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WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

Team Mees 2022, gathered in victory (and likely coated with champagne) after the AFT double-header finale at Volusia. Below: AFT Production Twins champion Jesse Janisch with AMA Director of Racing Mike Pelletier (middle), and AFT Singles champ Kody Kopp with the AMA’s Joe Bromley.

Jared Mees grabs 2022 GNC title, with Jesse Janisch and Kody Kopp capturing their first each in AFT Production Twins and AFT Singles

It took until the final weekend of the American Flat Track season, but two of its three series champions were crowned on the back half of a Half-Mile doubleheader at Volusia Speedway Park on Oct. 14-15 in Barberville, Fla. — Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance’s Jared Mees, who captured yet another Grand National Championship title, and Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s Jesse Janisch, who won his first.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Kody Kopp wrapped up his first AFT Singles title at round 15 at the Cedar Lake Short Track in New Richmond, Wis., on Sept. 24.

After outclassing his title rivals with a second overall in Friday’s Half-Mile event at Volusia (with Jared Vanderkooi winning his first-ever Grand National Main event), Mees had only to qualify for and finish Saturday’s Main to secure his seventh GNC title… though he narrowly escaped disaster after pulling off what many observers called the “save of the year” en route to a Semi victory.

He chose to make it interesting in the Main, as well, mixing it up with the likes of a very speedy Indian FTR-mounted Vanderkooi and teen phenom Dallas Daniels on the Estenson Racing Yamaha to finish third.

“They are all sweet, they are all awesome, and they are all a lot of hard work,” Mees quipped afterward.

Janisch took the opposite route to the AFT Production Twins title, cruising home to eighth in the Main to secure his first-ever AFT championship.

“Shout out to the Vance & Hines team,” Janisch said afterward. “Everything about this is from them. They gave me a heck of an opportunity this year. We had a great season – seven wins and 14 podiums. This is good!” —Mitch Boehm