DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 4, 2014) - No matter where your allegiances lie, or who your favorite rider may be, there’s no denying the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track season was one of the most exciting in recent memory.

Overall, six different riders stood atop the podium and three different manufacturers finished in the top five in GNC1 competition during the season. Three riders had a shot at the GNC1 title in the final race weekend of the year in Pomona.

But which race was the best? Which was most exciting?

Here are the contenders, in no particular order:

Sacramento Mile: This is one where the stats certainly don’t tell the story. Bryan Smith, officially, led 22 of 25 laps, but the Cal Expo played host to one of the most action-packed, edge-of-your-seat races of the year.

On any given lap, one of more than a half dozen bikes was getting at least a wheel in front. Smith was simply too good diving into turn 3 and coming out of turn 4 and too good at the draft to be beaten to the line. Officially, Jake Johnson, Henry Wiles and Jared Mees each also led a lap. Second place changed hands 12 times during the race.

The top four; Smith, Johnson, Mees and Brandon Robinson, were separated by .505 seconds, and the margin of victory was a scant .030. An electric crowd made it a magical night of racing.

Hagerstown Half-Mile: It was a picture-perfect July night in Maryland. The racing was fast and furious, and it looked like Kenny Coolbeth had the clay figured out.

But when a mechanical doomed the King of Cool’s chances, it became a battle between Bryan Smith and Jared Mees. Mees tried to get a run on Smith in the waning moments of the race, but had to settle for second, .832 seconds back. It was the first Half-Mile victory ever for a Kawasaki.

Lima Half-Mile: Another race you have to see to appreciate. Jared Mees won by 2.663 seconds over Smith, but that doesn’t tell the story at all.

Sammy Halbert was fast early, but bowed out with a mechanical issue. Smith took over with a healthy lead, but Mees wasn’t content to sit back. When he caught Smith, the two picked different lines, Mees entering the corners low and sliding high in front of Smith, while Smith started high and then got a run low out of the corner, usually taking the lead right back.

The two crisscrossed through the bumpy pea gravel for several laps before Mees stayed in front for good.

Virginia Mega Mile: The top three in points all started from the back line, and all three finished in the top five, so what’s not to love? Throw in the fact that Colonial Downs is a pea gravel track and picking your way through the field is that much more difficult, and the 2014 Mega Mile was as memorable as they come. Brad Baker kicking his motorcycle across the finish line in fourth is icing on the cake.

Springfield Mile II: Bryan Smith led 21 of the first 24 laps with Henry Wiles also leading three. But it was Kenny Coolbeth leading the lap that matters most – the final lap.
Coolbeth took the lead in turns 3 and 4 and held off a hard-charging Smith by just .010 seconds. The top six all crossed the line within a second of one another.

It was another example of what makes the Springfield Mile the crown jewel of the AMA Pro Flat Track season.

Calistoga Half-Mile: Everything changed in the blink of an eye in the heart of California’s wine country.

Brad Baker earned his first checkered flag of 2014, Jared Mees took the points lead and Bryan Smith was disqualified for failing to heed a black flag for his smoking bike. The GNC1 points battle came to Northern California looking completely different than how it left.

The 2014 Calistoga Half-Mile created storylines that will surely continue to be discussed and play out into 2015.

Leave us your thoughts in the comments! Which race was your favorite? One that didn’t make this short list?