Cycle News Staff | March 9, 2024
2024 Daytona Short Track Results Rounds 1-2: Brandon Robinson (Mission Roof Systems Indian 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 (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 was then 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 finally 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 15minutes 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 (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 (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 (Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) not far behind in fifth.
Sixth went to Davis Fisher (Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) a short distance ahead of Jarod Vanderkooi (Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750) in seventh.
Premier-class rookies Trevor Brunner (Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing KTM 790 Duke) and Max Whale (Latus Motors Racing/Liqui Moly Harley-Davidson XG750R) finished eighth and 10th, respectively, with Thursday runner-up Brandon Price (Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) sandwiched in between.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Tom Drane (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 (Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) moved up from third into second after working past impressive sophomore Logan Eisenhard (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 (D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) and Chase Saathoff (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 (J&H Racing Husqvarna FC 450), Aiden RoosEvans (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 (American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) finished ninth, one spot in front of his charging Turner Honda teammate, Trent Lowe (American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), whose early-race crash prompted the aforementioned red flag.
In the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race Main, Kenzie Luker (Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited) edged Thursday winner Taia Little (Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited) by 0.275 seconds for the Friday victory.
AFT SuperTwins Results R2
1. |
Brandon Robinson |
(Ind) |
34 Laps |
2. |
Sammy Halbert |
(H-D) |
1.134 |
3. |
Dallas Daniels |
(Yam) |
2.679 |
4. |
Briar Bauman |
(Ind) |
3.857 |
5. |
Jared Mees |
(Ind) |
4.697 |
6. |
Davis Fisher |
(Ind) |
6.067 |
7. |
Jarod Vanderkooi |
(Ind) |
7.171 |
8. |
Trevor Brunner |
(KTM) |
9.914 |
9. |
Brandon Price |
(Yam) |
11.232 |
10. |
Max Whale |
(H-D) |
11.711 |
AFT Singles Results R2
1. |
Tom Drane |
(Yam) |
22 Laps |
2. |
Kody Kopp |
(KTM) |
1.951 |
3. |
Dalton Gauthier |
(KTM) |
5.849 |
4. |
Chase Saathoff |
(Hon) |
6.331 |
5. |
Logan Eisenhard |
(KTM) |
7.939 |
6. |
Justin Jones |
(Hus) |
8.911 |
7. |
Aidan RoosEvans |
(Yam) |
8.960 |
8. |
James Ott |
(Hus) |
9.422 |
9. |
Evan Renshaw |
(Hon) |
11.043 |
10. |
Trent Lowe |
(Hon) |
11.132 |
ROUND 1
2024 Daytona Short Track Results Round 1: The opening Mission SuperTwins victory of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, season went to Dallas Daniels (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 who packed the Daytona International Speedway Flat Track grandstands thought they might just witness Sammy Halbert (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 (Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) provided all comers while running second despite Daniels, Brandon Robinson (Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), and Briar Bauman (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 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 kind of 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 in 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. He was also displaced by Davis Fisher (Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), nine-time Grand National Champion Jared Mees (Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750), and Jarod Vanderkooi (JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750) before finishing seventh in the end.
Cameron Smith (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 (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 start not only his title defense but also an all-new partnership after joining the Rick Ware Racing outfit just days before 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 overhauled by former class champ Dalton Gauthier (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 (Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Chase Saathoff (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 (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 (J&H Racing Husqvarna FC 450) rounding out the top five.
Tyler Raggio (Raggio Racing/Sluggo Racing KTM 450 SX-F), James Ott (1st Impressions/Media HT Husqvarna FC450), Travis Petton IV (ECG Racing/A.M Ortega KTM 450 SX-F), Jared Lowe (BigR/Little Debbie Racing Honda CRF450R), and Logan Eisenhard (Hannum’s Harley-Davidson KTM 450 SX-F) finished sixth through 10th, respectively.
Earlier in the evening, Taia Little (Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited) kicked off the main event program by winning the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. season opener in runaway fashion.
AFT SuperTwins Results R1
1. |
Dallas Daniels |
(Yam) |
35 Laps |
2. |
Brandon Price |
(Yam) |
3.769 |
3. |
Brandon Robinson |
(Ind) |
4.162 |
4. |
Davis Fisher |
(Ind) |
4.952 |
5. |
Sammy Halbert |
(H-D) |
6.685 |
6. |
Jared Mees |
(Ind) |
7.042 |
7. |
Jarod Vanderkooi |
(Ind) |
7.230 |
8. |
Briar Bauman |
(KTM) |
9.594 |
9. |
Cameron Smith |
(KTM) |
9.798 |
10. |
Dan Bromley |
(Hon) |
14.433 |
AFT Singles Results R1
1. |
Kody Kopp |
(KTM) |
22 Laps |
2. |
Dalton Gauthier |
(KTM) |
1.502 |
3. |
Trent Lowe |
(Hon) |
5.136 |
4. |
Chase Saathoff |
(Hon) |
5.445 |
5. |
Justin Jones |
(Hus) |
8.678 |
6. |
Tyler Raggio |
(KTM) |
9.139 |
7. |
James Ott |
(Hus) |
11.481 |
8. |
Travis Petton |
(KTM) |
11.562 |
9. |
Jared Lowe |
(Hon) |
11.892 |
10. |
Logan Eisenhard |
(KTM) |
12.240 |
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