(NEWS RELEASE)

SAN JOSE INDOOR – 26 March 2011

Rod Lake has put on an indoor concrete race for the last four years at the San Jose Fairgrounds. It is where they used to race every weekend back in the day. I have been fortunate to be able to participate in all but one, missing the one because of my knee injury. I have always enjoyed the concrete, having grown up on it racing on the Timonium indoors in Maryland and the Middletown Indoors in New York.

I flew out on Wednesday to San Jose, staying with my sponsor, Craig Rogers, owner of Rogers Lake Racing. We practiced some out there, and on Friday night went to the Legends banquet, a huge affair recognizing the Legends in our sport as well as the up and coming riders. This year the banquet was even better than last year’s, which I didn’t think could have gotten any better. Rod Lake and the group there put on one Hell of a spread of food and a good show.

The next day, Saturday, was race time. I tried a couple of small things in practice and found exactly the set up I wanted right away. Next was time trials, which is one timed-lap. That time is what sets you up for your Heat race. It’s pretty nerve racking because you want to go out there and cut a lap that is fast, but if you push it too hard and you crash, you’re done… that is your time, and you line up accordingly. I was able to click off the fastest lap—6.75, a little better than Brad Baker’s next fastest, 6.82. I did not think it was that fast because I had made a couple of mistakes, but it put me on the pole.

In my first Heat race I had Sammy Halbert and Mike Rush. I set my works connection holeshot device and got the jump, with Sammy right there. After a few hard laps I was able to pull away. Next up was the Semi. The way it was structured was to have the top 5 of 4 Heat races go to two semis, making it 10 riders in each semi. The top 5 out of the semis went to the Main Event. So you cannot mess up.

I was in the second semi with, among others, Jimmy Wood, the Halbert brothers and Mike Rush. Wood got the jump with me on the inside, giving me the advantage to take over the lead and run my own race. The red flag came out with two riders down. We had to do a rolling restart and I was able to hold the lead and win the Semi. The red flag meant I had no “time” and put me second off the pole. Mickey Fay Jr. would be on the pole.

After the Semi we ran the Dash. Four riders, 5 laps. On the first start Stevie Bonsey got the jump, I moved him out of the way and then he came in and got into the back of me and went down. On the restart I got the jump and won the Dash. It was a different deal this year—NO cash, just trophies. That was a little on the bummer side.

Time for the Main Event. My plan was to have Mickey Fay Jr. get the holeshot since he was on the pole, but instead he fumbled and Jimmy Wood got the jump with me 2nd. I was able to pass Jimmy a couple of laps later. I tried to run a pretty smooth, consistent race. I have to thank the lapped riders for moving out of the way, making it much better and safer than past times. With three laps to go there was a wreck, bringing out the red flag. With so few laps remaining, the race was called.

It felt good to win the race. With how the day was going I was nervous that something was going to happen. Things were just clicking way too well all day long. So I was glad that we kept it all together, staying out of trouble. Jimmy Wood came in 2nd with Sammy Halbert in 3rd.

I want to thank Craig Rogers for all his help again and Rod and Marcy Lake for putting on this event and having us all come out there. I also want to give out a “BIG” Thank You to my Uncle Matt for getting me out West this year!! Have to love those “Air Miles”… It was another fun time in San Jose.

Not much racing going on until April 16—Du Quoin. Talk to you then.

Thank you fans and sponsors, Jammin’ Jared Mees – # 9.

Thanks to: facebook.com/flattracklive

Watch the Race on this link:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150164180445498

2011 Singles Sponsors:
Lucas Oil, Rogers Lake Racing, Montgomeryville Cycle Center, Twisted Beverage CompanyTM, Saddlemen, Digger 57, M.E.H. Corp, Rod Lake, Rockys Online. Com, Arai Helmets, Speed Strength Leathers, KK Motorcycle Supply, A&A Racing, Steve & Cindy Vizzo, Battley Cycles, MRT Racing, Kelly’s, MTA, JE Pistons, Cometic Gaskets, VP Racing Fuels,Tsubaki, Motion Pro, TCX Boots, Troy Lee Designs, K&N Filters, Millennium Technologies, Vortex, Craig Pickett, Goodridge, Works Connection, RekluseClutches, Gene & Gail Cummings, Eddie Mulder, NGK, Z Gallerie, Dick Winters, Oakley, WestCoast Hot Shoes, Jupiter Wheels, EBC, Mikuni, Web Cam, Ancra, J&M Racing Frames, Pro Plates, Kold Kutter, Turn 1 Distributing. Crank Works Crank Shafts, Ez-up, Suburban H-D, Twenty Six Suspension, Flash, G2, Penske Racing, Chicken Hawk, Ferrea Valves, J2 Motorsports, Royal Publishing Co., Applied Diamond Coatings, M&Z Anodizing, Brent Armbruster, CV4, Bristol Core, Universal Coatings, Hammer Head, Hot Rods, TSS Graphics, Dyno Jet, DVS Shoes, Xtremely Fit,Aerodyne, Boyesen, Werx. ca, Fluidyne, Helix, Gunk, Kicker.