American flat-track champion wins the 2015 Motul Pirelli Troy Bayliss Classic
19 January 2015 – Reigning AMA Pro Grand National Champion Jared Mees has won the third annual Motul Pirelli Troy Bayliss Classic presented by InsureMyRide and Garden Master, edging out compatriot Henry Miles and Australian dirt-track legend Paul Caslick at Taree Motorcycle Club on Saturday night.
The solid crowd of over 6500 were treated to an action packed event as some of the biggest names in motorcycle racing battled bar-to-bar on the iconic oil based track.
The track claimed many of the events big names early on, with MotoGP rookie Jack Miller, 2013 Troy Bayliss Classic winner Michael Kirkness Troy Herfoss and local favourite Josh Hook all crashing throughout the heat races.
As the sun set the event moved to the business end of the program with the Americana, Superpole and Troy Bayliss Classic running well into the night.
While none of the international riders factored in the final of the Americana, Jared Mees spearheaded an American one-two finish in the 21-lap Troy Bayliss Classic.
“I didn’t do well in the heat races, I fell then chased setup all day,” Mees explained. “In the Americana I did well in the first round then got a flat tyre. I set the fastest qualifying time in Superpole and then won the main event
“It was very cool to be the first international rider to win the Troy Bayliss Classic. I had so much fun I really hope they ask me back next year,” Mees added.
Fellow American Henry Wiles is garnering quite a following in his second appearance at the annual event.
“I love this event it is incredible how much it is grown since last year,” Wiles said. “It was really good to improve on last year and get on the podium.
“I don’t know what the deal was tonight I had a little trouble getting off the gates so I made it hard for myself having to pass so many guys to get to the front.”
Early favourite Troy Herfoss emerged victorious in the elimination style Americana but crashed while battling for the lead in the 21-lap Troy Bayliss Classic.
“It was a rough one for me today we had a lot of pace but I made a mistake in the final and in the end I was beaten by a class field,” Herfoss said.
“It was great to win the Americana I had a lot of fun and the crowd really got behind it.
“This event is fantastic and it keeps getting bigger each year. The level of competition was really high and I hope I am invited back again next year,” Herfoss confinued.
In the Legends class Chris Watson took out the Barry Cockle Award after topping the points following three rounds of heat races. The Barry Cockle Award is a perpetual trophy that will be awarded to the highest point scorer in the Legends class each year.
Event Organiser Troy Bayliss thanked the fans, competitors and officials for another successful event.
“It was a fantastic event,” Bayliss said. “It really does just keep getting better and better.
“Everyone had a great time and it was awesome to see one of our international guests take out the Troy Bayliss Classic for the first time.
“As far as my own results go I was pretty happy with how I raced. It was intense out there, everyone was riding on the limit.
“I have to say a huge thanks to Taree Motorcycle Club, all of our sponsors, volunteers and the Racesafe Medical team for all their hard work over the weekend,” Bayliss added.
Troy Bayliss Events will now turn their attention to the Bayliss Scramble Teams Challenge which will be held during the opening round of the WSBK on 20-22 February at Phillip Island Island.
Top Four Results Troy Bayliss Cup
1. Jared Mees (USA)
2. Henry Wiles(USA)
3. Paul Caslick (AUS)
4. Troy Bayliss (AUS)
Americana
1. Troy Herfoss (AUS)
2. Luke Richards(AUS)
3. Troy Bayliss (AUS)
Superpole
1. Jared Mees
Barry Cockle Award (Legends class)
1. Chris Watson
More, from a press release issued by KTM Australia:
TROY GIVES HIS KTM A FITTING FAREWELL AT BAYLISS CLASSIC
19/01/2015
Three-time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss may not have been able to retire his KTM 450 SMR with another victory in the Troy Bayliss Classic, but its talented rider still put it on top one more time, setting the fastest lap in the final, ahead of American Champion Jared Mees.
Mees won the race ahead of Henry Wiles and Paul Caslick, with Bayliss recovering from a terrible start to finish a fighting fourth.
“In the main event I didn’t get a very good start,” said Bayliss, “then I got hit in the last turn and pushed wide, so I was back in eighth place at one stage. I managed to come back to fourth, and wasn’t far off the leaders, and did the fastest lap of the race at the very end there.
“Earlier I’d been worried about my fitness, because I hadn’t trained as hard this time, but I felt really good on the bike and I honestly wish the race had have been another six to ten laps longer!”
The Troy Bayliss Classic boasts a star-studded lineup of the biggest names in Australian motorcycle racing, with motocross, speedway, enduro, dirt track and road racing riders all coming together for a day of fun, and racing.
Bayliss’ choice of machine for the weekend wasn’t one of the newest, but it was one of the fastest. His well-fettled 2012 SMR is the same beast upon which the Taree ace won last year’s TB Classic and an Australian Dirt Track Championship, and now it will be preserved.“Now my bike, she’s moving on. I’ll take her home, clean her all up, and send her down to the Australian Motorcycle museum in Nabiac.”
Bayliss has his next dirt track weapon just about complete, a 2015 KTM 450 SXF with all the fruit, “We’ve been working on the new bike for a while now, and she’ll be a complete weapon. Pete Goddard raced it on Saturday and I’ve just been waiting on a few more bits from America to turn up. She’s going to be a bit of a gem, actually!”
Bayliss wasn’t the only legend on a KTM on Saturday, with a number of the sports most famous names from motocross, enduro and speedway lining up on the Austrian thoroughbreds.Three-time world speedway champion Jason Crump won the Legends class at last year’s TBC, but a dodgy tyre put paid to his efforts to defend the mantle and he finished sixth.
“I had a good second place in my first ride,” said Crump, “but I just couldn’t get a feel, couldn’t get any rear grip. I had a silly crash in my second race and then after my third heat, before the Americana, I took my brand-new rear tyre out, put a used tyre in, and bang, the bike was away! Unbelievable. I ended up into the last eight, in the semi-final for the Americana, and beat some good guys – even Brock Parkes who ended up making the Americana final.
“Really weird, but look, it was another great event, Mees really showed his class and didn’t panic when he didn’t win a heat race all day pretty much. Troy wasn’t going as fast as he did last year, but that means it’s dangerous for those guys who beat him, because he’ll work twice as hard next year!”
“It was a good effort by Caso in the Classic, he rode really well on the Husky and showed why he deserves a good bike that. He showed that, even at his age, if you put the effort in you can still get the rewards, so I was really happy for him.”
KTM Boss Jeff Leisk and former world motocross vice-champion Jeff Leisk blew off the cobwebs with a fifth in the Legends that included a win in the third and final heat. “I took a little while to get in the groove, didn’t get good starts in the first two and couldn’t really make much headway., but then I changed some gearing for the last one and that seemed to make the difference. I got a much better start and was chasing Chris Watson, and then he ran wide in the first turn. I couldn’t believe my eyes, thought I’d get in there, and ended up winning the last one. It was heaps of fun.”
Other Legends to fly the orange flag included former 500GP rider Peter Goddard (7th), 1986 Aussie motocross champion Vaughan Style (8th), Aussie Enduro and Finke Desert Race champion Phil Lovett (9th) and three-time Mister Motocross Anthony Gunter (11th).
2015 Troy Bayliss Classic Results:
1. Jared Mees 08:01.839
2. Henry Wiles 00.887
3. Paul Caslick 02.458
4.Troy Bayliss 02.850
5. Sammy Halbert 09.386
6. Matt Davies 10.201
7. Chris Vermeulen 11.353
8. Luke Gough 13.848
9. Joshua Hook 14.558
10. Damon Buckmaster 19.898
Troy Bayliss Classic Legends Results:
1. Chris Watson 63
2. Damon Buckmaster 58
3. Stephen Gall 57
4. Shawn Giles 56
5. Jeff Leisk 55
6. Jason Crump 47
7. Peter Goddard 46
8. Vaughan Style 40
9. Phil Lovett 37
10. Kevin Horton 37
11. Anthony Gunter 32