The Grand National Championship will be decided when the 2025 American Flat Track season concludes with the Lake Ozark Short Track in Eldon, Missouri on September 13.
This is a race preview provided by AFT…
Daytona Beach, FL (September 9, 2025) – The Grand National Championship will be decided when the 2025 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, concludes with the Arby’s Lake Ozark Short Track presented by Arrowhead Brass at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Missouri on Saturday, September 13.
And the season finale will once again play out in suitably festive surroundings, serving as a centerpiece of this year’s 19th annual Lake of the Ozarks BikeFest, an event destined to attract some 125,000 motorcycle enthusiasts to the area from September 10-14.
The Grand. National. Championship.
Any concerns that Mission AFT SuperTwins would lose a bit of intrigue and drama after 10-time class king Jared Mees rode off into the sunset have not just been proven unfounded but resoundingly so.
Over the course of an unforgettable ’25 title fight, Mees’ latter-day foils, Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and Briar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors Harley-Davidson XG750R), established their own rivalry which could potentially define the sport for the next decade.
Their battles have been epic and at times not without controversy or acrimony. Momentum has been seized and reseized. And each has faced down adversity while making their respective bids to assume Mees’ throne this season.
The tides turned yet again—and in a big way—at the Springfield Mile doubleheader.
Bauman powered into Springfield on a high following his triumphant performance in Peoria. He left in disappointment, an 11-point advantage transformed into a 13-point deficit. That margin puts his chances for a third Grand National Championship in serious peril, a reality he’s all too aware of.
However it plays out, Bauman has already done as much this season to cement his legacy as an all-time great as any of his prior campaigns, including the two in which he defeated Mees for the title.
This season, Bauman and his Rick Ware Racing team took a previously winless Harley-Davidson XG750R and made it a genuine title threat on the strength of seven wins to date. But it goes beyond the numbers—the manner and style in which he’s done it left even the gifted Daniels and the powerhouse Estenson Racing team behind him at times bewildered.
Perhaps paradoxically, Bauman was never more impressive than he was in Springfield, where he routinely sliced and diced the world’s elite motorcycle flat trackers up through the corners just to cling to contention down the straights.
However, overpowered on Saturday and luckless on Sunday, Bauman now faces a steep climb to the title this weekend despite his overall brilliance in 2025.
1.56%
Just how steep?
If Bauman wins this weekend—and he should be viewed as the favorite considering the desperation of his situation along with his status as the winningest Short Track rider in series history—he’ll end the year with 307 points and a tiebreaking eight wins.
That would mean Daniels would have to finish seventh or better to accumulate at least 308 points, and along with it, the 2025 Grand National Championship.
And just how likely is that?
Consider the following:
Daniels has participated in 64 Main Events throughout the entirety of his near four-season premier-class career. During that span, he has finished outside the top five just once. That outlier took place during the 2022 Volusia double finale weekend, in which he crashed from fourth and ultimately finished 12th.
Since that time, the Estenson Racing star has finished fifth or better in 47 consecutive races—42 of those on the box.
As has been said many times—by Bauman and many others—it’s not so much Daniels’ speed (which is remarkable) or his talent (which is considerable), but rather his unprecedented consistency that is his greatest attribute as a title fighter.
One bad day. One bad race. One bad moment. Give Daniels an opportunity, and he’ll make you pay.
Bauman had a bad day in Springfield.
However, it’s not over just yet. Pile on the pressure of a lifelong goal, and the chance that the unthinkable happens might increase a percentage point or 10.
It’s happened before; the racing annals overfloweth with stories of less likely scenarios coming to fruition.
Give The Man His Due
Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) has spent the bulk of the season lost in the shadow of the fascinating Daniels/Bauman showdown.
However, step back and admire another campaign that has only furthered his argument for eventual inclusion in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
26 points up on fourth, Robinson has already locked in his fifth Grand National Championship ranking of third or better. He’s also added five more podiums to his career tally, including a long-sought first win on the Harley-Davidson XG750R he helped usher into the series eight years back.
While no doubt frustrated after taking a step back from 2024’s title contention, Robinson has quietly penned another strong season in a career that’s gradually elevated him up to some pretty lofty statistical territory.
Lowe Man Wins
Much has been made—and deservedly so—of Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp) scoring Honda’s first twin-cylinder premier-class win of the millennium with his Springfield surprise.
But perhaps lost in that excitement was just how much his huge weekend transformed his championship standing outlook.
Prior to Springfield, Lowe was locked in a tight fight for sixth with James Ott (No. 19 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07), Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Suzuki GSX-8S), and Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650).
Meanwhile, Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke) and Jarod VanDerKooi (No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke) still held outside hopes of edging Robinson for third at the time.
Lowe’s stunning success combined with twin misfortune for Fisher and ‘VDK,’ has painted a very different picture with just one race to go. As it stands, it’s now Lowe who sits fourth with 172 points, followed closely by Fisher (169) and VanDerkooi (167).
Even before the breakthrough victory, Lowe’s top-five finish at the Lucas Oil Short Track was likely good enough to consider 2025 a positive one of the Big Red SuperTwins program. The victory more than assured that.
But fourth in the overall standings? That would certainly be something.
Rookie of the Year
Lowe’s Springfield triumph also handed him a commanding lead in the chase for Mission AFT SuperTwins Rookie of the Year honors.
Lowe and Ott have gone back and forth in a two-rider tilt all year long, but Lowe’s big win pushed him 18 points out in front with just the finale to go. In other words, it would take a monster result from Ott and utter catastrophe from Lowe to prevent the Honda pilot from being named premier-class Rookie of the Year.
That said, congratulations to Ott, who has been hugely impressive in his own right. With one race left to shine, the Californian has already racked up four top fives on the G&G Yamaha—highlighted by a pair of podiums—in his first Mission AFT SuperTwins campaign.
AFT Singles
Still Much in Play for Drane and Co. at Lake Ozark Short Track Finale
Daytona Beach, FL (September 10, 2025) – Newly crowned champion Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and the rest of the AFT Singles presented by Kicker contenders will conclude the 2025 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, at the Arby’s Lake Ozark Short Track presented by Arrowhead Brass at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Missouri on Saturday, September 13.
Still in Play: Drane
If Drane decided to take an early vacation, he’d have already cemented his place as one of AFT Singles’ all-time greats.
In addition to wrapping up the ’25 title two rounds early, Drane also boasts the two longest podium streaks in class history, is tied for most AFT Singles Mile wins all-time, and stands as one of six riders to hit the AFT Singles Grand Slam, among a great many other accomplishments.
But that doesn’t mean Drane can’t add to that already lengthy list this weekend.
Should he win the Lake Ozark ST as he did one year ago, he’ll tie Dallas Daniels and Kody Kopp for most wins in a single season by upping his ’25 tally to eight. A win would also increase his all-time wins total to 19, moving him equal with Shayna Texter-Bauman for second all-time. Additionally, it would up his active podium streak record to 12 and tie Kopp for the second-longest win streak in AFT Singles history at four.
Can he do it?
The better question might be, can anyone stop him?
Still to Play II: Best of the Rest
Even prior to the start of the ’25 campaign, a clear pecking order had already been established.
Drane, Chase Saathoff (No. 88 RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R), and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) were widely expected to vie for the crown, and as it’s turned out, they have already locked down the top three positions in the final ’25 standings.
The question was whether or not any one from a long list of potential challengers might join them. The answer has been… no… kinda… it depends.
Among those listed as the most likely to do so, Tarren Santero (No. 75 Mission Roof Systems Honda CRF450R), Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Hannum’s HD/Pfanders Racing KTM 450 SX-F), Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 FRA Trust/ATV’s and More Yamaha YZ450F), Jared Lowe (No. 63 Big R/Little Debbie Racing Honda CRF450R), Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), and Evan Renshaw (No. 65) are currently ranked inside the top 10 with one round remaining.
However, the rider who has the inside line at fourth in the standings wasn’t even a consideration when the season kicked off.
Kage Tadman (No. 288 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) joined the fray four rounds in and immediately set the class alight with back-to-back victories in his first career pro races.
While he came back down to earth somewhat since, he’s streaked forward in low earth orbit at the least. Tadman now owns eight top fives in all, including seven top fours, four podiums, and, of course, those two wins.
As a result, he’s already long since locked up 2025 AFT Singles Rookie of the Year. And while unlikely, if you do the math, it’s not impossible to think that he might have had a chance to finish ranked inside the championship top three this weekend had he participated for the entire season.
But there’s still work left for Tadman. While he sits ranked fourth at the moment, Santero, Pfanders, RoosEvans, and Lowe all have an opportunity to move ahead of him with a big weekend.
Still in Play III: Maiden Win
A few riders who have previously taken AFT Singles podiums are still seeking their maiden victory this weekend.
Santero owns a previous best finish of second, while Pfanders and Hunter Bauer (No. 24 Vinson Construction/Reel Medics Yamaha YZ450F) have each previously finished third.
You just know a maiden win ranked high among their preseason goals. They’ve each got one more shot in 2025.
Still in Play IV: Maiden Podium
Meanwhile, several others in the field who have previously finished inside the top five are still looking to claim their first-career AFT Singles podium.
RoosEvans leads that bunch with multiple fourths to his name… not to mention an appearance on the box at the Jackpine Gypsies Super TT. However, he later had the result stripped due to a non-compliant fuel violation, which in turn handed Pfanders his first, and to date, only, career top three weeks after the fact. So consider Pfanders an honorary member of this mix as well.
Others who fit the bill include Lowe, rookie Walker Porter (No. 100 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), and Tyler Raggio (No. 55 Raggio/Sluggo/Unsettled Racing KTM 450 SX-F).
Still in Play V: Build. Train. Race.
The Lake Ozark Short Track will also serve as the season finale for Royal Enfield’s immensely successful Build. Train. Race. (BTR) program. Throughout its history, BTR has injected new talent and excitement into the series as it highlights, celebrates, and encourages the involvement of women in flat track racing.
Thus far in 2025, there have been three races and three different winners: Emma Gottsch (No. 5 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited), Taia Little (No. 11 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited), and Madicela Rodriguez (No. 113 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited).
Will the ’25 season finale make it four in four?
Rookies Run Riot: The AFT Singles Rookie Class of ’25
The earliest signs that a rookie wave was about to hit the 2025 AFT Singles presented by Kicker class registered as barely more than a ripple.
The Progressive American Flat Track Daytona double season opener was meant to serve as a glorified torch-passing ceremony, with three-time reigning class champ Kody Kopp—who was preparing to embark on a roadracing career—slated to hand the reins over to his dueling heirs apparent, Tom Drane and Chase Saathoff.
Instead, Kopp used the opportunity to clock a pair of extended victory laps, adding two more wins to his all-time class record before tossing said torch into the dirt for Drane and Saathoff to scrap over in his absence.
Nearly lost to that bright spotlight was the performance of Lucky Thumb M/C’s Ethan Kitchen, who managed to sneak into the bottom of the top 10 in his debut weekend.
The wave next hit not just like a tsunami, but one of historic proportions.
Beachside Ventura Raceway served as a scenic backdrop framing the raw brilliance of Kage Tadman, who set the scene alight with a dominant victory in his very first attempt.
Very few riders had managed that in the history of the class. And no one had ever done what he would do days later—repeat the remarkable feat at Silver Dollar Speedway.
In doing so, Tadman set the stage for what has proved to be an unusually impactful rookie class.
Not many saw it coming. Per usual, there had been some advance hype for the reigning Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award winner, Walker Porter, who was set to join the series with factory support from American Honda but not until he turned 16 a handful of rounds into the season. Otherwise, the class was rated as solid overall, but lacking any Dallas Daniels—or Kody Kopp—level can’t miss prospects.
But now with one round remaining to further pad the stats, the numbers speak for themselves.
Twenty top tens, nine top fives, four podiums, and two wins. Perhaps most impressively (save Tadman’s mind-bending victories), six different rookies have broken into the top 10 this season with a couple more on the verge.
That’s almost as many top tens as the previous two classes combined and more than twice as many top fives. This year’s top threes are the first rookie podiums since Saathoff and Drane joined the fray in 2022, and the first rookie wins since Trevor Brunner nabbed one back in 2020.
The difference is especially stark in comparison to 2023, in which Declan Bender won AFT Singles Rookie of the Year honors in a season where he didn’t break into the top 10 until Round 15 of 18 while finishing his campaign with a best result of sixth.
Bender has since more than proven himself a worthy recipient, having subsequently racked up multiple top fives and a podium finish since graduating to the premier class.
So what projections might be made for this year’s crop?
Tadman has rightly earned himself the lion’s share of the forecasts. Hailing from a traditional flat track talent hotbed in Salinas, California, one that has produced the likes of the Bauman brothers and many others before them, he was technically eligible to join the pro ranks for more than a year before he made his debut.
And that debut was supposed to be of the low-key variety. With support from Old Oak Ranch, Tadman planned to participate in just the two California rounds this season.
He said, “We were only about six months on the bike on the 450s full time when I turned 16. And I just didn’t want to waste people’s time or money. I didn’t think I was ready. And we made the right call, just waiting one more year. We didn’t need to rush into it.
“[Going into Ventura] I was just hoping to make the Main. I knew it was a whole different ball game, going into the big leagues.
“And we just started out the day swinging.”
And he didn’t stop swinging, at least not through that California swing. In Ventura, Tadman won his heat race, the challenge sprint race, and the Main Event, all with overwhelming style and speed.
Unlikely as his maiden victory was, the encore was expected to be even more challenging to the point of bordering on impossible. After all, while the rookie had some prior experience at Ventura, he had none to lean on at Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway, which is a style of racetrack he was largely unfamiliar with.
No matter. He swept the day’s races—once again—and did so convincingly—once again.
“I don’t really ride car tracks very much. It’s totally different than what we’re used to. So we were kind of just throwing stuff at the wall, to see if it worked.”
And it all seemed to work.
Like everyone else, Tadman was stunned.
“These are all guys that I grew up watching. And it was always my dream to become a pro. And to win my first two? It was a dream come true-type thing. I think everybody knew I had the speed to be up there and be able to make Mains and stuff, but to win it? I think that was a shocker to everybody.”
At that point, there was no way the paddock would allow Tadman to be two and done. Leading that charge was Jerry Stinchfield, the owner of Roof Systems of Dallas, Texas, and the patron of so many flat trackers, who had previously supported Tadman’s amateur career.
Stinchfield upped that support sufficiently to ensure that the rising star could compete for the remainder of the season.
Tadman’s runaway success just made Walker Porter’s wait all that much more unbearable. Stuck on the sidelines until his 16th birthday, the Alabama native attended every Progressive AFT round, just to get a better feel for the series as well as how his new teammate, Trevor Brunner, interacted with the Turner Honda crew.
Porter tried to look on the bright side. “It helped me out a lot just watching how the day goes by.
But it sucked having to watch them go out on the track while I had to sit there and watch.”
So Porter—who previously made known his goal of winning Rookie of the Year despite his delayed start—was there when the Tadman tsunami hit.
“I was for sure surprised when that happened. But it just fired me up even more. I knew I just had to get to work—work even harder—after that one.”
Porter’s debut was scheduled to take place on June 7 at Wheatland, Missouri’s Lucas Oil Speedway. Inclement weather forced a further delay, pushing that debut back to the Lima Half-Mile doubleheader.
“Yeah, that was annoying… But it wasn’t too bad because I was really looking forward to Lima.”
Lima and its iconic pea-gravel surface present an imposing challenge for even the most experienced racers. This year’s rookie class was set to be thoroughly tested at a venue that is equal parts physically and mentally demanding.
They passed with flying colors. Tadman proved himself a contender, even when removed from his home state and set loose on a bigger track, scoring two more top fives.
Porter, too, broke into the top five in his debut weekend, while flashing the speed to push up even higher than that.
And they weren’t alone. Ryder Reese—Tadman’s friend and then-quasi-teammate under the Roof Systems’ tent, got a top 10 in his maiden pro weekend at Lima, while Hoffer Performance/Stauffer Motors’ Skylar Sentell broke into the top 10 for the first time that weekend as well.
In fact, the AFT Singles Main Event at the Lima Half-Mile II featured four rookies in the top 10: Tadman 4th, Porter 5th, Reese 9th, and Sentell 10th.
Tadman said, “I was stoked at Lima. I’ve only been there one other time. And that type of track is not something we ever ride. A fifth and a fourth? I couldn’t complain about that.”
“I felt pretty good [about how things went at Lima].” Porter said. “I know I can run up front. I just need to put everything together and put the whole day together. Everybody’s way more competitive and fast out the gate like when the day starts, everybody’s quick. But really, it hasn’t been a huge adjustment.”
What’s the explanation for this level of success so early, especially from a class that hadn’t expected to be all that unusual?
Few are better positioned to put it in perspective than Cory Texter. The 2019 and 2021 AFT Productions Twins champion is a keen observer of both the professional and amateur ranks, He oversees the Mission Foods CTR Flat Track Series, trains and mentors a number of up-and-coming riders, and hosts the Tank Slappin’ podcast, among other related endeavors.
“Well, I think there’s multiple ways to look at it,” Texter said. “I think you have to look at how many of the Singles riders have moved up to Twins that had been on the podium. As a result, I just don’t think the top of the Singles class is quite as stacked as it was, say, three or four years ago.
“But still, with Tadman, it surprised me that he won both those races. I was really impressed by that. And he did it so easily. He kind of just kicked their [butts].
“Talking with my buddies, I had him fourth through seventh right out of the gate. And I had Porter the same—like fourth through seventh. Reese too—I worked with him for a while. These guys are all really good talented riders. He’s won amateur national championships on like the 85 and 250. He’s really, really capable.”
“Tadman kind of overachieved at the first two, but eventually I knew he’d come back down to earth a little bit. He looked good at Lima, and then DuQuoin—the first Mile—really kind of showed everybody that he still had some learning to do.”
While there is no denying that the recent exodus of the likes of Kopp, Bender, Max Whale, Trent Lowe and James Ott may have created some additional opportunity for the ’25 rookies to shine, they had put themselves in position to take advantage of that opportunity and then actually capitalize on it.
This year’s class has done exactly that, coming into their own at just the right time.
Texter said, “A fun fact about Sentell is his dad used to race pro, and I remember getting his dad’s autograph when I was really young. But Sentell and Kitchen, they didn’t really do all that much as amateurs. Those two are kind of different because they were always like mid-pack in amateur, and now they’ve been impressing in pro.
“It’s just a testament to the fact that, no matter how good you are when you’re young, being a pro is a whole whole different animal. Like Tadman—he probably got beat by a lot of those pros most of his whole life. Then he shows up to the first two races and wins.
“And it’s a lot cooler to win when you’re a pro than it is to win when you’re an amateur.”
No longer amateurs, this class of first-year pros is united in grabbing attention as a collective despite being locked in individual battles to outshine one another.
“It’s one of those things where everybody’s cool off the track,” Tadman said. “We’re all buddies, but, you know, when around the track, we’re rivals.”
As brightly as they burned from the start, this past weekend’s racing in Springfield served as a showcase for their continued upward trajectory.
Tadman’s DuQuoin Mile struggles were forever captured via his 15th-place result. In fact, no rookies broke into the top 10 that day with only Porter (12th) and Reese (16th) joining Tadman in the Main.
However, given a second (and third) opportunity at Springfield to demonstrate what they’ve since learned, the class turned up having completed their homework.
Tadman, again, was particularly impressive. Now a member of the 1st Impressions Husqvarna outfit, the Californian was slinging sideways around the Mile in his inimitable fashion while racking up a pair of fourths, a heat race win, a pole position, and a pair of Mission Triple Challenge top-threes to add to his résumé.
Meanwhile, Porter (eighth on Sunday) and Reese (ninth on Saturday) also picked up top tens at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
In addition to Tadman, Porter, Reese, and Sentell, Trevar Martin and Kaleb Martin joined in on the fun, making the first Main Events of their respective careers in Sunday’s Springfield Mile II, a race that featured six rookies among its 17 starters.
The ultimate story (and final stat line) for this year’s rookie crop has not yet been written. They certainly are not flying under the radar anymore; you can safely assume the flat track world will keep close tabs on these prospects as they look to close out their rookie campaigns on a high and step up to achieve even greater accomplishments in the years to come.
The 2025 rookies had our curiosity, but now they have our attention.
It’s Best to Rest Before BikeFest
There will be no shortage of entertainment options at the 19th annual Lake of the Ozarks BikeFest in general and the Lake Ozark Short Track in particular.
Along with the season-ending action on track culminating in the crowing of the 2025 Grand National Champion, fans will be treated to Jumbotron-enhanced viewing, dedicated motorcycle parking, numerous food and beverage options, the Fans Zone—complete with a face painter—and a fireworks display to conclude the evening’s activities.
Your Ticket to the Land of Oz(ark)
General Admission tickets are just $40 (kids 12 and under free with a paid adult General Admission ticket). Students can get a GA ticket for just $20 ticket at the gate with a student ID, while qualified individuals can take advantage of the Military/First Responder discount to purchase $20 General Admission tickets via the GovX link found on the event ticket pages.
Reserved Grandstand tickets, which are located along the front stretch of the racetrack with ideal sightlines, are just $50 (all ages).
H.O.G. members can purchase a H.O.G. Membership Ticket for $30 (all ages), which grants access to both a dedicated parking area and dedicated grandstand seating, along with a meet and greet and photo opportunity with the Harley-Davidson racers and a private infield tour.
Finally, there’s the Opening Ceremonies Trackside Fan Experience ($99), which includes General Admission seating with full pit pass access, a guided tour of the infield podium and start/finish line, photo opps, and up-close viewing of Opening Ceremonies and the night’s race action.
Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/lake-ozark-short-track-126438 to purchase your tickets today.
Gates will open for fans at 3:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. PT) with Opening Ceremonies set to begin at 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 a.m. PT).
How to Watch
FloRacing
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2025. FloSports is available by visiting https://flosports.link/aft or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.
FS1
FOX Sports coverage of the Arby’s Lake Ozark Short Track presented by Arrowhead Brass, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, September 20, at 11:00 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. PT).
For more information, visit www.americanflattrack.com
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