The Arizona Mile Heats Up with Two K&N-Sponsored Riders in the Top 4 in AFT Twins
- 17 May 2017
However, as the sun began to set on a long day of racing at Turf Paradise in Phoenix, Arizona, Baker’s charge toward his first win of the season was snatched from his gloved hands by Indian Wrecking Crew teammate, Bryan Smith. While a podium finish keeps Baker in the top five riders in the championship hunt, the second spot was clearly not what the K&N-sponsored flat track racer wanted. “I wanted that win so dang bad,” Baker said. “I don’t think I’ve wanted a win more in my life.”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed and angry,” said Baker. “But they call Bryan the ‘Master of the Miles,’ and he’s great at this. This is definitely a heartbreaker because I was the guy to beat all day... We’re on identical equipment so it’s not like I had any more horsepower than him or he had any more horsepower than me. It was all about who was the best rider, and today, Bryan proved his experience and craft on the Miles.” While Baker was generous in his praise of his Indian Wrecking Crew teammate, he admitted that Turf Paradise is the type of track that is a challenge to his riding style. “This type of track is one I typically struggle at – one that’s dry, slick, one-lined – where you kind of have to go slow to go fast and ride with a lot of discipline,” Baker said. Finishing just behind Baker was Jared Mees making it a clean sweep of the Arizona Mile podium for the Indian Wrecking Crew. Mees and Smith share the series lead in points.
The top four finish is especially sweet for Halbert since he barely qualified for the semifinals before making his way to the main event. Halbert actually had to put in a charge just to snare the final qualifying position in the Last Chance Qualifier in order to advance into the semis. With his fourth in Arizona, Halbert sits solidly in third place in the American Pro Flat Track overall points standings. | |||
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