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Welcome
to the Vintage Flat
Trackers web site. This page is dedicated to
the continual revival of Americas true motorcycle sport, flat track
oval and TT racing on fire breathing, nickel plated, ageless two
wheeled monsters. dennis@vft.org For sale or wanted ads, please use ads@vft.org |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 27,
2023) – Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing
FTR750) earned his 25th-career Grand National Championship Mile victory
in split-second fashion in Saturday night’s Red Mile presented by
Indian Motorcycle of Lexington at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky. The triumph proved to be the latest round in a season of Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, that has taken shape as a heavyweight title fight between reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champ Mees and his ascending challenger, points leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT). The two broke free from the start and spent the next 14 minutes plus two laps testing each other in preparation for the decisive final lap. The cagey Mees sat in tight formation behind his young rival during the waning laps before finally striking as the two sprinted into Turn 3 for the final time. He then struck and, despite suffering a couple small slides on exit, had the steam to hold on to the checkered flag by a minuscule 0.042 seconds. The victory was Mees’ fifth in six attempts at the Red Mile. It also saw him join legends Bubba Shobert and Bryan Smith for third all-time in career Mile wins. Mees said, “We were playing cat-and-mouse a little bit, and he was definitely strong in some areas…I just knew what I wanted to do there on the last lap and made it work, really. It’s good to win those Miles like old school where it’s there right at the line.” For Daniels, it was the fourth time this season he’s finished a close second to Mees. But any sense of frustration that may have otherwise started to creep in was overcome by the reality that he continues to hold the points advantage due to a season-long run of firsts and seconds that he kept intact. The fight for third was a spirited four-way affair, involving Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke), Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750). Bauman again showed off an ideal pace nearly on par with that of Mees and Daniels when everything worked just perfectly aboard an unruly machine that made that perfection impossible to attain with any consistency. Still, its impressive motor provided him with the tools necessary to secure a third podium of 2023 with Beach fractionally behind in fourth, followed by Fisher and Vanderkooi. Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07), who ran third on the opening laps, rebounded from an early mistake to overhaul Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) for seventh by 0.050 seconds at the stripe. Jeffrey Lowrey (No. 223 Lowery Racing/Gray Hogs Yamaha MT-07) and Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke) completed the top ten. While Mees chipped off another four points, Daniels still boasts a 16-point advantage (180-164). Third-ranked Bauman is nearly two full races back of first at 131. Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) added more evidence to support the old racing adage that a rider’s second win comes a whole lot easier than their first with a triumphant run in Saturday’s Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER pack war. A seesawing battle that expanded to a nine-rider lead pack as the pivotal final two laps opened, the race for the win appeared almost certain to be decided amongst Turner Honda teammates Lowe and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and the Estenson Racing Yamaha duo of Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F). Sacramento winner Drane looked like the odds-on favorite due to his optimal blend of high-speed chops, low-pro aerodynamics, ultra-light weight, and big-time horsepower. However – despite repeatedly demonstrating the capacity to blast up to first from three or four positions back seemingly at will – the Aussie’s last-lap strategy was blown up by a lapped rider as the huge lead group dove into Turn 3 for the final time. As a result, Drane could finish no better than third with Lowe and Saathoff handing Honda a hard-earned 1-2. Whether or not Drane might have been able to run the Hondas down with a cleaner run is as impossible to guess as it is irrelevant at this point. Ultimately, Lowe put himself in the perfect position to capitalize in the chaos and scoop his second-career victory. “It feels so great to come out on top,” Lowe said. “I knew I had to keep my corner speed up and that was the one thing I had going for me. Leading and going into (Turn) 3 was definitely my best option. I’m happy for the whole Turner Racing team. Everyone has put in so much effort. It’s unreal to think about the time that people put in and the dedication that they have.” Brunner finished just 0.057 seconds back off his teammate but once again came up just short of the podium He was followed home by Red Bull KTM teammates Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) and Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) – Kopp closing in from a distant ninth to make himself a factor late. Kopp continues to lead in his title defense with 151 points to his credit. However, Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) was shuffled back to seventh in the melee, a development that allowed Saathoff to join him level at 136 points. Whale is fourth at 130, followed by Brunner (123), Lowe (117), and Drane (105). |
"To Finish First You Must First Finish"![]() ![]() Now in my eighties, I met scores of famous people within the
motorcycle and car racing world and became lifelong friends with many
of them. I'd work and professionally road race for the Honda, Yamaha,
and Bridgestone factory teams, win national championships for two of
them, and be associated with Bombardier, maker of Ski-Doo snowmobiles
and Sea-Doo watercraft when they undertook the development and
manufacture of the Can-Am, a North American off-road motorcycle to
challenge the Japanese. I'd also spend forty-years importing
Bombardier-Rotax racing engines from Austria. I'd do motorcycle
development projects for several other manufacturers and even a
motorcycle project for General Motors, then the largest corporation the
world had ever known. I'd win the Baja 500 off-road car race for
another automobile manufacturer, American Motors, on a team sponsored
by film star James Garner, with teammate Bob Bondurant, a former
Formula 1 race car driver. But all that was yet to come and in no way
could I have portended what excitement, success, and personal notoriety
lay ahead in my then-young life.
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I found this photo sequence I took a few years ago of Brandon Bergen at Willow.![]() Photos page |
Lodi - Nite before the MileSammy honored Dominic Colindres, who won last years race,
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![]() 2022 Open House Photoshttps://www.facebook.com/ClovisFlatTrack |
2019 Events & Results |
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Mecom Las Vegas Auction ![]() January 25 |
Trailblazers Banquet ![]() April 7 |
Eddies WCDTS Willow Springs ![]() May 4 |
Eddies WCDTS Willow Springs ![]() May 5 |
SCFTA Framer Shootout ![]() May 10 |
AFT Perris National ![]() May 11 |
Lodi Nite Before The Mile ![]() August 9 |
AFT Sacramento Mile ![]() August 10 |
Sacramento Mile - Sunday Amateur ![]() August 11 |
2018 Events & Results |
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Trailblazer Banquet ![]() April 7 |
Lake Cachuma British Bike Rally ![]() June 1 |
SCFTA Round 2 P.........................erris |
2017 Events & Results |
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Trailblazers Banquet ![]() April 22 |
Lodi - Nite Before The Mile ![]() May 19 |
Sacramento Mile ![]() May 20 |
Dan Rouit Memorial Open House ![]() May 21 |
Las Vegas Auction ![]() June 1 |
Eddie's British Bike Rally ![]() June 2 |
Eddie's WCDTS Willow Springs ![]() October 1 |
2016 Events & Results |
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MX'ers at Perris ![]() January 24 |
SCFTA Round 1 Perris ![]() February 13 |
SCFTA Round 2 Perris ![]() March 12 |
Trailblazers Banquet ![]() April 23 |
SCFTA Round 3 Perris ![]() April 23 |
SCFTA Round 4 Perris ![]() May 14 |
SCFTA Round 5 Perris May 15 |
Lodi - Nite Before the mile ![]() May 20 |
SCFTA Round 6 Perris June 4 |
SCFTA Round 7 Perris July 16 |
SCFTA Round 8 Perris August 6 |
SCFTA Round 9 Perris ![]() September 10 |
WCVDT Willow Springs ![]() October 1 |
WCVDT Willow Springs ![]() October 2 |
SCFTA Round 10 Perris ![]() October 15 |
Old School Scrambles ![]() November 20 |
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2015 Events & Results |
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Del Mar Short Track ![]() February 14 |
SCFTA Round 1 Perris ![]() March 28 |
Trailblazers Banquet ![]() April 11 |
SCFTA Round 2 Perris ![]() April 18 |
SCFTA Round 4 Perris ![]() May 15 |
Cal Expo GNC ![]() May 30 |
Cal Expo CFTA Vintage - Amature ![]() May 31 |
SCFTA Round 5 Perris ![]() June 20 |
SCFTA Round 7 Perris ![]() July 25 |
SCFTA Round 8 Perris![]() August 15 |
SCFTA Round 10 Perris![]() October 10 |
SCFTA Round 11 Perris ![]() November 14 |
AMA National - Las Vegas![]() November 20 |
Joe Kopp race report from Las Vegas![]() November 20 |
Nicky At Perris ![]() February 13 |
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2014 Events & Results |
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SCFTA Round 1 Perris ![]() February 15 |
SCFTA Round 3 Perris March 15 |
San Jose Indoor ![]() March 29 |
Trailblazers Banquet ![]() April 5 |
SCFTA Round 4 Perris ![]() April 5th |
SCFTA Round 5 Perris ![]() May 17 |
SCFTA Round 7 Perris July 26 |
Cal Expo GNC July 26 |
Castle Rock August 1 |
Castle Rock August 2 |
Castle
Rock
August 2 |
SCFTA Round 8 Perris August 23 |
SCFTA Round 10 Perris October 10 |
Speedway -World Championship October 11 |
SCFTA Round
11 Perris November 8 |