Monster Energy's Brad Baker Lands Bronze in Flat Track | X Games Austin 2015

2015-06-05 05:43
Monster Energy’s Brad “The Bullet” Baker –
the Harley-Davidson factory racer – takes bronze in the inaugural
Harley-Davidson Flat Track X Games Austin 2015 event. The first event of X
Games Austin 2015 is a new event to the X Games, even though it’s likely
the oldest event at the X Games. The American Motorcyclist Association
first introduced Dirt Track – also known as Flat Track racing – as a racing
series 83 years ago, in 1932. Hanging onto those roots, this type of racing
hasn’t changed a lot in at least 40 years. The 3/8-mile dirt oval at X
Games Austin wasn’t ideal because it wasn’t incredibly “flat” in part due
to all of the recent rain in the area, but flat track racing has always
provided close racing and drama, and the bumpy circuit provided plenty of
both in the sport’s X Games debut.



The format called for two 14-lap heat races comprising 12 racers each, and
each of those heats qualified five racers for the main event. The 14 racers
who failed to qualify for the main event from the heat races headed to the
LCQ, where the top two took the final two spots in the main.



Baker snatched the holeshot off of the motocross-style starting gate at the
start of Heat 1, but Brandon Robinson took the lead away on lap one. Baker
was biding his time and eventually found his way cleanly by Robinson, then
took off with a seemingly routine heat-race win, while Robinson slid back
to the fifth and final transfer spot, behind Briar Bauman (second), Monster
Energy’s current AMA National Champion Jared Mees (third), and Doug
Lawrence.



Monster Energy’s Kenny Coolbeth, Jr., landed seventh in the opening heat
and headed to the LCQ, where he grabbed second place and the final transfer
spot to the 20-lap main event.



In the main event, Baker started out like a man on a mission, going into
turn one in third, but leading the field out of turn two with daytime
fastest qualifier Mees right on his tail.



There’s an old saying in motorcycle racing, “Slow is fast.” That applies to
rough and technical courses like the X Games Austin dirt oval. It was very
easy to over-ride the track, and Baker did exactly that while trying to
chase Mees down, overshooting turn one and dropping back to fourth behind
Bryan Smith and Sammy Halbert, and Baker lost the fourth spot to Johnny
Lewis not long afterward.



Baker finally got calmed down around the halfway point and found his way
back around Lewis into fourth, but Mees was calm, cool and collected out
front, stretching out a sizeable lead as he headed into the final lap.



However, the promised drama was delivered when Mees’ Harley-Davidson threw
the sprocket from the rear wheel as he rode off of turn two, causing him to
go immediately from hero to zero.



Smith ended up taking the win over Halbert, while Brad Baker landed Monster
Energy its first medal of the 2015 edition of X Games Austin.



For more on Monster Energy X Games Austin 2015 competing athletes including
exclusive photos and daily recaps, check out http://www.monsterenergy.com,
http://www.monsterenergy.com/facebook/ and #unleashedatx.

For interview or photo requests contact Kim Dresser E: (
kim.dresser@indiepragency.com), or C: (949) 300-5546.




*About Monster Energy:*

*Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer and
distributor of energy drinks and alternative* *beverages. Refusing to
acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport.
Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski,
skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that
believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and
musicians represent. More than a drink, it’s the way of life lived by
athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans. See more about Monster Energy
including all of its drinks at **www.monsterenergy.com*

Source: Monster Energy

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