Springfield Mile I pres by Memphis Shades/American Flat Track

Illinois State Fairgrounds

Springfield, Illinois

September 5, 2020

AFT Production Twins Provisional Free Practice 1 Results (all on Dunlop tires):

1. James Rispoli (Har), 36.815 seconds

2. Jeremiah Duffy (Kaw), 36.979

3. Cody Johncox (Yam), 37.016

4. Nick Armstrong (Yam), 37.072

5. Chad Cose (Har), 37.240

6. Ryan Varnes (Kaw), 37.266

7. Michael Inderbitzin (Kaw), 37.404

8. Ryan Wells (Kaw), 37.406

9. Patrick Buchanan (Kaw), 37.411

10. Danny Eslick (Kaw), 37.424

11. Ben Lowe (Yam), 37.443

12. Cory Texter (Yam), 37.463

13. Kevin Stollings (Kaw), 37.534

14. Hayden Gillim (Har), 37.600

15. Jacob Lehmann (Kaw), 37.615

16. Dylan Bell (Har), 37.631

17. Max Whale (Kaw), 37.722

18. Gary Ketchum (Kaw), 37.990

19. Cameron Smith (Kaw), 38.137

20. Jimmy McAllister (Kaw), 38.201

21. Brock Schwarzenbacher (Kaw), 38.241

22. Dylan Morin (Kaw), 38.274

23. Brian Lehfeldt (Kaw), 38.865

24. Jeremiah Alexander (Kaw), 39.565

25. Shelby Miller (Kaw), 39.850

26. Scott Barrett (Kaw), 39.872

27. Cole Zabala (Kaw), no time recorded

 

 

AFT SuperTwins Provisional Free Practice 1 Results (all on Dunlop tires):

1. Briar Bauman (Ind), 36.148 seconds

2. Sammy Halbert (Ind), 36.217

3. Brandon Price (Ind), 36.235

4. Jared Mees (Ind), 36.312

5. Brandon Robinson (Ind), 36.368

6. Davis Fisher (Ind), 36.494

7. Jeffrey Carver Jr. (Ind), 36.525

8. Ryan Varnes (Ind), 36.667

9. Bryan Smith (Har), 36.923

10. Dan Bromley (Ind), 36.946

11. Bronson Bauman (Ind), 37.113

12. Jarod Vanderkooi (Har), 37.199

13. JD Beach (Yam), 37.286

14. Dalton Gauthier (Har), 37.331

15. Kolby Carlile (Yam), 37.766

16. Jay Maloney (Ind), 37.905

17. Andrew Luker (Ind), no time recorded

 

 

AFT Production Twins Provisional Qualifying 1 Results (all on Dunlop tires):

1. Ryan Varnes (Kaw), 37.126 seconds

2. Chad Cose (Har), 37.292

3. Hayden Gillim (Har), 37.419

4. Ben Lowe (Yam), 37.423

5. Ryan Wells (Kaw), 37.449

6. Jeremiah Duffy (Kaw), 37.458

7. Patrick Buchanan (Kaw), 37.459

8. Cory Texter (Yam), 37.513

9. Danny Eslick (Kaw), 37.530

10. Michael Inderbitzin (Kaw), 37.565

11. Dylan Bell (Har), 37.580

12. Nick Armstrong (Yam), 37.601

13. Cameron Smith (Kaw), 37.682

14. Cody Johncox (Yam), 37.718

15. Max Whale (Kaw), 37.812

16. Cole Zabala (Kaw), 37.824

17. Jacob Lehmann (Kaw), 38.022

18. Kevin Stollings (Kaw), 38.099

19. Dylan Morin (Kaw), 38.333

20. Gary Ketchum (Kaw), 38.614

21. Brock Schwarzenbacher (Kaw), 38.739

22. Brian Lehfeldt (Kaw), 38.840

23. Jeremiah Alexander (Kaw), 38.980

24. Jimmy McAllister (Kaw), 38.997

25. Scott Barrett (Kaw), 39.076

26. Shelby Miller (Kaw), 39.464

27. James Rispoli (Har), 47.784

 

 

AFT SuperTwins Provisional Qualifying 1 Results (all on Dunlop tires):

1. Sammy Halbert (Ind), 36.636 seconds

2. Jared Mees (Ind), 36.639

3. Briar Bauman (Ind), 36.718

4. Brandon Price (Ind), 36.766

5. Brandon Robinson (Ind), 36.797

6. Ryan Varnes (Ind), 36.875

7. Jeffrey Carver Jr. (Ind), 36.928

8. Dan Bromley (Ind), 37.082

9. Davis Fisher (Ind), 37.147

10. Bronson Bauman (Ind), 37.214

11. Dalton Gauthier (Har), 37.219

12. Bryan Smith (Har), 37.350

13. JD Beach (Yam), 37.437

14. Jay Maloney (Ind), 37.475

15. Jarod Vanderkooi (Har), 37.492

16. Kolby Carlile (Yam), 37.899

17. Andrew Luker (Ind), 38.004

 

 

AFT Production Twins Provisional Qualifying 2 Results (all on Dunlop tires):

1. Chad Cose (Har), 37.189 seconds

2. Danny Eslick (Kaw), 37.336

3. James Rispoli (Har), 37.372

4. Cory Texter (Yam), 37.513

5. Ben Lowe (Yam), 37.530

6. Jeremiah Duffy (Kaw), 37.674

7. Hayden Gillim (Har), 37.695

8. Ryan Wells (Kaw), 37.725

9. Cody Johncox (Yam), 37.782

10. Patrick Buchanan (Kaw), 37.803

11. Nick Armstrong (Yam), 37.813

12. Michael Inderbitzin (Kaw), 37.863

13. Ryan Varnes (Kaw), 37.965

14. Cole Zabala (Kaw), 38.044

15. Max Whale (Kaw), 38.051

16. Cameron Smith (Kaw), 38.072

17. Gary Ketchum (Kaw), 38.226

18. Kevin Stollings (Kaw), 38.251

19. Dylan Morin (Kaw), 38.256

20. Dylan Bell (Har), 38.259

21. Brian Lehfeldt (Kaw), 38.796

22. Jeremiah Alexander (Kaw), 38.968

23. Jimmy McAllister (Kaw), 39.220

24. Brock Schwarzenbacher (Kaw), 39.317

25. Jacob Lehmann (Kaw), 39.770

26. Scott Barrett (Kaw), 39.851

27. Shelby Miller (Kaw), 40.526

 

 

AFT SuperTwins Super Pole Practice Results (all on Dunlop tires):

1. Jeffrey Carver Jr. (Ind), 36.586 seconds

2. Brandon Price (Ind), 36.656

3. Briar Bauman (Ind), 36.684

4. Jared Mees (Ind), 36.727

5. Davis Fisher (Ind), 36.777

6. Sammy Halbert (Ind), 36.824

7. Bronson Bauman (Ind), 37.002

8. Brandon Robinson (Ind), 37.347

9. Dalton Gauthier (Har), 37.544

10. Ryan Varnes (Ind), no time recorded

 

 

AFT SuperTwins SuperPole Qualifying Results (all on Dunlop tires):

1. Sammy Halbert (Ind), 35.846 seconds

2. Brandon Robinson (Ind), 35.931

3. Brandon Price (Ind), 35.976

4. Jeffrey Carver Jr. (Ind), 35.984

5. Jared Mees (Ind), 36.098

6. Davis Fisher (Ind), 36.131

7. Briar Bauman (Ind), 36.188

8. Dalton Gauthier (Har), 36.579

9. Bronson Bauman (Ind), 36.614

10. Ryan Varnes (Ind), 37.108

 

 

Provisional AFT Production Twins Semi 1 Results (all on Dunlop tires):

1. Ryan Varnes (Kaw), 8 laps

2. Danny Eslick (Kaw), -0.090 second

3. Ryan Wells (Kaw), -0.142

4. Nick Armstrong (Yam), -0.214

5. Hayden Gillim (Har), -1.968 seconds

6. Cody Johncox (Yam), -2.117

7. Michael Inderbitzin (Kaw), -2.136

8. Patrick Buchanan (Kaw), -3.119

9. Cole Zabala (Kaw), -3.738

10. Dylan Morin (Kaw), -6.168

11. Jimmy McAllister (Kaw), -13.772

12. Brian Lehfeldt (Kaw), -15.329

13. Shelby Miller (Kaw), -25.605

14. Kevin Stollings (Kaw), -6 laps

 

 

Provisional AFT Production Twins Semi 2 Results (all on Dunlop tires):

1. Jeremiah Duffy (Kaw), 8 laps

2. Chad Cose (Har), -1.494 seconds

3. James Rispoli (Har), -1.677

4. Ben Lowe (Yam), -1.690

5. Cory Texter (Yam), -1.772

6. Dylan Bell (Har), -2.966

7. Max Whale (Kaw), -4.658

8. Cameron Smith (Kaw), -5.289

9. Gary Ketchum (Kaw), -12.734

10. Jacob Lehmann (Kaw), -12.749

11. Jeremiah Alexander (Kaw), -12.977

12. Brock Schwarzenbacher (Kaw), -16.556

13. Scott Barrett (Kaw), -23.192

 

 

Provisional AFT SuperTwins Semi 1 Results (all on Dunlop tires):

1. Jared Mees (Ind), 8 laps

2. Sammy Halbert (Ind), -0.014 second

3. Brandon Price (Ind), -2.087 seconds

4. JD Beach (Yam), -2.569

5. Briar Bauman (Ind), -2.703

6. Bryan Smith (Har), -3.156

7. Bronson Bauman (Ind), -3.925

8. Dan Bromley (Ind), -6.342

9. Andrew Luker (Ind), -13.402

 

 

Provisional AFT SuperTwins Semi 2 Results (all on Dunlop tires):

1. Jeffrey Carver Jr. (Ind), 8 laps

2. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -0.311 second

3. Davis Fisher (Ind), -2.642 seconds

4. Dalton Gauthier (Har), -2.658

5. Jarod Vanderkooi (Har), -2.730

6. Ryan Varnes (Ind), -4.221

7. Kolby Carlile (Yam), -7.968

8. Jay Maloney (Ind), -8.058

 

 

Provisional AFT Production Twins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):

1. Ryan Varnes (Kaw), 19 laps

2. Chad Cose (Har), -0.116 second

3. Ben Lowe (Yam), -0.143

4. Cory Texter (Yam), -0.512

5. James Rispoli (Har), -3.836 seconds

6. Danny Eslick (Kaw), -8.984

7. Ryan Wells (Kaw), -8.985

8. Jeremiah Duffy (Kaw), -10.095

9. Patrick Buchanan (Kaw), -10.684

10. Dylan Bell (Har), -11.198

11. Hayden Gillim (Har), -11.368

12. Jacob Lehmann (Kaw), -25.241

13. Cody Johncox (Yam), -25.246

14. Michael Inderbitzin (Kaw), -2 laps

15. Cameron Smith (Kaw), -11 laps

16. Max Whale (Kaw), -16 laps

17. Nick Armstrong (Yam), -19 laps

 

 

Provisional AFT SuperTwins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):

1. Sammy Halbert (Ind), 26 laps

2. Jared Mees (Ind), -1.981 seconds

3. Jeffrey Carver Jr. (Ind), -10.450

4. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -10.491

5. Davis Fisher (Ind), -11.770

6. Brandon Price (Ind), -12.368

7. Briar Bauman (Ind), -12.518

8. Bronson Bauman (Ind), -13.581

9. Dalton Gauthier (Har), -13.640

10. Jarod Vanderkooi (Har), -15.131

11. Dan Bromley (Ind), -31.002

12. Jay Maloney (Ind), -1 lap

13. Ryan Varnes (Ind), -1 lap, 18.482 seconds

14. Kolby Carlile (Yam), -1 lap, 36.669

15. JD Beach (Yam), -2 laps

16. Andrew Luker (Ind), -7 laps

17. Bryan Smith (Har), -15 laps

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by American Flat Track:

Halbert Slams ‘Em at Springfield Mile I

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (September 5, 2020) – Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Coolbeth-Nila Racing Indian FTR750) provided an undeniable reminder of his immense talent with a commanding performance in Saturday’s AFT SuperTwins presented by Vance & Hines Main Event at the Springfield Mile I presented by Memphis Shades.

“Slammin’ Sammy” has long been regarded as one of the elite riders on the American Flat Track scene, but his 14th career Grand National Championship race win came as his first in more than four years. Over that span, he’d found himself on the wrong end of Indian Motorcycle’s recent series domination. Now that he’s got an FTR750 of his own, Halbert once again figures to be a significant factor in the ’20 AFT SuperTwins title fight.

That possibility seemed obvious in Saturday’s 14-minute plus two lap Main at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois. Halbert and multi-time champ Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) broke free from the pack as early as the race’s opening lap and settled in for what appeared likely to be a race-long shootout to the checkered flag.

After the two swapped the spot back and forth numerous times early, Mees seemed content to just sit on Halbert’s rear wheel and bide his time. However, with two minutes to go, Halbert proved that it was him, in fact, who was waiting to make his move.

At that point, Hablert threw down the fastest laps the track had seen all day. Mees had no answer and all he could do was watch Halbert sprint away to a near two-second margin of victory.

Halbert said, “Oh man, it’s so long overdue. It’s sort of surreal. Some days it just happens — like I didn’t even have to try too hard. I’m so stoked. It’s been such a pleasure to work with Kenny Coolbeth and John Weiss with the Coolbeth-Nila Racing team.

“I had a fun race there. For a while I didn’t think I could shake Jared, but I just started to put it together. I could tell he was struggling off of Turn 4, spinning a little bit. I just kept trying to break him and finally I did. It feels amazing — I’m going to try to make a habit of it.”

Mees was able to cruise to second with a multi-rider fight for the final spot on the box more than ten seconds back of the win.

Springfield hero Jeffrey Carver Jr. (No. 23 Happy Trails Racing FTR750) took home third in the end, out-dueling fourth-placed Brandon Robinson (No. 44 HCRR Racing/Ben Evans Racing Indian FTR750) and fifth-placed Davis Fisher (No. 67 BriggsAuto.com Indian FTR750).

Reigning Grand National Champion Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) finished in seventh, 0.150 seconds behind Brandon Price (No. 92 Roof Systems of Dallas, Texas Indian FTR750).

As a result, Mees has reclaimed the points lead and remains the sole rider with a perfect podium record on the season. Bauman is now five points back (107-102), while the on-form Halbert is a strong third with 91.

Halbert will look to close in even further on Sunday. He said, “The guy that wins tomorrow is the one who gets to enjoy it all week, so we’re going to put our heads down and try to do that. I think we’re ready and I’m feeling good.”

AFT Production Twins

Ryan Varnes (No. 68 RVR/RoyBuilt Don’s Kawasaki Ninja 650) simply would not break despite being subjected to constant, intense pressure en route to his first-career Mile win in Saturday’s AFT Production Twins Main Event.

Following an eventful opening two laps in which Danny Eslick (No. 64 Scott Powersports/R&D Machine Kawasaki Ninja 650), Jeremiah Duffy (No. 42 Sammy O Racing/ERT Kawasaki Ninja 650), James Rispoli (No. 43 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Ben Lowe (No. 25 Roof Systems of Dallas/Bruce Lowe Excavating Yamaha MT-07) all took a turn at the lead, Varnes powered into first with eight minutes remaining on the clock.

At that point it seemed likely to be just the next in a countless number of lead changes. However, as it turned out, the 2019 class runner-up wouldn’t relinquish the lead.

Varnes led a four-rider breakaway with Lowe, Rispoli, and Chad Cose (No. 49 Wally Brown Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) close behind in his wake. Cose maneuvered into second and then spent the next six minutes plus two laps looking for any way past Varnes to no avail.

Thanks to an ideal combination of precision, patience, and power, Varnes held on to claim the checkered flag 0.116 seconds ahead of Cose. Lowe, in turn, tried his best to overhaul Cose in Turn 3 on the final lap, but came up just 0.027 seconds short in third.

Varnes said, “Springfield is definitely a legendary track — it’s pretty iconic. To get a win today feels pretty good. We had some issues earlier in the day, but we battled through them. The bike ran awful in the Semi. We tore our secondary bike apart just to get our primary bike back up and running for that Main Event and luckily it just ran flawlessly. It was so easy to ride and those couldn’t draft by me it didn’t seem like.”

Rispoli faded in the final minutes and reigning AFT Production Twins champ Cory Texter (No. 1 G&G Racing/Roof Systems Yamaha MT-07) took full advantage. Texter dropped the ex-roadracing ace to fifth and clawed his way from some two seconds back to end up just over a half-second off the win in fourth.

Varnes became the first two-time winner in the class in 2020, and today’s result helped tighten the championship fight considerably. Rispoli still leads with 99 points, but Texter (91), Varnes (85), and Lowe (85) are all well within striking distance heading into Sunday’s rematch.

This weekend’s races will air on NBCSN, with the Springfield Mile I set to air on Saturday, September 19, starting at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT, and the Springfield Mile II to follow on Sunday, September 20, at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT. The broadcasts will include exclusive features, cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage, and the expert commentary of AFT legend Chris Carr.

Next Up:

American Flat Track will complete its Springfield tripleheader on Sunday as the AFT SuperTwins presented by Vance & Hines and AFT Production Twins competitors brace for another shot at glory in the Springfield Mile II presented by Memphis Shades. Gates will again open at 10:00 a.m. ET/7:00 a.m. PT with the Main Events scheduled to kick off at 4:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. PT. Live coverage of the entire weekend’s racing activities will be available on any device for less than $1 per event via TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.