Halbert’s Springfield protest of Mees Denied
Cycle News Staff | September 10, 2011
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (Sept. 10, 2011) – Sammy Halbert was informed by AMA Pro Racing Saturday at Knoxville that his protest of Jared Mees’ Harley-Davidson at Springfield has been denied.
Halbert protested Mees’ motorcycle, saying a guard under his machine’s triple clamps constituted a fender and offered an aerodynamic advantage.
“It’s unfortunate,” Halbert said. “It’s obvious to me and a lot of others that the fender was there for aerodynamic purposes, but the rulebook states that it has to be solely for aerodynamic purposes. They say it protects dirt from getting up under the triple clamps and that’s what I understand a fender does. They can just say that it’s not the intent of the fender rule that it just overrides the feeling I had for the intent of the fender.
Halbert said he was going to confer with some of his sponsors and others to decide whether or not he’ll appeal Pro Racing’s decision.
Mees, when asked if he was happy with the decision said, “It was something we’ve ran on our bikes for years. I think when everybody heard what was going on they kind of rolled their eyes. It is what it is. He has every right to protest. I heard that money is going to the airfence fund, so I thank him for donating to a good cause.”
Halbert had to pay $1000 to AMA Pro Racing to file the protest. He will have to pay another $1000 should he decide to appeal.
