American Flat Track: Jared Mees Takes The Points Lead Back At The OKC Mile

You don't have four titles in American Flat Track's Twins class by being a quitter. And there's no point for Jared Mees to start now. Especially when the Indian Motorcycle Roger's Racing rider is in the midst of yet another close battle with rival Bryan Smith for the Grand National Championship.

On Saturday night Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the battle for top honors at the OKC Mile came down between Mees and Smith’s Indian Motorcycle Racing backed by All State teammate Brad Baker. At first it looked like Baker was going to smoke the competition with a healthy lead, but Mees put his head down and knocked down the laps to get right back in the game when Baker’s rhythm was interrupted in lapped traffic.

“I got a crappy start, terrible start,” Mees said. “I got by Sammy and then I just was like, damn, man. Bryan’s out there and Brad’s way out there. Finally I got by him (Bryan), and I went, ‘Man, I don’t know if I can get Brad.’ I just kept digging deeper and deeper and deeper. Finally he made a mistake and then we got into some lappers. One minute they played in my favor and one minute they didn’t. The second-to-last lap I got by Brad right around the outside. Then he smoked it off in there on me and I just got by him… It felt good to dig down deep like that and win it. It was good.”

It was a tough loss to swallow for Baker who has been chasing his first victory in 2017 with his new Indian squad. It was also a tough end result for Smith as well who was hoping to get maximum points on the Mile tracks, his specialty, before heading to the Half-Miles, Mees’ specialty.

In the AFT Singles class, it was a similar tale of triumph and heartbreak. After a tough start to the day and having to transfer through the LCQ, RMR Racing Honda's Shayna Texter fought her way to victory, her third this season and all of which were on the big tracks.

“This one was definitely probably one of my hardest-fought wins,” Texter said. We lost the exhaust plug in the heat race and got DQ’d and had to go to the LCQ just to make the semi. We were able to win the LCQ. I was able to pass a couple guys in the semi to get a front-row start.

“I just tried to hang with Stollings and Avery. Stollings has been on fire all day today. I knew he was the one to beat. Just tried to keep charging, keep charging. I was able to get under him with coming to two to go, coming off of four. He got a little high and I was able to get under him. Then I guess his engine let loose. It was shaping up probably to be a good battle, but it definitely worked out in my favor.”

On the flip side, was heartbreak for Ben Evans Honda’s Kevin Stollings who was looking to repeat his Mile victory at the Red Mile but without technical complications. Unfortunately for the youngster from Indianapolis, he had to withdraw from the fight with a technical failure.

Joining Shayna on the podium was Ron Ayers Honda's Tristan Avery and Goodroe Racing Honda's Parker Norris.