Shayna Texter handled the Arizona heat and racing pressure to win the Arizona Mile (Photo Am Pro FT) | Professional flat track racer, Shayna Texter, showed that she still has what it takes to win on the big stage with her impressive victory in the Arizona Mile in the Singles Class of the American Pro Flat Track series. The diminutive speedster is the only female in the upper echelon of the dirt oval racing circuit, and clearly Texter is changing the perception of women in the racing paddock.It had been nearly four years since Texter had stepped up to the top podium spot in a major flat track event. However, the long, hot, and slick Turf Paradise track proved to be just what the K&N-sponsored Richie Morris Racing team rider needed to return to her winning ways. The satisfaction and relief was evident in Texter’s post-race comments. “It’s been a long time since I’ve won,” Texter said. “It’s been a rough couple years. It’s a huge step in the right direction to get back on track for myself. It’s rewarding to the team to reward them and show them that all of their hard work is paying off. It’s an exciting future for RMR Racing.” Texter collects her thoughts trackside before the Main Event in Phoenix (Photo Tim Kessel) | The victory did not come easy. Brandon Price and Tristan Avery were dogged in their pursuit of Texter throughout the Main Event. When she was passed late in the Main, Texter was surgical in her recapturing of the lead. All three front runners rode a clean and smooth final, but Texter proved to be the rider of the day under the Arizona sun. The win margin was an ultra tight .041 of a second. Texter is aware that she is a trailblazer and an inspiration to young girls that aspire to excel in male-dominated fields. “It’s incredible,” Texter said. “The fans are the real reason why I continue to race when it’s tough. To see the look on the little girls and women, and (they)… come up to you and tell you you’re an inspiration - that inspires me to keep riding. To have their support means everything.” Prior to her win in the Arizona Mile, Texter had consecutive podium finishes with a second and third in the previous two rounds. She now leads the AFT 2 series by 5 points. K&N is a proud sponsor of RMR Racing and Shayna Texter (Photo Tim Kessel) | With 4 more Miles in the next 5 races, the schedule looks good for Texter to make a legitimate run for the title. American Pro Flat Track Schedule: May 20: Sacramento Mile – Cal Expo Fairgrounds, Sacramento, California May 27-28: Springfield Mile I* – Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois June 3: Red Mile – The Red Mile, Lexington, Kentucky June 17: OKC Mile – Remington Park, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma June 24: Lima Half-Mile – Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, Ohio July 8: Rolling Wheels Half-Mile – Rolling Wheels Raceway Park, Elbridge, New York July 29: Calistoga Half-Mile – Calistoga Speedway, Calistoga, California Aug. 6: Buffalo Chip TT presented by Indian Motorcycle – Buffalo Chip Campgrounds, Sturgis, South Dakota Aug. 8: Black Hills Half-Mile – Black Hills Speedway, Rapid City, South Dakota Aug. 13: Peoria TT – Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, Illinois Sept. 2-3: Springfield Mile II** – Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois Sept. 9: Williams Grove Half-Mile – Williams Gove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania Sept. 23: Lone Star Half-Mile – Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas Oct. 7: Perris Short Track – Perris Auto Speedway, Perris, California * AFT Singles will race a TT on May 27 ** AFT Singles will race a Short Track on Sept. 2 |