| May 8, 2023
With two-thirds of the Progressive American Flat Track schedule still to play out, there’s plenty of time yet for a radical shift, especially as the short tracks make way for the bigger circuits soon to arrive in bulk. However, six races into an 18-race season, what had been billed as five-way battle for supremacy has instead taken shape as a starring vehicle for the ascendant Dallas Daniels.
By Chris Martin | Photography by Mitch Friedman
Daniels’ latest virtuoso performance was delivered in the breathtaking setting of Ventura Raceway as it hosted a Progressive AFT event for the very first time. The venue did not disappoint—at least from a facilities or scenic perspective—with bar-banging, 1/5-mile dirt track action just 100 meters or removed from a concurrent surfing competition on the neighboring Pacific Ocean.
The track’s surface threw a curveball, however—or make that curveballs, plural—as it made big swings in nature as the day progressed. Lines and strategies evolved and devolved, ultimately leaving competitors locked around a narrow bottom groove by the end of the night or risking disaster.
Despite the unpredictability—or more likely due to it—the cream, once again, (largely) rose to the top. Factory Indian legend and reigning Mission SuperTwins king Jared Mees and Rick Ware Racing’s double Grand National Champion Briar Bauman did what they do, making the best of imperfect situations and sometimes difficult days to somehow still work their way into third and fourth, respectively, by the time the checkered flag flew.
Those are exactly the sort of “bad day” results that they have parlayed into a combined six consecutive championships.
However, it’s also a tactic that simply might not be enough in 2023. While Mees and Bauman salvaged valuable points, Daniels maximized them with an inch-perfect ride at the front that was barely bothered by even a late race red-flag that wiped away a hard-earned advantage at the front. Rather than wilt, the Estenson Racing Yamaha ace calmly went back to work and ran off with his third victory of the season.
The triumph was actually his first since the opening weekend, when he was utterly dominant en route to a pair of victories under the lights at Daytona International Speedway. However, the time in between has been spent no worse than in second place and in hot pursuit of additional wins. That consistent excellence has allowed him to assemble an early 24-point gap over Mees – and considerably more on everyone else.
Daniels’ stiffest competition in Ventura came from teammate JD Beach, who was in need of a big result after crashing away a potential podium last time out at the Dallas Half-Mile.
Beach managed to keep Daniels honest even if he never really got close enough to mount a serious assault. Beach’s runner-up though did set his season back on track while allowing him to reclaim third in the standings from Bauman.
Unfortunately, the fifth part of that aforementioned potential five-way battle took another big hit in what’s becoming something of a nightmare campaign. Mission Roof Systems’ Brandon Robinson, who twice suffered because of opening practice crashes already this season, was the victim of a multi-rider crash suffered while disputing fourth.
At the time, four riders were stacked up tight behind fourth-place runner Johnny Lewis aboard the works Royal Enfield. JMC Motorsports’ Jarod Vanderkooi tried to find a way underneath Lewis, but instead came into contact with him. That prompted Robinson’s fall, and he was subsequently impacted by the Harley-Davidson XR750 piloted by Dodge Bros. Racing’s Sammy Halbert.
A red flag waved with Robinson on the ground and in obvious pain. While he managed to walk away under his own power, his evening was over.
The restart that resulted in little drama at the front did allow Bauman to make his push to fourth on the Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke. Lewis, meanwhile, locked in his second top five of the season, again keeping Halbert trapped behind him.
Fastrack Racing’s Bronson Bauman came home the second KTM in seventh, while G&G Racing’s Kolby Carlile, Rackley Racing’s Davis Fisher, and Vanderkooi completed the top 10.
“It was a really good night,” Daniels said. “All day, really, since we unloaded off the truck. It was real weird. When we unloaded, the track was really heavy—it was almost like Lima. But it changed so much throughout the day. For the main event, they dug it up and for the first couple laps it was like a cushion, but then it really went down to this notch groove you could not get off. I just kept putting in good laps. I had to regroup after the red flag, but I was able to get a really good start.
“It feels good. These past couple weeks coming up second was starting to get old. I was getting a little bit annoyed. To get this win, I feel like I’ve got a monkey off my back. I just really wanted to get the job done.”
SINGLES
2023 AFT Ventura Short Track Round 6
The Parts Unlimited AFT Singles contest shared some obvious similarities with its premier-class counterpart. Here too one of the key figures previously identified as a major player in the future of the sport secured a third win of 2023 to add to what’s becoming a sizable title advantage.
One big difference, however, is that Red Bull KTM’s Kody Kopp is already established as the class’ defending champion and heavy favorite rather than an aspiring usurper.
The other is how the win actually came about—and that’s only following a rollicking, two-wheeled brawl with another emerging ace in Turner Racing Honda’s Chase Saathoff.
Saathoff made no effort to hide his growing desperation to finally get his maiden Progressive AFT victory—an ambition only made hotter after his teammate, Trent Lowe, accomplished that same feat last time out in Dallas. The second-year pro was fast and aggressive all day long, twice hitting the dirt but otherwise consistently scrapping up front.
Saathoff threw everything he had at Kopp in their main event matchup, evening lunging through momentarily with less than a minute remaining on the clock. But he didn’t quite have enough to stick a maneuver that could ultimately send him into the record books as a Parts Unlimited AFT Singles race winner.
That day is almost certainly coming, and likely soon, following two straight runner-ups. Instead, Kopp added another trophy to his growing collection.
Kopp’s big night was made all the bigger when his closest title challenger, D&D/Certified KTM’s Dalton Gauthier, finished an uncharacteristic 10th.
Gauthier remains second in the standings, albeit some 19 points back and just four up on Kopp’s factory KTM teammate Max Whale, who finished a close fourth behind Saathoff’s other teammate, Morgen Mischler, on the night.
Estenson Racing Yamaha’s Trevor Brunner rounded out the top five after charging his way forward from the bottom of the top 10.
HOOLIGANS
Clark Claims Win
Tyler Clark outdueled Tony Alves for the win in the Hooligans main event. The Grizzly Harley-Davidson/Montgomery Distillery-backed rider ended up pulling out a small lead at the end to take the checkers 1.157 seconds ahead of Tony Alves, on the Lindy Roofing/ Dead Center Cycles/Big Diel Racing Harley-Davidson. KTM-mounted Same Cover (Savage Custom/DG Contracting) rounded out the podium.
ROYAL ENFIELD BUILD. TRAIN. RACE.
Luker’s Royal Win
Kenzie Luker captured the win in the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. main event. Just 0.592 separated her from runner-up Morgan Monroe. Zaria Martens was right there in third. Makenna Hiatt and Shasta L’Heureux rounded out the top five.
AFT SuperTwins Main
- Dallas Daniels (Yam) 39 Laps
- JD Beach (Yam) 0.891
- Jared Mees (Ind) 1.847
- Briar Bauman (KTM) 3.967
- Johnny Lewis (RE) 5.933
- Sammy Halbert (H-D) 6.054
- Bronson Bauman (KTM) 6.425
- Kolby Carlile (Yam) 7.869
- Davis Fisher (Ind) 8.397
- Jared Vanderkooi (Ind) 9.630
AFT Singles Main
- Kody Kopp (KTM) 25 Laps
- Chase Saathoff (Hon) 0.293
- Morgen Mischler (Hon) 1.490
- Max Whale (KTM) 1.693
- Trevor Brunner (Yam) 2.015
- Trent Lowe (Hon) 4.531
- Tom Drane (Yam) 4.829
- Cole Frederickson (Hon) 5.513
- Justin Jones (KTM) 5.999
- Dalton Gauthier (KTM) 6.558