The 20-year-old Washington rider guides his Harley-Davidson XR750 to his first career AMA Grand National Championship with a convincing win at the Pomona Half Mile in Southern California
Dodge Brothers Racing Harley-Davidson rider Brad Baker came into last night’s Law Tigers AMA Pro Flat Track Finals at the Pomona Fairplex with an 11-point lead over series veteran Bryan Smith in the series standings, and the two waged war in the 25-lap main event. When it was over, Baker proved that he was worthy of hoisting his first career AMA Grand National Championship by winning the race to secure the title.
“I feel awesome, and I have this overwhelming feeling that this is so cool,” Baker said after the race. “I’m happier than ever, but I think there’s still going to come a time when I get chills up my spine because I realize what just happened.”
The race was typical of Grand Nationals run on the deep 5/8-mile horse track at the Pomona Fairplex, with nasty ruts developing in turns one and two to cause havoc on the big twin-mounted riders. Baker took the lead early in the main event, only to see it red-flagged when Bonneville Performance Triumph rider Mikey Martin crashed in turn two.
Baker and Crosley Radio Kawasaki-backed Smith established themselves as the men to beat on the track once the race resumed, and the two battled back and forth, with Smith running the low line against the rail, while Baker ran in deeper dirt around the top of the racetrack. Baker’s rim riding nearly cost him when he hooked a rut and nearly slammed into the air fence in turn two, losing three track positions in the process.
“This is track is a bit rough, and with the line that I was riding I just hooked a hole with the rear tire, and it bounce right out of it and stood me up,” Baker said. “When you run it in as hard as I was and hook a rut like that, it’s going to send you over the bars. So I had a pretty good ‘Oh Crap’ moment. I was looking right at the air fence. That could’ve done it right there, and I would’ve felt pretty stupid.”
Fortunately for Baker, another crash in nearly the same spot by Sammy Halbert brought out another red flag on lap 16. On the second restart, Burks Motorspors Suzuki rider Briar Bauman asserted himself along with exiting series champion Jared Mees to make it a four-rider battle up front, but Baker and Smith moved away as the laps wound down, and Baker managed to hold off Smith at the checkered flag by .706 of a second to claim the race win and nail down the title. The consistent-riding Bauman was third.
In doing so, the 20-year-old Baker became the third youngest champion in AMA Grand National history, behind 19-year-olds Jay Springsteen (1976) and Brad Andres (1955). He is also only the 25th different AMA Grand National Champion (in the Twins class) in the sport’s 60-year history, and he is just the second Washington rider to win the title (Joe Kopp, 2000).
For his part, Smith, who admitted that he struggled in the various Grand National Singles races that dot the series points chase, has vowed to return strong and challenge for the title again in 2014.
Parkinson Brothers Honda rider JR Addison dominated the Pro Singles main event at Pomona, but Wyatt Maguire edged Ryan Wells by one point to claim the 2013 class championship.
Law Tigers AMA Pro Flat Track Finals
Pomona Fairplex
Pomona, CA
Results: October 12, 2013
GNC Twins (25 laps)
1. Brad Baker-H-D
2. Bryan Smith-Kaw
3. Briar Bauman-Suz
4. Jared Mees-H-D
5. JD Beach-Kaw
6. Kenny Coolbeth-H-D
7. Jake Johnson-Duc
8. Rob Pearson-H-D
9. Brandon Robinson-Kaw
10. Johnny Lewis-Tri
11. Kayl Kolkman-H-D
12. Jeff Carver-H-D
13. Dustin Crow-H-D
14. Mikey Martin-Tri
15. Matt Weidman-Kaw
16. Sammy Halbert-H-D
17. Henry Wiles-H-D
18. Joshua Koch-H-D
19. Stevie Bonsey-H-D
AMA Grand National Championship Series Final Points Standings
1. Brad Baker-219/2 wins
2. Bryan Smith-202/3 wins
3. Brandon Robinson-185/3 wins
4. Jared Mees-177/1 win
5. Henry Wiles-162/1 win
6. Kenny Coolbeth-147
7. Jakes Johnson-126
8. JD Beach-112
9. Jeff Carver-11-/1 win
10. Rob Pearson-97
11. Briar Bauman-88
12. Stevie Bonsey-88
13. Sammy Halbert-77
14. Jake Shoemaker-66
15. Johnny Lewis-56
16. Doug Lawrence-53
17. Mikey Martin-46
18. Willie McCoy-43
19. Mikey Rush-41
20. Matt Weidman-40
Pro Singles (16 laps)
1. JR Addison-Hon
2. Ryan Wells-Hon
3. Kyle Johnson-Kaw
4. Wyatt Maguire-Yam
5. Bronson Bauman-Hon
6. Dominic Colindres-Hon
7. Shayna Texter-Hon
8. Rodney Spencer Jr.-Hon
9. Stephen Vanderkuur-Hon
10. Jacob Lehmann-Hon
11. 11. Nick Armstrong-Hon
12. Andrew Butler-Hon
13. Hunter Taylor-Hon
14. Nate Wait-Hon
15. Austin Scaggs-Hon
16. Ryan Kearns-Kaw
17. James Monaco-Hon
18. Cole Frederickson-Hon
AMA Pro Singles Championship Final Standings
1. Wyatt Maguire-137/1 win
2. Ryan Wells-136
3. Stephen Vanderkuur-112
4. Shayna Texter-110/2 wins
5. Kyle Johnson-108/1 win
6. Rodney Spencer Jr.-101/1 win
7. Dominic Colindres-100/1 win
8. Bronson Bauman-82
9. Ryan Kearns-64
10. Hunter Taylor-64
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