The following is from Jared Mees…
This was my first time coming to California for an indoor ice race. I race Bakersfield every year in September for Eddie Mulders’ series when it does not conflict with a GNC race. It was kinda cool coming to a hometown race for one of my big supporters, Digger Helm. Everyone I talked to about this was like “Ice racing in California??!!”
Anyway, I had two good heat races with a good battle in one with Kevin Anderson. I won both my heats and was sitting on the pole. They just started this new challenge called the “Motion Pro Challenge” where whoever is on pole has the option to go to the secound row outside (which is the worst possible starting spot), and if you come up through the pack and win the race, you win an extra bonus check from Motion Pro. If the guy on the pole doesn’t take the challenge, the offer goes to the next guy off the pole, and so on down the line. If you take the challenge you have to wear a Motion Pro vest. So when the series owner asked me over the microphone if I was going to take this challenge I asked “what does the crowd want to see?” As the crowd all cheered, it got me fired up to do it, so I said, “Let’s go for it!”
Kris Bunch and I then switched spots. As we lined up… the flag went up, and I got a good jump, went down to the bottom and led the pack off of turn 2. I pulled away to a good solid lead and just rode it on home which meant I was the first to pick up the new Motion Pro Challenge check and the first to come from the 2nd row outside.
The fans went crazy and it was one of the most packed-house crowds we have had in a long time.
The next day was Fresno. Same routine, picked for our starting positions. I picked a couple of lousy numbers and was outside and then 2nd off the pole. I did get a decent start in the one heat and passed Jake Mataya to win the first heat race, then hole-shotted the 2nd heat race and won that one. Kevin Anderson was on pole for having the fastest heat race. When the series owner asked him if he was going to take the Challenge I whispered over to him and said “Take it you wuss.” Kevin then said “Well, since Jared just said I was a wuss… I think he is scared, so NO, I am going to stay right here.” The series owner then came to me and asked “Jared, are you going to take it again tonight?” I answered: “I am not scared, so let’s get it on.” I lined up on the back and Kirk Cheney came into my spot. The flag went up and I got a decent jump, but Jeremy DeRuyter got pushed wide and so did I. I was dead last going into the 3rd corner. I squared a couple of people up and got through and was running 4th, then ran the 3rd place guy down and got by him and was running down the 2nd place guy. The red flag got thrown out because someone was lying on the ice. We re-started with an Indian style re-start. I was in the 3rd spot. Off the start I got by Tyler O’Hara for 2nd and was running down Anderson who had a good lead before the re-start. I got up to him on the last lap and stuck it underneath Kevin in turns 1 and 2 and made it stick, winning my third race in a row, and of the three I have been in this season, and my second in a row of the Motion Pro Challenge. It was a good two nights of indoor Ice Racing.
I want to thank Motion Pro for putting up the money for this, and also thanks to Johnny Murphree who had a lot to do with this race as well. This coming weekend’s race is in Ontario CA so I hope to see you all there. A BIGThank You goes out to all the fans. Jammin’ Jared Mees
Special Thanks to my ICE Series CRF450 Partners:
Team Pro Honda Oils and Chemicals, Rogers -Lake Racing, Saddlemen, Briggs Auto, Montgomeryville Cycle Center, A&A Racing, KKMotorcycle Supply, Steve & Cindy Vizzo, Battley Cycles, Rod Lake, Digger 57, Kelly’s, Greedy Leathers, Maxxis, JE Pistons, Cometic Gaskets, Top 1 oils, VP Racing Fuels,Tsubaki, Motion Pro, Micha Racing, Arai Helmets, TCX Boots, Troy Lee Designs, K&N Filters, Supertrapp, Millennium Technologies, Vortex, Craig Pickett, E2 Voltage, Goodridge, Works Connection, RekluseClutches, Gene & Gail Cummings, Eddie Mulder, NGK, Esjot, Z Gallerie, Dodge Bros, Dick Winters, Utopia, Yoshimura R&D, WestCoast Hot Shoes, Jupiter Wheels, EBC, Ogio, Mikuni, Web Cam, Ancra, J&M Racing Frames, Pro Plates, Kold Kutter, Turn 1 Distributing. Crank Works Crank Shafts, Ezup, Twenty Six Suspension, Flash, G2, Penske Racing, Chicken Hawk, Ferrea Valves, J2 Motorsports, Royal Publishing Co., Applied Diamond Coatings, M&Z Anodizing, Brent Armbruster, Bristol Core, Universal Coatings,
