Race Report from the Hagerstown Half Mile

AMA Pro Flat Track Series
Round 6: Hagerstown Grand National Half Mile at Hagerstown Speedway

By Ryan Wells
Photo courtesy of Weirbach Racing
HAGERSTOWN, MD, JULY 7, 2012

On Friday, July 6, we traveled to Winchester, Virginia, for a sweet clay three-eighths-mile. The main reason we decided to do this race the night before the Grand National in Hagerstown was because I have only been on one clay half mile in my life; I needed all the practice I could get.

We started off the day debating if it would be a track for a more stock bike or a mod bike, and after we practiced both bikes, it was clear that horsepower was needed – and that was the right choice, because I won my heat race by a good distance.

Coming into the main, I had pole position. The whole race, the top three were wheel to wheel, changing positions each lap. I decided to not quite go for it all in a last-lap-ditch effort, due to the fact that there was a National the next day and that is why we were there. With one rider crashing in the last turn going for the win, I ended up getting a close second.

The next day, July 7, it was time for the Hagerstown, Maryland, Grand National clay half mile. I was very excited to get on the track immediately after I saw it. After qualifying, I ended up having the third-fastest time for the Pro Singles.

We moved to the heat races, and I was second off the line but ran in third place most of the race. Then I made a good pass for second and finished the race there.

Sitting fourth on the line in the main event, I was very confident before the light turned green. After what seemed like just a few laps, the checkers came out. I ended up in third place, which kept me in second place in overall points, just 10 out of first heading to the Sacramento, California, Mile. It was an awesome weekend, and I’m very excited for the next round of AMA Pro Racing.

Ryan Wells (right) took the third step of the Pro Singles podium at Hagerstown, behind winner Gerit Callies (center) and Adam Bushman (left).

Special thanks to all my awesome sponsors: Weirbach Racing, General Engineering, Barnett, Spectro, DynoJet, K&N, Saddlemen, Superstores.com, White Lightning Retrievers, PMP Sprockets, Motion Pro, Spider Grips, Evans Coolant, Cheney Engineering, G2 Ergonomics, Works Connection, All Balls Racing, Firecoat Custom Powderworks, CP Pistons & Carrillo Rods, Webcams, Foudree’s Graphics, Sunoco, Pro Wheel, Durelle Racing, Supertrapp, TNT Honda, Pingel Products, Regina Chain, Factory Backing, Hinson, MotoBatt, Pit Posse, Jet-Hot, Bell Helmets, Cometic Gaskets, Pro Factory, Rekluse, and Chicken Hawk.

– Ryan Wells/94B, Weirbach Racing

Hagerstown Speedway
Hagerstown, Maryland
Results: July 7, 2012 (Round 6)

PRO SINGLES: 1. Gerit Callies (KTM); 2. Adam Bushman (Hon); 3. Ryan Wells (Hon); 4. Jason Isennock (Hon); 5. Stephen Vanderkuur (Hon).