Flat Track: Round #two Race Report – Daytona

AMA Pro Racing Press Release:

Jake Johnson (No. 5 Honda CRF450R) came out on top in a two-lap tussle with Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Yamaha YZ450F) in the opening stages of Friday night’s Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance &amp Hines 25-lap main occasion at the DAYTONA Flat Track to score his 1st AMA Pro Flat Track race victory considering that his 2011 Grand National Championship season.

Johnson led teammate Kenny Coolbeth Jr. (No. 2 Honda CRF450R) across the finish line by 1.851 seconds to give Zanotti Racing a a single-two finish in the second and final major event of the season-opening AMA Pro Flat Track doubleheader on the quarter-mile DAYTONA track.

Johnson won in GNC1 for the 1st time given that 2011’s season-ending race on the Pomona Half-Mile in California, his fourth victory in that year’s title-winning season.

“It’s been a even though since I’ve won a race,” Johnson stated. “It’s been considering that 2011 and oddly sufficient it was a single of the final times that I rode for Zanotti. I kind of had a dry spell but we got back with each other and we did it once more. It’s awesome to go one particular-two with my teammate. It was good adequate of Kenny to let me have this one particular. He has had a couple of wins the final couple of years. But it hasn’t sunk in yet for me, it practically feels like my first win. I want to thank everyone that is stuck behind me the last couple of years. It’s good to win once more.”

Coolbeth, who won round two at DAYTONA last year, was satisfied to share the podium with his teammate this time about in a Zanotti one-two finish.

“I’m super proud,” Coolbeth mentioned. “Dave Zanotti puts his heart and soul into our program and it shows. He’s a hell of a guy and he would do anything for us. It was a very good race. I had to work for it. I got a terrible begin and we should’ve been proper there with Jake. He was possibly on cruise control and determined.”

Halbert, who won Thursday night’s opening round of the DAYTONA doubleheader, completed third and took an early season GNC1 championship lead with 40 points, three ahead of Johnson’s 37 points.

“I’m the only guy up right here on the podium two days in a row, so stoked with that, and I’ve got to give it up to my complete group,” Halbert stated. “Jake and I had a great battle there for a minute. He passed me and I type of gave it back to him a little bit and he actually gave it back to me, so that was cool. I’m certain it created it exciting, I was just doing the best that I could in second there but Kenny was coming and I tried to hold him off but he got me.”

Halbert now rides with No. 69, the number his late brother Jethro Halbert raced in competitors. Jethro Halbert, who passed away last August from injuries sustained in a 2014 accident at the Calistoga Half-Mile in California, was remembered by race fans and the AMA Pro Flat Track neighborhood in a beachside memorial service in Daytona Beach earlier this week.

“I actually didn’t know what to anticipate with the track these days,” Halbert mentioned. “It was so distinct than yesterday. I didn’t genuinely have a game program going in like I did final evening, but I just did my greatest to channel my inner Jethro and get calm, and I was stoked to get the 69 up on the box once more, so I’m genuinely satisfied all round.”

In addition to the victory, Johnson swept the majority of the GNC1 primary event companion bonus awards. He earned the Öhlins Fastest Lap Award when he produced what proved to be the winning pass on Halbert on lap four with a time of 19.285 seconds. He remained up front and, on the 13th lap, took the McElroy Packaging Fortunate 13 Award as the race leader at the halfway point.

Thursday’s third-location finisher Brad Baker (No. six Honda CRF450R) was fourth on Friday soon after advancing to the primary from the third and final transfer spot in his semi. He started on the final row in 17th but went on to increase 13 positions to capture the MotoBatt Challenging Charger Award.

JD Beach (No. 95 Yamaha YZ450F), who posted the fastest GNC1 qualifying time on Friday afternoon, completed fifth in the principal.

GNC2:

In the 16-lap GNC2 principal occasion, Dylan Morin (No. 26E Kawasaki KX450F) made the final by winning his semi and then charged from 14th on the grid to his very first AMA Pro Flat Track victory. Riding a higher line around the DAYTONA Flat Track, Morin passed Justin Jones (No. 19B Honda CRF450) on lap 11 for the lead and took the checkered flag with a .612 of a second margin of victory. His charge to the front saw him enhance the most race positions to earn the NERGIA Fast Moving Award.

“It’s a dream come true to be standing here on the top of the box,” Morin stated. “This is my very first win and I am freakin’ pumped. I can’t believe it appropriate now, that semi was quite rough, and receiving up here from the last to win in the primary, I just can’t believe I did that.”

Jones earned runner-up honors for the second evening in a row although Thursday night’s winner Dalton Gauthier (No. 14A Yamaha YZ450F) also doubled up on GNC2 main podiums at DAYTONA with a third-spot showing.

In preliminary race action, Briar Bauman, Coolbeth and Johnson won GNC1 heats although Cory Texter and Jake Constantine split the GNC1 semis.

Gauthier, Jones and Parker Norris won GNC2 heats while Andrew Luker joined Morin in taking the semi victories.

Next up for AMA Pro Flat Track is round three at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) on Saturday, April 9, exactly where the series will make its debut during the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas race weekend.

For a lot more data: www.amaproracing.com

Flat Track: Round #two Race Report – Daytona