Jeffrey Carver Scores First Career American Flat Track Twins Win

Everyone loves an underdog. Privateer American Flat Track racer Jeffrey Carver, Jr. is no exception. The Ben Evans Racing/Carver's BBQ rider bested not only newly crowned AFT Twins champ Jared Mees on the Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing Team's home turf, he beat the rest of the factory riders to take his first career-victory in the premier class on a twin-cylinder machine at the Lone Star Half-Mile.

But while Mees and the seemingly unbeatable Indian Wrecking Crew have dominated this season, if you were paying attention you would’ve seen Carver coming. The Illinois native has been on the verge of a win all season, the most notable of which was at the X Games when Carver had the silver medal in the bag before a flat tire took the medal and a podium finish out of his grasp.

You didn’t have to look that far back to see Carver was poised to take his first AFT Twins victory. He was on point all day. After winning his heat and semi in convincing fashion, Carver repeated that success in the main, beating Mees by 1.611 seconds.

Like any David versus Goliath tale, the secret to success is determination and hard work. Carver can attest to both, but he also points out that strategy was at play. He brought the right tool out of the shed: a Harley-Davidson XR750. Although it’s 40-year-old machinery, the XR is still the master of slick half-miles.

Joining Carver and Mees on the podium was another privateer, Team Nila’s Johnny Lewis on an Indian Motorcycle Scout FTR750. Lewis didn't win, but it was a big moment for both Indian and Lewis. The Lone Star Half-Mile marked the first time anyone had raced a customer FTR750 and Lewis took an off-the-showroom-floor model straight to the podium. That podium was a long time coming for Lewis (who has been a part-time, fill-in rider for 2017) as well—his first in five years.

In the AFT Singles class, Shayna Texter got back to her winning ways. The Richie Morris Racing rider held off championship rival Kolby Carlile to score her fifth win of the season and keep her title hopes alive going into the season finale in Perris, California, on October 7.

And with Brandon Price’s misfortune in Texas, the Parkinson Brothers Racing rider is out of the chase, but Carlile still sits well in the driver’s seat with a 24-point-lead over Texter. Still, the Estenson Racing rider can’t sit on his laurels. Carlile needs two points to clinch the crown. Bad luck and another Texter win on a half-mile could pull off the biggest championship upset in recent memory.

Joining Texter and Carlile on the podium was Big Momma & Daddy Deep Pockets Racing’s Dan Bromley.