Estenson Racing’s Jake Johnson, Kolby Carlile, and the newest addition – Roger Hayden – are eager to line up at the Red Mile, Saturday, June 1, in Lexington, Kentucky. Mother Nature has rained on this season’s Mile-racing parade so far, adding a fever pitch to the anticipation of breaking out the all-new Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT on a fast track.
Johnson, who scored the first AFT Twins win for the team last season at the Buffalo Chip TT, is hungry to get a victory this season on the Yamaha. While the new dirt tracker is in the early stages of development, the two-time Grand National Champion and the rest of the team can’t wait to see how it goes on the Mile.
As for Hayden, the Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT is pretty much all-new to him. The former Supersport Champion with dirt track roots joins the team to fill-in for JD Beach during the MotoAmerica schedule conflict. Hayden is looking forward to his big return to American Flat Track racing and on such an important weekend, his first National in his home state of Kentucky and with his parents there as the Grand Marshals of the event.
The Red Mile already has special memories for Kolby Carlile, who is leading the charge for the team in the Production Twins class. Last year, the 2017 AFT Singles Champion took an emotional win at the Lexington, Kentucky venue, after the loss of his puppy Jax a few days earlier, taking the victory in spectacular fashion by .012 of a second. Coming off a leg injury suffered at the Super TT, Carlile has had an extra week to continue his recovery and is ready to get back to his campaign for the title.
Jake Johnson – AFT Twins #5:
“I guess we’ll try this again! The weather has not been our friend this month. Hopefully we will finally get to race the first Mile of the year in Lexington this weekend. I’m hearing that the track has been resurfaced for this year, so I’m excited to see how it all unfolds. The track has been pretty dry and one-lined the past few seasons so hopefully the new surface creates more lines and some better racing.”
Roger Hayden – AFT Twins #95:
“I don’t have a lot of pressure going into the race, being the first one [American Flat Track] in a while, but I’m still a racer, so I want to have the best result possible. The field [AFT Twins] is really competitive. I’m happy to be riding with a good team and hoping to have a good first race.
“It’s just going to be really cool. I know that our brother, Nicky, will be looking down smiling that the family is at a flat track together — our parents are the Grand Marshals, one brother racing and the other one being a team manager, and in Kentucky. The story can’t get much cooler than that. I think he’ll be looking down and he’ll be proud and cheering us on. I’m looking forward to it.”
Kolby Carlile – AFT Twins #136:
“I was able to get another week of therapy at EVO UltraFit and they have been able to keep working miracles on helping me achieve my goal to get back on the track. They had me ready for Springfield, but unfortunately the rain held us back there. So we are ready for this weekend in Kentucky coming off of a great win there last year on the YZ450F in the Singles class.
“I enjoy these Miles, and I know my team has a great machine for me to race this weekend. I have deeply enjoyed working with my new crew chief Brandan Bergen. With his past experience and my ability to feel the motorcycle on track, we are able to communicate well. I’m looking to jumpstart my championship hunt for this Production Twins class, and start knocking down wins like I know we are capable of.”