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Other Moto Racing
AMA FLAT TRACK: Peoria TT Review
Henry Wiles extended his Peoria TT win streak with another dominant outing.
(Photo: AMA Pro Racing/Dave Hoenig)
The second half of the 2012 AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com and Lucas Oil started with a bang as the series returned to the oldest venue on the circuit. Peoria, IL and the Peoria Motorcycle Club's Race Park TT served as round nine of the 16 race series.
Just like the last seven years, Henry Wiles dominated the 25-lap national, leading every lap and winning by a margin of almost seven seconds. Repeating their finishes from last week in Castle Rock, WA, series points leader Jared Mees (Montgomeryville Cycle) was second and defending AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Champion Jake Johnson (Zanotti Racing) was a solid third.
Many felt Wiles' winning streak was in jeopardy as he has struggled of late with his potent Kawasaki, but mild-mannered Henry stepped out of the phone booth with his cape firmly attached.
"Everybody was getting nervous. People around me that I talk to sometimes on a weekly basis, I could tell they were nervous," said Wiles. "I said it will be ok, we will be up front. It's tough on a guy sometimes when you are not getting the finishes you know you can, but you are fighting something. We struggled with the bike setup and some mechanical problems, but I tell you, I wasn't frustrated. I know that some things are going to be harder than others."
Wiles win matches Chris Carr's Peoria record of eight consecutive wins. "A lot of people would think eight in a row is enough, but I don't, nine would be nice," warned Wiles. "I tell you what, it's a special thing to be able to come in here and tie Chris' eight. I don't think Chris gets enough credit for winning 13 races here. When you stop and look back, that's a lot of years. A lot of things happen in that amount of time."
"Guys were running good today. I knew the field would be tough," said Wiles. "I qualified fast. I had fast heat race and didn't do so well in the Dash."
Even though Wiles had been fast qualifier and fast heat winner, Sammy Halbert (Fredericktown Yamaha) got the hole-shot in the Dash for Cash and came away with the win. Wiles even had second place slip away as Mees slipped by on the last lap. Halbert's four lap Dash for Cash performance foretold his national problems as each trip over the big jump was an adventure.
"My feet were coming off the pegs and everything," said Halbert.
"I'm sure the guys behind were waiting for something bad to happen. I definitely had a lot of moments over the jump today. I was just really struggling to figure out how to jump. I've got the speed to run here, I just don't have the jump figured out."
Wiles got the lead on what would be an aborted start as Luke Gough (Nicely Motorsports / Skip Eaken Racing) fell heavily coming off the jump on lap one. Gough was unable to make the restart and was transported to a local hospital with a reported leg injury.
When the light flashed green for the 25-lap main event, Wiles shot to the front and it became a race for second.
"Just like last year, I just struggled on the starting line. Wiles popped me right off the line," said Mees. "He did exactly what he had to do. Sammy got in between us and kind of road blocked us a little bit. It is what it is. One of these days maybe I can get off with him and give him a run. We always come here in June and have a lot of dominance, then he puts it on us in the main event."
Just like the last seven years, Henry Wiles dominated the 25-lap national, leading every lap and winning by a margin of almost seven seconds. Repeating their finishes from last week in Castle Rock, WA, series points leader Jared Mees (Montgomeryville Cycle) was second and defending AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Champion Jake Johnson (Zanotti Racing) was a solid third.
Many felt Wiles' winning streak was in jeopardy as he has struggled of late with his potent Kawasaki, but mild-mannered Henry stepped out of the phone booth with his cape firmly attached.
"Everybody was getting nervous. People around me that I talk to sometimes on a weekly basis, I could tell they were nervous," said Wiles. "I said it will be ok, we will be up front. It's tough on a guy sometimes when you are not getting the finishes you know you can, but you are fighting something. We struggled with the bike setup and some mechanical problems, but I tell you, I wasn't frustrated. I know that some things are going to be harder than others."
Wiles win matches Chris Carr's Peoria record of eight consecutive wins. "A lot of people would think eight in a row is enough, but I don't, nine would be nice," warned Wiles. "I tell you what, it's a special thing to be able to come in here and tie Chris' eight. I don't think Chris gets enough credit for winning 13 races here. When you stop and look back, that's a lot of years. A lot of things happen in that amount of time."
"Guys were running good today. I knew the field would be tough," said Wiles. "I qualified fast. I had fast heat race and didn't do so well in the Dash."
Even though Wiles had been fast qualifier and fast heat winner, Sammy Halbert (Fredericktown Yamaha) got the hole-shot in the Dash for Cash and came away with the win. Wiles even had second place slip away as Mees slipped by on the last lap. Halbert's four lap Dash for Cash performance foretold his national problems as each trip over the big jump was an adventure.
"My feet were coming off the pegs and everything," said Halbert.
"I'm sure the guys behind were waiting for something bad to happen. I definitely had a lot of moments over the jump today. I was just really struggling to figure out how to jump. I've got the speed to run here, I just don't have the jump figured out."
Wiles got the lead on what would be an aborted start as Luke Gough (Nicely Motorsports / Skip Eaken Racing) fell heavily coming off the jump on lap one. Gough was unable to make the restart and was transported to a local hospital with a reported leg injury.
When the light flashed green for the 25-lap main event, Wiles shot to the front and it became a race for second.
"Just like last year, I just struggled on the starting line. Wiles popped me right off the line," said Mees. "He did exactly what he had to do. Sammy got in between us and kind of road blocked us a little bit. It is what it is. One of these days maybe I can get off with him and give him a run. We always come here in June and have a lot of dominance, then he puts it on us in the main event."
Photos
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