Despite the way I personally approach racing, it is a results-based business. So, let's get yesterday's top threes, from the rain-delayed AFT Atlanta Half-Mile, out of the way first.
AFT Twins
1. Mees (Indian)
2. Coolbeth (Indian)
3. Carver (H-D XR750)
AFT Singles
1. Price (Honda)
2. Bromley (KTM)
3. Stollings (Honda)
The race was rained-off on Saturday, and reconvened, after new sessions of practice, on Sunday afternoon. But here are the talking points from the SB POV.
1. Just outside the Twins top 3 was Jarod Vanderkooi, fourth on the liquid-cooled H-D XG750R, after running 2nd for most of the race. There were nine Indian FTR750s in the main, (half the field) and JV20 finished in front of seven of them. His more experienced Harley Vance and Hines Factory teammates, Halbert and Robinson, were 12th and 14th, respectively.
2. Just outside the Singles podium, by 0.481 of a second, was Brit, Oliver Brindley. His best lap, of 19.162s, was within 0.2s of the best lap of the winner, Brandon Price, and quicker than the best lap of 2nd places Bromley. He is fourth in the standings.
Read our big feature on Ollie Brindley in Sideburn 32.
3. Henry Wiles rolled up on a brand new FTR750, first time out, came fifth putting him 2nd in the standings. He beat the factory pairing of Baker and Smith. Because Hank is a privateer he can swap between brands. Daytona, he was on a Kawasaki.
4. Same goes for Carver, who rode FTR750 (and struggled) at Daytona, went to his faithful XR750, which has been the half-mile weapon of choice for decades, and was third.
5. Bryan Smith is 8th (joint 7th on points with Carver) in the standings after two races. There's a long way to go yet, but what would he give to be back on his Kawasaki?
6. The Briggs Auto private XR750 of multiple Daytona 200 road race champ, Danny Eslick, split the factory XG750Rs.
7. Johnny Lewis was a solid sixth on a private FTR750. He's coming to race with the DTRA in England at the Peterborough rounds, 19-20 May. He's also doing UK schools, but I think they sold out in a day. Go to DTRA facebook to find out if there are more scheduled.
8. Just a couple of season's ago, the Kawasaki used to be the privateer's twin of choice, but only Briar Bauman's Ninja made the 18-rider main.
9 x Indian
3 x Yamaha FZ-07 (best placed, Jake Johnson, 9th)
3 x H-D XG750R
2 x H-D XR750
1 x Kawasaki ER6 Ninja 650
9. JD Beach was tipped as the man to watch on Saturday, qualifying fastest before the rain, but didn't make the main on Sunday. Not sure what happened. Anybody know?
10. The Lloyd Brothers Ducati returned to AFT Twins with Stevie Bonsey #80 on board, but missed out on the main. I would be very surprised if he doesn't get a lot quicker once he has more time on the bike.
