(NEWS RELEASE)

JARED MEES – RACING REPORT June 21….

Well, here we are mid-June and not much racing has been completed. Mother Nature has not been nice to us this year–we have done a lot of driving to get there for not a whole lot of racing. After Daytona I did a few outlaw races as well as the Stockton Half Mile Grand National. We are now but a handful of days away from the Lima half-mile and from then until Labor Day weekend we have races scheduled every weekend, sometimes two races in one weekend.

After Daytona I went out to San Jose CA for the indoor concrete race, like the old legends they had back in the 70s. It has been growing every year and is a lot of fun for me as I grew up racing on concrete. I won the Main Event.

We had a few weeks off before heading out West for one of Eddie Mulders’ races. I flew to Texas to meet up with Kenny Tolbert and do some testing down in Waco. The people at the Waco track took excellent care of us and let us do as many laps as we needed to prepare. Thanks to them it was definitely worth the trip. A few days later we left for Los Angeles CA. On the way Kenny was telling me a bit about Mexico, where I have never been. I was doing some research and learned that they claim to have the best Eye and Dental doctors so when we got to El Paso we walked across the border into Juarez and for $20 they cleaned my teeth. We then went on to Willow Springs to do some riding. On Saturday we just practiced as it always helps to shake down the bikes. The race was Sunday, May 5th. I ended up winning the Heat, the Dash and the Main Event that day–it was awesome. Eddie Mulder put up one heck of a purse with thanks to Digger Helm and also to Randy and Mark Zimmerman. On our way up to northern California we stopped by the Zimmermans’ machine shop which is really a “state of the art” place. Afterwards we headed up to the home of the owner of my racing team, Craig Rogers, where we spent the rest of the week.

The Stockton Half-Mile was a brand new small half-mile clay track built inside of a mile. I qualified 8th and won my Heat race and the Dash for Cash, picking up the 5 bonus points. Things were looking good but right before the Main Event, when we were already in staging, they decided to water the track. It changed it a lot, making it a little greasy for the first few laps. Off the start I was 3rd when Henry Wiles rode around the outside of me in turns 3 and 4. As he made the pass, his bike spun sideways as I was driving off the corner. His motorcycle came back into line with my front wheel which almost high sided me to the ground. Fortunately there was no wall, and I rode up and off the track onto the mile track. I was able to save it by staying on two wheels, but I was not able to make up any ground, finishing pretty deep in the field. It was a big bummer, but that is how it goes sometimes.

Springfield Mile Weekend. Not much to report on. I got there Friday to race the outlaw TT race and of course the GNC Mile on Sunday. On Friday night they had a TT race for the amateurs and offered a pro class as well so I got to race that, wanting to do some laps on my new 2013 Honda, on which I have not had a chance to do much riding. I won the Heat and got a 4th in the Main Event. After that the rains took over and the rest of the weekend schedule was cancelled with the GNC Mile being postponed to the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. So, with the Springfield Mile cancelled, that meant that the next Grand National race would not be until the end of June in Lima OH.

The Dairyland Classic was held the weekend following. Bert Sumner has been putting on this race since I can remember and after the passing of his brother Jim Sumner, it became a Memorial race for Jim. I have been fortunate to win the race for four years straight and was there looking to do more of the same. On race day it looked like the rain which had been falling all week would continue. I arrived just as they were letting us in, the rain holding off. All of a sudden, no more clouds, the sun was out, so I quickly unloaded and was set to go. I qualified 2nd to Kenny Coolbeth. In the Heat race I got a good jump and won it, setting fast time for the Main Event. For the Dash for Cash they take the top 6 fastest brands and invert the start. I was, therefore, 2nd to last because of my being 2nd qualifier. I got a great jump but was behind Robbie Pearson, unable to make a pass on him, ending up 2nd to Pearson. The track was different in turns 3 and 4 than in previous years. For the Main Event I thought I had the best starting spot and it wasn’t bad but I got off the line 2nd and rode on Mikey Martin’s tail the whole 20 laps, not being able to make a move. It was close but Mikey ran a smooth, tight race. My 4-year streak was over.

The next weekend, with no racing, I went to Lima for testing on Sunday. Dean Gallop for the last few years has arranged for us to do some testing and get some media coverage rolling for this race. The track is not prepped like it will be on the day of the National, but it is better than no testing. We got some things worked out and thought it went well, knowing what we need to have come race day

Every year there is a Peoria TT All Star Series race, called the Hot Shoe Race. Some riders call it the warm-up race but it is nice to go there and ride the track and compete. In years past we have gone down early to race on Friday night at Peoria Speedway. With the rain of late Winter and early Spring, the place got flooded and sustained a lot of damage, so that we could not have the race this year. However, another track was picked to replace it–Spoon River Speedway in Lewiston, IL. It is a very nice high-banked track, probably almost a 3/8 mile track. We had a good spectator turn-out and the racing was awesome all night long. I got a 3rd in my Heat, 3rd in the Dash, made some changes and got a 2nd in the Main Event.

Thanks to Steve Nace and to the whole All Star Series group for giving us another chance to make a pay check. Once again the rain came through late Saturday night, pouring almost an inch of rain, having to cancel the All Star TT the next day. With all the rain this year the ground can’t take much more. Thankfully, they were able to reschedule the race and to add the Peoria Short Track back onto Friday night that same weekend of July 14th.

Well, folks, that’s all that has been going on. Not a lot to report on with not a lot of racing—just driving to tracks only to be rained out. But now it looks like it is going to go from not doing a whole lot to barely being able to keep up as we have about 14 weekends in a row of racing, some of which are double-headers. So stay with us, the season is about to begin in earnest.

Thanks to all for your support, we will be reporting again soon.

“Jammin” Jared Mees # 1

Singles Series Sponsors:

Montgomeryville Cycle Center, National Cycle, Lucas Oil, Rogers Racing, Saddlemen, Rod Lake, Bell Helmets, Speed Strength Leathers, KK M/C Supply, Vizzo, Battley, Kelly’s, JE Piston, Cometic , Sunoco,Tsubaki, Motion Pro, TCX Boots, MRT, Troy Lee, K&N Filters, Millennium Technologies, Vortex, Craig Pickett, Works Connection, Rekluse, Gene & Gail Cummings, Eddie Mulder, NGK, Z Gallerie, Dick Winters, Oakley, West Coast Hot Shoes, Jupiter Wheels, EBC, Mikuni, Web Cam, Pro Plates, Kold Kutter, Crank Works, Ezup, Twenty Six Suspension, Digger 57, G2, Penske, Chicken Hawk, Ferrea, Royal Publishing Co, M&Z Anodizing, Universal Coatings, TSS Graphics, Boyesen, Fluidyne, Dyno Jet, CV4, Cycra, DVS Shoes, Techflex, Helix, Gunk, All Balls, Xtremely Fit, Swift Springs,Jim Gilbert, Mototassanari, Astericks, Suspension Direct, Las Vegas Harley-Davidson, SDI, D&D Exhaust, JP Cycles, Twin Power, Modern Air Technology.

Twin Series Sponsors :

Rogers Racing, Blue Springs H-D, Saddlemen, National Cycle, Montgomeryville CC, Rod Lake, Bell Helmet, Speed Strength Leathers, KK M/C Supply, Vizzo, Battley, Kelly’s, JE Piston, Cometic, Sunoco,Tsubaki, Motion Pro,TCX Boots, MRT, Troy Lee, K&N Filters, Millennium Technologies, Vortex, Craig Pickett, Works Connection, Rekluse, Gene & Gail Cummings, Eddie Mulder, NGK, Z Gallerie, Dick Winters, Oakley, West Coast Hot Shoes, Jupiter Wheels, EBC, Mikuni, Web Cam, Pro Plates, Kold Kutter, Crank Works, Ezup, Twenty Six Suspension, Digger 57, G2, Penske, Chicken Hawk, Ferrea, Royal Publishing Co, M&Z Anodizing, Universal Coatings, TSS Graphics, Boyesen, Fluidyne, Dyno Jet, CV4, Cycra, DVS Shoes, Techflex, Helix, Gunk, All Balls, Xtremely Fit. Swift Springs, Jim Gilbert, Mototassanari, Astericks, Suspension Direct,
Suspension Direct, Las Vegas Harley-Davidson, SDI, D&D Exhaust, JP Cycles, Twin Power, Modern Air Technology.