ROBINSON, HALBERT, SPLIT SALEM WINS AMA Pro Flat Track stars Sammy Halbert and Brandon Robinson shared respective wins in the 450 Expert and Open Expert classes at Saturday nights indoor short track event at the state fairgrounds in Salem, Ore. Scott Baker, Davis Fisher, and Austin Helmholz were the other AMA Pro GNC1 and GNC2 racers on hand. The pro ranks also included roadracers Andy DiBrino and Travis Oghe, and Brandon Green and Tanner Dean, two young riders on the rise. Fisher took a strong win in the Open class heat race, leading from start to finish while Robinson fought with Baker, and Halbert rolled around in fourth place. In the 450 heat race, Baker won over Oghe and Halbert. Adding drama to the 450 heat race, Robinsons machine stalled on the line and would not restart. Fisher and Baker won the two dash races, each looking very strong. After all of this there were no clear picks for the main events. Halbert wedged into an inside grid spot and led the Open main from the start. Fisher and Robinson fought for second and Baker followed. Robinson turned up the heat around the halfway point, moving past Fisher and then by Halbert to take the lead and the win. Robinson is a smooth rider, typically showing little drama in his style. But short track racing requires a bit of assertiveness, and often more than that, and tonight he had all the moves he needed. “Its nice to get out here and get some track time,” said Robinson of his trip to Oregon. “This is a fun track. Theres nowhere to race at home in Pennsylvania in the winter.” Halbert ran a solid pace in the 450 Pro main event, leading again from the start and followed by Baker, Robinson and Fisher at the line. Skylar Goar had a perfect 1-1 in the six-rider Vintage Open heat race and main event, with Travis Gardner in second place each time and Jeff Rankin and Adam Black swapping third and fourth place finishes between the heat and the main. Goar rode a very clean looking Yamaha TT500 framer, looking like a seasoned veteran as he won by a solid margin. Afterward, he told a different story. “This is my fourth flat track race ever,” said Goar. “It was a fun night and I had good bikes. Ive ridden dirt bikes for a long time, and used to race a little motocross, but I didnt take it seriously. Im serious about this, though. Im eating well and exercising. I want to race at the other tracks in Oregon and Washington, and Caldwell (Idaho), too.” The 26-year-old Goar, a resident of nearby Scio, Ore., also finished a close second on a Honda behind Bob Wise in the 450 Sport C main event after winning his heat race in the class. Some multi-class winners on the evening included Edmonds, Wash., racer Brandon Green, in 450 Sport B and Open Sport, Tacoma, Wash., racer Tanner Dean in 250 Sport and 250 Expert, and Castle Rock, Washingtons Olin Kissler in 65 DTX and 85 DTX. Tom McCallum, of Salem, won the eleven-rider 50 Plus and the 40 Plus mains, and Cale Maixner took wins in 50cc and Pit Bike. Zevyer Mott won the lightly-attended Quad Open and Quad Expert classes, entertaining the audience with huge broadies on his Honda.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 17:38:17 +0000
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