Mees wins second OKC Mile

Indian Motorcycles rider Jared Mees defended his 2016 OKC Mile win with another come-from-behind first-place finish at Remington Park.

Fellow Indian rider Brad Baker led for most of the American Flat Track Twins class main event, but Mees passed Baker during the second-tolast lap and fended off one last push from Baker to win the second annual OKC Mile.

The win pushes Mees to the top of the AFT Twins class leaderboard with 177 points. Both Mees and Bryan Smith of Indian Motorcycles have now won four races each through eight stops.

Mees said he felt good going into Saturday’s race after conquering the track last season, despite feeling Smith’s been better with the full mile races.

“We’ve had a lot of miles, so (Smith’s) always really strong on the miles and Indian Motorcycles has been a good bike,” Mees said. “Me and Bryan have been on our game.”

Smith finished third, however, behind Baker for a 1-2-3 finish for the Indian Wrecking Crew.

The three-man team has dominated the first half of the AFT season, and the Indian Scout FTR750 is a big reason why.

“Thankfully (the bike) was good from the start, but we’re making it better every time I ride it, every session on the track,” Smith said before Saturday’s race. “So it’s definitely an adjustment that’s never-ending to try to get it better and better every weekend.”

Smith, who entered Saturday’s race tied with Mees for first place on the Twins class leaderboard, was able to surpass Mees for last year’s overall championship after letting Mees top him in the OKC Mile main event.

The two are on pace for another tight finish for the overall crown.

Shayna Texter, riding the Honda CRF450R, won the AFT Singles main event.

Texter became the first female rider ever to win a main event in 2011. This season alone, she’s won three main events after finishing first at the OKC Mile.

She leads the AFT Singles class with 129 points. Kolby Carlile, who took fourth in Oklahoma City, is second in the standings with 118 points.

Fellow Honda riders Tristan Avery and Parker Norris placed second and third respectively in the singles main event.

The American Flat Track season resumes on June 24 for the Lima Half-Mile in Lima, Ohio.