Photography by Larry Lawrence
SPRINGFIELD, IL (Sept. 6, 2015) – As expected Bryan Smith won the Labor Day weekend edition of the Springfield Mile, but again it was a last-lap shootout and Smith got to the line first by a combination of determination, guile and the help of his speedy factory-backed Crosley Brands/Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki EX650. Smith came from third in the final two turns and powered around the outside of the Harley-Davidsons of Jared Mees and Jake Johnson to score the victory, his fifth of the season, by a margin of 0.026-seconds over Mees. Johnson was third and only 27-100ths of a second separated the leading trio after 25 laps of racing.
The victory moved Smith to within a single point of championship leader Mees with just three rounds remaining. Mees now leads 177-176. Sammy Halbert, who was fourth today, is third in the standings 21 points out of the lead.
“A lot of people thought it was going to be easy for me after the heat race,” Smith said, referring to his dominating performance in his qualifying heat. “But I knew the track would slow down and the Harleys would be tough like they always are. Sure enough Jared was right on my heels. I was hoping it would be somebody else, but he was right there.”
Mees sounded satisfied that he did the job he set out to do, even though he just barely missed the win.
“My goal was to get through Springfield with the series lead and we got that done,” Mees said. “There was just a little lane going into turn three on the final lap and I took it, but that allowed Jake (Johnson) to fly around the outside and take the lead. Maybe I should have tried going around the outside, but I did what I thought was best at the time.”
Johnson looked spectacular in his substitution ride with the Harley-Davidson factory team (standing in for the injured Brad Baker). He led coming out of the last turn and thought he had enough of a cushion to take the win. “I saw the flag and thought I had it,” Johnson said. “But then zoom-zoom, they both went by me.”
Sammy Halbert took fourth while Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. rounded out the top five.
GNC2
Davis Fisher took home a flag-to-flag victory in the GNC2 final on his Parkinson Brothers Racing Kawasaki. Fisher controlled the race from the front, holding a consistent lead throughout the 12-lap final. His margin of victory was 0.911-seconds over Tristan Avery. Ryan Wells took third.
Fisher’s victory was his third of the season and pushed his large series lead over Jamison Minor to 51 points (181-130). Fisher could clinch the championship in the next round.
The series now moves to Delaware International Speedway on Sept. 19.
Springfield Mile II Results – Sept. 6, 2015
1. Bryan Smith, Kawasaki.
2. Jared Mees, Harley Davidson
3. Jake Johnson, Harley Davidson
4. Sammy Halbert, Kawasaki
5. Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. , Harley Davidson
6. Brandon Robinson, Triumph
7. Stevie Bonsey, Harley Davidson
8. Jarod Vanderkooi, Kawasaki
9. Doug Lawrence, Kawasaki
10. Shayna Texter, Kawasaki
GNC 2
1. Davis Fisher, Kawasaki
2. Tristan Avery, Kawasaki
3. Ryan Wells, Suzuki
4. JR Addison, Kawasaki
5. Ben Lowe, Kawasaki
