AFT-Releases

America Flat Track Results.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 8, 2024) – Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof SystemsIndian FTR750) successfully defended his adopted home turf to reign in Friday’s Mission SuperTwins Main Event to conclude a hugely entertaining Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA II at the Daytona International Speedway Short Track.
Robinson had to overcome potential Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, history in order to do so, forced to chase down an in-form Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Dodge Bros. Racing/Castrol Harley-Davidson XR750) to get the win. Halbert actually led the opening six-and-a-half minutes of the Main Event after earlier winning his heat race and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge a full 53 years, 10 months, and five days after Mert Lawwill took the iconic Harley-Davidson XR750 to its maiden win at the Cumberland Half-Mile.
Following an extended pursuit, the Mission Roof Systems pilot finally dove up the inside of Dodge Bros.-backed Halbert, who then was thrown out of his saddle after encountering a bump while off his usual line. Undeterred, Halbert nearly clawed his way back within striking distance before at last conceding the race to Robinson in its final minute.
The victory was the fourth of Robinson’s career at the DAYTONA Short Track, moving him equal with Friday adversary Halbert for most all-time at the event. Afterward, Robinson, who originally hails from Pennsylvania but now resides just fifteen minutes from the World Center of Racing, unsurprisingly professed his affection for the track.
He said, “This feels amazing. It feels like forever since I’ve won a race. Going winless last year really (made me angry) to be honest. I came to the Main with a chip on my shoulder. I love this place. I love Daytona. Something about this dirt – it’s the greatest dirt in the world as far as I’m concerned… This is a dream ending to the week.”
Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), himself the winner of the three prior premier-class showdowns at the venue, battled with Robinson and hunted Halbert over the Main’s opening half before falling into the clutches of the resurgent Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke).
The two then traded third multiple times – a melee complete with crisscrossing lines and squared-up counters – before Daniels laid claim on the spot for good. He finished a little more than a second ahead of Bauman with reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) not far behind in fifth.
Sixth went to Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) a short distance ahead of Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750) in seventh.
Premier-class rookies Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing KTM 790 Duke) and Max Whale (No. 18 Latus Motors Racing/Liqui Moly Harley-Davidson XG750R) finished eighth and tenth, respectively, with Thursday runner-up Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) sandwiched in between.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) rebounded from his Thursday disappointment to claim a dominating win in Friday’s Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER rematch.
The young Australian ripped out to the holeshot in the restart that followed an early red flag and immediately stretched out a second-plus advantage at the front. Meanwhile, triple Daytona ST winner and double defending class champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) moved up from third into second after working past impressive sophomore Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Hannum’s Harley-Davidson KTM 450 SX-F) with five of the race’s scheduled six minutes still on the clock.
With clear air in front of him and plenty of time to work with, Kopp’s attempts to close the gap saw him make minor inroads on Drane’s advantage for a spell. But despite the determined effort, the Yamaha ace’s speed and consistency ultimately won out to the tune of a 1.951-second margin of victory at the checkered flag.
The victory was Drane’s first in the Short Track discipline, after previously winning three Miles and a Half-Mile. He said, “This means so much to finally get a Short Track win. I’d struggled a lot with these, but I just kept working and chipping away. I put all that effort in to try to become good (at them) so I can fight for the title this year.”
Eisenhard kept his head down in search of a maiden Progressive AFT podium and very nearly pulled it off. However, he was swallowed up and then pushed aside in rapid succession by a pair of the category’s established stars, Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) with just 30 seconds still on the clock.
Gauthier then fended off Saathoff to secure his second podium of the young ’24 season. Despite losing out on his podium bid, Eisenhard did hold on to finish inside the top five even with Justin Jones (No. 91 J&H Racing Husqvarna FC 450), Aiden RoosEvans (No. 26 FRA Trust/ATV’s and More Yamaha YZ450F), and James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) running just behind in close formation.
Heralded rookie Evan Renshaw (No. 265 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) finished ninth, one spot in front of his charging Turner Honda teammate, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), whose early-race crash prompted the aforementioned red flag.
In the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race Main, Kenzie Luker (No. 17 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited) edged Thursday winner Taia Little (No. 11 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited) by 0.275 seconds for the Friday victory.
Next Up:
The 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season will resume on Saturday, March 23, with the Yamaha Senoia Short Track at Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia. To secure your tickets today, please visit https://www.americanflattrack.com/events/2024/view/senoia-short-track-2024.
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at http://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage of the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, March 16, at 9:30 a.m. ET (6:30 a.m. PT), while the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA II will air the following day, Sunday, March 17, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT).
For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 7, 2024) – The opening Mission SuperTwins victory of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, season went to Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) in a Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I that contained far more drama than Daniels’ final 3.769-second margin of victory would seem to indicate.
For much of the night – including the opening half of the Main Event – the fans that packed the Daytona International Speedway Flat Track grandstands thought they just might just witness Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Dodge Bros. Racing/Castrol Harley-Davidson XR750) give the iconic Harley-Davidson XR750 its 503rd Grand National Championship race win more than five decades after its first.
In fact, Halbert topped a session in both practice and qualifying, won his heat race, and then proved victorious in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge aboard the venerable machine. He followed that up by grabbing the holeshot in the Main Event and then stretching open more than a second’s worth of padding at the front.
That advantage was further aided by the stiff fight Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) provided all comers while running second despite the likes of Daniels, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) all seeking a way through.
Daniels finally managed to make a pass that stuck a little over six minutes remaining on the clock and immediately went about eating up the gap to Halbert. However, what promised to be a thrilling dogfight for victory was spoiled when Halbert’s machine began to smoke heavily with half of the race still remaining.
The Estenson Racing Yamaha ace dove through to steal away first. Moments later, the black flag was (first) shown to Halbert, who continued to push for several laps before finally heeding the instruction.
Halbert’s misfortune saw Price move back up into second with Bauman third, while Daniels weaved his way through traffic out front en route to victory.
After the contest, Daniels – who will now look to equal last year’s season-opening double victory at the venue – said, “This track was so technical. It was nothing like last year where you could just kinda go in and get it on. What a ride for the team. We kind of struggled all day, and I was just chipping away. I started catching up to Sammy, and he started to blow up and coolant was getting in my face. (Once in front), I started looking back a lot. For some reason I got nervous, but the last five laps, I really buckled down and those were my fastest laps of the race.
“After Springfield, we left a little bitter. It didn’t feel good. That whole offseason we worked hard. To get three in a row at Daytona feels good. That Main Event, I had so much fun plugging away. I would prefer to get the holeshot and be out front but being able to come through and dig my way to the front felt good.”
Price held on for a most welcome runner-up finish in his all-new team’s maiden outing, while Robinson moved through on a fading Bauman to earn the final spot on the podium.
In fact, Bauman’s tumble down the order wouldn’t end there, as he was also displaced by Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), nine-time Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750), and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750) before finishing seventh in the end.
Cameron Smith (No. 34 RVR/KTM/Schaefer’s Motorsport KTM 790 Duke) picked up eighth, one spot ahead of Dan Bromley (No. 62 Big Red Super Twins/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Transalp), who took ninth in the new Honda-powered effort’s debut. Mission SuperTwins rookie Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing KTM 790 Duke) completed the top ten.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Double defending Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) opened his quest for an unprecedented third class crown in near-perfect fashion, walking away with the Main Event after earlier winning both his heat and the Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Challenge.
It was a fine way to not just start his title defense but also an all-new partnership after joining the Rick Ware Racing outfit just days prior to the opener.
While Kopp claimed the checkered flag running alone in the end, it wasn’t quite that simple in the doing. Despite grabbing the holeshot, he was actually overhauled by former class champ Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) before completing the first lap.
Gauthier then pulled some space at the front while Kopp had his hands full with projected title rivals Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R).
But Kopp found his groove at mid-distance, putting in a charge that allowed him to reclaim the lead and power forward to secure the victory by 1.502 seconds over Gauthier.
“We just kept our heads on straight the whole offseason,” said Kopp. “I love this track, and I love Daytona. Huge shout out to Rick Ware for coming on the program a little over a week ago. We pulled it together, and we got a win tonight. Wally Brown built one heck of a KTM 450 – arguably even better than the factory bikes I might say.”
Meanwhile, the final spot on the box went to neither Drane – who crashed on the last lap and was ultimately credited in 15th – nor Saathoff. Rather it was Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), who finished third by battling his way back through the pack after being pushed wide and well down the order in the early stages of the Main.
Saathoff finished fourth another 0.309 seconds back with Justin Jones (No. 91 J&H Racing Husqvarna FC 450) rounding out the top five.
Tyler Raggio (No. 55 Raggio Racing/Sluggo Racing KTM 450 SX-F), James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions/Media HT Husqvarna FC450), Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/A.M Ortega KTM 450 SX-F), Jared Lowe (No. 63 BigR/Little Debbie Racing Honda CRF450R), and Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Hannum’s Harley-Davidson KTM 450 SX-F) finished sixth through tenth, respectively.
Earlier in the evening, Taia Little (No. 11 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited) kicked off the Main Event program by winning the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. season opener in runaway fashion.
Next Up:
The world's premier dirt track motorcycle racing series will return to action tomorrow night with the second half of the double opener, the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA II. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/daytona-short-track-ii-86992 to secure your tickets now.
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at http://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage of the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, March 16, at 9:30 a.m. ET (6:30 a.m. PT), while the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA II will air the following day, Sunday, March 17, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 3, 2023) – Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) strengthened his case for consideration as the greatest rider in the history of Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, securing a third consecutive Grand National Championship in Sunday’s season-ending Mission Springfield Mile II presented by Drag Specialties at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois.
Mees’ hopes of ending his spectacular 2023 atop the podium were foiled, however, by two-time Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champ Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke), who edged his great rival to the season’s final checkered flag by 0.075 seconds.
Bauman and Mees slipped free first from title challenger Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and then Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) to settle into a two-rider duel for the contest’s second half. The back-and-forth affair remained in question right up to that last charge to the stripe where Bauman earned his first-career Springfield Mile victory and Mees added to his legend. While the season belonged to Mees, Bauman’s stunning finale served as an enticing sneak preview of what could be in store for the series in 2024.
Bauman said, “The team had a never-quit attitude. It’s always different when you’re in a position to wrap up a championship, which Jared was, so he might have been doing things a little bit different, but nonetheless, it’s a win to me. Life has been a little bit different recently. We lost my mom eight months ago and she hasn’t missed a race in five years. Lima kind of snuck up on me – I was surprised we won – but today when I came across the checkered flag, the emotions rolled out of me.”
Despite having been pit up against multiple generations of dirt track titans over the past two decades – from Chris Carr to Kenny Coolbeth to Jake Johnson to Brad Baker to Bryan Smith to Bauman and now Daniels – Mees has stacked up a résumé that stands alongside any previously assembled in the 70-year history of the championship. The factory Indian superstar now boasts an incredible nine Grand National Championships (2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023), equaling the great Scott Parker for most all time.
Mees said, “It’s what you wake up for every day. It’s what you train for. Hats off to Scottie Parker – that’s the guy that keeps me going. He kept me going year after year, race after race. He’s still the best in my book, and it’s an honor to match something that he did.
“So many people contributed to this. I’m a little lost for words for once. I had a really good feeling we were going to get it – we were really fast all weekend long. I wanted to try to win that last one. But I went into that last lap and when Briar ran up underneath me, I was like, ‘Dude, I’m bringing it home.’ I just followed him right off the corner and he brought me to the line, and that was good enough for me. We’re going to let this one soak in.”
Some five seconds back, Daniels tracked down Robinson while simultaneously being reeled in by JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750). From there a four-rider fight for third was waged to the end.
The same way a tenth victory would have been a fitting conclusion to Mees’ season, a 16th podium would have been a natural way to end Daniels’ remarkable sophomore campaign. Of course, the racing gods aren’t often supporters of such contrivances, and thus Fisher earned the last step on the podium by 0.024 seconds ahead of Daniels with Robinson and Beach just behind in fifth and sixth, respectively.
Fisher’s second top three of the season allowed him to secure a spot in the championship top five (257) behind Mees (388), Daniels (372), Beach (301), and Bauman (299), and end the year as the top independent Indian.
Daniels, meanwhile, completes 2023 with a five-win, 15-podium runner-up season and now armed with plenty of motivation and hard-earned experience heading into 2024.
Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke) finished seventh on Sunday, with Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750), Henry Wiles (No. 17 BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750), and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) completing the finale top ten.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Even though Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) locked up a repeat Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER crown a day early, the class did not lack for drama in its final outing of the year.
Nine riders ran in contention for victory for the full ten laps and two minutes of the epic finale, running five wide and swapping positions all the while.
As unpredictable as it was, throughout it all the top three positions were dominated by the usual suspects: Kopp, Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R).
Drane took the white flag in the lead with Kopp on his rear wheel. But before any Saturday flashbacks could fully materialize, Saathoff blew past Kopp and dove under his Aussie rival entering Turn 3 for the final time.
The Honda ace leapt out of Turn 4 with his maiden victory in his sights, but his ascension to Progressive AFT winner status was cruelly delayed once again when Drane powered ahead to steal the win at the line by 0.043 seconds.
The victory was Drane’s fourth of the season and more than enough to leapfrog his teammate and Sunday fourth-place finisher Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) for second position in the final standings.
Drane said, “This means a lot to do it here, at Springfield, with some Aussie fans out there. My career pretty much started at this track. I can’t thank my whole team enough for all their effort to get us here.”
The near miss was Saathoff’s ninth podium of the season and his sixth runner-up. Meanwhile, two-time champion Kopp finished third to round out his incredible eight-win season with an 11th podium.
Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Declan Bender (No. 216 Killer Bee Racing/Luczak Racing KTM 450 SX-F), and James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) finished fractions of a second back in fifth through eighth, respectively.
Kopp’s teammate, Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), crossed the stripe as the final rider in the lead pack, registering a ninth-place result despite finishing only 0.637 seconds off the victory. The result was still stout enough to hold onto a championship top-five ranking, however, with an ultimate class order of Kopp (351), Drane (310), Brunner (305), Saathoff (291), and Whale (266).

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 2, 2023) – Reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) took a huge step toward yet another premier-class crown with a triumphant performance in the Mission Springfield Mile I presented by Drag Specialties.
While fans of Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, flocked to the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois, in anticipation of a showdown for Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle supremacy featuring Mees and challenger Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), Saturday’s contest instead delivered a flashback to Grand National Championships past.
As it was, Mees was pushed to the checkered flag by long-time rival Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke) after the two shook free from a six-rider pack to decide the race between them. The factory Indian star dug in with two laps remaining and ripped open a late 0.340-second margin as he moved that much closer to completing another successful title defense.
Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) finished third after coming on strong in the early going, running around the outside of Daniels, JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), Bauman, and Mees in quick succession to briefly claim the lead three minutes into the race.
Robinson then ran in close formation with Mees and Bauman before fading to a distant third over the final five minutes, ultimately surviving a last-gasp assault from Beach to claim final place on the podium.
Meanwhile, for the first – and least opportune – time this season, Daniels simply lacked podium pace. He did what he could to cling on to the lead group but was dropped from contention by the race’s halfway point. From there forward, it became all about damage limitation, which he managed by fending off Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) for fifth position.
Even so, what had been a one-point championship deficit is now 11 (367-356). As Mees holds the tiebreaker, that means even if Daniels turns his fortunes around overnight and wins on Sunday, Mees needs only finish sixth or better to add yet another championship trophy to his already expansive collection.
While nothing is guaranteed, that seems like a relatively modest task for the winner of six of the last Springfield Miles.
After claiming his ninth victory of the year, Mees said, “It was the most technical Springfield Mile I’ve ever raced. There wasn’t much grip out there, and you really had to let the motorcycle hook up. If you got just a little bit excited you buzzed it up. Honestly, it’s probably the very first Springfield Mile that you were better off leading the race because you could be timid, and if the guy behind you wanted to wick it up, it would spin up.
“I’ve got a phenomenal team, and we’re working really hard to get this thing done… It feels really good, but there’s one more tomorrow. Anything can happen, and we’ve got to bring it.”
Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750) finished seventh just ahead of KTM-mounted Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Wally Brown Racing/JMC Motorsports KTM 790 Duke), while Henry Wiles (No. 17 BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750) and Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) completed the top ten.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) had every opportunity to cruise around to a safe fifth, which is all he needed to do to successfully defend his Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER title. Instead, he orchestrated a breathtaking 0.010-second victory to lock down the #1 plate for the second consecutive year in supreme style.
Kopp ran third for much of the race, tucked in close behind a back-and-forth dogfight waged by fellow prodigies Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R).
The reigning champ began to slot into second here and there as the minutes ticked away. With two minutes to go, the race bunched up to a six-rider affair as second-ranked Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), rookie ace Declan Bender (No. 216 Killer Bee Racing/Luczak Racing KTM 450 SX-F), and veteran pilot Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) all closed to within striking distance.
But even in close quarters, the battle for victory still looked to be decided between Drane and Saathoff. Drane led to open the final lap, Saathoff powered by as they navigated Turn 2, and Drane dove back into the lead entering 3. But right there was Kopp in the shadow of the Australian, perfectly positioned to pounce as they sprinted to the line.
Kopp pulled out of the draft and nudged ahead by inches at the last possible moment. The 0.01-second victory saw the factory Red Bull KTM star simultaneously become just the category’s second two-time champion, earn his first-career Mile triumph, and match Dallas Daniels’ class single-season victory record with his eighth win on the year.
“I don’t even know what to say,” said Kopp. “It’s no secret that the KTM team was struggling on the Miles this year, but we’ve got some guys in our corner that don’t give up. The guys on the team want to win as badly as I do, and they built us a heck of a runner this weekend. Second championship… I’m speechless. It’s insane.”
Drane came away with his ninth podium in his last 11 attempts in second, while Saathoff will carry his pursuit of a maiden victory over to Sunday after finishing third, just 0.092 seconds off the Saturday win.
Brunner and Mischler rounded out the top five, finishing just ahead of Bender, who made a huge push for Rookie of the Year honors by finishing sixth, less than seven-tenths back of Kopp in first.
While Kopp has now clinched the crown with 333 points, the fight for second is yet to be decided. Brunner stands a mere four points ahead of his Estenson Racing teammate Drane (289-285) for the honor, while Saathoff holds an outside shot himself at 270.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 12, 2023) – Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) closed the 2023 Grand National Championship battle to a single point with a clutch victory in Saturday’s CertainTeed Castle Rock TT presented by Law Tigers as Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, put on a show before another massive crowd at Castle Rock Race Park in Castle Rock, Washington.
Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle title hopeful Daniels needed a win in the worst way and he got it the unexpected way. His Estenson Racing teammate, JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) – winner of eight of the series’ previous nine TTs – took the holeshot and immediately checked out at the front. Daniels, meanwhile, was briefly shuffled back to fourth, running alongside Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke) and, more crucially, reigning champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750).
Daniels dove in front of Bauman almost immediately and then set his sights on Mees as Beach continued to disappear. The rising star didn’t wait long to make his move, pouncing on his title rival with more than eight minutes remaining on the clock to take control of second position.
Moments later, Bauman crashed while disputing fourth. That shock twist was merely a teaser for the race-shaking drama set to come, however, as race leader Beach lost the front entering the switchback section approximately 30 seconds later.
Daniels inherited the lead and went about building his own insurmountable advantage at the front. The focus of the contest then shifted to Beach’s comeback after picking up his fallen machine. Beach stormed around the outside of Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) with little delay to elevate himself back into a podium position. He then looked to reel in Mees, who was nearly four seconds in front of him.
The TT titan finally arrived on the rear wheel of Mees’ factory Indian with just a minute remaining. However, what felt like an inevitable pass became an impossible one after Beach made a minor slip just as the clocks hit 0:00. That small miscue provided the defending champ with just enough breathing space to survive the final two laps and retain second to the stripe.
Mees’ effort to hold on was every bit as critical as Daniels’ to win – and arguably as critical as any of his eight wins this season. As a result, Mees goes into the Springfield doubleheader finale holding both a one-point lead (342-341) and the tiebreaker, shifting the lion’s share of the pressure to his young adversary.
The victory saw Daniels complete the elusive Grand Slam in just his second premier-class season, adding a TT win to his prior Mile, Half-Mile, and Short Track triumphs. Afterward, he said, “As a little kid, I dreamed of being in this position. Just having a chance going into these last two (races) is amazing. I’m not like super excited because I didn’t want to win my first TT that way; obviously I know you’ve got to get to the finish line first. If I was going to beat JD, I wanted to do it straight up. I was so bummed to see him go down just because I don’t want to win that way.
“But I’m so pumped to get that win. It was a crazy Main Event… I was so nervous. I was looking back a whole lot. I know Earl Hayden is up there, reaming me right now. If he could call me after this, he’d be yelling at me. But it was good. The Estenson Racing Monster Energy Yamaha was working great. We knew what we had to do coming in here and we wanted to win.”
The sport’s all-time TT master, Henry Wiles (No. 17 BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750), charged his way up to fourth with Oregonian Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) coming home in fifth.
Three-time Castle Rock TT winner Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Martin Trucking/Castrol Yamaha MT-07) took sixth, followed by Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), Lewis, and Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750), while local hero Scooter Vernon (No. 274 Hovey Racing/Stace Richmand KTM 790 Duke) rounded out the top ten.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) earned his second win of the 2023 Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER season in a tense ride that saw him on the defensive from green light to checkered flag.
Brunner got the launch off the line to grab the lead entering the opening corner and then spent the next eight minutes and two laps doing everything possible to hold onto that position despite the application of relentless pressure from last year’s Castle Rock TT winner, Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F).
But their duel was not theirs alone. At half-distance, what had been a four-rider stack at the front that also included Tanner Dean (No. 38 Walrath Racing/Hovey Racing Honda CRF450R) and Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) became a five-rider affair with the addition of Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F). And then with a minute remaining, Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) arrived to transform it to a tight six-rider fight for the victory.
With less than 30 seconds to go, Brunner finally made the mistake Gauthier was desperately attempting to force. But rather than pounce, he responded by nearly losing the front himself and was instead displaced to third by Dean.
However, Gauthier somehow willed a path right back past into second and did so in time to line up a last-corner overtaking attempt on Brunner – a bid that came up 0.202 seconds short.
Brunner, who also won the Peoria TT, said, “We just trusted the process. The lines we were doing all day were working really well. I heard (Gauthier) the entire race, just breathing down my neck. But I just remained consistent and held my lines. I had one bobble going into the tight left and just about lost it. But I gathered it back up real quick and put in some more smooth laps and got it done. It feels so good. This is probably my favorite track on the circuit so it really feels good to get a win here.”
Home state hero Dean held on in third to go from retirement to the podium, while Whale, Drane, and Saathoff followed close behind in fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.
1st Impressions Husqvarna teammates James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) and Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) finished in seventh and eighth in that order, followed by Aiden RoosEvans (No. 26 A1R Racing/FRA Trust Honda CRF450R).
Meanwhile, defending Parts Unlimited AFT Singles champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) finished an uncharacteristic tenth in front of his home fans. While he came in with visions of locking up the championship, it was a fitting end to a difficult day that saw Kopp advance to the Main Event through the LCQ and then spend the bulk of the Main running just outside the top ten.
But despite matching his worst finish of the season, Kopp continues to dominate the points standings, now 35 points up on second-ranked Brunner (308-273) with just 50 points left in play.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 30, 2023) – JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) strengthened his claim as one of the greatest TT riders in the long history of Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing on Sunday afternoon. The Estenson Racing hero was his spectacular self in the 76th running of the World Famous SC2 Peoria TT presented by Country Saloon, once again dominating at the Peoria Motorcycle Club in Peoria, Illinois.
While obvious in hindsight, that end result wasn’t quite so easy to predict while the day unfolded. Reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle king Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) was fastest in practice, Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) took control during qualifying, and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke) won the four-lap Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, but come the Main Event it was all Beach.
Beach then seemingly robbed the race of all drama from the start, slotting into the lead off the line and clearing off at the front.
Even the race behind Beach settled into a seemingly processional affair – emphasis on “seemingly” – as Daniels held down second, followed by Bauman and Mees. But with Beach several seconds out in front and just one lap and one corner to go, the championship chase was thrown with a wicked curveball.
Positioned to stretch out his points lead, Daniels lost the front and crashed from the race, bringing out a very late red flag. However, when presented with the threat of a title-sinking disaster, his crew rose to the occasion, repairing the #32 bike’s broken shifter with just seconds to spare before the restart.
Having lapped all the way up to sixth, Daniels was gifted a most fortunate position on the staggered restart grid. Once back underway, race-long leader Beach survived the three-lap shootout to secure his eighth TT win in his last nine attempts, with Bauman collecting second and Mees taking third.
Beach said, “I’ve just got to thank my crew. This day was hard. I felt good all day but my times were only okay. I was sitting third or fourth pretty much all day. In the Main, I was just like, ‘I’ve got to do my work.’ I got a great start and I just kept doing my laps. I messed up once over the jump and I messed up once in Turn 3. I could hear my bike so I thought it was Dallas right on me. It’s a bummer for him and the team for him to go down with two laps to go, but it was a great race.”
Bummer, yes, but ultimately, Daniels didn’t just salvage enough points to stay alive, he came home with a solid fifth-place result behind Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750). Despite losing his title lead and seeing his season-long 13-race podium streak come to an end, the championship hopeful walked away from Peoria facing just a one-point deficit to Mees (296-295) even after the near catastrophe.
Peoria TT legend Henry Wiles (No. 17 BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750) was the final rider remaining on the lead lap in sixth, while Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750), and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) rounded out the top ten, respectively.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) scored his first victory of ‘23 in a surprising conclusion to a topsy-turvy Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Main Event.
Prior to a mid-race red flag, teammates Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) and Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) had put themselves in first and second.
Kopp took the lead after successive overtakes of Estenson Racing teammates Brunner and Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), while, Whale had a bigger job for himself after slipping back to sixth early despite starting from the front row.
By the time Whale stormed around the outside of Drane to move into second, Kopp had opened up nearly a one-second-plus lead at the front. Whale’s uphill climb was made substantially less steep due to the red flag, which resulted in a staggered restart with just over three minutes remaining on the clock.
With all of the focus on the reset Red Bull KTM brawl for the win, red-hot Drane had another idea. The up-and-coming Aussie jumped out into the lead and displayed renewed strength, actually pulling away from Kopp, Brunner, and Whale with relative ease.
But Drane’s cruise to the checkered flag was interrupted, due to the appearance of a second red flag, which resulted in one final restart with just three laps to determine the winner.
This proved to be Brunner’s golden opportunity, after previously looking to be out of victory contention. The Indiana native blasted off the line and won out in the opening-corner melee, seizing the lead ahead of Drane and Kopp.
He then held on in the brief showdown to claim the win before his rivals had a chance to mount an effective counter. Drane picked up his seventh podium in his last eight outings by finishing 0.230 seconds behind in second position while Kopp solidified his championship advantage in third.
“This is awesome,” Brunner said. “We were pulling starts really well today, but we were having trouble getting out of the ‘flat track’ corners. We were kind of struggling with traction getting out of there, so each restart really benefited me a lot because I was able to come back. The last one, I got a great start and really pulled it out.”
Two-time Peoria TT winner Whale came home fourth a little over a second off the win with Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) nipping at his rear wheel in fifth.
Meanwhile, Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) finished sixth with Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450), Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), and Jared Lowe (No. 63 Mission Foods/Helmet House Honda CRF450R) completed the top ten.
Kopp still leads by a healthy 40 points over Brunner (273-233) as Drane continued his climb up the order, now ranked third at 228.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 22, 2023) – Rising star Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) claimed a cathartic victory in the Drag Specialties Bridgeport Half-Mile as Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, made an unforgettable debut at Bridgeport Speedway in Swedesboro, New Jersey.
Daniels’ triumph came by a scant 0.095 seconds over his Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle title rival, Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750), with JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) all in contention for a win.
The victory couldn’t have been better timed for the Estenson Racing ace, as he simultaneously halted Mees’ momentum and reclaimed the title lead, if only by two points (280-278). The outcome was arguably even more important for his psyche after he’d wound up second in a series of prior head-to-head matchups with the legendary rider.
Mees, who controlled the middle portion of the race after getting past early leader Beach, was unable to drop the pack the way he did last time out. That’s in part due to the fact that Beach, Daniels, and Fisher – all desperate to prevent that escape from transpiring – continued to attempt to slide underneath Mees. Those attempts would occasionally see a rider other than Mees sneak into first momentarily but never in a way that the lead change stuck.
That is until Daniels worked out a high line that allowed him to roll through the corners and power down the straights. That line eventually allowed him to storm past Mees and immediately open a small advantage.
But the cagey Mees adapted and closed back in for one last strike. That came in the race’s final corner, where the champ attempted a slide up on the leader’s flank, but Daniels kept it pinned and held Mees at bay by just fractions of a second at the line.
The win was Daniels’ first-ever Half-Mile triumph in the premier class, moving him to within a TT win of the Grand Slam. It also saw him up his season-long podium streak to 13 in the process.
“It’s been one heckuva year,” a jubilant Daniels said. “These Half-Miles are kind of the kryptonite for the Yamaha and for me on a twin. I remember on the 450, I won like six Half-Miles in a row in 2020, but when I got on a twin, it was kind of difficult.
“Jared has just been kicking our butt. He won every Mile and almost all the Half-Miles. This is his forte right here. I had to reach back and grab that one. I was so nervous. That top – you’ve really got to roll it. It’s all about momentum. For a couple laps, I was just trying to get in the lead so I could do it. I knew once I cleared their front, I could roll. It just feels so good. It’s so awesome.”
Beach, Fisher, and Robinson finished third through fifth, respectively, with Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke) leading the second half of the top-ten in sixth.
Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) came home in seventh, followed by Henry Wiles (No. 17 BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750), Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750), and Cameron Smith (No. 34 Martin Trucking/Fredericktown Yamaha MT-07).
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) continued the torrid start to his Progressive AFT career, scoring a third Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER victory in just 14 attempts.
After dominating his heat and Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Challenge, the young Aussie came into the Main Event as the strong favorite to end the evening atop the box. And while that ultimately proved true, he had to earn it.
Drane found himself mired in fifth following a less than ideal opening lap. He then had to work to erase the gap and systematically fight his way through Jared Lowe (No. 63 Mission Foods/Helmet House Honda CRF450R), Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450), and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) before finally shifting his sights to the race-long leader.
That happened to be his teammate, Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), who had pulled more than a second on the field in his bid to secure a first win of the season.
Drane pushed Brunner’s hope back at least another weekend. He reeled in his Estenson Racing stablemate and then threw a series of slide jobs at him before finally overhauling him in a pass that saw the two make contact mid-corner.
Once out front, the Drane freight train continued full steam ahead and he took the checkered flag with nearly a second in hand.
Drane said, “I was just working the whole race, trying to catch up. And then right towards the end I got close enough to make the move – I didn’t mean to run into him, but that’s just racing. I can’t thank the whole team for all the work they put in throughout the day. Their work makes this all possible. I’m going to keep it going, keep the confidence up, and go into the next race just like this one.”
Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) made it two Aussies in the top three, finishing off his charge up from seventh with a last-corner overtake of Saathoff to steal away the final spot on the podium.
Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) executed an impressive climb of his own, battling his way from the LCQ and an early 13th-place position to round out the top five.
Lowe’s run up through the field came at the expense of reigning class champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), who was a tick off his usual form most of the night.
The Red Bull KTM star finished sixth after winning the previous three races. But despite the minor dip in form, Kopp still boasts a commanding championship lead, which now stands at 45 points (255-210) over Saathoff. Brunner is a close third with 208 points, while the surging Drane has closed to within striking distance of second as well at 207.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 8, 2023) – Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) claimed sole possession of the career Grand National Championship Half-Mile wins record with a showcase performance in Saturday night’s Orange County Half-Mile as Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, returned to Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, New York, for the first time in 35 years.
The combination of Mees’ immense ability, experience, and support provided the reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champion with a decisive edge on a hyper-slick surface that tested the upper limits of the field’s collective skill.
Even a late red flag that wiped out the multi-second lead Mees had diligently assembled did little to dent the factory Indian star’s dominance on the evening. He simply powered off the staggered start and marched away while his primary rivals waged war for second behind him.
The last time the series visited the century-old venue, the legendary Scott Parker earned one of his record-setting 35 career Half-Mile wins. Mees’ victory tonight was his 36th HM win, which established the new all-time mark.
Mees’ monumental night also saw him wrest the points lead away from Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) for the first time this season.
Prior to the red flag, the young title hopeful was caught up in a heated scrap for second with the rolling Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke). After the restart, his season-long podium streak came under serious threat with the additions of Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) and JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) to the fray.
Bauman slashed up to second and controlled the spot to the flag. Afterward, the Rick War Racing ace proclaimed himself a contender from here on out now that the bike is properly dialed, a sentiment backed up by a win, two seconds, a third, and a fourth in his last five attempts.
Daniels, meanwhile, had to hustle his way back past Robinson over the race’s final two laps to narrowly finish third, upping his active podium streak to 12 in the process. Still, it wasn’t quite enough to retain his championship standing, as Mees now leads the chase 257-255.
After claiming his seventh victory of the season, Mees said, “We’ve just got to keep plucking away. Dallas has been riding phenomenally all year. It’s almost underrated how consistent he’s been this season. It’s making me dig down as deep as I can, and I’m really enjoying the battle. We’ve got a lot of racing to go, and I’ve got a couple tracks coming up that are more his forte than mine with the TTs. It’s an honor to keep the ball rolling, really.”
Robinson and Beach completed the top five, while Billy Ross (No. 109 Mission Foods/Roof Systems Kawasaki Ninja 650) took the best finish of his premier-class career in sixth.
Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) finished seventh, followed by Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Henry Wiles (No. 17 BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750), and Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke), in that order.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) claimed the 13th victory of his Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER career in Saturday’s Orange County Half-Mile, and this one may have been the best yet.
The entire evening felt as if it was shaping up as a collision course between Kopp and Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).
While that initially proved true, what wasn’t expected was that their clash would be for second with Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) blasting away a couple second out in front.
Saathoff’s long-awaited maiden Progressive AFT victory was delayed yet again, however. Once in the clear after shaking free of Drane, Kopp set about tracking the Turner Honda pilot down.
The KTM star quickly gobbled up the gap and then searched for a way into first. He found one quickly enough although perhaps not exactly as scripted. The defending champ caught a rut in the middle of the corner and was sent wide, forcing Saathoff to chop the throttle to prevent contact.
Once into first, Kopp flexed his sheer pace advantage and walked away with his sixth victory of the season.
“In clay car-track racing you have to go for those little sliders,” Kopp said of his overtake for the lead. “It worked out. My bike just wheelied and put me straight into the wall. I reached out on the straightaway – put a hand out apologizing. But that’s racing. He’s in the pro class. I guess he was mad about it, but all right.”
Drane held on for third ahead of Sathoff’s teammate, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R). Fifth went to a strong-running Aiden RoosEvans (No. 26 A1R Racing/FRA Trust Honda CRF450R), who pushed his way into the early podium battle before settling in for his best career Parts Unlimited AFT Singles finish to date.
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) ended up sixth with Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F), Tarren Santero (No. 75 Vinson Construction/Eric Hoyt Honda CRF450R), Hunter Bauer (No. 24 BigR Racing/Little Deb Racing Honda CRF450R), and Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/3 Bros KTM 450 SX-F) rounding out the top ten.
Kopp’s big title lead got that much bigger with his triumph. He now leads Saathoff by nearly two full races (241-194).

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 1, 2023) – Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) delivered a performance for the ages in Saturday night’s All Seasons Powersports West Virginia Half-Mile, in what proved to be a memorable return for Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, to Mineral Wells, West Virginia, after nearly two decades away.
Mees came to West Virginia Motor Speedway for the first time since 2006 with an opportunity to match fellow legend Scott Parker’s mark for most Half-Mile wins in the long history of the Grand National Championship.
But to do so, he understood that he was going to have to overcome the combined challenge of Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle title leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), Lima Half-Mile conqueror Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke), and Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge winner Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) after the four went bar-to-bar minutes earlier in the four-lap dash for cash.
The potential adversaries whittled down almost immediately, however, as Fisher wheelied away his prime starting slot from pole and dropped to sixth. Meanwhile, Daniels was only one position further up the order and slotted in behind fellow Yamaha runners JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and Dan Bromley (No. 62 HRP Racing/Memphis Shades/Mike Vinson/Corbin Yamaha MT-07).
That left just Bauman alone to prevent Mees from escaping at the front. The Rick Ware Racing hero did well to demonstrate his recent success was down to more than simply capitalizing on a series of racetracks well suited to his bike’s strengths, tracking the factory Indian ace down to show him a wheel at half-distance.
However, Mees’ relentless excellence ultimately won the day, allowing him to stretch open some breathing space late. In the end, he secured his record-tying 35th-career HM win with a 0.609-second margin of victory.
Afterward, Mees said, “It feels really good – this is like my favorite one so far this year. I didn’t feel like we were the fastest guy lining up for that Main Event. We made some game-changing decisions after the dash with the Öhlins rear shock. With not trying something like that all day, you don’t know exactly what to expect, but I have a lot of faith in my team. It was a super finesse-y track – it was really easy to make a mistake and lose your momentum. I thought Briar and Davis were the guys to beat. But I hit my marks every lap, moved around to figure out where Briar was catching me, got my spot and felt the motorcycle hook up and move forward.”
Behind, Daniels’ season-long podium streak came under serious threat. He was pressed hard to work his way around Beach and Bromley before being forced to fight his way back up to third after Bromley contacted his rear wheel with four minutes remaining. Both riders came close to hitting the dirt following the incident, which allowed Beach to steal third and Fisher to close in to make for a four-way sprint for the final spot on the box.
Daniels ultimately rebounded to keep his perfect top-three run intact. In doing so, he also held on to his points lead, albeit by a slim five-point margin over reigning champion Mees (237-232). Beach followed his teammate home fourth. Fisher picked up fifth, while part-timer Bromley only had a sixth-place finish to show for his impressive outing.
Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) charged the entire distance in an attempt to make it a five-way scrap for the podium before earning a relatively close seventh. Likewise, Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) slashed up to eighth, despite starting from the back of the pack after suffering a mechanical issue during his heat race.
Henry Wiles (No. 17 BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750) and Jeffery Lowery (No. 223 Lowery Racing/Gray Hogs Yamaha MT-07) rounded out the top ten.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Defending Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) once again showcased his Half-Mile mastery by scoring the seventh victory of his young career at the distance on Saturday night.
And like last week’s win, this one came with considerable effort. From the start, Kopp was embroiled in an evolving melee with Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450).
With multiple lines working, the three moved up and down the track as they exploited their preferred angles of attack while looking for any possible edge over one another.
Brunner pushed into the lead at mid-distance and held a half-second advantage at one point. However, the KTM star put his head down, reeled the Estenson Racing pilot back in, and kept up the momentum once he stormed past on the high line.
With a minute remaining on the clock, Kopp held a similar gap of his own, which he then managed to the checkered flag.
Kopp said, “The goal all day was to get a good start and try to split… we didn’t do that. Trevor got a great start, and he had a pace that was hard to keep up with. He had this line through 3 and 4 that had us skimming the Airfence every lap. I couldn’t figure that corner out, but I felt like we had him covered in 1 and 2. By the end of it, we kept digging and figured some things out and charged hard. This was a fun track and a fun race.”
Brunner finished as the race’s runner-up to earn his first podium since the season opener. He followed by Ott, who faded slightly late en route to his third top three of the season.
Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), who joined the battle for the lead momentarily, took a lonely fourth. Meanwhile, his Turner Racing Honda teammate, Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), won out in a scrap for fifth over Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) and Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).
With five wins to his name in ‘23, Kopp has rebuilt a commanding lead in his title defense, now leading by 40 points (216-176) over Whale. Brunner’s big night sees him move into a tie with Saathoff for third at 173 points.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 24, 2023) – Two-time Grand National Champion Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke) took an emotional and historic victory in Saturday night’s Mission Lima Half-Mile presented by Indian Motorcycle and Drag Specialties at the Allen County Fairgrounds in Lima, Ohio.
Following an often challenging half-season spent developing an all-new racebike for an all-new team, Bauman kicked off the second half of 2023 by claiming the first premier-class victory for a KTM twin in the history of Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
And that win came at the conclusion of a thrilling Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Main Event. Bauman, who earned the crown in 2019 and 2020, spent all ten minutes plus two laps embroiled in a non-stop dogfight with the rider who currently has the inside track on this year’s title, Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT).
Bauman and Daniels alternated high and low lines as theft continually swapped the lead, running side-by-side when one or the other wasn’t making a futile attempt to shake loose at the front. And all the while, their engagement threatened to transform the race for the win into a three-rider affair with reigning king Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) lurking right around one second back and just waiting for his chance to strike.
Finally, with less than minute to go, Bauman seized the upper hand and then refused to allow Daniels a last-gasp bid to steal away his hard-earned win for Rick Ware Racing.
The emotion of the victory was further amplified as Bauman reflected on both the recent passing of his mother as well as his triumphant performance at the scene of his maiden Mission SuperTwins win.
He said, “I think these guys are probably going to start making fun of me because I think I cry every time I win. But aside from all that, my brother (Bronson) and I lost our mom six months ago last Sunday, and this is where I got my first Twins win. The love that everyone gives in this sport no matter how hard you’re going up against one another… We’re fighting for everything we can get. I just appreciate all these guys a lot more than maybe I used to.
“There are so many people who have supported us. To actually get this done… It’s an honor to be a part of this program. I’m just proud, and I know my mom is proud. We did it.”
Last year’s Lima HM winner, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), outlasted JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) as the two finished fourth and fifth, respectively, just over eight seconds behind the fight for the win.
Sixth went to Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke), who quietly earned his best result yet aboard the Fastrack KTM. Just behind in seventh and eighth were Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750).
Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) finished ninth, while Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) completed the top ten in his return to action even after suffering an ugly heat race crash earlier in the evening.
Despite falling short of victory, Daniels maintained his season-long perfect podium record and picked up some points in the title fight in the process. He now leads Mees by 12 points (219-207), while Bauman has moved ahead of Beach to take control of third (166-161).
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Reigning Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) notched up a timely victory on a night that proved to be a huge boon for his title defense.
Kopp came to Lima as the odds-on favorite due to his performance here a year ago, along with his general Half-Mile mastery, but this one did not come easily. Kopp took the holeshot but soon found himself in second and losing ground to rising star Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).
The KTM ace regrouped and successfully countered Drane’s bid to shake free, clawing his way back to the Australian at mid-distance. The two then wove the lead back-and-forth with around three minutes remaining on the clock before Kopp finally got a firm grip on the position.
He then stretched open his advantage as the two slithered through lapped traffic, ultimately claiming his fourth victory of the season with more than two seconds in hand.
“That was a tough one,” Kopp said. “I got a good start and led it for a couple laps, but Tom is so fast on this stuff, it’s really underrated. We had a heck of a fight, and it was really fun. A lot of hard work went into this one. Those last three Miles were really frustrating as a team in general, but we never gave up and we’re here to fight for a championship.”
Kopp and Drane were joined on the podium by the resurgent James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450), who fought off second factory KTM pilot Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) to register his second trophy-earning ride of the season.
Drane’s teammate, Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), rounded out the top five.
Kopp’s championship outlook was further enhanced by the misfortune of Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), who entered the weekend having closed to within ten points of the title leader. That advantage is significantly greater now, as Saathoff’s momentum was slammed to a halt by a mechanical DNF suffered while running in third position.
Kopp’s lead more than tripled as a result, expanding from just nine points to 29 (191-162). His closest challenger shifted as well, with Whale taking over second from Saathoff, who is now ranked third with 158 points after being credited with 19th place in the Main

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 17, 2023) – The man, the myth, the Mile legend; Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) notched up his third consecutive Mile victory in thrilling fashion at the conclusion of Saturday night’s DuQuoin Mile.
Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, finally made its much-awaited return to DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, and the “Magic Mile” did not disappoint. Reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle king Mees was forced to pull another rabbit out of his helmet after going back and forth for 12 minutes plus two laps with the superstar trio of Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke), and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750).
The four swapped positions throughout with none showing an obvious edge. And all four were within touching distance as they exited Turn 2 for the final time, operating almost as if a single entity.
But somehow, someway, Mees once again put his name at the top of the results sheet after the pack stormed past the checkered flag.
Adding to Mees’ joy was the fact that runner-up Robinson slotted between the winner and points leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), with the Estenson ace pushed outside the top two for the first time all season long despite taking the checkered flag just 0.097 seconds behind Mees.
The victory was the 26th Mile win of Mees’ career, breaking a tie with icons Bubba Shobert and Bryan Smith to claim sole possession of third place on the all-time order.
He said “This track is so much fun. At the start of the race and in the mid-part, I wasn’t really in my groove; I was spinning it up bad, and I just didn’t have good roll corner speed. I just kind of sat back and saw Briar had some really good lines. I kind of copied some of his stuff and moved around and found home. Hats off to my entire crew for working their butts off and giving me the best motorcycle possible.
“I’m really stoked to have won the DuQuoin Mile. I’m happy to have gotten this one off the list.”
It was almost unfair, then, that Bauman wasn’t rewarded with a trip to the podium. Despite finishing fourth, the Main Event was his most competitive ride to date on the developing Rick Ware Racing KTM, having led multiple laps and been in with a shot at victory to the very end.
Fifth place, meanwhile, was taken in a close fight by JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) over Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), the two finishing just under six seconds back of Mees. They had done all they could to make it a six-rider tilt at the front during the race’s early stages, with Fisher momentarily joining the lead pack before falling back into the clutches of Beach.
Seventh went to Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) in another duel for position, this one with Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke), while Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) and Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) rounded out the top ten.
Daniels’ perfect podium record still has him leading in the points, but the streaking Mees is now within single digits in second, moving to within nine points of the first (198-189) as the season reaches its halfway point.
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The prodigious Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) came out on top of a race-long six-rider dogfight for top honors in an unforgettable Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Main Event.
From the very beginning of the contest, it was evident the checkered flag would be decided between Drane, Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).
The six factory-backed pilots immediately separated at the front and just as quickly determined they could not separate from one another.
Saathoff controlled the pace from the bottom-line for much of the race. But as the minutes ticked away, that control became more and more tenuous as Lowe, Drane, and Whale all took their turns at the front of the group.
Drane actually ran in sixth with less than a minute to go but blasted past fellow Aussie Whale to reclaim the lead as the decisive final two laps kicked off.
The Estenson pilot managed to hold that position to open the final lap but saw Saathoff dive underneath entering Turn 3, while Lowe powered by both exiting 4. But Drane nudged back ahead as the pack swarmed to the checkered flag, beating Saathoff to the line by a mere 0.011 seconds, followed fractionally by Lowe in third.
Whale was just 0.081 seconds off the win but relegated to fourth, with Kopp and Brunner completing the top six in that order and meters away from victory themselves.
After the race, Drane said, “It’s so good… We’ve been working so hard all season and to get my second win is awesome. All these people from Australia are here tonight, and they’ve all been helping me. It’s so cool.”
Third Turner Racing pilot Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) registered a lonely race to seventh. He finished some three-and-a-half seconds off the win after coming up short in an early bid to track the lead pack down.
Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) won out in a three-rider battle for eighth waged another six seconds back of Mischler. The ‘19 class champ narrowly defeated 1st Impressions Husqvarna teammates Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) and James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450), who rounded out the top ten, respectively.
Reigning champ Kopp continues to lead the way in his title defense. However, Saathoff has drawn that much closer thanks to a fifth consecutive podium finish and is now just nine points behind in second (166-157).

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 27, 2023) – Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) earned his 25th-career Grand National Championship Mile victory in split-second fashion in Saturday night’s Red Mile presented by Indian Motorcycle of Lexington at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky.
The triumph proved to be the latest round in a season of Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, that has taken shape as a heavyweight title fight between reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champ Mees and his ascending challenger, points leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT).
The two broke free from the start and spent the next 14 minutes plus two laps testing each other in preparation for the decisive final lap. The cagey Mees sat in tight formation behind his young rival during the waning laps before finally striking as the two sprinted into Turn 3 for the final time.
He then struck and, despite suffering a couple small slides on exit, had the steam to hold on to the checkered flag by a minuscule 0.042 seconds.
The victory was Mees’ fifth in six attempts at the Red Mile. It also saw him join legends Bubba Shobert and Bryan Smith for third all-time in career Mile wins.
Mees said, “We were playing cat-and-mouse a little bit, and he was definitely strong in some areas…I just knew what I wanted to do there on the last lap and made it work, really. It’s good to win those Miles like old school where it’s there right at the line.”
For Daniels, it was the fourth time this season he’s finished a close second to Mees. But any sense of frustration that may have otherwise started to creep in was overcome by the reality that he continues to hold the points advantage due to a season-long run of firsts and seconds that he kept intact.
The fight for third was a spirited four-way affair, involving Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke), Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750).
Bauman again showed off an ideal pace nearly on par with that of Mees and Daniels when everything worked just perfectly aboard an unruly machine that made that perfection impossible to attain with any consistency. Still, its impressive motor provided him with the tools necessary to secure a third podium of 2023 with Beach fractionally behind in fourth, followed by Fisher and Vanderkooi.
Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07), who ran third on the opening laps, rebounded from an early mistake to overhaul Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) for seventh by 0.050 seconds at the stripe.
Jeffrey Lowrey (No. 223 Lowery Racing/Gray Hogs Yamaha MT-07) and Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke) completed the top ten.
While Mees chipped off another four points, Daniels still boasts a 16-point advantage (180-164). Third-ranked Bauman is nearly two full races back of first at 131.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) added more evidence to support the old racing adage that a rider’s second win comes a whole lot easier than their first with a triumphant run in Saturday’s Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER pack war.
A seesawing battle that expanded to a nine-rider lead pack as the pivotal final two laps opened, the race for the win appeared almost certain to be decided amongst Turner Honda teammates Lowe and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and the Estenson Racing Yamaha duo of Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).
Sacramento winner Drane looked like the odds-on favorite due to his optimal blend of high-speed chops, low-pro aerodynamics, ultra-light weight, and big-time horsepower. However – despite repeatedly demonstrating the capacity to blast up to first from three or four positions back seemingly at will – the Aussie’s last-lap strategy was blown up by a lapped rider as the huge lead group dove into Turn 3 for the final time.
As a result, Drane could finish no better than third with Lowe and Saathoff handing Honda a hard-earned 1-2.
Whether or not Drane might have been able to run the Hondas down with a cleaner run is as impossible to guess as it is irrelevant at this point. Ultimately, Lowe put himself in the perfect position to capitalize in the chaos and scoop his second-career victory.
“It feels so great to come out on top,” Lowe said. “I knew I had to keep my corner speed up and that was the one thing I had going for me. Leading and going into (Turn) 3 was definitely my best option. I’m happy for the whole Turner Racing team. Everyone has put in so much effort. It’s unreal to think about the time that people put in and the dedication that they have.”
Brunner finished just 0.057 seconds back off his teammate but once again came up just short of the podium He was followed home by Red Bull KTM teammates Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) and Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) – Kopp closing in from a distant ninth to make himself a factor late.
Kopp continues to lead in his title defense with 151 points to his credit. However, Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) was shuffled back to seventh in the melee, a development that allowed Saathoff to join him level at 136 points. Whale is fourth at 130, followed by Brunner (123), Lowe (117), and Drane (105).

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 13, 2023) – Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750)furthered his claim as the preeminent Mile rider currently competing in Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, with a pivotal victory in Saturday night’s 57th Legendary Mission Sacramento Mile powered by Law Tigers at Cal Expo in Sacramento, California.
Those bragging rights were brought into question after Mees was outscored 2-1 in Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Mile wins a year ago by then-rookie Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT). Their first Mile showdown of the season carried even greater significance than it otherwise would have with Daniels having arguably emerged the title favorite and leading reigning champion Mees in the points.
The race went to script with the two separating at the front and settling into a one-on-one fight to the flag. Just past mid-distance, Mees railed around the corners with his helmet down in an attempt to break Daniels’ challenge. While unable to sink Daniels’ hopes completely, the ploy granted Mees a few tenths which he successfully guarded all the way to the end.
The victory was the 24th Mile triumph of Mees’ illustrious career. That moves him ahead of Ricky Graham and into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time order and just one away from joining Bubba Shobert and Bryan Smith in a tie for third.
The result also drew Mees a bit closer to the championship lead. That said, Daniels is not doing him any favors in that regard, extending his season-long streak of top-two finishes. The gap is now 20 points (159-139) as the two continue to distance themselves from the remainder of a talented pack of contenders.
“I honestly was sweating coming into the Miles – last year I felt like we were a little down,” Mees admitted after earning his fifth-career Sacramento Mile win. “I didn’t know what to expect. But Kenny (Tolbert) worked really hard this winter to get us back some ponies, and Jimmy Wood really had that thing hooked up with the Öhlins suspension. I don’t think I’ve ever been that hooked up before. I could just go into the corner and mash the throttle. The Indian Motorcycle was phenomenal tonight.”
Daniels’ teammate, JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), solidified his hold on third in the championship order with his third podium of the season. It only came about following a final-lap duel with Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07), however, when Beach poked ahead by 0.021 seconds at the line.
Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) and Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) each had a shot at the box on the final lap as well, ultimately finishing fractionally behind in fifth and sixth, respectively.
Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke) earned a lonely seventh, although that description fails to adequately express the contour of his race. Bauman actually led more than once early in the contest before running wide on the powerful-yet-brutish KTM and dropping to fifth. He worked his way back up to third at one point before going off the groove again and fading out of podium contention.
Bauman was followed home by his brother, Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke), while Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750) and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) completed the top ten.
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Australian phenom Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) scored his maiden Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER victory in breathtaking fashion in Sacramento.
A huge early train of 450s connected to the front slowly whittled away as the race progressed. The battle for the win at last took its final shape with just over a minute remaining when three-time Sacramento Mile winner Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) fell away from the lead group and into the clutches of a second group bursting with big names and title contenders.
With Brunner out of the fight, the checkered flag was set to be decided between Drane, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), and Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450).
Lowe stormed past Drane as they opened the final lap, but the diminutive Aussie stormed back by on the back straight, confident he could out-run any and all slingshot attempts in the decisive drag race to the line.
He was proven correct, albeit only by just 0.005 seconds over Lowe and 0.036 seconds over Saathoff. Meanwhile, Cose finished just another 0.065 seconds back yet found himself left off the podium altogether.
Drane came into the season with serious hype and had endured something of a quiet start to the year when judged based on those lofty expectations. However, tonight’s victory put everything back in its proper perspective. Ultimately, the Estenson Racing Yamaha prodigy earned his first win just a month after turning 17 and competing in what was just his eighth Progressive AFT Main Event. Perhaps even more remarkably, it was the first Main Event at a Mile in Drane’s career.
He said, “I just can’t thank the team enough for all the work they do, all the hours. It’s amazing. This has boosted my confidence heaps, showing I can do it. I’m so happy.”
Fifth went to Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F), who clawed his way up from outside the top ten after earning his slot on the grid via the LCQ.
He placed Brunner between himself and his primary title rivals in the process. Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) crossed the stripe in seventh, followed by Sacramento Mile legend Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 450 SX-F) and the impressive Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/3 Bros KTM 450 SX-F).
The final position in the top ten went to defending class champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F). Despite the uncharacteristic result, Kopp continues to lead in the standings with 137 points. Gauthier closed to within 14 points at 123, while Whale and Saathoff are now tied for third at 115.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 6, 2023) – The dream season of ascending Progressive American Flat Track star Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) continued with his convincing victory in Saturday night’s inaugural Ventura Short Track at Ventura Raceway in Ventura, California.
As impressive as he was a year ago as a Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle rookie, Daniels has taken his game to the next level in 2023. The prodigious teenager extended his unblemished run of firsts and seconds this season with a calm and controlled performance en route to the top step on the box at the scenic ocean-adjacent venue.
Daniels’ teammate, JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), shot off the line in first but held the position for less than a single quick circulation of the 1/5-mile clay oval. Beach did well to keep Daniels honest after being dropped to second and even reeled him back in at one point. But the relentless perfection of the title leader gradually stacked up to a near one-second advantage by the time the Main Event was seven minutes deep, with reigning champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) significantly further back in third.
Just when the podium order seemed all but academic, a red-flag reset occurred after Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) came out the worst of an accordion-style crash that marred the multi-rider fight for fourth. Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) got into the back of Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), leading directly to Robinson’s spill. The fallen Robinson was subsequently clipped by Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Dodge Bros. Racing/Martin Trucking Harley-Davidson XR750) forcing a stoppage in the action.
But even after Beach, Mees, and the field being given a second chance, little changed at the front following the staggered restart. Daniels simply went back to piling up his advantage, ultimately scooping up a third win of the year to go with his three runner-ups.
Beach completed the Estenson Racing Yamaha 1-2, while Mees managed to score podium points on a night he never really felt at home on the track.
Likewise, two-time Grand National Champion Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke) came away with fourth after running as low as ninth early.
Lewis held on for his second top five of the season in fifth, followed closely to the line by Halbert and Bauman’s younger sibling, Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 890 Duke).
Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) picked up his best result of the season in eighth, while Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) and Vanderkooi rounded out the top ten.
As a result of the third triumph of his sophomore campaign, Daniels tightened his grip on the title fight. He opened his lead to 24 points over Mees (138-114) a third of the way into the season, while Beach moved back ahead of Bauman for third (97-94).
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Like Daniels, Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) earned the third win of his 2023 season as he continued his Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER title defense in stellar fashion.
However, in contrast to his twin victory cruises at the DAYTONA double opener, Kopp was pushed to the brink by a hungry Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) under the lights at Ventura Raceway.
After a handful of hectic early laps, the two shook free from Saathoff’s Turner Racing teammates, Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R). From that point on, the race became a two-rider duel for top honors.
While Kopp controlled the bulk of the tense contest from the front, the Honda pilot threw in a few late haymakers, including a skittering, crisscrossing double lead change that got the fans on their feet with less than 30 seconds remaining on the clock.
But a last-lap encore wasn’t in the cards, as a minor moment on Saathoff’s part with two laps to go allowed Kopp just enough air to power to the checkered flag firework-free.
Kopp said, “Chase is a helluva competitor. He was my fiercest rival and competitor growing up on 85s, 250s, and 450s. Man, that was probably the most fun race I’ve ever had – we were squaring each other up. I hope it was a fun one to watch.”
Mischler held off Kopp’s charging teammate, Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), to pick up his second consecutive podium, while Estenson Racing Yamaha’s Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) charged his way forward to fifth after getting off the line in ninth.
Dallas winner Lowe came home sixth, while Brunner’s Estenson Racing Yamaha teammate, Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), took seventh. Cole Frederickson (No. 151 Lehmann Racing/Miller Tree Service Honda CRF450R) fifth eighth, followed by Justin Jones (No. 91 NRC Racing/Elder Trucking KTM 450 SX-F).
Kopp’s closest title rival, Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) was the final rider in the top ten. That allowed Kopp to press his advantage up to a healthy 19 points (127-108) with Whale third at 102 and the on-form Saathoff fourth with 97.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 22, 2023) – Reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) penned the latest chapter of a career of Half-Mile heroics with a victorious run in Saturday night’s Mission Dallas Half-Mile presented by Roof Systems at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas.

The premier-class king was one-fourth of an early scrap for the lead in the Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Main Event, along with a trio of Yamaha-mounted challengers in JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), and Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07).
The opening stages of the contest proved to be a battle of extreme high and low lines. The high line showed itself to be the fast track up the order initially before giving way to a high-risk, high-reward tight-rope line at the bottom.
Just prior to half-distance, Mees and Daniels exploited that tricky low line to break free and settle into a rematch of their Senoia shootout. Meanwhile, Beach and Bromley fell into a five-rider fight for the final spot on the podium after being reeled in by the charging Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke).
Daniels made a couple of determined attempts to zero in on Mees but never got quite close enough to make a serious attempt at an overtake. A small bobble on the part of Daniels with less than a minute remaining gave the champ a bit of breathing space. He was then ceded even more as his young rival called off the assault to accept second.
The triumph was the 34th Half-Mile win of Mees’ historic career, placing him just one shy of the all-time record held by Scott Parker.
Afterward, Mees said, “Honestly, this was one of the hardest races to win. Going into Turn 1 and through Turn 2, you had to be so delicate going into the corners. You had to hit your brake mark right, get your throttle position right, and if you messed it up, it screwed your whole momentum up. It was definitely a hard race to win.
“Hats off to my entire team. We had a little mess up in Arizona, but we came back pretty strong all day long.”
Adding to Mees’ big evening was the misfortune of Beach, who crashed out of podium contention and dropped from second to fourth in the championship standings in the process.
Robinson – who wasn’t even sure he’d be able to ride in Dallas after getting banged up in practice crashes at the previous two rounds – earned the final spot on the box. Bauman railed his way around the outside to climb to fourth in the end with Fisher behind in fifth.
Bromley ended his impressive run in sixth, while positions 7-10 were filled by Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750), Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 890 Duke), Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750), and Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07), in that order.
Daniels continues to hold down the championship lead with 113 points in his pocket following his 1-1-2-2-2 start. Mees now ranks second with 96 points, while two-time champ Bauman (78) also edged ahead of Beach (76) for third.

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Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) can finally call himself a Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Main Event winner after repeatedly knocking on the door of that landmark achievement for years.
Lowe’s maiden Progressive AFT victory headlined a race that represented a monumental reversal of fortune compared with the four that led into it.
After getting off to a slower-than-expected start to the season, the American Honda-backed Turner Racing team entered the day with just one podium between its talented trio of Lowe, Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R).
They tripled that number in a single outing in Dallas after fighting back in furious fashion at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. The three immediately went to the front and turned the first half of the race into a glorified poster shoot for the team, running side-by-side-by-side with the field struggling to stay in their wake.
Lowe eventually shook free while the pack closed in on second-placed Saathoff and third-placed Mischler, but they ultimately held strong to secure the podium lockout.
Lowe said, “I’m so happy, and I think the entire team is so happy – it’s going to be a party in our pit area tonight. The whole Turner Racing team pulled it together. We were kind of on the struggle bus at the beginning of the season, but we definitely made a big improvement on this one with the three of us on the podium. I can’t thank the team enough.”
Meanwhile, the championship’s usual suspects struggled mightily before finally coming good in the end. Defending champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) ran as low as eighth, while Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) and Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) found themselves buried outside the top ten.
Kopp and Whale finally found their groove, weaving their way up through the field with Kopp earning fourth at the checkered flag, just 0.172 seconds short of the podium. Aussie Whale came home just behind his teammate, outdueling Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) to complete the top five.
Meanwhile, Gauthier executed a charge of his own to finish in seventh, while Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450), Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 450 SX-F) and Brunner’s Estenson Racing Yamaha teammate Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) rounded out the top ten.
As a result, Kopp continues to lead a tight title fight over Gauthier (102-98) with Whale third (86) and Brunner fourth (78). Not surprisingly, the Turner Racing entrants made a big push in the rankings, as they are now positioned fifth (Saathoff - 76), sixth (Lowe - 57), and seventh (Mischler - 56) and still very much in the hunt.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 1, 2023) – Progressive American Flat Track TT master JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) added another chapter to his legend by reigning supreme at Saturday’s ZO CBD Arizona Super TT presented by RideNow Powersports at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona. Beach, who has now claimed victories in seven of the most recent eight Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle TT Main Events, ultimately proved worthy of his status as the heavy favorite coming into the weekend. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t have to work for this one. That work started in the race’s opening corner after initially getting displaced to third behind reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) and points leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT). The biggest danger moment for Beach came when Daniels took control of the lead two minutes into the Main. The on-form Daniels – who actually out-qualified Beach earlier in the day – looked to rip open an advantage while his teammate was stuck behind Mees on a track that presented few opportunities to pass and plenty of opportunities to mess up. Almost exactly a minute later, Beach (literally) flew by Mees over the start-finish jump to slot into second. And almost exactly one minute after that he pulled a carbon-copy of the high-flying move on Daniels to take the lead for himself. Daniels did well to keep Beach honest as they left the remainder of the field in their wake. However, he ultimately gave up the chase with a couple minutes remaining on the clock, content to cruise to second. When asked how he managed to charge around a racetrack that almost everyone else had to tiptoe around, Beach joked, “Growing up, I was told you either had to be smart or dumb, and I chose dumb. I was going for it. No, it was a great race. I knew Dallas had my number all day long. He’s been riding so good. All season, he’s been hauling the mail. It’s been frustrating for me because we’re on the same bike, and he’s been whupping my butt. Today, I’ve got to thank my crew. They worked so hard all day long. We were kind of on the back foot, but they didn’t give up. They kept working, and that’s what I did in the Main Event too.” Behind the Estenson Racing 1-2, Mees ran in third with Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke) in determined pursuit. That is until Mees’ machine became unsettled over the bumps and then lost the rear. While Mees did an admirable job to pick up and remount his factory Indian as quickly as was humanly possible, he still lost a few positions in the aftermath of the mishap.
That elevated Bauman to his second podium in four starts on the Rick Ware Racing KTM. It also rewarded Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750) and Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) with fourth- and fifth-place finishes, respectively. Mees salvaged sixth and was joined by Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 890 Duke), Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07), and Ryan Wells (No. 94 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) in the bottom half of the top ten.
Title hopeful Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) was a Main Event scratch after suffering a fall during practice at the start of the day. Following four of 18 races, Daniels leads with 92 points, followed by Beach (73), Mees (71), and Bauman (62).

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2019 Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champion Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) closed to within one point of the ‘23 points lead with a precise and patient ride to victory at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.
Gauthier established himself as the favorite going in with his strong pre-race performance but ended up corralled behind Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) in the early going after Cose dove down from the outside of Row 1 to claim the lead coming out of the race’s opening corner. Gauthier sat close on Cose’s rear wheel as they circulated the slick, one-line track, hoping to either find or force a mistake from the leader. All the while, Gauthier faced similar heat from behind, with a long string of riders jammed up behind them, spearheaded by Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), who himself was flanked by Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).
Just as the race approached mid-distance, Gauthier made his move, landing along- and inside of Cose as they completed a jump and slid into the subsequent left-hander. Kopp attempted to slip underneath Cose at the same time but was denied. While Kopp and co. regrouped to map out another assault, Gauthier opened a two second lead at the front. The reigning champ did finally push his way up the inside of Cose a couple minutes later and was joined in the overtake by Whale and Brunner. A late red flag added the potential for some unexpected drama to a race that appeared all but settled when Andrew Luker (No. 11 Rackley Racing/Keeran Racing Yamaha YZ450F) crashed with just 10 seconds remaining on the clock.
That set the stage for a staggered restart and three-lap shootout. However, Gauthier successfully survived the second launch and cleared off to grab his first checkered flag of the season. The win was his third career TT victory and sees him remain the only rider in the field to have finished on the podium in every race this season. “We worked our butts off this offseason putting this program together,” Gauthier said. “It’s going great. I’ve been on the podium every round and KTM has won every race so far. I’ve got to thank my whole team… There’s so many people that help our program out. It’s only going to keep getting better, and I’m super stoked on this one.”
Kopp held for second to retain his points lead over Gauthier (86-85) despite third-placed Whale and fourth-placed Brunner applying maximum pressure over the final laps. Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) completed the top five, followed by Hayden Gillim (No. Comstock Energy/Vance & Hines KTM 450 SX-F), who made his way from a crash in his heat to the LCQ to an eventual sixth-place ride.
Cose was the biggest loser in the red-flag reshuffle, winding up ninth after leading the opening half of the race and running in the top-two for the bulk of the contest.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. March 25, 2023 Reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) came out victorious following an epic showdown featuring two of Progressive American Flat Track’s biggest stars in an epic Yamaha Senoia Short Track on Saturday evening at Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia.
The Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle king entered the weekend with the knowledge that his place atop the pecking order was under threat from the fast-rising Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), who opened his ‘23 title campaign in dominating fashion at Daytona International Speedway two weeks back.
Following a quiet opener by his standards, Mees was at the top of his game in Senoia, locking down the top of the charts pretty much all day long. He then looked to exploit his prime starting position, planning to dart away early and eliminate any potential challenge before it could materialize.
Daniels saw what the factory Indian ace was up to, however. He stuck a hard pass in on teammate JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) to slot into second and then put his head down in hopes of reeling Mees back in.
Daniels ultimately arrived on Mees’ rear wheel and at last took the lead at half-distance, just as the two made their way into lapped traffic. The second half of the contest was relentless, with passes for the lead executed on nearly every lap, all the while slashing their way past slower riders.
Mees reclaimed the lead with twenty seconds remaining on the clock and then leaned on his decades of experience advantage to formulate a way to cling on for the victory, as he held the Estenson Yamaha pilot off at the stripe by 0.174 seconds.
“Man, that was a duel… a battle… a fist fight in a phone booth,” Mees said. “We rode super clean; we didn’t touch – we came really close – but I didn’t want to give that one up. I was fighting tooth-and-nail, and he was rolling so good. I felt if I could get in a rhythm early, I could maybe get a gap, but he hung tough. We want this championship bad. We want to keep the #1 plate. It’s going to be super tough. Dallas is super hungry, and you can see it in his riding.”
While the Mees-Daniels showdown was the headliner (and quite possibly a preview of more to come), the battle for third was nearly as exciting. Beach fell into the clutches of Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), losing the podium position late in the Main, only to snatch the spot back on the race’s final lap.
Meanwhile, Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) earned his second top five of the year, outdueling Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) following an extended tussle of their own.
Seventh went to Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke), who spent the entire Main Event clawing his way forward after an early incident dropped him well down the order.
He was followed home by his younger brother, Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 890 Duke), in eighth, while Jesse Janisch (No. 33 KTM/Haversack/Z-Max 890 Duke) and Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750) rounded out the top ten.
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Two-time Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER championship runner-up Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) earned his first victory of the ‘23 season in convincing fashion at Senoia Raceway.
While the field was desperate to slow Whale’s teammate, defending class champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) after his season-opening double victory at the DAYTONA Short Track, the Australian issued a clear reminder that the Red Bull KTM team boasts not one, but two genuine title contenders under its tent with a wire-to-wire run to the checkered flag.
As Whale walked away at the front, a huge scrap played out behind for second. A hugely impressive James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) jumped into the position from pole where he found himself under fire almost immediately from the likes of Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Kopp, and Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F), among others.
Drane pulled off a remarkable save of a near highside just to stay upright, but the resultant drama dropped him from podium contention to outside the top ten. Gauthier then started his charge, slicing his way up from seventh to third with relative ease. But try as he might, he was unable to work out a way past Ott and the two ultimately crossed the stripe the final time in second and third, respectively.
Kopp did threaten to overhaul both late. However, he instead saw his bid for a top-three result foiled by a resurgent Brunner, who stole back fourth and then kept the championship leader corralled behind him in fifth to the flag by a 0.177-second margin.
Mischler took sixth just behind, followed by his Turner Honda teammates, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R). Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 450 SX-F) and Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) completed the top ten.
Race winner Whale said, “I needed a good race today. Obviously, as a racer you want to win every time. It feels good to do this coming here from Daytona, where my head was hanging low. You put in all the work before the start of the year, and to finish with a fourth and a ‘937th’ was tough. So to come out today and win? I can’t thank my team enough.”

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 11, 2023) – Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) kicked off his 2023 Progressive American Flat Track championship campaign in near-perfect fashion, completing the second half of the season-opening double win with another sensational ride in Saturday night’s DAYTONA Short Track II presented by Daytona Dodge at the Flat Track at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Daniels was already a legitimate title contender as a rookie a year ago. Early indications suggest he’s that much stronger now with a year’s Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle experience under his belt.
The Estenson Racing Yamaha ace got away off the line in third, running in close quarters behind early leader Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) and Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750), with Thursday runner-up Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) right in his tracks.
Robinson made an early exit from the fight for the win, getting into the airfence and losing several positions in the process. Daniels slipped up the inside of Mees a little less than three minutes into the ten-minute-plus-two-lap Main to take over second, just as Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) closed in to make it four-rider fight at the front again.
Daniels then spent the next four minutes stalking Vanderkooi, looking up the inside and around outside, while generally applying the sort of pressure that might just open a door straight through. He finally found the gap he was looking for with 3:30 minutes remaining on the clock, striking up the inside as the leaders encountered a wave of lapped riders.
Daniels met little resistance once into the lead, stretching out an advantage that finalized as a 2.069-second margin of victory in the end.
“It was tough – Jarod was running a really good race,” Daniels said. “He was being patient – he was really easy on the throttle and wasn’t making any mistakes. I had to search. I wanted to sit there for a little bit. After I got off the line, I was all right with where I was, and I was paying attention to everything. I wanted to stalk him for a while, but then it was time to go.
“A double at Daytona is crazy. It’s unbelievable. A big thanks to the whole Estenson Monster Energy Yamaha team. We had a great year last year, and to start off the year with two wins in Daytona is insane.”
Shortly after Daniels took over the lead, Fisher slashed his way past Mees to complete the “new guard” podium line-up in third, joining winner Daniels and second-placed Vanderkooi.
Reigning champ Mees came away with his second fourth of the double-opener – a marked upgrade over how his prospects may have looked earlier in the week. Meanwhile, Daniels’ teammate, JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), logged a second fifth.
Robinson recovered well enough from his early drama to finish in sixth, one spot ahead of Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke), who was forced to claw his way up to seventh from outside the top ten.
Four-time DAYTONA ST winner Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Martin Trucking/Castrol Yamaha MT-07), privateer Kayl Kolkman (No 98 B&L Plumbing/Rod Lake Yamaha MT-07), and Royal Enfield factory man Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) completed the top ten.

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Defending Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) doubled up in Daytona, delivering a second dose of domination on Saturday night.
Clearly in a class of his own at the venue, Kopp pulled off another sweep, repeating his Thursday trick of topping practice, qualifying, his Heat, the Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Challenge, and most importantly, the Main Event.
Kopp successfully weaved his way through the opening lap chaos to secure the lead three turns into the race. And while Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) did everything in his power to cling onto Kopp’s rear wheel, a little more than a minute in, the race for victory was effectively over.
Kopp ultimately worked his advantage up to over five seconds before taking a drama-free checkered flag.
“It’s just two for 18,” Kopp said. “We’ve got 16 more rounds, so there’s a lot more work to do. You can’t judge a season off two races at a track that really suits my style. I grew up riding a lot of indoors in the Pacific Northwest, and this was kinda like that. Thanks to my whole Red Bull KTM crew – this is a dream way to start the season for sure.”
After losing touch with the leader, Saathoff was gradually reeled in by ‘22 championship runner-up Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F), who first had to fight his way past Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and Justin Jones (No. 91 NRC Racing/Elder Trucking KTM 450 SX-F) to slide into third.
Gauthier and Saathoff then swapped the second spot back and forth, squaring one another up in quick succession before the charging Gauthier finally stole the position away for good.
Saathoff held on for the final spot on the box by a scant 0.084 seconds despite having to fend off a late challenge from new Turner Honda teammate Lowe. Kopp’s teammate, Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), battled past the impressive Jones to complete the top five.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 9, 2023) – Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) secured a nail-biting victory at the DAYTONA Short Track I presented by Daytona Dodge to open the 2023 Progressive American Flat Track season in dramatic fashion.
A hectic opening several laps around the Flat Track at Daytona International Speedway featured the four riders on four different makes who lined the front row for the Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Main Event. Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) raised more than a few eyebrows when he grabbed the early lead aboard the Royal Enfield while established Mission SuperTwins superstars Daniels, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke) jockeyed for position just behind.
After some back-and-forth, Robinson managed to work his way into the lead and then threatened to make an early escape. By the time Daniels and Bauman dispatched Lewis, the Mission Roof Systems rider had nearly a second in hand.
Daniels put his head down at that point, stretching out an advantage over Bauman while eating away at Robinson’s. By half distance the two linked up at the front just as they made their way into lapped traffic for the first time.
The Estenson Racing pilot began to actively search for a way into the lead with just over two minutes on the clock, nudging the front wheel of his Yamaha MT-07 DT up the inside of Robinson’s Indian FTR750 a few times before finally finding the gap he had been looking for.
Once through, Daniels, Robinson, and Bauman appeared safe to open their 2023 campaigns a respective 1-2-3 as time expired. However, the Main Event delivered a final twist in the form of a waving red flag that came after Lewis’ crashed from fifth following a clash with another rider.
Not only was Lewis’ hard-earned top five gone, but so seemingly was Bauman’s remarkable podium run in his debut aboard the all-new Rick Ware Racing KTM 890 Duke, his brake pedal disconnected during the Main Event melee.
However, even with Bauman’s technical issues and the potential for chaos the top three were forced to negotiate, the trio locked down their positions as they powered away from the staggered start and held on to the checkered flag.
The victorious Daniels said, “I tell you what – there’s nothing that makes you more nervous than that right there, leading the laps going away and a red flag comes out with two to go. My dad was talking to me (before the restart), saying “You’re good, you’re good.” And then he stopped talking, and I was like, “No, no, no, keep talking, I’m getting nervous!
“These two guys on the podium with me – I grew up watching these guys win here. These guys are my heroes. And now I want to beat them. It’s an honor to win here.”
Even if the podium went unaltered in the wake of the late stoppage, there was plenty of reshuffling as a result of the restart. Defending Mission SuperTwins king Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) was the biggest beneficiary, slashing up to a fourth-place finish after previously being mired as deep as 12th in the pack.
He was followed home by Daniels’ teammate, JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), who took fifth despite not faring much better than Mees to that point.
Four-time DAYTONA ST winner Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Martin Trucking/Castrol Yamaha MT-07) took sixth, followed by Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) and the remounted Lewis.
Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) – who had been fourth at the time of the red flag – ended up ninth, while Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750) completed the top ten.

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Reigning Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) got his title defense off to what was effectively a perfect start.
The fact that Kopp entered the season as the primary target of every other rider in the field seemingly did nothing but enhance the dominant streak he flashed so often a year ago. Despite contending with a slick track that demanded focus and invited mistakes, the factory KTM ace topped practice and qualifying, won his Heat and the Al Lamb's Dallas Honda Challenge, and then ultimately reigned supreme in the season’s opening Main Event.
Kopp blasted off to the holeshot and basically put it out of reach a few short corners later. He systematically worked his lead up to around four seconds before cruising his way to an eventual 3.370-second margin of victory.
Afterward, Kopp claimed the day didn’t come quite as easily as it appeared outwardly. He said, “The #1 plate definitely is a little heavy I think. There were some nerves and some Outlaw races this offseason where I was doubting myself if we were still good on a Short Track. But this is some way to start a season for sure. We pretty much had a clean sweep of the day.”
Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) held down second throughout, perfectly positioned to take advantage of a mistake that never came. Still, his runner-up effort sent a strong message that he’s still very much a threat despite returning to an independent effort in ‘23.
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) rounded out the podium, coming out on top of a race-long fight after making an early strike on Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), the rider signed to fill Gauthier’s former seat at Turner Honda.
Aussie sensation Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) made it two Estenson Yamahas in the top five with a nice start to his full-time Progressive AFT in fifth.
Kopp’s teammate and expected title challenger Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) didn’t enjoy nearly as smooth an evening as his stablemate. Whale crashed in his Heat and the LCQ, but still just managed to advance into the Main, where he battled his way up to eighth in the end.

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Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER

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The final 2023 Progressive American Flat Track schedule follows:

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