TWO-IN-A-ROW FOR RED BULL KTM’S KODY KOPP AT THE LIMA HALF-MILE
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing – Lima Half-Mile
LIMA, Ohio – For the second consecutive round, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Kody Kopp dominated the AFT Singles competition, sweeping everything from pole position to the Main Event victory, with an impressive performance at Saturday’s Lima Half-Mile in Ohio.
Coming off a triumphant Short Track victory at Laconia, Kopp didn’t break stride as he stepped into Round 7 of the American Flat Track Championship full-speed ahead. The young rider was comfortable from the start, claiming the top spot in AFT Singles qualifying. With a great start from pole position in Semi 1, Kopp immediately charged to the front and he led from start to finish on the wide open “cushion” track.
In the Main Event, Kopp shot off the line to capture the holeshot and early race lead. Keeping his KTM 450 SX-F wide open for all 21 laps, the 17-year-old series points leader maintained his stance for the entire eight minutes plus-two-laps, claiming his fourth victory of the 2022 season.
Kody Kopp: “Two-in-a-row! We had another great day of riding and the bike was pretty dialed in from the start. It got pretty gnarly, the track conditions were deep, and I just used my ability to ride through rough tracks to my advantage. We had a good battle in the dash with Australian Tom Drane and he actually edged us out, and that fired me up pretty good for the Main Event so we put our head down and went to work. We’re at our fourth win of the season, which is pretty crazy if you ask me. It’s an unreal feeling. This team works so well together and the bikes are spot on every weekend. We’ve got a long way to go but we’re going to keep charging and keep pushing because we can’t let up!”
Kopp’s closest competitor all day was 16-year-old Australian rider, Tom Drane, who had a stand-out performance in his first AFT round of the season. After besting Kopp in the dash, Drane kept his KTM 450 SX-F within a second of the race leader for most of the Main Event, ultimately finishing four seconds back for a respectable runner-up result.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Max Whale is still recovering from a knee injury sustained earlier this season. Whale’s recovery time is day-to-day at this point and the Australian native hopes to return to racing within the next couple of rounds.
Next Race: New York Short Track – Weedsport, New York – July 2, 2022
Round 7 Results – Lima Half-Mile
AFT Singles Main Event
1. Kody Kopp, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
2. Tom Drane, KTM
3. Chase Saathoff, Honda
OTHER
5. James Ott, KTM
9. Hunter Bauer, KTM
14. Travis Petton IV, KTM
AFT Singles Point Standings (After Round 7)
1. Kody Kopp, 155 points
2. Morgen Mischler, 124
3. Dalton Gauthier, 102
OTHER
5. Max Whale, 89
8. James Ott, 58
13. Hunter Bauer, 41
14. Travis Petton IV, 34
20. Ryan Wells, 18
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE PRIVATEER BRANDON ROBINSON SECURES FIRST VICTORY OF 2022 AFTER HARD-FOUGHT BATTLE AT LIMA HALF-MILE
Win Marks Robinson’s First at Lima Since 2016
Reigning Champion and Indian Wrecking Crew Rider Jared Mees Finishes Third,
Maintains Top Position on SuperTwins Leaderboard
Minneapolis, MN. (June 27, 2022) – Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, continued its 2022 American Flat Track (AFT) season Saturday night under the lights of Allen County Fairground for the Lima Half-Mile, where Indian Motorcycle privateer Brandon Robinson secured his first victory of the season after a bar-to-bar battle aboard his No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750. Joining Robinson on the podium was Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew rider and reigning champion Jared Mees, who finished the night’s main event in third place.
At the start of the race, Robinson launched off the line near the front of the pack, swapping positions multiple times throughout the opening laps before moving into second. Near the 8-minutes mark, Robinson snuck to inside of JD Beach to take over the lead, setting the pace for the racers behind him. He continued to ride unchallenged at the front, opening a small gap on the remainder of the field. With three-minutes and two laps remaining, Dallas Daniels closed the gap as the two engaged in a bar-to-bar battle. Daniels momentarily took over the lead by sliding into the inside corner, but Robinson quickly fought back to regain the lead position. As the racers entered the final two laps, Robinson continued to hold strong, maintaining his speed and position to extend his lead on Daniels. He ultimately took the checkered, securing the win with a 2.766-second margin of victory.
“This is a huge win for the entire team, as everyone worked hard to get the FTR750 dialed in. To take the podium after an intense battle is pretty awesome,” said Robinson. “We knew there was going to be strong competition when we lined up tonight. To come out on top after a tight, action-packed race really gives us some positive momentum heading into the second half of the season.”
Mees, who started on the second row, struggled to find his rhythm throughout the 25-lap race. At one point the reigning champion slipped back to fifth, but he was able to rebound and make multiple passes to finish third and maintain his position atop the SuperTwins leaderboard with 136 points.
Robinson’s first win of the season places him fifth in the championship standings with 103 points. Indian Wrecking Crew rider Briar Bauman finished the night in fourth and currently sits third in the season standings with 115 points.
The 2022 AFT season will continue Saturday, July 2, at the New York Short Track.
Sponsors for Indian Motorcycle Racing’s American Flat Track efforts include Progressive Insurance, S&S®, Indian Motorcycle Oil, Mission Foods, Bell Helmets, Drag Specialties and Parts Unlimited.
For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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