The 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track season began Thursday evening at Daytona International Speedway during the iconic Daytona Bike Week.
The only Suzuki rider in a grid loaded with Honda machinery, Stevie Bonsey had that little extra needed to win the Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines class.
The #80 Suzuki RM-Z450 pilot won the GNC1 race, sponsored by Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson, by a mere 0.123 over the reigning champion, Montgomeryville Cycle Honda’s Jared Mees.
Bonsey and Mees battled bar-to-bar throughout the entire race, and even touched tires on a few occasions. But the 25-year-old Californian Bonsey was able to earn the win – his third in his career.
“I’m on top of the world right now,” said Bonsey. “It’s been a real struggle to get here but the hard work has finally paid off and I couldn’t be standing where I am right now without everyone that’s helped me along the way.
“It’s been a long deal to get ready for this season and it’s starting to pay off. I’m hungry now and these guys are tough. They are consistent at all … tracks and that’s what I’m trying to work on myself. I’m good on these short tracks but I need to work on my mile skills. Thank you to all the fans for coming out and supporting.”
Taking the final podium position was Kenneth Coolbeth on the No. 2 Zanotti Racing Honda. Rounding out the top five were Brandon Robinson (No. 44 T.J. Burnett Farms Honda) and Robert Pearson (No. 27 R&R Racing Yamaha), respectively.
Earlier in the night, Coolbeth beat out Pearson to win the Dash for Cash.
2015 Daytona GNC2 Results
It was only his second race, but 17-year-old Andrew Luker took the win after a dominated performance in the GNC2 class.
The No. 11Z Clayton Williams Racing Honda pilot got the holeshot and went on to lead every lap of the main event. He was joined on the GNC2 podium by No. 12Y Southland Racing Honda’s John Vanderlaan and No. 54A Bromley Brothers KTM’s Dan Bromley, respectively.
A star was born on Thursday night in AMA Pro Flat Track’s GNC2 class, as 17-year-old Andrew Luker got the holeshot on lap one of the main event and went flag-to-flag from there, earning his first GNC2 victory in just his second race ever competing in the series.
Luker began in second, but beat pole-sitter Bronson Bauman at turn one. From there, he was untouchable.
“It feels amazing to be on top of this podium,” said Luker. “I tried to get a good start from the outside and I was able to do that. I just put my head down once I got the lead and just kept charging. I have to thank my sponsors and my mom and dad, they are always working on the bikes and getting them better. I want to also say a special thanks to my great grandmother who is watching right now.”
The AMA Pro Flat Track remains in Daytona for round two, which gets underway at 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. PT) Friday. Fans can watch the action live at FansChoice.tv.
2015 Daytona Flat Track I Results, GNC1:
| Pos | No. | Rider(s) | Sponsor | Bike | Interval | Gap | Best Lap | Points |
| 1 | 80 | Stevie Bonsey | Dodge Bros,Suzuki,Alpinestars,Motion… | Suzuki RMZ 450 | 25 Laps | WINNER | 0:17.676 | 0 |
| 2 | 1 | Jared Mees | Montgomeryville CC,Rogers Racing,SDI,National… | Honda CRF450R | 0.123 | 0.123 | 0:17.709 | 0 |
| 3 | 2 | Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. | Zanotti Racing, Gator Harley-Davidson, Chaplin… | Honda CRF450R | 0.314 | 0.191 | 0:17.547 | 1 |
| 4 | 44 | Brandon Robinson | TJ Burnett Farms,John Y Racing,Armbruster… | Honda CRF450R | 2.473 | 2.158 | 0:17.808 | |
| 5 | 27 | Robert Pearson | R&R Racing,Country Saloon,PMC,Water’s… | Yamaha YZ 450F | 2.897 | 0.423 | 0:17.682 | 0 |
| 6 | 7 | Sammy Halbert | Fredericktown Yamaha,Vans Yamaha,Kibblewhite,Lucas… | Yamaha YZ 450F | 3.025 | 0.128 | 0:17.638 | |
| 7 | 5 | Jake Johnson | Hart Racing, Wiseco,Klotz,Hot Shot… | Kawasaki KX450F | 3.569 | 0.543 | 0:17.703 | |
| 8 | 14 | Briar Bauman | Hart Racing,Rod Lake Racing,Specialty Fab… | Honda CRF450R | 4.098 | 0.529 | 0:17.706 | 0 |
| 9 | 73 | Doug Lawrence | Doug Lawrence Racing,John Briggs Motorsports.Town… | Honda CRF450R | 4.290 | 0.192 | 0:17.785 | |
| 10 | 55 | Jake Shoemaker | Greg A. Vietri,Bonneville Perf.,Castrol… | Honda CRF450R | 4.564 | 0.273 | 0:17.619 | |
| 11 | 95 | JD Beach | Van’s Yamaha,Victory Circle… | Yamaha YZ 450F | 4.813 | 0.249 | 0:17.767 | |
| 12 | 6 | Brad Baker | The Brothers Powersports,Boughner Racing… | Honda CRF450R | 5.386 | 0.573 | 0:17.805 | |
| 13 | 54 | Mike Rush | Cascio-Rush Racing,Chisum Racing,Competitive Sheet… | Honda CRF450R | 5.655 | 0.268 | 0:17.772 | |
| 14 | 17F | Jarod Vanderkooi | Dons Kawasaki,DPC Racing,Woody Kyle Racing,Daves… | Honda CRF450R | 5.758 | 0.103 | 0:17.787 | 0 |
| 15 | 49 | Chad Cose | ERT,Rod Lake,Nazzissi Racing,Bell,Rase,Myers… | Honda CRF450R | 5.940 | 0.182 | 0:17.736 | |
| 16 | 42 | Bryan Smith | Oasis Homes,Crosley Radio,Ideal… | Honda CRF450R | 7.120 | 1.179 | 0:17.527 | |
| 17 | 87 | Michael Kirkness | Goken Racing,Chip Chisim Racing,AXO,Ipone Oil,X… | Honda CRF450R | 8.711 | 1.591 | 0:17.716 | |
| 18 | 11 | Scott Baker | The Brothers Powersports,FLY Racing,H&A… | Honda CRF450R | 9.808 | 1.097 | 0:17.815 | |
| 19 | 12 | Jay Maloney | MRT,Avila Racing,JMC,Answer,100%,Vortex,Forma… | Honda CRF450R | 10.322 | 0.513 | 0:17.731 |
2015 Daytona Flat Track I Results, GNC2:
| Pos | No. | Rider(s) | Sponsor | Bike | Interval | Gap | Best Lap | Points |
| 1 | 11Z | Andrew Luker | Clayton Williams Racing,Southland Racing,Cool… | Honda CRF450R | 16 Laps | WINNER | 0:17.543 | |
| 2 | 12Y | John Vanderlaan | Southland Racing,Enerlon,Knight… | Honda CRF450R | 1.218 | 1.218 | 0:17.667 | |
| 3 | 54A | Dan Bromley | Bromley Brothers KTM Racing,KTM North… | KTM 450 SX-F | 3.392 | 2.173 | 0:17.652 | |
| 4 | 44E | Nick Armstrong | Southland Racing,Race Tech Suspension,Gand G… | Honda CRF450R | 3.914 | 0.522 | 0:17.879 | |
| 5 | 19B | Justin Jones | RLJ Racing,Elder Trucking, Motorcycle Superstore,… | Honda CRF450R | 4.501 | 0.587 | 0:17.812 | |
| 6 | 27U | Jamison Minor | Fat Guys Racing,Roy Built,Upriteracing.com, Moose… | Honda CRF450R | 5.207 | 0.705 | 0:17.931 | |
| 7 | 14A | Dalton Gauthier | Scott Powersports,Arai,X Brand Lights,Deft… | Yamaha YZ 450F | 5.296 | 0.088 | 0:17.726 | |
| 8 | 69C | Hayden Gillim | Kawasaki KX450F | 6.751 | 1.455 | 0:17.979 | ||
| 9 | 24J | Brandon Wilhelm | Wilhelm Racing,Mike Butler Racing,Dons… | Honda CRF450R | 6.898 | 0.147 | 0:17.917 | |
| 10 | 54Z | Michael Inderbitzin | Pacific Tub & Tile,Dirk Stanley,Dean… | Honda CRF450R | 7.426 | 0.528 | 0:17.933 | |
| 11 | 76L | Gerit Callies | EBC Brakes,Team Associated,Motion Pro,K&N… | Honda CRF450R | 8.475 | 1.048 | 0:18.083 | 8 |
| 12 | 24F | J.R. Addison | Parkinson Brothers Racing,Bell Helmets,Motorcycle… | Honda CRF450R | 9.218 | 0.743 | 0:17.944 | 7 |
| 13 | 67M | Davis Fisher | Parkinson Brothers Racing,Bob Lanphere Beaverton… | Honda CRF450R | 10.581 | 1.363 | 0:17.946 | 6 |
| 14 | 23Z | James Monaco | Pacific Coast Pools,Intents Racing,Rod Lake,Motion… | Honda CRF450R | 11.051 | 0.469 | 0:18.016 | 5 |
| 15 | 20J | Ben Lowe | Lowe Life Performance,Rekluse Clutch,Bruce Lowe… | Honda CRF450R | 11.276 | 0.224 | 0:17.903 | 4 |
| 16 | 16M | Austin Helmholz | Walrath Trucking, Bob Lanphere’s Beaverton Honda,… | Honda CRF450R | 11.671 | 0.395 | 0:17.914 | 3 |
| 17 | 30Z | Bronson Bauman | RGR, Rod Lake Racing, Hart Racing, Arai, Wps,… | Honda CRF450R | 14 Laps | 2 Laps | 0:17.814 | 2 |
| 18 | 23F | Jeffery Lowery | Gray Hogs,Englehart Racing,Winnders… | Honda CRF450R | 11 Laps | 3 Laps | 0:17.893 | 1 |
[…] 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track season began Thursday at Daytona International Speedway, and three-time AMA Grand National Champion Kenny Coolbeth Jr. […]