Sammy Halbert and Jake Johnson split the wins at the Daytona Flat Track Doubleheader during Daytona Bike Week.
Vans Yamaha/Fredericktown Yamaha’s Sammy Halbert and Zanotti Racing Honda’s Jake Johnson each came away with a victory over two nights of intense racing during the 2016 AMA Grand National Championship series-opening Daytona Flat Track doubleheader on the grounds of Daytona International Speedway Thursday and Friday night.
Halbert got out of the gate hot on Thursday night, posting the fastest qualifying time, 18.638 seconds. After transferring into the main event, he got off to another fast start, passing Johnson on lap two of the 25-lapper and never looking back as he posted a convincing win, finishing 1.382 seconds ahead of Kennedy Racing/Armbruster Racing Honda’s Brandon Robinson. Vance & Hines/Brothers Powersports Honda’s Brad Baker was third.
Halbert has finished on the Daytona podium in three of the past four years, but this win marked his first AMA Grand National Championship win since the Stockton Half-Mile in California in 2013.
“It’s been way too long and we just got to keep it rolling,” said Halbert, who celebrated his win with a series of donuts on his motorcycle to further charge up the crowd. “The boys did a good job getting it hooked up. I am not a guy who usually does doughnuts or knows how but you just got to win Daytona and you learn how instantly. When you win Daytona it just comes naturally, and I am just so happy to get up here on top.”
Robinson started alongside Halbert on the front row for the main event and moved up to second in the race’s early laps, but he was never able to mount a challenge for the lead. Even so, he said that second place was a good way to start the season.
“It’s exactly what we need,” Robinson said. “It shows how good we are this year and hopefully we can keep this momentum going.”
Brad Baker, a former series champion, finished third after also starting on the front row.
“I feel really good,” Baker said. “I have to tell you that it was a tough one tonight, you had to ride really tense with a lot of caution, but I am really happy to be on the podium. It’s a good way to start out the year. It’s a long season and consistency is the key for a championship, and you can never be disappointed with a podium. At Daytona this is probably one of my best finishes for the past couple of years.”
Three-time and reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees finished fourth while 2014 and 2015 title runner-up Bryan Smith completed the top five.
Friday night, Johnson, a two-tine former series champion, had the Daytona Flat Track quarter mile figured out, and he raced to his first series win since the 2011 season-ending Pomona Half-Mile in California. Johnson battled with Halbert again early in the Friday night main event before pulling away to win by 1.851 seconds.
“It’s been a while since I’ve won a race,” Johnson said. “It’s been since 2011 and oddly enough it was one of the last times that I rode for Zanotti. I kind of had a dry spell but we got back together and we did it again. It’s awesome to go one-two with my teammate. It was nice enough of Kenny to let me have this one. He has had a couple of wins the last couple of years. But it hasn’t sunk in yet for me, it almost feels like my first win. I want to thank everybody that’s stuck behind me the last couple of years. It’s good to win again.”
Coolbeth, another multi-time series champion, backed up his 2015 Daytona Flat Track win with a runner-up finish on Friday night, giving Zanotti Racing a sweep of the top two podium positions.
“I’m super proud,” Coolbeth said. “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 good race. I had to work for it. I got a terrible start and we should’ve been right there with Jake. He was probably on cruise control and determined.”
Halbert was in the hunt for victory again on Friday night, finishing third and taking the early lead in the GNC1 series points standings. Halbert has 40 points to Johnson’s 37 points. season GNC1 championship lead with 40 points, three ahead of Johnson’s 37 points, while Robinson is third with 32 points.
“I’m the only guy up here on the podium two days in a row, so stoked with that, and I’ve got to give it up to my whole team,” Halbert said. “Jake and I had a good battle there for a minute. He passed me and I kind of gave it back to him a little bit and he really gave it back to me, so that was cool. I’m sure it made 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.”
Thursday’s third-place finisher, Baker was fourth on Friday, ahead of Team 95/Victory Circle Graphics Yamaha’s JD Beach.
The AMA Grand National Championship continues during round three at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) on Saturday, April 9, during the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas race weekend.
2016 AMA Grand National Championship
2016 Daytona Flat Track
Daytona Flat Track (Daytona International Speedway)
Daytona Beach, Florida
Results: March 10-11, 2016 (Rounds 1 and 2)
Thursday
GNC1 Main
1. Sammy Halbert-Yam
2. Brandon Robinson-Hon
3. Brad Baker-Hon
4. Jared Mees-Hon
5. Bryan Smith-Kaw
6. Jake Johnson-Hon
7. Donald Mullen II-Hon
8. Doug Lawrence-Hon
9. Kenny Coolbeth Jr.-Hon
10. Robert Pearson-Yam
11. Briar Bauman-Hon
12. Henry Wiles-Kaw
13. Stevie Bonsey-Suz
14. Jarod Vanderkoi-Kaw
15. Mike Rush-Hon
16. JD Beach-Yam
17. Johnny Lewis-Yam
18. Bronson Bauman-Hon
19. Dominic Colindres-Yam
Friday
GNC1 Main
1. Jake Johnson-Hon
2. Kenny Coolbeth Jr.-Hon
3. Sammy Halbert-Yam
4. Brad Baker-Hon
5. JD Beach-Yam
6. Brandon Robinson-Hon
7. Davis Fisher-Hon
8. Bryan Smith-Kaw
9. Jared Mees-Hon
10. Dominic Colinandres-Yam
11. Cory Texter-Hon
12. Don Taylor-KTM
13. Briar Bauman-Hon
14. Donald Mullen II-Hon
15. Brandon Wilhelm-Hon
16. Kyle Johnson-Hon
17. Jake Constantine-Hon
18. Michael LaBelle-Hon
19. Scott Baker-Hon
2016 AMA Grand National Championship Series Points Standings (after 2 of 14 rounds)
1. Sammy Halbert-40/1 win
2. Jake Johnson-37/1 win
3. Brandon Robinson-32
4. Brad Baker-31
5. Kenny Coolbeth Jr.-29
6. Jared Mees-25
Bryan Smith-25
8. JD Beach-17
Donald Mullen II-17
10. Briar Bauman-14
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