(Pictured:
Chase Saathoff #88)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(March 03, 2025) – Similar
to the situation in the Mission
AFT SuperTwins class,
this year’s AFT Singles
presented by KICKER title
fighters are preparing to battle
to claim a vacated throne.
With back-to-back-to-back class
king Kody Kopp leaving his crown
undefended, the AFT Singles
class is destined to have its
power dynamic remade, a process
that will begin in earnest this
week as the 2025 Progressive
American Flat Track season,
sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing,
opens with the Royal
Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I
& II at the Flat
Track at Daytona International
Speedway on Thursday, March
6, and Friday, March
7, in Daytona Beach,
Florida.
Rivalry
The preseason co-favorites to
assume the mantle are a pair of
the sport’s most acclaimed
rising stars, Tom Drane (No.
59 Estenson Racing Yamaha
YZ450F) and Chase
Saathoff (No.
88 RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R).
Adding to the natural drama that
results from any championship
contest – and making matters
that much more entertaining – is
the fact that they already share
something of a budding
rivalry.
At least some degree of animus
is likely unavoidable due to
just how evenly they are matched
on track. In the series’ most
recent 27 races, Drane and
Saathoff have finished one
position in front of the other
on 14 separate occasions. 13 of
those were for at least
one podium position. 12
of those saw them both land on
the box. And six times they
finished first and second,
including in the final three
races of 2024.
However, their rivalry is
perhaps best defined by two
occasions on which they
did not finish one in front of
the other.
At last season’s DAYTONA Short
Track opener, the two clashed on
the final lap while disputing
third. The resultant contact
dropped Saathoff to fourth,
while Drane hit the ground and
would ultimately be scored down
in 15th position.
And then at the Silver Dollar
Short Track, Drane again came
out the worst of an incident
that occurred while the duo ran
second and third that brought a
red flag. Saathoff carried on to
a second-place finish, while
Drane was forced to claw his way
up from the back of the field to
secure sixth.
Simple mathematics delivers a
follow-up gut punch to Drane.
Had he managed to take even
third in both races (with second
seemingly a realistic
possibility each time), he would
have accumulated 17 more points
toward his championship efforts
((18-5)+(18-14)).
Why is that so
important? Well, as a
quick reminder, Drane
lost the championship to Kopp by
15 points (339-324).
Drane returns with the same
powerhouse Estenson Racing
Yamaha team that’s fielded him
the past two seasons. Saathoff,
meanwhile, continues his long
association with Bryan Bigelow
and Honda, but now takes over
for Kopp in the
championship-winning slot at
Rick Ware Racing.
Their joint presence alone makes
for a fascinating title outlook.
But they are not alone nor has
the class’ reigning king
disappeared altogether.
Read the full story
HERE.
