Mees Keeps On Rolling with Red Mile Triumph
Round 8, Lexington, KY, May 27
Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) earned his 25th-career Grand National Championship Mile victory in split-second fashion in the Lexington, KY, Red Mile presented by Indian Motorcycle of Lexington on May 27, 2023.
.jpg)
Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle
As the 2023 AFT series nears its mid-point, the season so far has taken shape as a heavyweight title fight between reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champ Mees and his ascending challenger, points leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT).
The two broke free from the start and spent the next 14 minutes plus two laps testing each other in preparation for the decisive final lap. The cagey Mees sat in tight formation behind his young rival during the final laps before striking as the two sprinted into Turn 3 for the final time - taking the checkered flag by a minuscule 0.042 seconds.
The victory was Mees’ fifth in six attempts at the Red Mile. It also saw him join legends Bubba Shobert and Bryan Smith for third all-time in career Mile wins.
For Daniels, it was the fourth time this season he’s finished a close second to Mees and left him still holding the points advantage due to a season-long run of firsts and seconds that he kept intact.
The fight for third was a spirited four-way affair, with Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke) ultimately taking third, with JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) fourth and Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) in fifth, ahead of Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) in sixth.
The results gave Indian four spots in the Top 10, including the class win, Yamaha three spots, including a second with their MT-07, and KTM two spots, including a third place, on the 790 Duke. Regardless of whether or not you agree with the steps that AMA/AFT have taken to level the senior class platform playing field, in the long-run, history may well judge that the broadened manufacturer participation profile, and the financial footprint that comes with it, was the silver bullet that sustained AFT, protecting it from the largely single marque dominance and arising series atrophy that was in danger of emerging again.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) added more evidence to support the old racing adage that a rider’s second win comes a whole lot easier than their first with a triumphant run in a Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER pack war.
A robust battle expanded to a nine-rider lead pack as the pivotal final two laps opened, the race for the win appeared almost certain to be decided amongst Turner Honda teammates Lowe and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and the Estenson Racing Yamaha duo of Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).
Sacramento winner Drane looked like the odds-on favorite due to the Yamaha's optimal blend of high-speed chops, low-pro aerodynamics, ultra-light weight and big-time horsepower. However, despite repeatedly demonstrating the capacity to blast up to first from three or four positions back - seemingly at will - the Aussie’s last-lap strategy was blown up by a lapped rider as the huge lead group dove into Turn 3 for the final time.
As a result, Drane could finish no better than third, with Lowe and Saathoff handing Honda a hard-earned 1-2 on the CRF 450s. It was Lowe's second-career victory.
Brunner finished just 0.057 seconds back off his teammate in fourth and was followed home by Red Bull KTM teammates Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) in fifth and Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) in sixth.
Kopp continues to lead in his title defense with 151 points to his credit. However, Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) was shuffled back to seventh in the melee, a development that allowed Saathoff to join him level at 136 points. Whale is fourth at 130, followed by Brunner (123), Lowe (117) and Drane (105).
The results gave Honda three CRF450R finishers in the Top 10, including the 1-2, with Yamaha two spots (3 and 4), three KTM 450 SX-F finishers (5, 6 and 7) and two Husqvarna FC 450s finishing 8 and 10. It is worth noting that, as OEM 'stablemates', the KTM and Husqvarna 450s are, essentially, the same bikes.
Next Up: The series now has another three-week gap, with Round 9 marking the half-way point of the 2023 Championship, with the last in the sequence of mile races at DuQuoin, Il., on June 17. After which the first of a four-race run of Half-Miles kicks-off with the popular Lima, Ohio Half-Mile on June 24, followed by the West Virginia Half-Mile at Mineral Wells, WV, on July 1st, the Orange County Half-Mile at Middletown, NY, a week later (July 8) and an inaugural AFT visit to the Bridgeport Speedway at Swedesboro, NJ, two weeks later, July 22 (Round 13).