The more things change, the more they stay the same. At the end of the 2016 season, when the AMA Pro Racing announced it would be racing twin-cylinder motorcycles only in its premier class, much attention was focused on the oldest continually running GNC race on the schedule, the Peoria TT.
In order to host round 14 of the American Flat Track Series, the Peoria Motorcycle Club made significant changes to PMC Race Park. Most notable was a reconfiguration of the iconic jump. A second jump was added just after the exit of turn two, meant to slow the riders approach to the “big” jump.
The new configuration was more of a throwback to when the track was new in 1947 and used until the late ’50s, when the first jump was eliminated. For the most part the riders liked the redesigned Peoria track–or were at least resigned to ride it.
“I’m having fun. I like the change,” said 12-time consecutive and defending Peoria TT Champion Henry Wiles. “If they say this is what we need to do to make this sport better, I’m on board.”
This was not what those who thought it would be the end of Wiles dominance of “Thunder Valley” wanted to hear.
AFT Twins
Obviously Wiles’ idea of fun was to set fast qualifying time, win the fastest heat race and lead all 25 laps of the main on his DTX styled Willy Built/Mad Dog Racing/DPC Racing backed Kawasaki en route to his 13th consecutive Peoria TT win. Wiles’ victory ties Chris Carr’s record for all-time Peoria TT wins, although Wiles can lay claim to the more dominant record, having remained undefeated for 13 straight years at the track.
Wiles jumped out to the lead on his Kawasaki Ninja 650-based twin and never looked back. PHOTO BY DAVE HOENIG/FLAT TRAK FOTOS.
Current AFT Twins points leader Jared Mees (Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing, Indian Scout FTR750) had been runner-up to Wiles the last three years and passionately wanted to end that pursuit, but instead added another year to the string.
“Henry just kept kind of marching forward,” Mees said. “I’m like, ‘Man, to go to that pace I’ve got to go so much over my head.’ Where I’m at right now, I just don’t need to. Hats off to Henry, he had it dialed-in. I just did what I could.”
Mees was under a lot of pressure from Sturgis TT winner, Briar Bauman (Zanotti Racing/Rod Lake Racing, Kawasaki) until the leaders ran up on lapped traffic.
“The lapped traffic was pretty bad unfortunately,” Bauman said. “I know it’s a tough race track, but it was a little difficult to swallow because I was close to Jared. It’s my fault for putting myself in that position. We’re going to keep working at it and hopefully maybe not be in that position next time.”
Somewhat surprisingly, defending Grand National Champion, Bryan Smith brought his Indian Motorcycle Allstate Insurance-backed Indian Scout FTR750 home in fourth, his best Peoria finish ever. Smith’s teammate Brad Baker, who was struggling with a broken brake lever, was just able to hold off Jarod Vanderkooi (Richie Morris Racing/McElroy Packaging Kawasaki) for fifth.
Jeffrey Carver (Ben Evans Racing/Carver’s BBQ Kawasaki) slipped by Davis Fisher (Bob Lanphere Beaverton Motorcycles Kawasaki) and finished seventh. Bronson Bauman (Bill Werner Racing Kawasaki) was the last rider on the lead lap.
Mees second-place finish extends his points lead to 41 over Smith with just four races remaining in the 2017 season. Baker has pulled to a 15-point lead over Sammy Halbert giving the new Indian “Wrecking Crew” the top three positions.
AFT Singles
In the fifteen lap AFT Singles main event, West Bend Harley-Davidson / Rock River Yamaha’s Jesse Janisch exchanged the lead several times with Estenson Racing’s Kolby Carlile before pulling away to almost a five second lead.
Janisch and Carlile gave Yamaha it’s first one-two finish of the year although Carlile had to escape the challenges of the Honda-mounted duo of Ben Lowe (Bruce Lowe Excavating/Low-Life Performance) and Kyle Johnson (Parkinson Brothers Racing).
Cole Frederickson (Ride Motorsports/Elite MX Graphics Honda) and Dan Bromley (Big Momma & Daddy Deep Pockets Racing KTM) had a great race for fifth as the field seemed to split into two rider battles.
Wyatt Anderson (Waters Autobody Racing / D&D Powersports KTM) and Jacob Lehmann (Vince & Denise Holt/Ride Motorsports Honda) were the next pair at seventh and eighth.
Current points leader Shayna Texter (Richie Morris Racing/McElroy Packaging Honda) didn’t have very high expectations coming into the last TT event of the year, and she failed to qualify for the main. Her two main rivals in the championship, Brandon Price (Parkinson Brothers/Don’s Kawasaki, Honda) and Kolby Carlile both earned points.
By virtue of his second-place finish Carlile leap-frogged over Price into second place in the standings. Carlile is now just two points behind Texter. Price also closed the gap on Texter and is just 10 points back with a short track and three half miles making up the end of the AFT Singles Championship trail.
Your Privacy Choices