Saturday Cinema Matinee from AMA Pro Flat Track Brings You the Final National Main from the 2012 Springfield TT

Round 3 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season saw the cast and crew of The Rolling Thunder Show head to the Illinois State Fairgrounds for what would be the final National event held at the Multipurpose Arena for the foreseeable future. 

With the still-varying economy and so many other events being held over the course of the Memorial Day Weekend, crowd turnout at the 'little track that could' just wouldn't hold-up or make a National event feasible for the IMDA to continue to operate without massive losses to their already slim budget.  Of note, the Saturday night races before both of the Springfield Mile I (May 26) and the Springfield Mile II (September 1) will still be running races this year, but now will be promoted by the fine group of folks out of Paducah, KY. also known as Steve Nace Racing Promotions.

The SNR folks will be visiting Springfield on both weekends with TT and Short Track rounds of the 2013 Steve Nace Racing All-Star AMA National Flat Track Series presented by Golden Tyre, and those events are all but guaranteed to be what I like to call 'mini Nationals,' or races that are attended by a majority of the Grand National regulars looking to supplement their weekends at top-tiered races hosted at or near where there is a scheduled National event close by. 

For your enjoyment on this fine spring weekend, and thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track's YouTube page, today we bring you last year's final National main event from the Springfield TT, as produced from the great folks at the Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour crew.  In it's entirety as seen on MavTV and NBC Sports Network, all 49+ minutes of viewing pleasure have been uploaded to the AMA Pro Vids page, and it's worth taking the time to kick back on a lazy spring afternoon with a cool beverage of your choice to check this one out and relive the excitement of one of the best venues in the business.

In the shot above from heat 3 of the 2012 Springfield TT from May 26, the stars of the greatest racing series on two wheels in the world take off for their 10-lap qualifying heat to determine the 18-rider grid in the 25-lap main event.

(L-R); Cory Texter on the #65 RLT Racing Honda CRF450R, Brad Baker on the #12 Kenny Tolbert Racing Kawasaki KX450F, Matt Weidman on the #20 DFW Honda Racing CRF450, Mick Kirkness on the #87 Yeagers Cycle Suzuki RMZ450, Briar Bauman on the #10Z USC Kawasaki, and eventual heat, Dash and National main winner Henry Wiles on the #17 Don's Kawasaki blast off the line in unison.

Also seen in this shot are Dustin Crow on the #61 Greg Crow Racing Honda (2nd row, between Kirkness and Bauman), Sammy Halbert on the #7 Fredericktown Yamaha YZ450F (just over Wiles' left shoulder on row 2), and Lucas Scherb on the #22 DFW Honda (just behind Wiles on row 2.)

So kick back and enjoy the action, and get ready for the rest of the season ahead in the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship!


AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship round 3 of the 2012 season, the Springfield TT

You can use this as a study guide to help you relive the action at the Springfield TT with the results from AMA Pro Flat Track.

AMA Pro Flat Track Reviews the Season-Opening Rounds from the Daytona Short Track

Heat race action rolls off the line at round 12 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season at the Springfield Short Track on September 15 as the front row blasts off the line, with what appears to be an even advantage for the six riders leading the pack, for the start of what was the final National main event at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Multipurpose Arena.

(L-R) Jake Mataya on the #29 Donahue Sports Center Kawasaki KX450F, Cory Texter on the #65 RLT Racing Honda CRF450R, Rob Pearson on the #27 Memphis Shades Yamaha YZ450F, JD Beach on the #95 USC Racing Kawasaki, Brandon Robinson on the #44 Big Dawg Racing Honda, and 2-Time AMA Grand National Champion Jake Johnson on the #1 Zanotti Racing Honda go at it to start the evening's Expert Singles program off with a roar.

Last week the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship kicked-off the new season in fine fashion, with one new winner in the series (Brandon Robinson #44 along with his new-for-2013 team the T.J. Burnett Farms Kawasaki) and one returning winner (Mikey Rush #54 on his Machete Energy Drink Honda.)  Rush, who won his first National at the old Daytona Memorial Stadium track in 2007, led off the season with his second-ever win in the series by taking round 1 on Thursday, March 14.  Robinson, the former '08 Expert Twins Champion, followed up with his cherry-breaking win in the series on Friday, March 15 at round two.

Full results from rounds 1&2 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season can be found here.

Larry Lawrence was in the house covering the action for Cycle News, and you can read all about it here!

The official photographer for AMA Pro Flat Track, Dave Hoenig, took these shots from round 1.

And here are some round 2 shots, thanks again to Dave Hoenig and AMA Pro Flat Track.

The series now takes a two-month break before returning to action at the Stockton Half-Mile in May.

Thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track for the wrap-up press release below to keep you filled-in on what happened at Daytona last week!

Rush, Robinson Come Away with Victories in AMA Pro Grand National Championship Expert Singles Classes at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 19, 2013) - Round one of AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles heated up on a chilly night on Thursday, March 14, 2013 at DAYTONA Flat Track. Defending Grand National Champion Jared Mees (Montgomeryville Cycle / National Cycle / Rogers Racing) got out front early in the main event only to surrender his lead to Brad Baker (Specialty Fabrication Inc. / Schenk Racing) on lap two.   Baker looked well on his way to his first GNC victory as he pulled out to nearly a one second lead. However, there was a melee of riders transpiring behind Baker that included a charging Mikey Rush (Machete Energy Drink / Cascio-Rush Racing). Rush, a winner at Daytona back in 2007, came from the back-end of the pack and systematically knifed his way up to a competitive position with the race hanging in the balance.  Rush passed Mees on lap eight for second place and began cutting into Baker's lead. The young Californian was able to make his move for the lead on lap 18 and made it work. "Brad made it extremely difficult for me tonight but I was lucky to make that pass late in the race and eventually stick it for the win," said Rush. "The feeling I have right now is incredible and I love competing against these guys."                             Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. #2, Henry Wiles #17 and Brad Baker #12 lead the field during action in the season-opening rounds of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship at the Daytona Short Track last week.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.     Baker tried in vain to counter attack. "About three quarters of the way through the race I felt someone coming up behind me. As rough as the track was I didn't dare look back," said Baker. "Mikey finally came by and it was there wasn't much I could do at that point."   Rush passed Baker on lap 18 and never looked back, claiming his first ever professional victory.  "I got hurt pretty bad at the Springfield Short Track last year," said Rush. "Now I'm on top of the box. I'm stoked. I was just trying to pick up the throttle way earlier than them. That's what it took to do it tonight. I just want to say that I love Daytona, this place is extremely special to me."   Final results 1-10: 1st - Mikey Rush, 2nd - Brad Baker, 3rd - Jared Mees, 4th - Henry Wiles, 5th - Brandon Robinson, 6th - Matt Weidman, 7th - Jake Johnson, 8th - Johnny Lewis, 9th - Stevie Bonsey, 10th - Jethro Halbert   AMA Pro Grand National Championship Expert Singles - Round 2   Day number two of AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles action was filled with intense racing action that included more surprises.  The start of the 25 lap AMA Pro Grand National Championship Expert Singles race saw Kenny Coolbeth Jr. shoot his Chaplin Kawasaki / Cometic Gasket backed Kawasaki into the lead over the 18 rider field.   Fellow Kawasaki pilot, Brandon Robinson, pushed his TJ Burnett Farms / USC Racing / Hart Racing Kawasaki to the front on lap two, wasting no time establishing himself as the man to beat. After 24 nearly perfect laps, Robinson earned his first Grand National victory.  "This is a dream come true," said Robinson, who overcame career threatening injuries in 2009 at the Indianapolis Mile. "Ever since I was a kid I've dreamed about winning a National. All the hard work I put in this winter paid off. The end of the race seemed to last forever. I saw the five-lap board and couldn't believe there was that much still to go."   Brad Baker (Specialty Fabrication Inc / Schenk Racing) was looking to improve on Thursdays night's second place finish and closed repeatedly on Robinson, but to no avail.  "Every time Brandon made a little mistake I'd gain on him," Baker said. "I thought I might have a chance to go for the lead at one point, but then with about five to go I made a mistake. If you make one slip here it takes five laps to make up for it. Even though I didn't get a win, it feels good to leave with the series lead."   Coolbeth held on to third for a long time, but Bryan Smith had his Crosley Radio / Howerton Racing backed Honda on the move. Smith had a good start, dropped to eighth, and then started a slow climb to the front, grabbing third on lap 14.  "I came up and made a lot of passes," Smith said. "The way people were riding; you could make up or lose four or five positions in one corner. Once I got in third I just could not seem to close the gap, but we'll take it."   When the double checkers came out, Robinson's lead had grown to over a second and was his largest lead of the night. "My entire team just worked extremely hard to make this happen for me and I can't be more thankful for their support," said Robinson.  "We got the setup as close to perfect as possible and everything went as smooth as we could have asked for all night. I got out front early in the main event, put in a hard 25 laps and it all paid off. My team and I have had an awesome week in general and it feels incredible to win here."   Though Baker finished in an impressive second place in Friday night's main event, a post-race protest by an opposing competitor led to a technical inspection of Baker's motorcycle. The inspection revealed that Baker's Honda had suspension parts that were in violation of AMA Pro Flat Track's guidelines. Though Baker retained his second place finish and money earned, he had to forfeit the 19 points granted to him for his effort.   This mistake on Baker's behalf leaves Robinson as the point leader after leaving the Sunshine State. Robinson holds a four point advantage over Rush with 2011 Grand National Champion Johnson just eleven off the lead.   Final results 1-10: 1st - Brandon Robinson, 2nd - Brad Baker, 3rd - Bryan Smith, 4th - Jake Johnson, 5th -Mikey Rush, 6th - Kenny Coolbeth Jr., 7th - Matt Weidman, 8th - Jethro Halbert, 9th - Robert Pearson, 10th - Jeffrey Carver Jr.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com. For additional information contact:   AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

AMA Flat Track: MavTV Set to Air Round 10 from the Lucas Oil Indy Mile on November 22

Round 10 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season saw the return of the Lucas Oil Indy Mile to the series' schedule after the abrupt cancelation of the 2011 event due to the unfortunate aftermath of the stage rigging collapse just days earlier at the Sugarland concert held during the Indiana State Fair.

With The Rolling Thunder Show back on-track after a one-year hiatus, the racing returned as did the crowds, helped out by the 5th Annual Red Bull Indy MotoGP being held just down the road at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

Heat two action gets off to a roaring start as AMA Pro Flat Track official flagman Kevin Clark hits the button on the Christmas tree to kick-off the 8-lap sprint to help determine the 18-rider National main event line up.  With first-year Expert and 2011 Pro Singles runner-up Mikey Avila getting the jump on the #33E SDI/Bisha Racing/Alpinestars/Arai-sponsored XR750, the rest of the front row follows suit.

Morton, Illinois resident Rob Pearson on the #27 Roeder Racing/Eaken Racing/Moose/PMS-backed XR, Henry Wiles on the #17 Lloyd Brothers Motorsports/Ramspur Winery/Foremost Insurance Group/ENI USA-sponsored Ducati, Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. on the #2 Screamin' Eagle/Harley-Davidson Motor Co/Fox/Arai-sponsored factory XR, Sammy Halbert on his #7 South East H-D/The South Ass/Mo Vaughn Transport/LZ Racing-backed XR, and 2-Time AMA Grand National Champion Jake Johnson on the #1 Zanotti Racing/Schaeffer's H-D/Boughner Racing/Arai-sponsored XR750 drop the hammer in unison.  Cory Texter on the #65 Eaken Racing Kawasaki/RLT Racing/Herr's/Invisible Glass-sponsored 650R and Chaz Springsteen on the #29J Dan Dafner/TCR/Arai/Jay Springsteen-sponsored XR can be seen coming off of row 2.

Johnson made this one his own 'show me the money' race in running away with an over 3.4 second win over runner-up Halbert.  Coolbeth and Wiles rounded out the top-4 who were set for the National, while the rest headed to a semi.

At the end of the night, Johnson had a horrible night in crashing out while racing with Bryan Smith on the #42 Crosley/Howerton rocket Kawi in the main, Sammy went on to take his first-ever mile event win and rounded out his dirt track 'grand slam,' Coolbeth took home a great 5th-place finish in his first race back after earlier in the season breaking his leg, and Wiles took his second-best result of the season in finishing 4th in a superb ride on the Big Red LBM Italian 'L' twin.

Rob Pearson, who was supposed to be riding the Memphis Shades H-D, had to work a deal with Skip Eaken Racing at Indy after the Memphis Shades hauler broke down in route to Indy, and at the end of the night had raced both the XR and Eaken's bright orange and white Kawasaki.  Pearson rode the Roeder/Eaken XR to a 3rd-place finish in the semi, and then hopped on the Kawi in the main to take it to a strong 7th-place finish after Texter failed to qualify for the main.  Avila came home in the 12th-placed spot.

Brandon Robinson on the #44 Werner-Springsteen Racing/Sponseller/Wossner Pistons/Big Dawg Racing-sponsored Kawasaki leads Dan Ingram on the #31J TCR/Zanna Racing/Indy Southside H-D/Tucker Rocky-backed XR750 and Willie McCoy on his #59 Harley-Davidson of Wausau/Independence H-D/Tucker Rocky/Arai-sponsored XR750 during one of the qualifying sessions at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile on August 18, 2012.

Round 10 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season saw Robinson put in the best ride of his career on the Werner-Springsteen Kawasaki, leading several laps and almost pulling out the upset win over eventual winner Sammy Halbert.  As the season progressed, Robinson got better and better on the Green Machine and elevated himself back to contending status in the Expert class.  And returning to the track that almost ended it all for him just three years earlier and having such a great run to 2nd-place on the night had to be a great shot in the arm for the Pennsylvania resident.

Talking about returns, local Clermont, Indiana resident Ingram returned to the Indiana State Fairgrounds mile oval 20 years after having previously raced at his hometown track.  Injured in a racing crash at Springfield in the spring of '93, Dapper Dan was able to mount a return to the series that also almost ended it all for him almost two decades ago, when he made his return to the Expert ranks at Springfield in late May. 

After looking strong early in his heat race, Ingram lowsided out of turn two after close contact with Brad Baker, and was forced to run the semi.  But the Hometown Hero didn't disappoint as he went on to win that semi race much to the roaring approval of the packed house on hand.  Getting the loudest ovation all night, seeing Ingram's elation on the podium alone was worth the price of admission.  Unfortunately his night ended after just one lap in the 25-lap National main when his motor went south on his Tom & Nicky Cummings-prepped XR.  But at the end of the day, everyone in the house knew that the former 3-time AMA Grand National Championship race winner was back where he belonged, and in a big way!

McCoy had an off-night for the long time veteran and mile specialist.  After winning the previous two events at the Springfield Mile, Willie was a stout favorite coming into the night's action held the same weekend as the 5th Annual Red Bull Indy MotoGP just a few miles down the road at The Brickyard.  Coming out of the semi to make the 18-rider National main, McCoy's mount went south 18 laps in and was credited with an unlucky 13th-place finish.

So it's not like I've given any spoilers away here (since this race ran almost three months ago) but you would be well advised to catch MavTV's coverage of the Lucas Oil Indy Mile when it airs next week.  In another stellar event put on by the Blue Crew, AMA Pro Flat Track did a superb job of showcasing the best racing show on wheels in the world in front of a big international crowd.

Check out the press release below from AMA Pro Flat Track to get your DVRs set now, you won't be disappointed in this one as it is a must-see event--again!

Tune-In Alert: Lucas Oil Indy Mile Airs November 22nd on MAVTV

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (November 13, 2012) - AMA Pro Flat Track's racing action from the Lucas Oil Indy Mile will be aired this Thanksgiving (November 22) evening at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT with a re-airing at 12:00 a.m. ET midnight.                               Jake Johnson #1 leads Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. #2, Sammy Halbert #7, Rob Pearson #27 and Mikey Avila #33E early in the running of heat 2 at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile on August 18, 2012.  MavTV and AMA Pro Flat Track announced today that MavTV will be broadcasting this great event on November 22 at 9:00 PM EST.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.     How to catch the action:   Find out how to get MAVTV by going to http://mavtv.com/get-mavtv.html   MAVTV is available nationwide on: Dish Network - 361 Please check your local listings for a channel line-up to find MAVTV. Search Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour or Motorsports Hour if you don't see the program listed.   Stay connected with AMA Pro Flat Track at www.twitter.com/AMAProFlatTrack and www.facebook.com/AMAProFlatTrackSeries.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com. For additional information contact:   AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com