DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(March 2, 2026)
– Following months of
planning, preparation, and
testing, the rubber is
finally about to hit the
dirt. The 2026 Grand
National Championship will
officially get underway when
the stars of Progressive
American Flat Track,
sanctioned by AMA
Pro Racing, kick
off a brand-new campaign
with the Royal
Enfield Short Track at
DAYTONA I & II at
the DAYTONA Flat
Track on Thursday,
March 5, and Friday, March
6.
More than two dozen of the
world’s most elite
motorcycle dirt
trackers representing eight different
brands will compete in the
spotlight as a
half-million enthusiasts flock
to Daytona Beach, Florida,
for the 85th annual Bike
Week.
#1
For the first time since
2020, a Mission AFT
SuperTwins pilot will
be brandishing the #1 plate
in the premier class for the
very first time. Defending
champion Dallas Daniels (No.
1 Estenson Racing Yamaha
MT-07) has long imaged this
day and admitted to putting
considerable thought into
crafting just the right look
for his new number display.
And for good reason. While
the #1 plate is a great
honor, it can also be a
heavy burden. However, it’s
difficult to imagine a rider
better prepared to accept
that challenge. Daniels
previously successfully
defended a #1 plate when he
became the first
back-to-back KICKER AFT
Singles champion in history
in 2021. And while he was
not defending the throne in
‘25, he did carry the
pressure of being the heavy
preseason favorite.
While he was pushed to the
limit in order to make good
on those lofty expectations,
Daniels ultimately
came through to earn what he
hopes to be the first of
many Grand National
Championships.
And he will be all the
stronger for the experience.
Even though he won the crown
in 2025, Daniels and his
Estenson Racing crew were
never 100% satisfied with
the state of
their racebike a season ago.
By contrast, they come into
2026 confident in the
package they’ve developed
over the offseason.
If they live up to their own
expectations, that could
prove a scary proposition
for the opposition.
Hog Wild
As mentioned above, Daniels
was given all he could
handle a year ago – a
challenge that was fronted
by a pair of Harley-Davidson
XG750Rs, a platform that met
the opportunity presented by
the shift to an
all-production-based
ruleset.
Piloted by two-time Grand
National Champion Briar
Bauman (No. 3
RWR/Jacob Construction/
Parts Plus Harley-Davidson
XG750R) and perennial
contender Brandon
Robinson (No. 44
Mission Roof Systems
Harley-Davidson XG750R), the
Harley led all bikes with
nine wins a year ago. Bauman
alone claimed a
class-leading eight while
Robinson at last scored the
XG win he first set his
sights on back in 2017.
The two finished second and
third in the title fight and
closed out the ‘25 campaign
with a rousing 1-2 at the
Lake Ozark finale, repeating
the coup they pulled off
while giving the bike its
first victory earlier in the
season on Yamaha’s home turf
in Senoia.
Bauman and Robinson are
armed with Harley-Davidsons
again in 2026,
and they’re bringing
reinforcements.
Triple KICKER AFT
Singles king Kody
Kopp (No. 12 Latus
Motors Racing Harley-Davison
XG750R) is back in the
series full time and at last
making his Mission AFT
SuperTwins debut. Supported
by an all-star crew, Kopp
has everything he needs to
fight his way into the mix
early and often.
Meanwhile, two-and
four-wheel dirt track
ace Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26
FRA Trust Advisors
Harley-Davidson XG750R) will
also graduate to
premier-class competition in
2026 aboard a
Harley-Davidson XG750R.
And in This Corner…
While the 2025 season
was largely dominated by the
battles waged by Daniels and
Bauman – and to a lesser
extent Robinson –
they didn’t have things all
their way.
That was most plainly
evident when Trent
Lowe (No. 48
American Honda/Mission Foods
Honda CB750 Hornet) powered
Honda to its first
twin-cylinder premier-class
victory in more than a
quarter century. That
performance both marked the
bike’s arrival as a
full-blown SuperTwins threat
and provided the team with
added motivation to make the
most of the offseason in
order to prepare for bigger
and better things in ‘26.
Davis Fisher (No.
67 Rackley Racing/Bob
Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM
790 Duke), meanwhile,
collected multiple podiums
in his debut season on the
KTM en route to yet another
top-five championship
ranking. Fisher is well
positioned to build on what
was originally expected to
be a learning season,
returning to again pilot the
Rackley Racing KTM
alongside Ben Lowe (No.
25 Rackley Racing/Roof
Systems KTM 790 Duke).
Brandon Price (No.
92 Memphis Shades/Vinson
Construction Yamaha MT-07)
and Declan Bender (No.
70 Memphis Shades/Vinson
Construction Yamaha MT-07)
have each notched up podium
finishes for On The Box
Racing in recent seasons.
This year, they’ll be
looking to do so as
teammates, as the outfit
expands to bring a 1-2 punch
to the premier class in
‘26.
Nine-time premier-class
Short Track Main Event
winner Henry Wiles (No.
911 J&M Logging/Ray C’s
Harley-Davidson Kawasaki
Ninja 650) is back on the
Kawasaki Ninja 650 that he
hustled to the podium in
last year’s season opener.
And don’t forget about Bike
Week legend Sammy
Halbert (No. 69
Martin Trucking/OnlyFans/
Castrol Yamaha MT-07), who
is tied with Robinson and
trails only Daniels and Jake
Johnson for most
career DAYTONA ST victories
with four prior wins.
Adding to the
Intrigue
Several other faces – both
established and new – will
look to enter into the
podium mix.
2023 Nicky Hayden
AMA Flat Track Horizon Award and
2024 Progressive AFT
Rookie of the Year Evan
Renshaw (No. 95
Moto Anatomy X Powered by
Royal Enfield 650) has been
drafted up to the premier
class to contend aboard the
official Royal Enfield
entry.
And we know that bike is
capable of finishing on the
box because it did so a
couple years ago in the
capable of hands of Dalton
Gauthier (No. 79
Parts Bros/D&D
Cycles/Fairway Ford Aprilia
Tuareg 660). Gauthier will
now look to turn a similar
trick on the Fairway/JMC
Motorsports-developed
Aprilia.
Dan Bromley (No.
62 Memphis Shades/Lisa Niner
Racing Suzuki GSX-8S)
repeatedly demonstrated that
Suzuki can run inside the
top five a year ago – a
performance that seemingly
tempted the talented Billy
Ross (No. 29
Digitrace/Mission Foods/John
Franklin Suzuki GSX-8S) to
make a go on a GSX-8S as
well.
And Yamaha further adds to
its combined strength with
the entries of Chad
Cose (No. 49 Parker
Racing/Pro Roofing Yamaha
MT-07) and Cameron
Smith (No. 34
Fredericktown Yamaha/Thee
Kathy Gray Yamaha MT-07).
Single-Minded.
Doubleheader. Triple
Challenge.
The 2026 Mission AFT
SuperTwins title fight will
open with all the usual
fanfare and in its standard
race format on Thursday
night. Friday will then mix
things up with the return of
the Mission Triple
Challenge, which
first debuted at last
season’s Lima Half-Mile.
The Triple Challenge format,
which features three Main
Events of increasing length,
pressure, and stakes
to determine the final
results, is destined to
deliver an incredibly tense
and exciting night of racing
when paired with the close
confines of the DAYTONA Flat
Track.
Bike Week Bonus
Per usual, Daytona Beach
will be jam-packed with
two-wheeled activities
throughout Bike Week. And
fans at the track will have
plenty to keep them
entertained beyond the
on-track action, including a
wide range of
vendors, numerous food and
beverage options, and
extensive designated
motorcycle parking.
That’s the Ticket
Upper Rim Road
Standing Room Only tickets are
just $30 (kids 12 and under
free with the purchase of an
adult ticket) each day,
while General
Admission tickets
are just $35 ($25 for
students with a valid ID and
$10 for kids 10 and under). Reserved
Grandstand and Premium
Reserved Grandstand tickets
are only $45 and $55 more
(all ages), respectively,
per day. There’s also a Military/First
Responder Discount available,
allowing GOVX fans
to purchase tickets at
reduced rates.
The Practice Viewing and Opening
Ceremonies Trackside Fan
Experiences offer
reserved grandstand seating,
a guided tour of the infield
podium and start/finish line
complete with photos ops.
The Practice Viewing Fan
Experience is available for
$100, while the Opening
Ceremonies Trackside
Experience, which also
includes up-close viewing of
Opening Ceremonies, can be
purchased for $125 per day.
To purchase Royal
Enfield Short Track
at DAYTONA I tickets,
visit:
https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-daytona-short-track-i-150573.
To purchase Royal
Enfield Short Track
at DAYTONA II tickets,
visit:
https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-daytona-short-track-ii-150638.
And to purchase Thursday and
Friday tickets together via
the Multi-Day
Ticket for
the Royal Enfield Short
Track at DAYTONA I & II,
visit:
https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-daytona-short-track-i-and-ii-149220.
Gates will open for fans at
3:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. PT)
both days with Opening
Ceremonies set to begin at
7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT)
on Thursday and 6:30 p.m. ET
(3:30 p.m. PT) on Friday.
How to Watch
FloRacing
For those that can’t catch
the live action at the
track, FloRacing is the live
streaming home of
Progressive American Flat
Track. Motorsports fans can
subscribe to FloRacing to
enjoy over 1,000 live
motorsports events in 2026.
FloSports is available by
visiting
https://flosports.link/AFT2026
or by downloading the
FloSports app on iOS,
Android, Apple TV, Roku,
Amazon Fire and Chromecast.
FS1
FOX Sports will provide
in-depth coverage of the
Royal Enfield Short Track at
DAYTONA doubleheader
featuring rider features and
thrilling onboard cameras.
Stay tuned for an upcoming
announcement regarding premiere
airdates on FS1 and re-airs
on FS2. The full listing of
American Flat Track’s
television premieres will be
posted to the AFT website at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports.
