AMA Pro Flat Track: Looking Ahead to the 2013 AMA Grand National Championship Season While Reviewing the 2012 Season Highlight Video by The Fast & Dirty.com

With less than three weeks remaining before round 1 & 2 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season kicks off at Daytona Beach on March 14 and March 15 (and the 'unofficial' season kick off at Savannah, GA's Oglethorpe Speedway the weekend before), it's time to get your bags packed and your bets placed as we get ready for another great year of racing in The Rolling Thunder Show.

With several technical rule changes mandated during the off-season in order to even up the playing field (not to mention to quiet all of the naysayers throughout the land, especially in the Twins Series), the upcoming season should add even more excitement to the racing and even level out the overall competition in the greatest racing series on wheels in the world.

With additions to the confirmed schedule for the new season expected to be announced in the near future (I am hearing strong rumblings about two new races at Reno, NV and Black Hills, SD being added to the currently-listed 14 events) the 2013 racing schedule is really looking up.  And even with the loss of the TT and short track events on the National calendar at Springfield, Steve Nace Racing has stepped-up along with the the IMDA to bring you All-Star Series events for the Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend rounds at the mecca of flat track motorcycle racing, the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

The 2013 season will again see the return of a big handful of long-time events on this year's calendar.  The Peoria TT, the Lucas Oil Indy Mile, the Hagerstown Speedway Hub City Classic Half-Mile, the Castle Rock TT, the Ohio National Championship round at the Lima Half-Mile, the Sacramento Mile, and the season-finale at the Pomona Flat Track Finales at the LA Fairplex are but a few of the fan-favorites and racer-favs that will be coming down the pike this season, besides the aforementioned Daytona season-openers and everyone's favorite mile events in Springfield.

And for those of us who can't make all (or even any, in some cases) of the races this year, you will have a strong bevy of options in being able to keep up with them in the comfort of your home.  As has been the case for the last couple of seasons, Miriam Deitcher and her Flat Track Live on Facebook will be on-hand to keep you in-the-know with the happenings at the track with her brand of great racing coverage, Chew and Mia will be keeping you up-to-date on their FlatTrack.com on Facebook along with their updates also available on the FlatTrack.com forum.  AMA Pro Flat Track will again be offering the bitchin' Live Timing and Scoring (again to be sponsored by Cortech), and Cycle News.com will be there to cover the races as they have for decades now.  And as we have tried to do here at Stu's Shots over the course of the last few seasons, we will again be doing our best to bring you the news, photos and reviews of today's action with yesterday and today's photos to keep you informed from a standpoint of a long-time fan.  And these are only a few of the options out there at this time to follow along from the comfort of that couch!

As we look ahead to the new season, we can be sure of one thing....the racing will be stellar and the competiton will be first class.  And thanks again goes out to Will Fulford and his lovely and wonderful bride, Yve Assad-Fulford for bringing us more of their great coverage of the races via their offerings of photos and videos. 

One of those offerings (as available below) helps to highlight last year's great racing from coast-to-coast, that brought us another season of racing in The Rolling Thunder show as highlighted in the photo above from round 16 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Springfield Mile II. 

With returning series favs and stalwarts, including Jake Johnson on the #1 Zanotti Racing/Schaeffer's H-D-sponsored XR750 (who for only the second year-ever will be again wearing the #5 National number plate), Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. on the #2 Screamin' Eagle/Harley-Davidson Motor Company-backed factory XR (who again will be the lone full-time factory-backed entry in the GNC), Jared Mees on the #9 Rogers Racing/Saddlemen-backed XR (who will be now sporting a new tuner in Kenny Tolbert to go along with his newly-earned #1 National number plate), the year ahead is looking as good as ever.  Brandon Robinson on the #44 Werner-Springsteen Racing/Monster Energy-sponsored Kawasaki (who has made his move to the T.J. Burnett Farms/USC Racing Kawasaki fold for the '13 season), Bryan Smith on the #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports-backed Kawi (who for the new season will be backed for the full season by his great sponsor, Crosley Radio) and JD Beach on the #95 T.J. Barnett Farms/USC Racing/-sponsored Kawi (when he is not working his full-time gig in the Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Series in the Daytona SportBike Series class), are just to name a very few of the riders and teams you can look forward to watching and thrilling over in the months to come.

So buckle up, strap in and hang on as the new season gets ready to open the door to another big year of The Rolling Thunder Show.

A big thanks to Will & Eve from The Fast and Dirty.com for this great season wrap-up video from the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season.  Great work as always guys and your work is truly appreciated (and adored!)

Harley-Davidson Museum Racing Exhibit to Host Unveiling of 2013 H-D Factory Teams on February 22

Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. is shown on the #2 Harley-Davidson Motor Company/Screamin' Eagle/Spectro Oils/Fox-sponsored factory H-D XR750 lined up and ready to go for the first heat race of the day at round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Springfield Mile II on September 4.  Coolbeth would go on to win his heat, take home a solid 3rd-place effort in the Dash for Cash four-lap bonus race and take a 4th-place finish in the 25-lap National main behind winner Willie McCoy, runner-up Chris Carr and 3rd-place finisher Jake Johnson.

It was announced today that the Harley-Davidson Museum, located in Milwaukee, WI. would be hosting a special racing exhibit on Friday, February 22, 2013 that will serve at the official unveiling for all of Harley's factory supported efforts for the new season.  Coolbeth will be in attendance along with such luminaries as 9-Time AMA Grand National Champion Scott Parker and 3-Time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion Andrew Hines as part of a special presentation that will include a panel discussion held along with the official unveiling of Harley's 2013 racing efforts.

To read more about this special event, check out the links below.


Thanks to Roadracing World.com for this press release concerning the H-D factory team unveiling that will take place on February 22.

You can read more here about the Harley-Davidson Museum's racing exhibit and team unveiling scheduled for February 22, 2013, direct from the H-D Museum's official site.

AMA Pro Flat Track: Harley-Davidson Increases Contingency Payouts for 2013 AMA Grand National Twins Series Events

Round 10 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season saw The Rolling Thunder Show share the limelight in Indianapolis with the 5th Annual Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP circus in the return to the Lucas Oil Indy Mile at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on August 18.

Waiting for the final qualifying round while the Indiana State Fair activities are going on around the premises are Kenny Coolbeth, Sr. and his son, Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. on the #2 Screamin' Eagle/Harley-Davidson Motor Co/Fox/Arai Helmets-sponsored factory XR750, along with the rest of the top riders in the sport.  

Coolbeth, the lone factory-supported rider and team in the sport, made his first return to the race track after having been out of action since the Lima Half-Mile on June 30 where he suffered a broken leg on the opening lap of the 25-lap National main, came back in a big way at Indy in qualifying in the 8th-place spot out of the 47 riders who took a timed lap.  The King of Cool then proceeded to finish in the 3rd-place spot in his heat race in order to qualify for the main event, where he eventually brought it home with a 5th-place finish for the evening in the 18-rider field.

Today, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company announced that they will be increasing their contingency awards in the upcoming AMA Grand National Twins Series Championship, doubling the payouts for anyone mounted on the company's tried and true XR750.  With all of the cutbacks in the sport over the last decade, this is one great announcement especially in lieu of all the support they have given the greatest racing series on wheels in the world over the course of the last 40+ years.

Riders aboard the company's long-standing weapon of choice in flat track will now be able to earn up to $4000 per win in each of the scheduled Twins Series events for the 2013 season.  Along with the extra millimeter in restrictor opening that the XR750 was given for the mile events for the upcoming season, and the minimum weight limits set on all Twins Series machines for this year, this should really help to keep more XRs on the grid for the foreseeable future. 

Bravo to The Motor Company for going the extra distance this year in helping keep the great sport of AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series racing going forward.  You guys rock!

Check out the official press release below to see what the payout schedule looks like, and you better be getting your XR ready to go come Springfield at the end of May!

Harley-Davidson Increases AMA Pro Flat Track Contingency Purse

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (January 29, 2013) – Harley-Davidson Motor Company is pleased to announce that it will double its contingency payouts to racers in the AMA Pro Grand National Twins class from $5,500 to $11,000 per race for the upcoming racing season.

For 2013, Harley-Davidson Motor Company will provide a $143,000 contingency fund for Twins riders competing on Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the series’ thirteen scheduled Twins events. The Twins contingency program will pay out up to $11,000 in contingency per event to the First through Eighth place finishing positions to riders on Harley-Davidson motorcycles per the following schedule:

First place: $4,000
Second place: $2,000
Third place: $1,800
Fourth place: $1,200
Fifth place: $1,000
Sixth place: $400
Seventh place: $400
Eighth place: $200

To be eligible for Harley-Davidson contingency awards, riders must display the Harley-Davidson Bar & Shield logo prominently on their leathers either on the front chest or right ribcage area.

“Harley-Davidson’s support for dirt track racing goes deep into the roots of the sport and we are pleased to increase the financial reward for racers who proudly carry the Bar & Shield in AMA Pro Flat Track competition,” said Kris Schoonover, Harley-Davidson Racing Manager.

“AMA Pro Racing would like to thank the Harley-Davidson Motor Company for all of its support,” said Dan Johnsen, Director of AMA Pro Flat Track. “By increasing support for the riders that are bringing fans across the country such thrilling entertainment, Harley-Davidson is helping to ensure the future success of the sport. We are thankful and proud to have them as a partner.”

For more information on AMA Pro Racing Flat Track series, visit www.amaproracing.com.

Company Background

Harley-Davidson Motor Company produces heavyweight custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles and offers a complete line of Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts, accessories, riding gear and apparel, and general merchandise. For more information, visit harley-davidson.com.

AMA Flat Track: Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. Takes His Off-Season Training to the Ice at Home in Connecticut

With qualifying getting ready to get underway at round 3 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson  Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season, former 3-Time AMA Grand National Twins Champion and '07 Singles Champ Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. gets ready to head out for action on May 26 on his #2 Chaplin Kawasaki/Fox/Arai Helmets/Vortex-sponsored KX450F.  Also lending a hand is RIDE Academy founder and former AMA Grand National #67, Mike Hacker, who took his services to the Coolbeth camp for the 2012 season after working his suspension, handling and riding magic alongside 2-Time AMA Grand National Champion Jake Johnson for the previous couple of seasons.

The King of Cool had a Rough Night in Jericho in what would be the final Springfield TT for the foreseeable future held at the Multipurpose Arena on the Illinois State Fairgrounds.  Failing to race his way into the National main with a direct transfer out of his heat, Coolbeth was forced to work overtime while racing one of the semis to make the show.  But in the end, even this long-time veteran was backed up against the wall against the competition at hand, and took a provisional entry to gain entry into the 25-lap final, where he rode a tough race to bring it home in the 11th-place spot to nail down 8 hard-earned points after coming off the fourth row.

With what seems like the majority of riders campaigning The Rolling Thunder Show in the past several years being based east of the Mississippi River, one of the best and most often seen off-season training regimens for the riders is ice racing or riding.  Jared Mees, Henry Wiles, Bryan Smith, Coolbeth and a big handful of other top riders spend the season break tearing it up on the ice just like they do the dirt during the regular race season.

Coolbeth, who calls Morris, Connecticut home, may not contend the regular ice racing series during the break, but he definitely gets his share of ice riding done to keep him on his toes during the five month break in the series schedule.  Bud Wilkinson of Ride-CT.com caught up with Kenny recently to talk with him about his training schedule and his many years in the greatest sport on wheels in the world.  Nice reading and thanks to Bud for keeping us filled in on one of the biggest and most popular stars of the sport.  And thanks to Kenny for slowing down just a little to talk with him and keep us up to date on his off-season activities!


Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. gets in some ice riding at home in CT. during the off-season.

Keep up with The King of Cool here at his official website.

A BIG Thanks to the Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour & NBC Sports Group for the Airing of the AMA Pro Flat Track Pomona Season-Finale

With the year winding down and the racing season having long ago ended, we were treated to a season-ending treat today with NBC Sports' airing of the Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour coverage of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track season-finale at Pomona from back in mid-October.  In what was excellent coverage of round 16 of the AMA Grand National Championship, the Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour group hit it out of the park in bringing us up-front coverage of The Rolling Thunder Show's final race of the year.

And what a race it was, with Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. putting on a runaway clinic to take the win, and battles all around the track with riders Brad Baker, Bryan Smith and the rest putting on a show for the fans of the greatest sport on wheels in the world.  The camera crew on-hand did a thumbs up job of capturing the action all around the 5/8ths mile oval from back on October 13.

If you were fortunate enough to check out today's coverage on NBC Sports, please take the time to contact them and the Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour people and let them know how much we appreciate their airing of this great sport.  If you didn't see today's race coverage, you'll have another chance to catch it on Monday, December 31 at 3:00 PM EST.  Details on that airing can be found at the link at the bottom of this write-up.

The links to contact both NBC Sports and the LOMH people can be found below--please take the time to thank them!


In the shot above from round 13 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Springfield Mile II, the bikes are ready for their riders to show up as the 25-lap National main event gets ready to roll out onto the legendary Illinois State Fairgrounds mile oval on September 16. 

RIDE Academy owner and rider coach Mike Hacker (back to camera) watches over Kenny Coolbeth, Jr.'s #2 Screamin' Eagle/Harley-Davidson Motor Co-sponsored factory XR750 while talking with Jake Johnson and Zanotti Racing's crew chief, Ted McDermitt just behind Johnson's #1 Zanotti Racing/Schaeffer's H-D-backed XR.

In the background, left of center, Werner-Springsteen Kawasaki Racing's Bill Werner talks with Howerton Motorsports' Jeff Gordon, while team member Donnie Jones gets an earful listening in to two of the most colorful and knowledgeable people in the world of motor sports, with either two or four wheels. 

Brandon Robinson's #44 Werner-Springsteen/Wosner Pistons-backed Kawasaki 650R can be seen partially obscuring Bryan Smith's #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports powered by Eaken Racing Kawasaki.  JB Beach's #95 USC Racing/Red Bull-sponsored Kawasaki can be seen in the back of the shot.


You can contact the Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour folks here.  If you took the time to watch the excellent coverage of round 16 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Pomona Half-Mile, then you already know what a super job these folks did in covering the races.

Please take the time to let them know so that they can bring us more coverage of The Rolling Thunder Show put on by the Blue Crew of AMA Pro Flat Track.  Look for the 'contact us' tab at the top right of the homepage from the Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour:

http://motorsportshour.com/

And you can also send an e-mail to the NBC Sports Network to thank them for airing the final round of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track season at Pomona.  Here is their e-mail:

nbcsportshelp@nbcuni.com

And in case you missed today's original airing of round 16 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season at the L.A. Fairplex in Pomona, you can find out when and where this will air again on Monday, December 31 here:

http://stusshots.blogspot.com/2012/12/ama-flat-track-nbc-sports-to-air-pomona.html

 

 

AMA Pro Flat Track Announces Confirmed Dates for 2013 Season

Riders and team members make final preparations as the machines are brought to life in order to do battle at round 4 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Springfield Mile I on May 27.

Jared Mees on the #9 Rogers Racing/Blue Springs H-D-sponsored XR750, Luke Gough on the #62 Skip Eaken/Roeder Racing-backed Kawasaki 650R, Bryan Smith on the #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports-backed rocket Kawi, Willie McCoy on his #59 H-D of Wausau/Independence H-D-sponsored XR, Jake Johnson on the #1 Zanotti Racing/Schaeffer's H-D-backed XR and Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. on the #2 Screamin' Eagle/H-D Motor Co-sponsored factory XR750 fill out the front row in what would be another exciting 25-lap National main at the Illinois State Fairgrounds mile oval.

In welcome news out of Daytona Beach today, AMA Pro Flat Track has announced the confirmed dates for the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season in what is surely the earliest announcement of a solid calendar by AMA Pro Flat Track in the last three seasons. 

Fourteen dates that have been confirmed include among others, the season-opening rounds at Daytona in March, a return to the Peoria TT in August followed by the Lucas Oil Indy Mile, the annual treks to the Springfield Mile over Memorial Day and Labor Day, and the season-ending round in Pomona in mid-October.

AMA Pro Flat Track is still working to secure two rounds in Arizona at the beginning and end of the season and is also working on bringing another event to Ohio, strongly rumored to be a return to the Greenville Half-Mile which was on the schedule several years ago. 

A rumored return to I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, MI. was no where to be mentioned on the schedule, although after the fall-out from the last-minute cancelation of this year's round most likely having some bearing as to whether AMA Pro Flat Track was willing to chance another go around with the track and/or promoters, although that is strictly speculation after the rumor was floated that there may have been a return to I-96.  Note--for the second year in a row, this leaves the schedule without any rounds in Michigan, home to many of the current and a large handful of former champions and competitors.

The west coast is getting an extra burst for the 2013 calendar, with the return of the classic Castle Rock TT, Santa Rosa and Sacto Miles, as well as two new half-mile venures in Elma, Washington and Stockton, California.

Thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track for the full press release below which details all of the announced dates for 2013 thus far.

AMA Pro Racing Announces Confirmed Dates on 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Schedule

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (December 10, 2012) - AMA Pro Racing is pleased to announce 14 confirmed events on the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track schedule. In addition to the events listed below, AMA Pro Racing plans to make announcements on three additional events in the near future.

All of the AMA Pro Flat Track events in 2013 will once again feature non-stop entertainment and thrilling motorcycle racing action from the AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com and AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles classes. Of the confirmed events announced today, Harley-Davidson Insurance GNC Expert Singles will compete at four of the rounds, broken down into two Short Tracks and two Tourist Trophies, while the mighty Expert Twins will contest the remaining 10 rounds, consisting of five Half-Mile and five Mile tracks. Fans can also expect to watch as the sport's finest up-and-coming talent battle for fame and glory in Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles races.

 

On March 14-15, 2013, DAYTONA® Flat Track will once again play host to the AMA Pro Flat Track opener as the series kicks off the 2013 season with a doubleheader on the quarter-mile lime rock track located outside Daytona International Speedway's west banking. At the 2012 season opener, fans witnessed two riders taking their breakout Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship wins, with Johnny Lewis holding off the charging field for his first in the Thursday night final and Matt Weidman taking the checkered flag over eventual 2012 series champ Jared Mees in Friday's main event.

Next up, the series will make a stop in Arizona on May 4, 2013 at a TBA event before heading to Stockton, Calif.'s Half-Mile track at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds on May 11, 2013. The event will mark the first time AMA Pro Flat Track races on the all-new Half-Mile track located within the historic Stockton Mile and it's sure to bring northern California some of the most exciting motorcycle racing action in the world.

It wouldn't be a complete season if AMA Pro Flat Track didn't visit Springfield, Ill. The legendary Springfield Mile has served as one of the most historic venues and is considered to be one of the most coveted wins on the circuit. When the fire-breathing twins roll off the trucks at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on May 26, 2013, this go-around is sure to add even more excitement to the legacy of the storied event.

 

Another TBA event is scheduled in Ohio on June 8, 2013 before the series heads to another historically significant and action-packed circuit on June 29, 2013. Dating back to 1984, AMA Pro Flat Track has made the trek to Lima, Ohio to take on the "cushion" Half-Mile at the Allen County Fairgrounds, and this year will be no exception.

 

 

Bryan Smith #42 leads Sammy Halbert #7, Jake Johnson #1, Willie McCoy #59 and the rest of the field coming out of turn 4 at the running of the Springfield Mile II at round 13 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Champioship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season.  AMA Pro Racing announced the confirmed dates for the 2013 season today.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.

 

Just after the Fourth of July holiday, the Series will make a swing near the Nation's capital on July 6, 2013 as Hagerstown, Md.'s Hagerstown Speedway will host the only round on the east coast that features what is typically a very smooth, and very fast, half-mile track. Jared Mees grabbed his lone win in 2012 over local-favorite Jake Johnson at last year's event, and the defending champ will likely have his hands full when the star-studded line-up gets to the grid again next season.

The second west-coast tour begins on July 20, 2013 with a Half-Mile event at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash, followed by the always-incredible Sacramento Mile at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds in Sacramento, Calif. on July 27, 2013. That leg will conclude with a drive up the coast, where the AMA Pro Flat Track stars will hop back on their 450cc singles at the Castle Rock Race Park TT in Castle Rock, Wash. on August 3, 2013.

 

Next up is another TT, and the granddaddy of them all, scheduled for one week later at Peoria Race Park in Peoria, Ill. on August 11, 2013. The Peoria TT has been a staple on the Grand National circuit since 1947 and still packs the hillsides with spectators eager to watch the high-flying singles take to the track. Watch out for Henry Wiles, who collected his eighth consecutive victory at the legendary venue last year and seems to be unbeatable here.

The Indy Mile at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Ind., returns to the 2013 schedule on August 17, 2013 and the event will once again coincide with both the Indiana State Fair and MotoGP's state-side return for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Labor Day Weekend means a return to the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill. for the second Springfield Mile on the calendar; the September 1st event is the final 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track event scheduled east of the Mississippi river.

AMA Pro Flat Track will once again head west to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa to battle it out against the beautiful backdrop of the Santa Rosa Mile. In last year's contest, Sammy Halbert grabbed his fourth win of the season in front of a packed house, and the 2012 runner-up will definitely be looking to match his winning result on September 29, 2013.

The last to-be-announced event on the schedule is slotted for October 5, 2012 in Arizona before the 2013 AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com schedule comes to a close - and fan-favorite Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. looks to repeat his commanding victory - on the half-mile track at the LA County Fairplex in Pomona, Calif on October 12, 2013.

2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Schedule:

March 14th	DAYTONA Flat Track I	DAYTONA Flat Track Daytona Beach, Fla.	Short Track
March 15th	DAYTONA Flat Track II	DAYTONA Flat Track Daytona Beach, Fla.	Short Track
May 4th	TBA	Arizona
May 11th	Stockton Half-Mile	San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, Stockton, Calif.	Half-Mile
May 26th	Springfield Mile	Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ill.	Mile
June 8th	TBA	Ohio
June 29th	Lima Half-Mile	Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, Ohio	Half-Mile
July 6th	Hagerstown, Half-Mile	Hagerstown Speedway, Md.	Half-Mile
July 20th	Grays Harbor Raceway	Grays Harbor, Elma, Wash.	Half-Mile
July 27th	Sacramento Mile	Cal Expo, Sacramento, Calif.	Mile
August 3rd	Castle Rock TT	Castle Rock Race Park, Castle Rock Wash.	TT
August 11th	Peoria TT	PMC Race Park, Peoria, Ill.	TT
August 17th	Indy Mile	Indiana State Fairground, Indianapolis, Ind.	Mile
September 1st	Springfield Mile II	Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ill.	Mile
September 29th	Santa Rosa Mile	Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa, Calif.	Mile
October 5th	TBA	Arizona
October 12th	Flat Track Season Finale	LA County Fairplex, Pomona, Calif.	Half-Mile

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: Stu's Shots & Todays Cycle Coverage.com 2012 Season Wrap-Up

The top-7 men in the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season get ready to roll out for the first practice session of the day at round 13 at the Springfield Mile II on September 16.  With four rounds to go in the season, the battle for the 2012 AMA Grand National Championship was coming to a head with the Pomona season-finale lying just 27 days away.

Finishing what could have been a totally miserable season after breaking his leg at round 5 at Lima just shy of three months earlier, Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. rounded out his season with another win (after having taken the Knoxville Half-Mile win in just his second race back from injury).  Coolbeth took the #2 Screamin' Eagle/Harley-Davidson Motor Co/Fox/Arai Helmets-sponsored factory XR750 to a decisive win at Pomona to end the season ranked in the 7th-place position after missing out on five of the season's 16 rounds due to his recovery.

After having another stellar year in winning three rounds in the Singles Series for the 2012 season (Springfield TT and Short Track and his record-tying 8th win at the Peoria TT), Henry Wiles and the #17 Lloyd Brothers Motorsports/Foremost Insurance Group/Ramspur Winery/ENI USA-backed Ducati team had what could easily be referenced as an up-and-down season in the series' ten Twins Series events. 

Losing three motors on the year, the team fought hard to still bring home two top-5 results with finishes of 2nd and 4th at Lima and Indy, respectively, and also added three other top-10 finishes to round out the year on a much higher note to rank as the 6th-place rider for the 2012 season.

2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Saddlemen Rookie of the Year Brad 'The Bullet' Baker was probably the most-traveled of riders throughout the 2012 season in terms of how many different motorcycles he threw his leg over in competition.  Starting off the season riding for Kenny Tolbert Racing on a fleet of Kawasaki KX450Fs and 650R-based mounts, it all fell apart for KT and the Washington state resident at the fourth round of the season at the Springfield Mile I round.

Failing to make the main, just days later Tolbert pulled the plug on the team due to lack of funding (other then what was coming out of the Texan's pockets) and mothballed the team, leaving Baker without any current options.  By round 5 at Lima he showed up on a bike that reportedly hadn't been in competition in several years, qualified strong only to end the evening in the 17th-place spot with only two points scored in two events.

See-sawing between some strong rides on a Tony Dodge-prepped XR, putting in two events on the Harley factory mount in place of injured team rider Coolbeth, and then competing on his own Baker Brothers' Honda for the remaining Singles Series events on the calendar,  the sophomore Expert ended the year with a super 2nd-place finish at Pomona and as the 5th-ranked rider in the nation.  I don't believe since Gary Scott's defense of his '75 championship has a rider rode or competed on such a wide breadth of equipment in one season and Baker's ability to jump on different machinery throughout the year more then shows it is just a short matter of time before we see him on top of the box.

Bryan Smith was one of only four men in the 2012 season that made all 16 events on the year (the other three will be mentioned shortly.)  With the advantage of two wins on the year on the #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports powered by Eaken Racing/MPH/Guts Wear-sponsored Kawasaki 650R-based rocket (Sacto Mile and Springfield Mile II) and a big handful of top-3s, Flyin' Bryan not only finished the season as the 4th-ranked rider in the country, but also took home the ceremonial Twins Series Championship for the year. 

All of the talk this last season was focused on and around the new parallel twin mount that first showed it's strength and prowess under the mile specialist's grip at the Springfield Mile I round by winning his heat and the Dash for Cash (and eventually a hard-fought 3rd-place in the first Twins Series event of the season.)  By mid-year the talk had turned to advantages and riding styles and differences between the power output, weight and racing lines used by the new breed of mile machines.

At Pomona last month, it also showed that a Kawi could also end up on the box at a half-mile event in what was a great 3rd-place finish to cap off the season's ramblings.  It was also what I believe to be the second-best finish on a half-mile track since the Kawi's first started hitting the track in the 2010 season (Johnny Lewis took the #10 Scott Powersports Kawi to a 2nd-place finish at Hagerstown in 2011.)

With his string of 10 of 11 podium finishes between the Springfield TT and the Springfield Mile II rounds, 2-Time and defending AMA Grand National Champion Jake Johnson looked more than able to keep in the fight for his third series title in the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season.

But in the end, the champ and the #1 Zanotti Racing/Schaeffer's H-D/Boughner Racing/Arai-backed XR750 team not only had dropped to the 3rd-ranked spot on the year but Johnson failed to win a National main for the first time in his over ten years competing in the series.    Never fret, the quiet man with the championship focus will be back as strong as ever carrying the #5 again, proudly ready to go after it again.  And you can bet he'll be ready to make up for lost time.

Sammy Halbert again led the series in overall wins for the 2012 season (Lima Half-Mile, Castle Rock TT, Indy and Santa Rose Miles) and with his first-ever mile event win at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile on August 18 grabbed the dirt track 'grand slam' along the way.  Looking to steal the championship from Jared Mees by getting a 2nd-place in the Dash at Pomona after both Mees and Johnson missed the extra points-paying event, Slammin' Sammy's #7 South East Harley/The South Ass/Mo Vaughn Transport/LZ Racing-sponsored XR had his clutch go south in the National main and ended up with an unlucky 13th-place finish to end the year ranked as the 2nd-overall rider in the nation. 

Jared Mees had previously wrapped up the ceremonial 2012 Single Series Championship at the Springfield Short Track on September 15, but even then stated he still had 'unfinished business' in terms of clinching the overall championship at Pomona.  After getting banged and moved around at Pomona, Mees settled into an eventual 8th-place finish that would cap his run to the 2012 AMA Grand National Championship on the #9 Rogers Racing/Blue Springs H-D/National Cycle/Lucas Oil-sponsored XR750. 

With the team announcing several weeks ago that tuner Brent Armbruster would be leaving the team (and moving to the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports corral for the 2013 season), Mees' and Rogers' new tuner, Kenny Tolbert, will be back in action spinning the wrenches for the new AMA Grand National Championship-winning effort.

Could KT also be bringing along his fleet of Mean Green Kawi 650Rs that have been in the closet since mid-June?  Mees had talked of having to put a Kawi together in order to keep with the Kawi rockets in mid-September.  Or will KT's signing make the difference for them to be able to stay with their tried and true XR fleet?  Don't forget, the chances are still pretty good that the rules will get some tweaking in terms of restrictor sizes mandated and in weight minimums being set for all of the competitors for the 2013 season.  But will that be enough to keep the pundits quiet? 

Only time will tell, and it's going to be a long off-season...............

Stephen Vanderkuur hops off of his #10J Parkinson Brothers Racing/Performance Cycle & Dyno/MDR/SSR-sponsored Honda CRF450R after winning his heat race at round 5 of the 2012 AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles season at the Lima Half-Mile on June 30.  AMA Pro Flat Track announcer Barry Boone talks to the crowd while Vanderkuur gets some help with his mount and gear prior to the podium celebrations.

Vanderkuur ended the season with three wins on the year and capped off his 2012 Pro Singles Championship in style by winning the season-finale round at Pomona to go with his previous wins at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile and Santa Rosa Mile events.  The young rider, another of a long line of superior flat track talent to come out of the state of Michigan, didn't even qualify for the first two rounds at Daytona, yet still finished the season on top over two riders who qualified for all 16 rounds on the season (runner-up in the 2012 championship Jake Shoemaker and 3rd-place man Jason Isennock) and completed his great run for the championship with seven top-3 performances, ending the year with a tally of 214 points to Shoemaker's 192 and Isennock's 175 points.

A big congrats to our new 2012 AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Champion, Stephen Vanderkuur, who had a strong season to capture the fourth Pro Singles Championship since the series' inception in 2009.  Vanderkuur joins former series champions Brad Baker, Jeffrey Carver, Jr. and Mikey Martin in a very unique group of young men who have since moved up to the AMA Grand National Expert class to compete against the best racers in the world in The Rolling Thunder Show.  A job well done, and I'm sure we'll see our new champion competing against the big boys before too long!


Dan Jacobson, Sr. is one of the many fans, photographers and journalists that follow the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship to every event possible each season.  Based out of the Great White North in Fargo, North Dakota, 'Dakota Dan' as he is known, probably puts on thousands of miles each year traveling to the events he covers from his remote location, and chronicles those events at Todays Cycle Coverage.com.  Check out Dan's latest from the season-finale at Pomona below, along with some super photography from Tom Hnitaw.

A big thanks to Dan Jacobson, Sr. & Todays Cycle Coverage.com for this great write-up on the season-finale at round 16 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Pomona Half-Mile:

http://www.todayscyclecoverage.com/wordpress/2012/11/09/the-king-of-cool-and-fast/

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

AMA Flat Track: Winter Break & Bad Weather Getting You Down? Read All About The Season-Finale Pomona Half-Mile Round 16 to Get You Through the Hurricane Sandy Aftermath

Riders get ready to roll out for the final qualifying session at round 10 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile on August 18 and three of the four main protagonists in the final fight for the brass ring that is the 2012 AMA Grand National Championship are ready to hit the track.

Jake Johnson, the 2-Time and defending AMA Grand National Champion, would lead the National main event at Indy early before crashing out just past the mid-point of the 25-lap final, and would leave the Indiana State Fair event down in the points with a deficit that not even the come-from-behind specialist was able to surpass this year.  In spite of his record of coming from behind in the last two seasons to take the title, first from Joe Kopp in the 2010 season and then from Jared Mees in the 2011 season, Johnson and his #1 Zanotti Racing/Schaeffer's H-D/Boughner Racing Suspension/Arai-sponsored XR750 weren't able to recover again at the end of the 2012 season.

After coming through the semi to make the main, and thusly missing valuable points for not making the Dash at Pomona, Johnson soldiered home to a 14th-place finish in the final round to end the season in the 3rd-place spot in the overall championship to his friend and rival, Jared Mees.  Jake and the Zanotti team are expected back together for the 2013 season and will no doubt be as tough as ever as they work to get the #1 plate back on what will be the #5 again for the 2013 season.  And although it is strictly a rumor at this point, there has been buzz throughout flat track nation that one Dave Zanotti, the great man behind this great effort, has even spoken of putting together a Kawasaki for the mile events for next year.  Say it ain't so, Joe.......

Mees, who more or less controlled the championship hunt from the mid-point of the season, would leave Indy with another podium (3rd-place) and would suffer his only downfall of the year at the next round at Knoxville (18th-place) but would hold on through the rest of the season to bring it home in the 8th-place spot at Pomona to capture the 2012 AMA Grand National Championship that he had been so wanting to claim for years now.

The rider of the #9 Rogers Racing/Blue Springs H-D/Saddlemen/National Cycle-backed XR added to his '09 and '11 Twins Series and '12 Singles Series Championships by taking the big marbles that he has been shooting for since being named Rookie of the Year in the 2004 season. 

With the announcement last week of long-time tuner Brent Armbruster leaving the team to join the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports team and former multi-time championship winning tuner Kenny Tolbert coming back to the track to turn the wrenches for the Rogers Racing rider in 2013, the upcoming season should see some interesting combinations moving forward. 

According to Mees at the Springfield doubleheader round in mid-September, he stated that there could be a distinct possibility that he may have to mount-up a new ride on the mile tracks in order to stay competitive with the Kawasakis that have hit the scene of late.  After asking master builder Rick Howerton if he was interested in putting something together for him (half in jest and half serious), Howerton stated he was much too busy to be able to spread himself that thin and still run his IndyCar/NHRA/NASCAR fabrication business on Indy's west side and still keep his Eaken-powered Kawi in the hunt for rider Bryan Smith. 

This begs the question, will KT be rolling out his mean green Kawasaki armada (that was last seen at the Springfield Mile I round in late May with then-rider Brad Baker before being mothballed for the remainder of the season due to lack of sponsorship) for next season to help keep The Jammer in the front at the big tracks, or will the wrench spinning on Rogers Racing XRs' by the former H-D factory mechanic be enough to keep them in contention?  If anyone can keep an XR finely tuned, it is KT, but at what cost will the fragility and expense of the long-in-the-tooth Milwaukee iron (or alloy, as it would be) be able to remain competitive, and not just on the mile ovals?  Time will tell.

Bryan Smith announced way back in early April that he would be joining a new 'rookie' team based out of Indianapolis and headed-up by one Mr. Howerton, and would be saddling up on the #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports powered by Eaken Racing/MPH/Dreyer Motorsports-sponsored Kawasaki parallel twins for the five mile events in the 2012 season.  Looking back, that rookie team with that veteran rider (and mile specialist, to boot!) had taken the series by storm by winning two events, taking home two 3rd-place finishes and a 14th-place at Indy (that could have resulted in a much higher finish if not for one errant battery-failure issue). 

And then they did the unthinkable, and entered their rocket Kawi in the season-ending round at the Pomona Half-Mile, announcing just shy of two weeks before the finale that they would be making it one more go around in order to help Flyin' Bryan capture the ceremonial Twins Series Championship. 

Looking back, it was a pretty good move on all parts as Smith took 3rd-place at Pomona in the team's first half-mile event together and in the process claimed the 2012 AMA Grand National Twins Series Championship and a fine 4th-place overall in the overall standings, behind Mees, Sammy Halbert and Johnson. 

With new rules expected to come into place to help quiet the naysayers (and those not-in-the-know) in terms of possible restrictor sizes being discussed and minimum weight limits being set (almost a given) for everyone running the Twins Series events, the little team that could AND did will have their work cut-out for them.  But ask their fearless leader if he's worried and he gives you one of those looks that make you rethink whether you are crazy or not (of which I am, of course) and states that they have 'more in the tank' and that their bike isn't 'nearly as light as it looks' and they will just adjust accordingly.  If you think he's kidding, you don't know the competitive spirit of Rocket Rick and his team of long-time flat track fans and aficionados.

After winning his semi at round 5 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Lima Half-Mile (shown above rolling onto the podium on June 30 after taking that semi win), less then an hour later 3-Time AMA Grand National Twins Champion Kenny Coolbeth was down and out after hitting a track marker on the first lap of the 25-lap National main at the Allen County Fairgrounds event.

Forced to sit out the next few rounds while recuperating from a broken left leg, Coolbeth and the #2 Screamin' Eagle/Harley-Davidson Motor Co/Fox/Arai Helmets-sponsored factory XR750 team came roaring back for a season-ending run that would leave young men gasping for air, let alone a long-time veteran of the sport.  Looking like he had hardly broken a sweat, The King of Cool took the season-finale win at Pomona to put a stamp on a season of what if's for the long tenured veteran of the sport, after also having won the Knoxville Half-Mile just over five weeks earlier. 

Coolbeth sandwiched those wins with finishes of 6th-place (Springfield Mile II), 8th-place (Santa Rosa Mile) and 11th-place (Tucson Half-Mile) to take the 7th-place spot in the final overall standings and let everyone know that he isn't done yet, by any means, and will no doubt be back for the 2013 season with a big head of steam under his seat ready to take on the pack again.

Sammy Halbert rolls onto the podium at round 5 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season after taking the win over rival Henry Wiles at the Lima Half-Mile after a hard-fought 25-lap National main that was interrupted by a red-flag delay that saw the final five laps worthy of the paying house on hand.

Halbert and his #7 South East H-D/The South Ass/Mo Vaughn Transport/LZ Racing-backed XR had another great run for the championship during the 2012 season, winning a series' leading four rounds and finally taking the dirt track 'grand slam' after taking his initial mile event win at Indy back in August.

But like with all events and racing championships, the fat lady did not hit a good note for Slammin' Sammy as a clutch failure at the season-finale relegated him to an unlucky 13th-place finish at Pomona and the series' runner-up spot in the overall championship.

No doubt the Washington State resident will be back for the 2013 season and will be as tough as ever, and maybe even gazing at everyone with that determined but anguished stare that seemed to be ever-present throughout the 2012 season.  One thing for sure, you know he'll be at the front fighting it out to try and add to his '11 Singles Series Championship by finally nailing down the big brass ring that is the AMA Grand National Championship in The Rolling Thunder Show.

You can check out Jared Mees on the cover of Cycle News from Issue 40 at the link below, the 2012 AMA Grand National Champion:

http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20121016?#pg1

And a big thanks to Cycle News editor Paul Carruthers for putting together this great season-ending write-up from round 16 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Pomona Half-Mile Flat Track Finals:

http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20121016?#pg35