27.06.2021

MAX WHALE SECURES A RUNNER-UP FINISH AT LIMA HALF-MILE

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Round 7 - American Flat Track Championship
LIMA, Ohio – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Max Whale continues to hit his stride halfway through the 2021 American Flat Track Championship as the series reached its mid-way point with Round 7 on Saturday. With a solid runner-up finish at the Lima Half-Mile, the Australian rider inserted himself into the AFT Singles championship fight as the new co-points-leader in the highly-competitive class.
 
Whale proved to be strong all day aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, where he claimed second overall in the day’s qualifying. Lining up front row in AFT Singles Semi 2, he got off to a second-place start and worked his way into the lead by lap three. He diced back-and-forth through the final laps to ultimately reclaim the lead on the final lap and bring it in for the semi win. 
 
In the Main Event, Whale grabbed another second place start but he got shuffled back to third on the opening lap. Racing in third for the first five laps, he eventually got into his groove and made a pass for second early on, maintaining that spot for the remainder of the race. He put on a late charge to close the gap on the leader with about five laps to go but a couple of mistakes late in the race took away his chances to get into the lead. With a hard-charging performance, Whale made his third podium appearance of the season in Ohio.
 
Whale: “We sat on pole for the Main Event and I felt really good. I had a rough couple laps there at first and I let the leader get away from me but I put some really good times in mid-way through. Towards the end, I caught the leader but I just didn’t quite have enough for the win and I ended up second. I’m super pumped with how the day went, we were fast all day long and consistent. To come away from Lima with some solid points is huge and I’m really happy to get onto DuQuoin in a couple weeks.” 
 
It was a challenging day for Shayna Texter-Bauman, who found herself searching all throughout the day. She qualified 14th early on, where she lined up on the second row in AFT Singles Semi 2. She got off to an eighth-place start in the semi, where she battled her way to a seventh-place transfer finish. In the Main Event, Shayna found herself at the back of pack off the start but she put her head down and fought through the 20-lap race to ultimately secure 15th on the night.
 
Texter-Bauman: “Overall, it was a frustrating weekend. There’s not really a whole lot to talk about on these cushion tracks, which is super unfortunate because I’ve done so well here in the past. DuQuoin is the next one on our schedule and usually we do well on clay miles, so we’re hoping to rebound a little bit, regroup and move back towards the front where we belong.”
 
Next Race: DuQuoin Mile – DuQuoin, Illinois – July 17, 2021
 
AFT Singles Main Event – Lima Half-Mile
 
1. Henry Wiles, Honda
2. Max Whale – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
3. Morgen Mischler, KTM
OTHER KTM
9. James Ott, KTM
11. Aiden RoosEvans, KTM
14. Hunter Bauer, KTM
15. Shayna Texter-Bauman – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
 
AFT Singles Point Standings (After Round 7)
 
1. Max Whale – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 126 points
2. Dallas Daniels, 126
3. Michael Rush, 109
4. Henry Wiles, 108
5. Morgen Mischler, 91
6. Shayna Texter-Bauman – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 79
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Red Bull KTM Factory Racing - Max Whale
2 048 x 1 365 © AMA Pro Racing
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing - Max Whale Podium
2 048 x 1 365 © AMA Pro Racing
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing - Shayna Texter-Bauman
2 048 x 1 365 © AMA Pro Racing
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing - Shayna Texter-Bauman
2 048 x 1 365 © AMA Pro Racing

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