Photography by Larry Lawrence
Tonight’s race marked the return to the Du Quoin Mile for the first time in a decade, and it was worth the wait. Bryan Smith, Jared Mees and Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. crossed the finish line almost exactly side by side in one of the closest three-way finishes in the history of AMA Pro Flat Track racing. The timing sheet’s margin of victory read 0.000, but a video stills revealed Smith’s win by maybe a quarter of an inch.
The renewal of the Du Quoin Mile was much like the old days of the event with a racy, wide track featuring multiple race lines.
The race was red flagged about midway through. There were numerous lead changes throughout the 25-lap national. Henry Wiles led early, but his race ended after 10 laps in a turn two crash. Factory Harley-Davidson rider Brad Baker was another early contender and leader who dropped out late with an ailing engine.
In the end it came down to the leading trio. Mees led, but both Coolbeth and Smith were coming fast and they broke out at the line three abreast with Smith, on his factory-backed Crosley Kawasaki, the winner.
“I’ve said this before, but they really don’t get any closer than that,” Smith said. “I didn’t know I won. I think Jared thought he won – he was going down the back straight with his fist in the air. When I came around and they pointed to me I was just got a big smile on my face. We’re just going to have to keep winning on these miles if I’m going to have any chance to win this championship.”
It was Smith’s third win of the season for Smith. He’s won all three miles so far, with the Indy Mile coming up next weekend.
Johnny Lewis finished fourth, his best finish on the Lloyd Brothers Ducati and Sammy Halbert rounded out the top five, tonight switching back to his Kawasaki after riding a Harley last weekend in Lima.
Mees still leads the championship over Halbert, who was fifth tonight, by eight points (96-88). With the victory Smith jumped from sixth to third in the standings with 86 points.
Tristan Avery scored the GNC2 victory on his Ron Ayres Motorsports Kawasaki EX650 by a margin of 0.151-seconds over Davis Fisher. J.R. Addison was a close third. Fisher leads the GNC2 series by 18 points (91-73) over Jamison Minor. Kawasaki-mounted riders swept the top five position in GNC2.
The series moves next Saturday to the legendary Indy Mile.
Du Quoin Mile Results – July 4, 2015
1. Bryan Smith, Kawasaki.
2. Jared Mees, Harley-Davidson.
3. Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. , Harley-Davidson.
4. Johnny Lewis, Ducati.
5. Sammy Halbert, Kawasaki.
6. Jeffrey Carver, Jr., Kawasaki.
7. Jarod Vanderkooi, Kawasaki.
8. Nichole Mees, Harley-Davidson.
9. Briar Bauman, Kawasaki.
10. Doug Lawrence, Kawasaki.
GNC2 Results
1. Tristan Avery, Kawasaki.
2. Davis Fisher, Kawasaki.
3. J.R. Addison, Kawasaki.
4. Dan Bomley, Kawasaki.
5. Ryan Varnes, Kawasaki.
