Sean Finley | June 27, 2022
With less developmental resources and manpower at their disposal, it was perhaps inevitable the independent Indian entries would be the most heavily impacted by the introduction of new rules meant to level the playing field in the Mission SuperTwins class.
A season ago, private Indian FTR750s were represented on the box in every round other than the Peoria TT. This year, however, the collective had scored only a solitary third-place finish courtesy of Mission Roof Systems’ Brandon Robinson at I-70 among the year’s opening four rounds.
That’s not a massive surprise. Estenson Racing Yamaha’s upward movement necessitated a proportionate downward fall for others, and the mighty works Indian Motorcycle duo of Jared Mees and Briar Bauman remained the title favorites whatever else happened.
However, recent evidence suggests the private FTR750s weren’t kneecapped by the developments, but rather just needed some additional time to find their legs in the new reality.
In recent weeks, the contingent has shown serious signs of renewed life. First, Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing’s Davis Fisher took a close second to Mees at the Red Mile, and then Robinson’s teammate, Jarod Vanderkooi, got back on the box with a third-place effort at Laconia.
But nothing underlined that reemergence like Brandon Robinson’s triumphant ride at the Lima Half-Mile.
Lima is both feared and revered by the tour’s riders; the pea-gravel cushion track is extraordinarily physical and all too happy to punish its combatants with a pelting roost.
It also provides a bevy of crisscrossing line options, allowing creative and adaptable riders to find additional pace when needed or execute unexpected passes that can cascade down through the ranks.
Fighting both a return to fitness following a knee injury suffered last season and the continued struggles to bring his bike up to speed this year, Robinson came into Lima in desperate need of a good result.
With two wins in each of the last three seasons and a third-place ranking a year ago, Robinson had been the closest thing Progressive AFT had to a genuine challenger to the all-dominant Mees-Bauman duo. That was until the battleground was altered in 2022 and both rookie sensation Dallas Daniels and the gifted JD Beach emerged as race winners and championship contenders.
Robinson, meanwhile, was frustrated to finish outside the top five more often than not, looking for a way back into contention.
His performance at Lima may have knocked down that door as he registered a virtuoso performance to win in style. Fast all day, Robinson swapped positions with Bauman early in the main event before finally dispatching him. He then tracked down an escaping Beach to take control of the race just over two minutes into the contest.
Robinson’s fitness and adaptability were further tested when he was reeled in and momentarily overtaken by Daniels with less than three minutes on the clock.
In response, Robinson gritted his teeth, adjusted his line, and promptly reassembled his advantage to win by nearly four seconds in the end.
Daniels picked up his fourth podium of the year in second, followed by defending champion and race promoter Mees, who pulled off a late pass on Bauman to round out the box.
Robinson’s triumph breathes new life into his ’22 campaign, while Mees remains 36 points in front of him (139-103). The Mission Roof Systems pilot is now within single-race striking distance of second-ranked Daniels (24-point difference), Bauman (12) and Beach (9), with over half the season remaining.
“It feels like forever since I’ve won, honestly,” Robinson said. “Between everything that’s happened with me physically and the recovery process, and with the rule changes, it’s been tough. We’ve been struggling trying to find our footing. Finally tonight, we unloaded and were fast all day.
“This is huge—this is the hardest track to win at, physically. I’m really happy to get the monkey off my back. It feels great to get back on top of the box.”
Latus Motors Harley-Davidson’s Bronson Bauman finished sixth, beating Vanderkooi and Fisher to the line.
Meanwhile, G&G Racing’s Cory Texter took top Mission Production Twins Challenge honors in ninth with Brandon Price guiding the Pro 1 Industries/Mission Foods KTM Duke 890 to a top-ten in his first ride on the bike.
AFT SINGLES
For the second consecutive round, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Kody Kopp was in all-conquering form, controlling the day in imperious fashion, pretty much from start to finish.
Kopp was frequently compared to Dallas Daniels during his rise up through the amateur ranks. And as lofty as the expectations may have been, Kopp’s second pro season is comparing favorably to Daniels,’ in which he scored blowout Parts Unlimited AFT Singles title victory.
In 2020, Daniels took eight wins and nine podiums in 15 races en route to an early title wrap. Kopp is performing on par with—or even a little ahead of—that pace thus far in ’22, boasting four wins and six podiums in seven races. If he continues along the trend, Kopp could soon be joining Daniels in the premier class.
Kopp’s only hiccup of the day also provided some hope that he could be in for some bigger challenges before advancing into the premier class. The 17-year-old made a minor mistake late in the Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Challenge, opening the door for 16-year-old Australian Tom Drane to swoop in and steal away the $2500 prize awarded for winning the four-lap dash-for-cash.
Riding a Waters Autobody Racing KTM, Drane made a huge impression in his Progressive AFT debut, backing up his dash win with a convincing runner-up effort in the main. While Drane was originally slated to make just a one-race Stateside appearance, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him return sooner rather than later.
Meanwhile, another rookie rounded out the podium. After getting off to a bit of an uneven start this season, Turner Honda Racing’s highly touted Chase Saathoff is now fully up to speed, backing up his maiden pro podium at Laconia with another at Lima.
Saathoff’s teammate, Dalton Gauthier, finished in fourth with MediaHT/G&G Racing’s James Ott beating Estenson Racing Yamaha’s Trevor Brunner and second-ranked Morgen Mischler for fifth.
PRODUCTION TWINS
Defending Mission Production Twins Champion Cory Texter has been willing himself into contention for a third class crown in his swansong season, repeatedly turning what seemed destined to be mid-pack efforts into podium finishes.
If ultimately successful, those gritty efforts will form the bedrock of his ‘22 championship campaign, but he’ll still look back more fondly on Lima.
The G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing-backed Texter obliterated the field in his final chance to win at the fabled track. And in doing so, he delivered Yamaha its first-ever win at the track regardless of class.
Texter still trails in the title chase, albeit by just a single point, after championship leader Jesse Janisch hustled the Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R to a runner-up finish at a track on which he’s never felt truly at home.
Roof Systems/JRi Shocks Billy ‘The Kid’ Ross backed up his first-career victory with a second-career podium by holding off the charging Cameron Smith, who battled his way up from the back of the grid to finish a close fourth on the Thee Cathy Gray/Al Barker Yamaha MT-07.
Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson’s Cole Zabala equaled his best finish of the season by completing the top five. CN
SUPERTWINS
- Brandon Robinson (Ind)
- Dallas Daniels (Yam)
- Jared Mees (Ind)
- Briar Bauman (Ind)
- JD Beach (Yam)
- Bronson Bauman (H-D)
- Jarod Vanderkooi (Ind)
- Davis Fisher (Ind)
- Cory Texter (Yam)
- Brandon Price (KTM)
SINGLES
- Kody Kopp (KTM)
- Tom Drane (KTM)
- Chase Saathoff (Hon)
- Dalton Gauthier (Hon)
- James Ott (KTM)
- Trevor Brunner (Yam)
- Morgen Mischler (Hon)
- Trent Lowe (Hon)
- Hunter Bauer (KTM)
- Brandon Kitchen (Hus)
PRODUCTION TWINS
- Cory Texter (Yam)
- Jesse Janisch (H-D)
- Bill Ross (H-D)
- Cameron Smith (Yam)
- Cole Zabala (Yam)
- Ryan Wells (Kaw)
- Patrick Buchanan (Kaw)
- Jeremiah Duffy (Kaw)
- Nick Armstrong (Yam)
- Danny Eslick (Kaw)
Get the complete results here.
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