Whether you’re a friend or foe, Jared Mees doesn’t care what you think about him. The eight-time American Flat Track SuperTwins Champion made that point abundantly clear in Indian Motorcycle’s latest YouTube video. That take-no-prisoners attitude has helped the 37-year-old racer amass an impressive collection of titles and AFT wins. He’ll need that all-in resolve to accomplish the greatest feat in his illustrious career – winning a record-tying ninth SuperTwins championship.
Only one AFT racer has achieved that lofty goal: the legendary Scotty Parker. Racing during Harley-Davidson's flat track heyday, Parker won nine top-class titles throughout his career. With his final championship coming in 1998, Parker’s record has stood for nearly 25 years. If Mees has his way, though, he would match Parker’s title count by year’s end. Of course, the Jammer will need to beat the competition before he can equal Parker in the record books.
Thus far, that goal has been easier said than done. At the first round of the 2023 American Flat Track season, number 1 struggled to keep pace with the leading riders. He managed to salvage two fourth-place finishes, but rising star Dallas Daniels asserted his dominance with back-to-back wins. Mees rallied in the second round, winning the race at Georgia’s Senoia Short Track.
Unfortunately, the Indian Motorcycle Factory rider’s luck didn’t hold up at the Arizona TT, where he finished in sixth place. After four rounds, Mees remains 21 points behind series leader Dallas Daniels and two points behind second-place rider JD Beach. The defending champion might be facing an uphill battle but he’s no stranger to late-season comebacks either.
In 2021, Mees stormed back to the front of the standings, foiling teammate Briar Bauman’s third consecutive championship. The eight-time champ stands to make up ground at the Dallas Half-Mile on April 22, 2023, but we fully expect Mees to challenge for the title, whether his friends or foes like it or not.
