Smith takes Hagerstown Half-Mile win

HAGERSTOWN, Md. – Bryan Smith put all the pieces together Saturday night as he rode his Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio Kawasaki to an extraordinary AMA Pro Flat Track Hagerstown Half-Mile main event victory.

Smith brushed off a charging Jared Mees for the majority of the race, as the two duked it out on just about every inch of the track. Smith’s win marked the first time since 1996 that a rider aboard a motorcycle other than a Harley-Davidson finished atop the podium at Hagerstown.

“I never would have guessed that I would come away with a win tonight,” said an ecstatic Smith following his second win of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track season. “I don’t think any of my competitors would have picked Jared to come away with the Lima win last weekend or myself to come away with the win tonight. These specific tracks aren’t my cup of tea but I’m very fortunate that I have a great group of guys behind me and that I was able to come away with the win.

“It felt great. I just put my head down. I’ve ridden a lot of laps with Jared. We’re best friends as he only lives a few miles from me. I want to thank all of the fans here at Hagerstown, they always know how to put on a first-class event.”

Though he rode stellar all night and certainly deserved the win, Smith benefitted immensely from a Kenny Coolbeth motorcycle malfunction on lap eight, causing the Zanotti Racing competitor’s night to end early.

Once Smith took the lead following Coolbeth’s departure, he battled with Mees the rest of the way until he eventually earned some breathing room on lap 24 when he opened up a bit of distance from the Rogers Racing Harley-Davidson rider.

Smith cruised to the finish line after that and Mees earned himself an impressive second. Mees, who has earned top-five finishes in all but one race this season, sits atop the overall Grand National Championship point standings as the series rolls into Gray’s Harbor.

Coming in third to round out the podium was Jake Shoemaker aboard his Montgomeryville Cycle Center Kawasaki. It was Shoemaker’s best finish of the 2014 season by far, and the second-year GNC rider got it after starting ninth on the main event grid.

Brandon Robinson, aboard his USC Kawasaki and Sammy Halbert, aboard his South East Harley-Davidson, both ran solid races to round out the top five, respectively. 

Kyle Johnson needed every moment of the 16-lap Hagerstown Half-Mile Pro Singles main event to score his third straight victory and move into sole possession of the lead in the point standings.

Johnson, on board the No. 77J Parkinson Brothers Honda, started second but was shuffled back in the pack after a heated start. Midway through the race, the Michigan rider passed Jarod Vanderkooi for third and set his sights on leaders Ryan Wells and Davis Fisher.

It looked like the lead Wells had built was going to be too much to overcome, but Johnson got around Fisher just before the white flag waved, then went wide of Wells for the lead on the backstretch and was able to pull in front entering turn 3 on the final trip around the clay half mile circuit.

Wells looked to be cruising to the victory after getting out to the holeshot on his No. 94B GE Capital KTM, but the New York native had to settle for second after Johnson’s late heroics.

Fisher finished a solid third on his No. 67M TJ Burnett Farms Honda. It’s the fourth straight podium for the Oregonian.

Vanderkooi and Dan Bromley rounded out the top five, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.

Johnson entered the race tied atop the standings with Brandon Wilhelm, who finished 10th. Wells leavers Hagerstown two points behind Johnson and Fisher sits just two behind Wells. 

The stars of AMA Pro Flat Track will head to Elma, Wash. for the Grays Harbor Half-Mile at Grays Harbor Raceway on July 19.

Footage of the Hagerstown Half-Mile will be available to view on AMA Pro Racing’s YouTube portal at www.youtube.com/amaprovids in the coming days.

GNC Expert Race Results

GNC Expert Point Standings (Top 20)

–From AMA Pro Racing

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