Halbert Wins Castle Rock TT
Cycle News Staff | August 7, 2011
If there was one race on the AMA Grand National Championship schedule that Sammy Halbert had circled, it was the Castle Rock TT. Halbert wanted desperately to win his home race and last night he did just that, the Fredericktown Yamaha rider turning in a near perfect night as AMA racing returned to the Northwest.
Halbert beat his rival in the AMA Grand National Championship, Jared Mees, by 2.142 seconds in the National after earlier beating Mees in the points-paying Dash For Cash and Halbert now holds a 10-point lead in the championship over Mees, 251-241, after gaining six points on the night. Jake Johnson, sixth at Castle Rock, is third with 231 points. Last night’s win was Halbert’s fourth of the season 13-race-old season.
Rookie Brad Baker finished third last night on his Magor League Moto-backed Honda, the Washington rider ending up just .6 of a second behind Mees.
Henry Wiles, in his second race back from knee surgery, finished fourth ahead of semi-retired Washington legend Joe Kopp.
Johnson was sixth with Kenny Coolbeth, Chris Carr, Scooter Vernon and Robert Pearson rounding out the top 10.
Castle Rock TT
1. Sammy Halbert (Yamaha)
2. Jared Mees (Honda)
3. Brad Baker (Honda)
4. Henry Wiles (Kawasaki)
5. Joe Kopp (Kawasaki)
6. Jake Johnson (Honda)
7. Kenny Coolbeth (Kawasaki)
8. Chris Carr (Honda)
9. Scooter Vernon (Honda)
10. Robert Pearson (Yamaha)
