Mees Unmatched in Michigan
By: Dave Hoenig
Round 8 of the AMA Pro Racing Harley-Davidson Flat Track Championship insurance came from the beautiful Michigan Hartford Motor Speedway home of "Wicked Half Mile", last weekend, and even the powerful rain storms ahead Event could not stop the oval bank ready to go come race day.
Mees Rogers Lake Racing / Blue Springs Harley-Davidson Jared was ready, too, and the former champion AMA Pro Twins ran away with the National 25 laps, which proves that he is on a serious hot streak.After struggling early in the year, Mees turned in two wins and one second in just the last three rounds.
"After the races in California, I decided I just wanted to have fun and win races," said Mees. "I do not even think about points. I was well enough to Outlaw races, but now it's coming together at the national championships, too. "
Scott Powersports Johnny Lewis got the holeshot on his Kawasaki and led the first six laps Mees glued to his rear wheel.Mees was able to power by the seventh lap in Turn 3, and the race for lead was more than Mees instantly started away from the rest of the field. Coolbeth Kenny Lewis and Harley-Davidson Motor Company backed machine to deal with for a few laps, but could not hold out for long Coolbeth, and the latter took possession of a second for good in eleven rounds.
"When I got to the second Jared was about a half start to come, and I thought I might be able to catch it," said Coolbeth. "But he just kept removing it." Mees crossed the line with a winning margin of more than 3 seconds.
Rapid qualification of the day, Fasthog.com / American Harley-Davidson Bryan Smith, managed to get the slot on the podium last thirteen laps. Lewis, meanwhile, fell almost three seconds in a fight of six riders for fourth place with Lewis Weidman, Matt (white Harley-Davidson), Chris Carr (American Motorcyclist / Fort Worth Dallas Honda), Jake Johnson (Zanotti Racing ), Sammy Halbert (Kings Kustoms / LZ Racing), and Jimmy Wood (Southland Racing).