Saddlemen Sweeps Podium in Stockton

RANCHO DOMINGUEZ, CA – May 15, 2013 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Saddlemen supported racers broke in the new 99 Speedway at the Stockton Half-Mile in style, sweeping the GNC podium in Round 3 of the AMA Pro Flat Track series.

Saddlemen riders Sammy Halbert (#7) and Brad Baker (#12) battle for the lead in the GNC Twins race at Stockton Half-Mile. Credit: AMA Pro Racing

AMA Pro GNC Expert Twins
The Stockton Half-Mile was not only the inaugural for the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds venue, but also featured the first GNC Expert Twins action of the season. Sammy Halbert rode his Saddlemen-equipped Harley to an early lead before settling into several laps of trading the lead with fellow Saddlemen rider Brad Baker. Halbert pulled into the lead for good with just a few laps remaining, and Baker followed him across the line less than a second later. Henry Wiles added his own podium bid after winning the battle for third place, and Rob Pearson rounded out the top 5.

Sammy Halbert took the checkers in Round 3 of the AMA Pro Flat Track series. Credit: AMA Pro Racing

Brandon Robinson finished 6th but after three rounds of racing retains the top spot on the combined leader board ahead of Baker in second and Wiles in third. Kenny Coolbeth Jr. finished 7th and Mikey Martin 10th to give Saddlemen seven of the top 10 positions in the Stockton Half-Mile results.

Saddlemen Stockton GNC Twins Results

1. S. Halbert;
2. B. Baker;
3. Henry Wiles;
5. Rob Pearson;
6. B. Robinson;
7. K. Coolbeth;
10. M. Martin;
11. S. Bonsey;
13. J. Lewis;
14. K. Kolkman;
15. Briar Bauman;
16. J. Mees;
17. S. Baer

AMA Pro J&O Cycles Pro Singles
Saddlemen also hit the podium in the Pro Singles class as Shayna Texter finished second in Stockton. After taking a late lead Texter settled into second and held off charging competitors as the checkered flag flew. Texter’s strong performance pushed her into 10th place in the early season standings.

Shayna Texter (left) rode her Saddlemen-equipped bike to a 2nd place podium finish in the Pro Singles race in Stockton. Credit: AMA Pro Racing

Rookie Bronson Bauman made his AMA Flat Track debut in Round 3, eventually finishing in 7th place. Younger brother of 2012 Saddlemen Rookie of the Year Briar Bauman, Bronson turned some heads with an impressive start to a promising career.

Saddlemen Stockton Pro Singles Results

2. S. Texter;
7. Bronson Bauman;
9. R. Wells;
10. S. Vanderkuur;
11. D. Collindres;
18. A. Scaggs

ABOUT SADDLEMEN

Saddlemen has been making high performance seats for racing for over 20 years. During that time some of the world’s fastest racers have fitted their motorcycles with Saddlemen seats, including land speed attempters, flat track racers and road racers. Saddlemen is the Official Seat of AMA Pro Racing.

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Halbert Triumphant in Grand National Return

ANAMOSA, IA – May 13, 2013 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – A Hollywood script writer couldn’t have dreamed up the story any better. Saturday night in Stockton, California, Sammy Halbert made a triumphant return to racing by taking victory in the AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship Main Event on the Half-Mile at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds.

Halbert, making his comeback from an off-season knee surgery, and riding his South East Harley Flat Track Live-backed Harley-Davidson XR750, emerged victorious after a race long battle with Dodge Brothers Racing’s Brad Baker. Lloyd Brothers Motorsports rider Henry Wiles took third with a late-race surge around former champ Jake Johnson. It was a great ride for the Short Track and TT specialist Wiles, since he hadn’t raced a Harley-Davidson in years. Johnson and Robert Pearson rounded out the top five.

“That was awesome! What a race,” said a jubilant Halbert. “They did a great job on the track and I’m stoked. I had a long layoff from racing there with shoulder surgery and then I came back and tore up my knee. I’m only 12 weeks out of knee surgery and it’s still not 100 percent, but I feel 100 percent on the bike that’s for sure. I want to say thanks to the California crowd who came out and supported me. It’s always fun racing in this state. My team and I really got a good win here and it’s definitely something to build off of.”

Many figured it would take Halbert a race or two to get back in the swing of things, but the 25-year-old racer from Graham, Wash., proved his rehab from ACL surgery made him as strong as ever. He and Baker traded the lead back and forth several times throughout the 25-lap National at Stockton, but in the end the experience of Halbert made all the difference and he was able to pull away from the 20-year-old Baker, who also hails from the state of Washington.

“Brad came by me, I know he’s hungry for a win,” Halbert said of the race. “I was like, ‘Let’s see if I can steal another one from him.’ He was right there and I didn’t want to be the guy who gave him that first win, so I had to dig deep. I was getting tired and he was starting to pull away and I started thinking about that big Harley contingency and I was like, ‘I want that money. Let’s go!’ I got on the gas and put it on the outside and found a line on the outside there in turn three and four and made it happen. It took me awhile to get around Brad. I ran into him a few times, but I finally got by and I didn’t see him again.”

Baker has opened the 2013 season as a runner up three consecutive times. The young racer is more than eager to score his first victory, which he’ll be looking to do at the upcoming series racing on the legendary Springfield (Ill.) Mile on May 26.

“I got off to a great start and old Kevin Atherton (former AMA Grand National winner) told me not to be afraid to try out that top line it looks like there’s going to be some tacky dirt coming in,” Baker explained of Stockton. “I kind of got a groove going and Sammy and I did a little elbow rubbing and had a lot of fun. Another second-place finish; I guess consistency is the key, so we’re going to have to keep that up. I’m so close to a win I can almost taste it. It’s definitely something I want to add to my list.”

With his podium run at Stockton, Henry Wiles has established himself as a true championship contender for 2013.

“I’m still building a little confidence on this bike,” Wiles said of his new ride on the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Harley. “I came back on Jake (Johnson) and I’m really excited about this season because this is the first time I’ve had this good of a bike to be able to finish on the podium at these types of tracks.”

The Springfield Mile is next up. One rider looking to bounce back there will be defending champ Jared Mees.  After a promising start where he won both his heat race and the Dash for Cash, Mees had a hard impact with Wiles early on and nearly crashed. The miscue dropped him back to last place and he never recovered, only circulating the track in an effort to score as many points as possible. He finished 16th, the last rider running.

Brandon Robinson still leads the Grand National standings after finishing sixth in Stockton.

Wyatt Maguire, of Mead, Wash., scored the victory in the J&P Cycles Pro Singles final. Maguire, riding a Kirkland Racing Yamaha YZ450F, moved past early leader Shayna Texter and pulled away to a comfortable 4.616-second victory over Texter. Kyle Johnson had a great surge late in the race to pass Rodney Spencer Jr. to nail down the final podium spot.

“It was definitely tough getting by people, but we ended up changing gearing and it helped a lot,” Maguire said. “This is my first main [victory] and I’m happy to do it pretty close to home. I mean 14 hours, that’s about as close as it gets for me.”

Maguire and Johnson are now tied atop the Pro Singles standings.

The Memorial Day weekend Springfield Mile is one of the iconic races annually on the AMA Grand National racing calendar. Held on the historic Mile of the Illinois State Fairgrounds, the race features a long freight train of riders lined up in the draft and often is not decided until the last lap. Texan Willie McCoy is the defending winner of the May race.

To keep up with the latest series news visit www.amaproracing.com/ft/. Ticket information for Springfield can be found at www.illinoismda.com/ or call (217) 753-8866.

AMA Pro Grand National Final, Stockton, Calif. Half-Mile – May 11, 2013

1. Sammy Halbert, Harley-Davidson
2. Brad Baker, Harley-Davidson
3. Henry Wiles, Harley-Davidson
4. Jake Johnson, Harley-Davidson
5. Robert Pearson, Harley-Davidson
6. Brandon Robinson, Kawasaki
7. Kenny Coolbeth, Jr., Harley-Davidson
8. Doug Lawrence, Harley-Davidson
9. Jeffrey Carver Jr., Harley-Davidson
10. Michael Martin, Triumph
11. Stevie Bonsey, Harley-Davidson
12. Bryan Smith, Kawasaki
13. Johnny Lewis, Triumph
14. Kayl Kolkman, Harley-Davidson
15. Briar Bauman, Suzuki
16. Jared Mees, Harley-Davidson
17. Shawn Baer, Kawasai
18. Daniel Ingram, Harley-Davidson

J&P Cycles Pro Singles Final

1. Wyatt Maguire, Yamaha YZ 450F
2. Shayna Texter, Honda CRF450R
3. Kyle Johnson, Kawasaki KX450F
4. Rodney Spencer Jr., Honda CRF450R
5. Cole Frederickson, Honda CRF450R
6. Hunter Taylor, Honda CRF450R
7. Bronson Bauman, Honda CRF450R
8. Ryan Kearns, Honda CRF450R
9. Ryan Wells, Honda CRF450R
10. Stephen Vanderkuur, Honda CRF450R

About J&P Cycles

J&P Cycles is the world’s largest retailer of aftermarket parts and accessories for Harley-Davidson and V-Twin Cruiser motorcycles. In business for 34 years, we carry a full line of products from the brands you trust: Kuryakyn, Vance & Hines, Performance Machine, Mustang Seats and many more. J&P Cycles carries tens of thousands of items in stock, in print and online, delivers the best customer service and return policy in the industry. For more information, visit www.jpcycles.com and start building your dream today!

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Saddlemen AMA Pro Flat Track Report Tucson Half-Mile

RANCHO DOMINGUEZ, CA – October 9, 2012 – (Motor Sports Newswire) -Saddlemen riders were out at the Tucson International Raceway this weekend for the Tucson Half-Mile and Round 15 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track season. With just one round remaining, some Saddlemen riders solidified their positions in the class standings while others remain in limbo with a final opportunity to grab some points and a potential class title.

AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship
Saddlemen racers once again dominated the GNC race with a sweep of the top 5 spots as well as 7 of the top 10. This time it was Steven Bonsey that took the win with an outstanding performance. Winning by more than a full second, Bonsey claimed his first victory of the season. Fellow Saddlemen riders Bryan Smith and Sammy Halbert joined Bonsey on the podium in 2^nd and 3^rd, respectively, and Jared Mees and Brad Baker rounded out the top 5.

Saddlemen riders have been equally dominant in the series standings this season, holding 4 of the top 5 spots in both the Expert Twins and Combined standings. Sammy Halbert is currently just 3 points behind the leader in the Expert Twins standings, with Bryan Smith a point behind and Jared Mees 6 points behind.

Already the owner of the 2012 GNC Expert Singles title, Jared Mees holds the GNC Combined top spot with a 12-point lead over Halbert. Bryan Smith and Brad Baker round out the top 5. With just the season finale at Pomona remaining on the schedule, there’s plenty of opportunity for several riders to shake up the top of the standings, and it seems the series title will come down to this final race at the LA County Fairplex.

Saddlemen GNC Round 15 Results: 1.Steven Bonsey; 2. Bryan Smith; 3. Sammy Halbert; 4. Jared Mees; 5. Brad Baker; 7. Rob Pearson; 8. Henry Wiles; 12. Brandon Robinson; 13. Michael Martin; 14. Jethro Halbert; 17. Chad Cose

Saddlemen GNC Expert Twins Standings: 2. Sammy Halbert; 3. Bryan Smith; 4. Jared Mees; 5. Rob Pearson; 8. Brandon Robinson; 9. Brad Baker; 10. Henry Wiles; 11. Steven Bonsey; 13. Jethro Halbert; 19. Michael Martin; 33. Chad Cose

Saddlemen GNC Combined Standings: 1. Jared Mees; 2. Sammy Halbert; 4. Bryan Smith; 5. Brad Baker; 6. Henry Wiles; 10. Rob Pearson; 11. Brandon Robinson; 15. Jethro Halbert; 16. Steven Bonsey; 20. Michael Martin; 32. Chad Cose

AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles
Saddlemen’s Shayna Texter fought back in what turned out to be an exciting race to claim her third victory of the season in the Pro Singles class. It looked as though Texter would lead wire-to-wire, starting from pole position and running strong until she lost the lead in the 12^th lap. Shayna finished strong in dramatic fashion as she made a pass on the leader on the final turn of the last lap. Jake Shoemaker finished 6^th while fellow Saddlemen racers James Monaco and Cody Johncox finished 10^th and 17^th, respectively.

Texter’s 3^rd Pro Singles win bumped her from 6^th up to 5^th in the standings with just the finale at Pomona left on the schedule. Shoemaker holds onto a strong 2^nd place position in the standings with Monaco in 12^th and Johncox in 29^th.

Saddlemen Pro Singles Round 15 Results: 1. Shayna Texter; 6. Jake Shoemaker; 10. James Monaco; 17. Cody Johncox

Saddlemen Pro Singles Standings: 2. Jake Shoemaker; 5. Shayna Texter; 12. James Monaco; 29. Cody Johncox

Saddlemen has been making high performance seats for racing for over 20 years. During that time some of the world’s fastest racers have fitted their motorcycles with Saddlemen seats, including land speed attempters, flat track racers and road racers. Saddlemen is the Official Seat of AMA Pro Racing.

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Flat Track Champ Halbert Launches First-Ever Motorcycle Racer iPhone App

GRAHAM, WA – August 19, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Sammy Halbert, 2009 AMA Pro Flat Track Overall Grand National Champion and 2011 series points leader, launched an iPhone app, making him the first-ever professional motorcycle racer with his own app.

“I’ve been leading the AMA Pro Flat Track points all season long, so it seemed natural for me to be first in the mobile space,” said Halbert, who has won four races so far this season and has led the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track series points all season long. “I’ve been having fun connecting with my fans through Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. An app is great way for me to engage with my fans on their phones.”

The Sammy Halbert Racing app, which is available for free on iTunes, consolidates content from all of Sammy’s social media platforms. It’s a convenient way for fans to follow Sammy’s run for the 2011 Grand National Championship in one place. Additional features will be added to the app, which was developed by N-E-A-D, Huntington Beach, California, over time. Also, content will be continuously updated throughout the season, making the app one that fans will want to use frequently.

At age twenty-two, Sammy Halbert was the 5th youngest AMA Pro Flat Track Overall Grand National Champion in history in 2009 and is the current 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track points leader. In addition to the app, you can follow Sammy’s run for the 2011 championship at twitter.com/SamHalbert, facebook.com/SammyHalbertRacing, and youtube.com/SammyHalbert.

Photos of Sammy available upon request.

Contact:
Miriam Deitcher
Marketing Director
Sammy Halbert Racing
SammyHalbertRacing@Gmail.com
(440) 554-7234

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AMA Vance & Hines XR1200 Series Returns to Action at Infineon

MILWAUKEE, WI – May 12, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The AMA Pro Racing Vance & Hines XR1200 series returns to action this weekend after a nearly two-month layoff at Northern California’s Infineon Raceway for the West Coast Moto Jam May 14-15.

Among the story lines for round two of the series is the professional road racing debut of flat track star Sammy Halbert, the current points leader in the AMA Pro Harley-Davidson Insurance Flat Track Championship.

Halbert, who dominated the Flat Track season opener at Daytona Beach, FL in March by sweeping the short track double header, has posted strong finishes at the series’ DuQuoin, IL and Salinas, CA, rounds to maintain his points lead as the series heads into a month-long break before the start of the Twins season at the Springfield Mile on Memorial Day weekend. Halbert will keeping his racing skills sharp during the hiatus by entering his first professional road race aboard an XR1200 fielded by HOG Racing and the Harley Owners Group.

To prepare for his XR1200 class debut, the Graham, WA, rider has attended several racing schools and track days to acquaint himself with the techniques of motorcycle road racing. “I know I’ll have some catching up to do, but I’m hoping once it’s race time, my competitive instincts will kick in and I’ll be able to keep up,” Halbert said.

Halbert joins 16 other riders who will grid up this weekend race, including fellow flat tracker-turned-road racer Joe Kopp and Daytona race winner Kyle Wyman. Sunday’s 11-lap, 25-final kicks off at 12:30pm Pacific time.

Infineon Race Entry List:

• Joe Kopp (Latus Motors Racing)
• Sammy Halbert (HOG Racing)
• Steve Rapp (Parts Unlimited)
• Josh Chisum (Troy Lee Designs)
• Michael Morgan (Python Exhaust)
• Michael Corbino (RMR/Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing)
• Chase McFarland (Latus Motors Racing)
• Tyler O’Hara (GPBikeParts.com)
• Kyle Wyman (RMR/Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing)
• Michael Barnes (Drag Specialties)
• Chris Fillmore (RMR/Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing)
• Michael Beck (J&P Cycles)
• Paul James (James Gang/Hoban Brothers/H-D of Appleton)
• Gerry Signorelli (Kuryakyn)
• Bradley Adams (Sport Rider Magazine)
• Pete Demas (Route One Racing)
• Jeremiah Johnson (BE-EV.com, New Roc Harley-Davidson)

Company Background
Harley-Davidson Motor Company produces heavyweight custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles and offers a complete line of Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts, accessories, riding gear and apparel, and general merchandise. For more information, visit harley-davidson.com.

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