Champions Mees, Kopp Star at Inaugural Silver Dollar Short Track
Round 6 - May 18, 2024
Nine-time SuperTwins Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) and reigning Singles Champion Kody Kopp emphasized their credentials, taking the wins at the inaugural Silver Dollar Short Track at the Silver Dollar Raceway, Chico, north of Sacramento …
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Mission AFT SuperTwins
Mees treated the big crowd that turned out for the inaugural Silver Dollar Short Track at Chico, California, to a virtuoso performance in taking the SupertTwins Class win. Having been fastest in both practice and both qualifying sessions, and in his heat, and in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, and, and, and - a sweep of Short Track skill and speed - Mees had been dominant coming into the race.
However, it wasn't exactly as clear cut as might have been anticipated. Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) grabbed the early lead from holeshotter Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), but then came under heavy pressure from Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Dodge Bros. Racing/Castrol Harley-Davidson XR750).
In fact, Halbert actually worked his way into the lead at one stage, after Mees and Daniels had broken free from the pack.
Mees finally broke Halbert’s challenge and set about building up a big lead at the front. Halbert in turn then slugged it out with Daniels for second. But the Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07-mounted Daniels wasn't to be denied second spot and quickly closed in on Mees’ factory Indian FTR750 after dispatching of Halbert and his venerable Harley-Davidson XR750.
Halbert completed the podium in third, but only after reclaiming the position from fourth placed Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) on the race’s final lap. The prior weekend's winner, Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke), completed the Top 5.
There were four FTR750 riders in the Top 10, two KTM 790 Dukes, one Yamaha MT-07, one Honda Transalp and two Harleys - uniquely though one of them was the venerable XR750 in third, with the XG750R in ninth.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Presented by KICKER
Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) continued his march towards a third Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER championship by scoring his third Short Track victory of the ‘24 season.
While Kopp would eventually take hold of his customary position out front, the opening stages of the contest saw his primary challengers, Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R), wage their own battle over first, trading the lead back and forth with intersecting lines.
However, while Kopp and Saathoff took first and second, Red Flag drama cost Tom Drane a podium chance, finishing sixth, behind Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) third and Californians Tarren Santero (No. 75 Vinson Construction/P&M Motorcycles Honda CRF450R) and James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) fourth and fifth.
Next Up: June 15 - Orange County Half-Mile (Middleton, NY); June 22 - Bridgeport Half-Mile (Swedesboro, NJ) and June 29 - the Lima Half-Mile (Lima, OH). After Illinois for the Memphis Shades sponsored July 6 DuQuoin Mile and the July 28 Peoria TT, the series then heads west again - for a unique Double Header at the 85th Sturgis Rally.
First up will be the Black Hills Half-Mile at the Black Hills Speedway, Rapid City, SD, on August 6 and then the all-new, innovative Sturgis TT on a Half-Mile course in downtown Sturgis on August 11 - the final day of the Rally. Starting and finishing at the Harley-Point between Lazelle and Main Street, the race will see the debut of a new concept - a Tracker Class for production based ADV bikes.
After Sturgis, it is back to Illinois for a Springfield Mile Double Header on August 31 and September 01, with the final race now confirmed as a September 14 series debut Short Track at the Lake Ozark Speedway at Eldon, Missouri, during the Lake of the Ozarks Bike Week.