th to secure the 2021 Production Twins Championship title, but brought it home for the win after lining up on pole alongside three Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750Rs - Chad Cose (No. 49 Voodoo Ranger/Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R), who finished second, Jesse Janisch (No. 96 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R), who scored third place and Morgen Mischler (No. 13 Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Harley-Davidson XG750R) who finished fifth, with Ben Lowe (No. 25 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) in fourth.
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. Briar Bauman - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle, Progressive Insurance, S&S Cycle
4. Sammy Halbert - Indian FTR750, Coolbeth-Nila Racing, Roof Systems
5. JD Beach - Yamaha MT-07, Estenson Racing, Yamaha Racing
Singles
1. Trevor Brunner - Honda CRF450R, American Honda/Progressive Insurance
2. Shayna Texter-Bauman - KTM 450 SX-FFE, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
3. Dallas Daniels - Yamaha YZ450F, Estenson Racing/Yamaha Racing
4. Michael Rush - Yamaha YZ450F, Estenson Racing, Yamaha Racing
5. Kevin Stollings - Honda CRF450R, Mission Foods, Roof Systems, JCS Racing
Production Twins Presented by Vance & Hines
1. Cory Texter - Yamaha MT-07, G&G Racing, Yamaha Racing
2. Chad Cose - Harley-Davidson XG750R, Voodoo Ranger, Roof Systems
3. Jesse Janisch - Harley-Davidson XG750R, Vance & Hines
4. Ben Lowe - Harley-Davidson XG750R, Mission Foods, Roof Systems
5. Morgen Mischler - Harley-Davidson XG750R, Vance & Hines, Mission Foods
Mees Completes 2021 Sacramento Mile Double
Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle
The Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) domination tour continued unabated in the hugely consequential Sacramento Mile II at the Cal Expo in Sacramento, California, on Sunday September 12th.
A second consecutive double victory saw the former Grand National Champion seize control of the SuperTwins championship lead heading into October's AFT season finale at Charlotte (October 8th).
Mees was again in a class of his own in securing his 60th Premier-Class win. He blasted away from the pack almost immediately and quickly assembled a multi-second lead - which he then did again when a mid-distance red flag forced a restart.
The win alone would have guaranteed Mees a one-point title lead, but his advantage is actually four points thanks to a final lap move on retiring legend Bryan Smith (No. 4 Crosley/Howerton Motorsports Indian FTR750) on third placed Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) to secure second, riding a spare machine borrowed from Mees.
Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) was fourth, ahead of Davis Fisher (No. 67 BMC Racing/Dick Wall 60 Indian FTR750) fifth, and Brandon Price (No. 92 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) sixth.
Now the stage is set. Mees sits at 292 points and Bauman at 288. Should either rider win the Charlotte Half-Mile, either of the Indian Motorcycle riders will be the 2021 Mission SuperTwins champion, simple as that.
AFT Singles
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) made clear that the Springfield Mile I win he put on AFT Singles superstars Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) was no fluke.
The youngster completed the Sacramento Mile double in almost identical fashion, leaving Turn 4 for the last time with the same two imposing figures hiding in his draft; he again beat them both to the checkered flag, flexing the muscles of a very fast and agile CRF450R in the process.
This time it was Daniels who took second, finishing 0.023 behind Brunner, with Texter-Bauman another 0.069 seconds back in third.
While the podium featured the same three riders, the race had very much been a six-rider affair with Mikey Rush (No. 15 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) taking fourth, Tanner Dean (No. 38 1st Impressions Race Team Honda CRF450R) fifth and Morgen Mischler (No. 13 Mission Roof Systems KTM 450 SX-F) sixth.
AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines
Newly recrowned AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines champion Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing MT-07) didn't ease up despite his Springfield Mile I title lock.
After threatening to celebrate his triumph in an extended victory lap-style runaway, Texter was tracked down and seriously challenged by "California Kid" Chad Cose (No. 49 Voodoo Ranger/Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) who was second by only 0.015 seconds.
Jesse Janisch (No. 96 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) had a fourth AFT Production Twins podium in five starts in his grasp before a mechanical issue removed him from contention. His friend and fellow V&H wildcard, Morgen Mischler (No. 13 Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Harley-Davidson XG750R), inherited the position and was all too happy to cash in his second podium in four '21 class starts.
Nick Armstrong (No. 60 Lessley Brothers Racing Yamaha MT-07) was finally rewarded for his strong weekend form with a run to fourth, while Ben Lowe (No. 25 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) completed the top five.
Next Up - The championship contenders will have a few weeks to ready themselves for what's promising to be an epic finale: the Charlotte Half-Mile at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday, October 8.
Mission Super Twins Presented by S&S Cycle
1. Jared Mees - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle, Progressive Insurance, Mission Foods
2. Bryan Smith - Indian FTR750, Crosley Brands, Howerton Motorsports
3. Briar Bauman - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle, Progressive Insurance, S&S Cycle
4. Jarod Vanderkooi - Indian FTR750, Mission Foods, Roof Systems
5. Davis Fisher - BMC Racing, Dick Wall 60
Singles
1. Trevor Brunner - Honda CRF450R, American Honda/Progressive Insurance
2. Dallas Daniels - Yamaha YZ450F, Estenson Racing/Yamaha Racing
3. Shayna Texter-Bauman - KTM 450 SX-FFE, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
4. Michael Rush - Yamaha YZ450F, Estenson Racing, Yamaha Racing
5. Tanner Dean - Honda CRF450R, 1st Impressions Race Team
Production Twins Presented by Vance & Hines
1. Cory Texter - Yamaha MT-07, G&G Racing, Yamaha Racing
2. Chad Cose - Harley-Davidson XG750R, Voodoo Ranger, Roof Systems
3. Morgen Mischler - Harley-Davidson XG750R, Vance & Hines, Mission Foods
4. Nick Armstrong - Yamaha MT-07, Lessley Brothers Racing, Competitive Racing Frames
5. Ben Lowe - Harley-Davidson XG750R, Mission Foods, Roof Systems
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