Lancaster Harley-Davidson GNC rider Jared Mees phoned
Cycle News to announce that he has finalized the much-talked-about deal that will see him become the fourth-rider on the 2006 Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson Wrecking Crew. Mees joins full factory-backed riders Rich King and Kenny Coolbeth, and fellow support rider Bryan Smith on the roster.
The 19-year-old Mees, who finished fourth in the 2005 Ford Quality Checked Certified Flat Track Championship and scored two GNC victories – the Lima Half Mile and the Sedalia Half Mile – said that he is looking forward to the new deal, which he believes will fortify an already strong program.
“I’m really pumped,” Mees said. “Like everyone else out there, I’ve always dreamed of being a factory rider, but I wanted to be able to keep the tuner that I’ve had since day one. This deal is like getting cake and pie at the same time. Lancaster Harley-Davidson is going to be our number-one dealer that is supporting us, and Johnny Goad is still going to be turning the wrenches for us. It is pretty much going to be identical last year, with added support from Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson. Saddlemen is also on board with us again as well.”
Mees’ signing makes him the fourth member of Mees said that he is especially looking forward to a stronger mile program in 2006.
“I’ve struggled on the mile a bit, but with the new parts from Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson… They build one of the fastest Harley-Davidsons out there, so if they’ll give us a few secrets, I think that we will definitely be moving forward.”
Mees said that the difficulty in signing the deal until after the Daytona Short Track had more to do with rumors being spread by people who weren’t even close to the deal.
“These things take a while, and we all had to be happy – Randy Texter of Lancaster Harley-Davidson, Johnny Goad and myself,” Mees said. “Right after Daytona, I drove back to Lancaster Harley-Davidson [in Pennsylvania], and Johnny Goad drove up there. We had a three-way meeting and hashed everything out, and we all shook hands, and now we’re all excited to go forward now. Before, we were all hearing different things from different people, and the best thing to was to sit down and hash everything out. Now we’re ready to go. We’ve got the real deal in front of us. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Mees will head into battle for the first time with his new Screamin’ Eagle support at the opening round of the 2006 AMA Ford Quality Checked Certified GNC Twins Championship at the Springfield Mile, in Springfield, Illinois, May 28.
