Most memorable GNC1 moments of 2014: No. 2 - Bryan Smith locks down historic Hagerstown Half-Mile win
Note: We will be counting down the top five most memorable moments in 2014 from the GNC1 ranks each day this week. This is No. 2.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 20, 2014) – Incredibly enough, for the first time in AMA Pro Flat Track history, fans witnessed a rider mounted on a Kawasaki manufactured motorcycle earn a Half-Mile main event victory. The historic moment occurred last July when Bryan Smith put his Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio Kawasaki EX650 across the finish line first at the 33rd annual Hagerstown Half-Mile in Hagerstown, Md.
Smith brushed off a charging Jared Mees for the majority of the race, as the two duked it out on just about every inch of the track. Smith’s win marked the first time since 1996 that a rider aboard a motorcycle other than a Harley-Davidson finished atop the podium at Hagerstown, and the first time ever that a Kawasaki won a half-mile event anywhere.
Prior to 2014, Smith was primarily known for being a force on mile-long circuits, as he hasn't been as consistent on the shorter courses. That all changed when Smith went four-for-five in podiums on the Half-Mile tracks last season, including an impressive win at Pomona to cap off a tremendous season of racing for the Flint, Mich. product.
Fans can expect Smith, who finished second in the GNC1 point standings in 2014, to remain very competitive on half-mile tracks next year. His Hagerstown effort earned him the No. 2 spot on our countdown for most memorable GNC1 moments of the 2014 season.
Upcoming Broadcast
Latest news
PARTNERS
