Burn out, don't fade away

Sideburn reader Adam Woods sent a link to this gif. I didn't recognise the rider, but, using my Columbo-like detective skills, worked out who was the last Pro singles rider to ride the class running the champion's number 1 plate. I knew it was Pro singles, because it's a red number on a white background. It was Stephen Vanderkuur in 2013. He was the last to run a red number 1 because most champions move up a class to Expert/GNC2 as soon as they can.
A quick google of those two clues threw up the video below, clearly the source of the gif. The engine's gone, locking the back wheel. Scary.
You're welcome. G

Springfield Mile 2 Catch-Up

Second verse, same as a the first! Springfield Mile two, the Sunday race, had a familiar ring to it. #44 Brandon Robinson won the GNX Expert twins race, from Bryan Smith and JD Beach...
Hey Axo, get your star man some leathers without kneeslider velcro on the knees!

While Shayna Texter also did the double in the Basic Twins class. I wonder what odds you'd get on those to results.

White numbers on black plates denote the Basic Twins. 

Brad Baker - came 5th. A good haul of points going into the final two rounds.

Is this a shot of the 2013 #1 chasing the 2012 #1?

Mikey (I think it's now Michael) Martin #91, made the main, got the fastest lap on his Bonneville Performance Triumph, but then pulled up midway through the race.

Bryan Smith making the lowline work. Read more about his bike in the next Sideburn.

Jared Mees was in a battle. Watch the amazing onboard of his Main race below. 

1. Robinson. 2. Smith. 3. Beach.
1, 2, 3 Kawasaki.

Next race: Santa Rosa Mile - September 29.
All photos courtesy of AMA Pro Racing.

WATCH THIS! Click the icon in the corner of the screen for full screen. Awesome action.

Mees wins at the Mega Mile

Reigning champion Jared Mees made hay while the sun shined at the Colonial Downs, 1.25-mile Mega Mile - the first time the GNC has visited the Virginia oval. Mees broke his leg earlier in the year, but the rain-offs played into his hands and he's right in the hunt, especially as... 

Mile specialist Bryan Smith had mechanical problems while leading the Main, pulled to the side of the track, then fought back to 12th. And...

Series leader Brad Baker broke down too... This was the first time, out of nine GNC starts this season, Baker finished outside the to 5. All these back to back races are obviously hard on the machinery.

Jake Johnson found his mojo with the Lloyd Brothers Ducati. He was 7th in the main on the 749cc framer.

 Johnson's teammate, Henry Wiles, came second in the Main and took a chunk of points out of Brad Baker's lead. He's looking good with four races to go.

 

Kenny Coolbeth, #2, is having a quiet year, by his very high standards. He came 5th, between up and comers #14 Briar Bauman and #95 JD Beach.

 Matt Wiedman on the Scott Kawasaki, 10th in the main, and, in those leathers, styling like it's 1995.

Johnny Lewis finally showed the potential of the Latus Triumph. Here is being pushed off by his team boss, Joe Kopp (in sunglasses) - who is interviewed in Sideburn 14. Lewis was top Triumph, coming 8th. Mikey Martin also made the main, coming in 16th in the 19-man main.

There were only 7 XR750s in the main. There were more 650 Kawasakis, a total of 8. Plus two Ducatis and two Triumphs.
The Harley still came out on top this time.

#44 Brandon Robinson in the hunt.

 Trying hard and looking like a Troy Lee cartoon,  Jake Constantine.

Smith, #42, won the six-rider Dash for Cash, from #10 Lewis. JD Beach, Nicole Cheza, Jake Johnson and Jared Mees also made the four-lapper for the top qualifiers.

Cody Johncox won the 10-lap Pro Singles race, beating Shayna Texter by EIGHT THOUSANDS of a second.

1. Mees, 2. Wiles, 3. Robinson
1. H-D, 2. Ducati, 3. Kawasaki

Next AMA GNC Flat Track is the Springfield double-header this weekend.
All photos courtesy of AMA Pro Racing.

Wiles Peoria Video

I've seen countless Peoria photos, but never been to the track. This video finally shows me what it's like.
Thanks to Roger for the link. G

Carver wins Castle Rock TT

In a season of debut GNC winners, Jeffrey Carver Jr. followed Brad Baker and Brandon Robinson to pick up his first Expert class win at last Saturday's Castle Rock TT in Washington.

No disrespect to Carver Jr, but the most crucial result in terms of the 2013 title was, I reckon, Jared Mees comeback from a broken arm to come second at a tough TT. Because of a spate of rain-offs, he missed one (I think) GNC round, raced at the Sac Mile and was on the podium at Castle Rock.

 First corner argy-bargy. There are too many front mudguards in this photo. Number 2, Coolbeth would come 9th in the main. We interviewed him about TT racing for Sideburn 8

Peoria TT specialist Henry Wiles, 17, came in fourth. Jake Johnson, 5, had his first race after quitting the Zanotti team after a mid-season split. He came in 17th in the main, a lap down. The excellently name Scooter Vernon, #74, came in 13th.

Briar Bauman, #14, was running second behind Carver, 23, till he slid out and came in dead last.

 Scott Baker - style for miles. 7th in the main.

1. Carver 2. Mees 3. Bonsey

All photos courtesy of AMA Pro Racing

How to handle Hagerstown by Sammy Halbert

Massive thanks to Hairy Larry for alerting us to this video posted up by National number 7, Sammy Halbert. It's of this weekend's race at Hagerstown.

This is truly spine-tingling stuff. Looks for the glowing rear discs of Jake Johnson and Kenny Coolbeth (we had Jake's glowing disc on the cover of Sideburn 5).
Look for Sammy tagging Jake's back wheel and Jake not even flinching or looking back (I'm guessing he had a good idea who it was).
Check out for the differing lines, the riders trying high and low every other lap.
Watch how close they get to what looks like a solid steel Armco fence on the straights.
Towards the end, check out how JD Beach moves up and down the seat between the straights and the corners. Great stuff. G

Baker wins Hagerstown, as Kawasaki Challenge H-D

Brad Baker's been on it all year and it all came together last Saturday at Maryland. The 20-year-old from Washington won the Dash, then rode away from the field to win the Main by nearly 7s. He now leads the combined points standings from Brandon Robinson and Henry Wiles.  

Jake Johnson was one of the title favourites to make up for Jared Mees absence with solid points. He came seventh. The current champion, Mees, is out with a broken arm, sustained at a non-championship round. The Lima rain-out did Mees a favour, meaning he missed one less race.

Mikey Martin (on the Triumph) and Robert Pearson. Martin missed out on the Main, Pearson came 12th.

 Robert Pearson, XR750.

Briar Bauman on the Werner Springsteen Kawasaki. There were eight Kawasakis and 10 XR750s in the 18-man main. Not other manufacture figured.

Johnny Lewis on the Latus Triumph, looked super-cool, but didn't make the main, showing how competitive this class is.

Baker and Sammy Halbert. After dominating the non-championship Barbara Fritchie, Frederick, Maryland meeting Halbert looked favourite for Hagerstown, but Baker was unbeatable.

This shot reminds me of the old movie, Slapshot. Team mates Brandon Robinson and JD Beach. Both made the main on their Burnett Kawasakis, but while JD came in an impressive 6th, Brandon struggled and was 17th.

In second, making his first elite Twins main was Jake Shoemaker on a Kawasaki 650, in front of Bryan Smith on the Crossley Kawasaki. 

The next GNC race is the half-mile at Gray's Harbor, Washington, July 20.

Photos courtesy of AMA Pro Racing. 

Daytona Short Track 2 Photos

Brandon Robinson won his first ever national on the second night at Daytona. When he was 16, Brandon came to England with his parents, stayed with Boastie and raced at Peterborough and Mildenhall. He looked something special. We interviewed him for Sideburn 1.
Later, in 2009, Brandon had an horrific accident at the Indy Mile when he was catapulted out of the track, over a fence and into the car park. He broke an Evel-rivaling list of bones. he was fast before the crash, this proves he's still fast after it.

 It was Jake Johnson's turn to wear the roadmender's kit. He came in fourth in the main.

Briar Bauman #14 made the main, Scott Baker #11 didn't.

Bryan Smith, #42, is going to battle hard for the #1 plate this year. He came in third in the main.

Pro singles action. Stephen Vanderkuur is back to defend his title. He came fifth in his final, won by 59B Jack Constantine.

Oh shi...

Brad Baker raced like a demon, on the podium both nights, but the second night's points were deducted after a complaint about a tech infringement was upheld. Apparently, Baker's Honda was running older forks that had something like a titanium nitride coating on the sliders. From what we gather, this was a standard coating to the forks, but still illegal for this year. Bugger.

Henry Wiles.

Kenny Coolbeth, #2, hanging it out. Jared Mees had a less successful second night, coming in 15th.

Coolbeth and Robinson.

1. Robinson, 2. Baker, 3. Smith, but because of the DQ, Smith will collect the points for second and Jake Johnson promoted to the 3rd.

All photos courtesy of AMA Pro Racing.