Which riders have the best chance to win this weekend's Springfield Mile motorcycle races?

The American Flat Track quadruple header is in town at the Illinois State Fairgrounds for the Labor Day weekend in Springfield.

The short track doubleheader was Friday at the arena, while the more powerful bikes take on the Springfield Mile on Saturday and Sunday. Each day, gates open at 9 a.m., opening ceremonies are set for 1:10 p.m. and the feature races are slated for 4:10 p.m. 

American Flat Track at the Springfield Mile

But which riders stand the best chance of scoring the highest spot on the podium this weekend? The State Journal-Register takes a look (in no particular order).  

Jared Mees 

Mees has won five times at the Springfield Mile, including the second of last year’s Labor Day weekend doubleheader on June 6 atop his Indian FTR750 bike. Mees, of Sebastian, Florida, proposed to Nichole Cheza — herself a professional motorcycle racer — at the dirt track in 2012. The two were married here the following year. Mees finished second in the Springfield Mile I race on Sept. 5, 2020 and swept both races in 2019. 

Jared Mees:Mees by inches at the Mile

Sammy Halbert Jr.  

Halbert, of Graham, Washington, drove to victory for the first time in the Springfield Mile I race after making the podium for other time in runner-up and third-place finishes since 2006. He’s always been a threat to win here. Now confident he can win, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he took the checkered flag in either — or both races — this season on his Indiana FTR750 ride. 

Sammy Halbert Jr.:Sammy Halbert gets his Springfield Mile breakthrough

Bryan Smith 

Though Smith hasn’t won here since 2018, the nine-time Springfield Mile winner has won more here than any active rider. But Smith, of Swartz Creek, Michigan, has announced his retirement after this season and has ridden just once this season.

Briar Bauman

The reigning two-time American Flat Track SuperTwins points champion turned the fastest lap in the Springfield Mile II race but finished third. He has one second-place finish and two thirds at Springfield. Bauman, of Salinas, California, currently leads Mees by 25 points with five races remaining.  

Jeffrey Carver, Jr. 

In 2018, the Godfrey native became the first Illinois winner at the Springfield Mile since 1996. He finished third here in the 2020 Springfield Mile I before an 11th-place finish the following day. In total at Springfield, he has one win, one runner-up and two third-place finishes.