Photography by Larry Lawrence
INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 17, 2013) — There was no mystery to the 2013 edition of the Indy Mile. The race belonged to Bryan Smith from start to finish. In fact Harley-mounted riders were making plans before the race on how to team up in an effort to keep Smith and his speedy Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki EX650 in sight, but it was no use. Smith took the lead from Henry Wiles on the first lap and simply motored away to a 5.1-second lead at the checkered flag.
It marked the second Indy Mile win for Smith, having won it the first time in 2010.
Brandon Robinson made a sneak attack on Jared Mees and Brad Baker on the final lap to take second on his TJ Burnett/USC Kawasaki, making it a Kawasaki one-two. Baker upheld Harley-Davidson honor, by nailing down the final podium spot aboard his Dodge Bros. Racing Harley-Davidson.
For Smith winning the race was almost a relief.
“A million things go through your mind when a race is yours to win,” Smith said. “Even when you’re ahead you’re nervous, looking back, wondering if the bike will make it to the end, if the riders behind will catch you. Fortunately it all came together for us tonight and it was a good win.
This race was Smith’s early. He passed holeshot winner Wiles and used the tremendous straightaway speed of the Kawasaki to build a half-second lead by the third lap. From there Smith put it on cruise control to the flag. It sounded like a fairly dull race and no doubt Smith took any guess work out of who would win, but the battle for second was intense all race and came down to a big pack that included Robinson, Mees, Baker and JD Beach.
The victory was good news for Smith in the championship battle as well. He put himself back into second in the standings, after losing that position to Wiles last week at Peoria. Smith now stands 33 points behind series leader Baker with five rounds remaining.
Shayna Texter took a popular win in the J&P Cycles Pro Singles final. Texter chased down early leader Stephen Vanderkuur to take the victory, making it a perfect night for the Crosley Radio team. Texter made up a pretty big deficit to eventually take the lead with three laps to go.
“I expected him to keep going,” Texter said about leader Vanderkuur when she broke through to second. “When the two laps flags came up I’m like, ‘I’m there, but am I really there,’ because he had a strong motorcycle at the end of the straightaways. For sure he could draft right by me. I thought he was going to do a last lap draft on me across the line, but taking to him I guess he spun it up a little bit and I carried it on to the win.”
The win was the second of the season for Texter, following her victory at the Sacramento Mile.
Wyatt Maguire was 14th at Indy, but continues to lead the Pro Singles points by just four over Ryan Wells.
The series moves to the Colonial Downs Mile in New Kent, Virginia, next Saturday, Aug. 24 for a day race with opening ceremonies an early 12:30 pm.
Indy Mile AMA Grand National results from Indianapolis – Aug. 17, 2013
1 42 Bryan Smith Flint, MI Kawasaki EX650 25 Laps 37.815
2 44 Brandon Robinson Oxford, PA Kawasaki EX650 +05.120
3 12 Brad Baker Eatonville, Wa Harley-Davidson +05.161
4 1 Jared Mees Clio, MI Harley-Davidson +05.341
5 95 JD Beach Philpot, KY Kawasaki EX650 +05.391
6 2 Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. Morris, CT Harley-Davidson +06.235
7 17 Henry Wiles Winn, MI Ducati 749 +10.646
8 80 Stevie Bonsey Salina, CA Harley-Davidson +16.479
9 55A Jake Shoemaker Glenmoore, PA Kawasaki EX650 +16.653
10 27 Robert Pearson Morton, IL Harley-Davidson +16.890
Indy Mile AMA Pro Singles results from Indianapolis – Aug. 17, 2013
1 25A Shayna Texter Willow Street, PA Honda CRF450R 12 Laps
2 1 Stephen Vanderkuur Davison, MI Honda CRF450R +00.343
3 96B Cody Johncox Attica, NY Yamaha YZ 450F +00.926
4 66Y Dominic Colindres Brisbane, CA Honda CRF450R +02.901
5 18M Wyatt Maguire Mead, WA Yamaha YZ 450F +02.915
6 81C Zakk Palmer Bromley,KY Honda CRF450R +03.018
7 30Z Bronson Bauman Salinas, CA Honda CRF450R +03.051
8 99Y Ryan Kearns Stockton, CA Kawasaki KX450F +03.186
9 94B Ryan Wells Albion, NY Honda CRF450R +05.654
10 74Z Rodney Spencer Jr. San Martin, CA Honda CRF450R +06.493
