Among all the venues visited by Progressive American Flat Track—and in all of motorsports, really—none can match the sheer “California-ness” of Ventura Raceway.
Set just meters ashore of the Pacific Ocean, complete with sightlines that encompass rolling waves, mountaintops, palm trees and surfers alike, its unique nature stands out among the crowd. It also doesn’t hurt that it happens to attract a crowd, with packed grandstands year after year, a reality no doubt aided by the fact that the tight little raceway also reliably produces exciting, multi-line racing.
By Chris Martin | Photography by Tim Lester & Kristen Lassen
Those California vibes were in full effect on Saturday night, culminating on the top step of the podium. Three California natives competed in the evening’s main events, with the final occupants of the top steps of the podium coming as little surprise.
Despite opening his 2026 Mission AFT SuperTwins season with (by his standards) relatively undistinguished finishes of seventh, sixth and third, Briar Bauman arrived at Ventura expecting to bounce back in convincing fashion.
While he was embarking on a second year aboard the Rick Ware Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R race bike, which he hustled to eight wins in 2025, there was significant shuffling beneath the surface of his program.
In an attempt not just to hit the ground running but to step things up over ’25, Bauman, new crew chief Bryan Bigelow, and company may have, in hindsight, been a bit too aggressive in their approach to the bike’s setup.
A month after Senoia, reflecting, adjusting and continuing to learn to work together reaped serious benefits at Ventura Raceway, a friendly circuit where Bauman had previously won in ’24 on a KTM and last season aboard the Harley.
Eager to put things back on track, he ripped free right from the start. Bauman’s pace was such that only rookie ace and Grand National Championship leader Kody Kopp could even pretend to keep pace.
The Latus Motors Racing H-D pilot did an admirable job clinging on for a spell but ultimately couldn’t keep things close enough to spook Bauman, even when the two-time premier-class champ got clogged up behind slower riders as he lapped all the way up to the fight for fifth position.
The dominant victory instantly repositions Bauman as the championship co-favorite he was considered entering 2026.
“The first thing I need to do is apologize to Rick Ware Racing, the whole team,” Bauman said. “I got a little bit greedy the first three rounds. I kind of led the team in a difficult direction. We wanted to bite off more than we probably could chew, and we got a little ahead of ourselves.
“But this is where we belong. I love coming here. I see my friends. I see my family where I grew up. I’m a pretty good Short Tracker, so I enjoy riding this track in general.
“And the Harley-Davidson XG750R was working so good. I can’t thank my team enough. I’m so proud of my guys. We did something massive tonight.”
Despite coming home second, the performance only further cemented Kopp’s standing as a legitimate title threat. Guided by the experienced hands of Bauman’s former crew, Dave Zanotti and Michelle Disalvo, Kopp’s seamless transition to premier-class stardom has been remarkable.
Now four races into his Mission AFT SuperTwins career, only two riders, Bauman and reigning champion Dallas Daniels, have managed to finish in front of him, and even then, only one time apiece.
As a result, Kopp extended his early-season title lead to seven points (84-77) over Daniels.
It was nearly stretched out a bit more than that. The Estenson Racing Yamaha runner seemed destined to finish off the podium, something he hasn’t done without being taken out in more than two seasons.
But luck was on his side, as Rackley Racing KTM’s Davis Fisher, who battled hard with Daniels before eking out an advantage, saw his race end with a mechanical issue with less than a minute remaining on the clock.
“I pride myself on consistency,” Daniels said, “but I definitely got a little bit of luck there. Davis and I were going back and forth. He put a bit of a move on me, and it revved me up a little bit, and I kind of lost a little bit of ground. I just didn’t have it tonight. I just didn’t have that extra little bit those guys in front of me had. Briar is tough on this track. He’s won here the last three years. And Kody is a good Short Track guy as well. And I think I am too, but sometimes you ain’t got it, and it wasn’t for lack of effort.”
Bauman’s little brother, Bronson, made his first appearance of the season, and the part-timer immediately proved he’s still got the goods with a fourth-place ride aboard a Dick Ford Racing-backed Yamaha MT-07.
He was followed by Fisher’s Rackley Racing KTM teammate, Ben Lowe, who came out on top of the aforementioned tussle for fifth, crossing the line ahead of FRA Trust Advisors Harley’s Aidan RoosEvans and Turner Racing Honda’s Trent Lowe.
Schaffers MotorSports KTM’s Logan McGrane, Weirbach Racing Kawasaki’s Jacob Lehmann, and Moto Anatomy X Royal Enfield’s Evan Renshaw rounded out the top 10.
AFT Singles
A similar redemption arc played out in Kicker AFT Singles action. One year ago, home-state hero Kage Tadman made among the most memorable series debuts in series history with a stunning victory at Ventura Raceway, a feat he backed up a week later at the Silver Dollar Speedway.
That eye-popping entrance to the national stage served as a springboard from California wild card to full-time privateer to 1st Impressions Racing Husqvarna replacement to his present position as an American Honda factory rider.
While he’d performed quite well since, regularly racking up top fives and scooping multiple podiums, he hadn’t yet returned to the top step on the podium.
Tadman put an end to that wait on Saturday and did so in just about the most pressure-packed scenario imaginable. Faced with borderline unrealistic expectations at Ventura Raceway, even as he continues to come to grips with the Turner Racing Honda CRF450R, Tadman also found himself stalked by reigning class champ Tom Drane throughout.
Tadman’s trademark high line was lightning fast but also left him open to Drane’s constant inside feints and strikes. Despite being harried by the class’s top ace, Tadman kept it together and held off the Australian by a meager 0.034 of a second at the flag.
KMA Racing’s Trevor Brunner added a third to his Senoia win but felt he let one get away. “I’m not so stoked about that one,” he said. “I felt like we had a lot more in the tank to give. I felt like we definitely should have been up on the top step. I just put myself on the back foot at the start. I didn’t get the greatest start, so I kind of had to claw my way up. We were playing catch-up the whole time, and when we settled into our own pace, we couldn’t make much happen. So yeah, I’m bummed about it. But you know, I’m content with the points we’re leaving this place with. A third, all-in-all, is not that bad.”
BigR Racing’s Jared Lowe equaled his best career result, finishing fourth after looking like a potential winner throughout the program, while Californian Tarren Santero sliced and diced his way up to fifth on the Roof Systems Honda CRF450R after starting from the back of the field due to a heat-race crash and a detour through the LCQ.
Drane continues to lead a competitive Singles title fight that has now featured four different winners in four races. He currently boasts 75 points, followed by Brunner at 66, Tadman at 61, and 1st Impressions Husqvarna’s Chase Saathoff, who was a relatively quiet sixth on Saturday, at 59.
AFT ProSport 450
The West Coast debut of the AFT ProSport 450 class attracted the appearance of a largely new crop of leading amateurs who were eager to make their mark in front of the Progressive AFT paddock, an opportunity made even more pronounced with Estenson Racing’s double-winner Sam Drane not in attendance.
While the debutants were quick and threatening en route to claiming over half of the positions inside the top 10, in the end, the podium belonged to the category’s more established competitors. Californian Jett Katarzy took top honors on the Katarzy Racing Husqvarna, followed by Nantz Bros Racing’s Bayne Nantz and Bitz-Hay Racing’s Ryder Bitz-Hay.
Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race
Emma Gottsch continued her win streak at Ventura in the Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race. class.
Gottsch battled with top qualifier Julia Heess early in the race before a red-flag reset. In the restarted race, Gottsch got away clean to take the victory by 0.905 of a second. Heess was runner-up for the third consecutive race, while Hanna Brewer claimed the final step for her first podium of the season. Madicela Rodriguez, who was third in both previous rounds, was fourth. Gottsch continues to lead the BTR points standings, with 69 ahead of Heess’ 57. Rodriguez leaves Ventura four points ahead of Brewer’s tally of 42.CN
2026 AMA American Flat Track Round 4 Results
SuperTwins (Top 10)
- Briar Bauman (H-D) 34 Laps
- Kody Kopp (H-D) +1.373
- Dallas Daniels (Yam) +5.949
- Bronson Bauman (Yam) +12.489
- Ben Lowe (KTM) +15.210
- Aidan RoosEvans (H-D) +15.456
- Trent Lowe (Hon) 33 Laps
- Logan McGrane (KTM) +5.060
- Jacob Lehmann (Kaw) +6.850
- Evan Renshaw (RE) +7.777
Singles (Top 10)
- Kage Tadman (Hon) 26 Laps
- Tom Drane (Yam) +0.034
- Trevor Brunner (Yam) +2.157
- Jared Lowe (Hon) +4.339
- Tarren Santero (Hon) +5.471
- Chase Saathoff (Hus) +5.966
- Walker Porter (Hon) +7.016
- Justin Jones (Yam) +7.434
- Justin Anselmi (Yam) +9.007
- Skylar Sentell (KTM) +9.253
