DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(March 9, 2023) – Dallas Daniels
(No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha
MT-07 DT) secured a nail-biting
victory at the DAYTONA
Short Track I presented by
Daytona Dodge to open
the 2023 Progressive
American Flat Track season
in dramatic fashion.
A hectic opening several laps
around the Flat Track at
Daytona International Speedway featured
the four riders on four
different makes who lined the
front row for the
Mission SuperTwins presented by
S&S Cycle Main Event.
Johnny Lewis
(No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered
by Royal Enfield 650) raised
more than a few eyebrows when he
grabbed the early lead aboard
the Royal Enfield while
established Mission SuperTwins
superstars Daniels,
Brandon Robinson (No.
44 Mission Roof Systems Indian
FTR750), and Briar
Bauman (No. 3 Parts
Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890
Duke) jockeyed for position just
behind.
After some back-and-forth,
Robinson managed to work his way
into the lead and then
threatened to make an early
escape. By the time Daniels and
Bauman dispatched Lewis, the
Mission Roof Systems rider had
nearly a second in hand.
Daniels put his head down at
that point, stretching out an
advantage over Bauman while
eating away at Robinson’s. By
half distance the two linked up
at the front just as they made
their way into lapped traffic
for the first time.
The Estenson Racing pilot began
to actively search for a way
into the lead with just over two
minutes on the clock, nudging
the front wheel of his Yamaha
MT-07 DT up the inside of
Robinson’s Indian FTR750 a few
times before finally finding the
gap he had been looking for.
Once through, Daniels, Robinson,
and Bauman appeared safe to open
their 2023 campaigns a
respective 1-2-3 as time
expired. However, the Main Event
delivered a final twist in the
form of a waving red flag that
came after Lewis’ crashed from
fifth following a clash with
another rider.
Not only was Lewis’ hard-earned
top five gone, but so seemingly
was Bauman’s remarkable podium
run in his debut aboard the
all-new Rick Ware Racing KTM 890
Duke, his brake pedal
disconnected during the Main
Event melee.
However, even with Bauman’s
technical issues and the
potential for chaos the top
three were forced to negotiate,
the trio locked down their
positions as they powered away
from the staggered start and
held on to the checkered flag.
The victorious Daniels said, “I
tell you what – there’s nothing
that makes you more nervous than
that right there, leading the
laps going away and a red flag
comes out with two to go. My dad
was talking to me (before the
restart), saying “You’re good,
you’re good.” And then he
stopped talking, and I was like,
“No, no, no, keep talking, I’m
getting nervous!
“These two guys on the podium
with me – I grew up watching
these guys win here. These guys
are my heroes. And now I want to
beat them. It’s an honor to win
here.”
Even if the podium went
unaltered in the wake of the
late stoppage, there was plenty
of reshuffling as a result of
the restart. Defending Mission
SuperTwins king Jared
Mees (No. 1 Indian
Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI
Racing FTR750) was the biggest
beneficiary, slashing up to a
fourth-place finish after
previously being mired as deep
as 12th in the pack.
He was followed home by Daniels’
teammate, JD Beach
(No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha
MT-07 DT), who took fifth
despite not faring much better
than Mees to that point.
Four-time DAYTONA ST winner Sammy
Halbert (No. 69 Martin
Trucking/Castrol Yamaha MT-07)
took sixth, followed by
Dan Bromley (No. 62
Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson
Construction Yamaha MT-07) and
the remounted Lewis.
Davis Fisher
(No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob
Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian
FTR750) – who had been fourth at
the time of the red flag – ended
up ninth, while Ben Lowe
(No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission
Foods Indian FTR750) completed
the top ten.
Parts Unlimited AFT
Singles presented by KICKER
Reigning Parts Unlimited
AFT Singles presented by KICKER champion
Kody Kopp (No.
1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
450 SX-F) got his title defense
off to what was effectively a
perfect start.
The fact that Kopp entered the
season as the primary target of
every other rider in the field
seemingly did nothing but
enhance the dominant streak he
flashed so often a year ago.
Despite contending with a slick
track that demanded focus and
invited mistakes, the factory
KTM ace topped practice and
qualifying, won his Heat and the
Al Lamb's Dallas Honda
Challenge, and then ultimately
reigned supreme in the season’s
opening Main Event.
Kopp blasted off to the holeshot
and basically put it out of
reach a few short corners later.
He systematically worked his
lead up to around four seconds
before cruising his way to an
eventual 3.370-second margin of
victory.
Afterward, Kopp claimed the day
didn’t come quite as easily as
it appeared outwardly. He said,
“The #1 plate definitely is a
little heavy I think. There were
some nerves and some Outlaw
races this offseason where I was
doubting myself if we were still
good on a Short Track. But this
is some way to start a season
for sure. We pretty much had a
clean sweep of the day.”
Dalton Gauthier (No.
79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450
SX-F) held down second
throughout, perfectly positioned
to take advantage of a mistake
that never came. Still, his
runner-up effort sent a strong
message that he’s still very
much a threat despite returning
to an independent effort in ‘23.
Trevor Brunner (No.
21 Estenson Racing Yamaha
YZ450F) rounded out the podium,
coming out on top of a race-long
fight after making an early
strike on Trent Lowe
(No. 48 American Honda/Mission
Foods CRF450R), the rider signed
to fill Gauthier’s former seat
at Turner Honda.
Aussie sensation Tom
Drane (No. 59 Estenson
Racing Yamaha YZ450F) made it
two Estenson Yamahas in the top
five with a nice start to his
full-time Progressive AFT in
fifth.
Kopp’s teammate and expected
title challenger Max
Whale (No. 18 Red Bull
KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F)
didn’t enjoy nearly as smooth an
evening as his stablemate. Whale
crashed in his Heat and the LCQ,
but still just managed to
advance into the Main, where he
battled his way up to eighth in
the end.
Next Up:
The ‘23 Progressive AFT season
picks right back up with the
second half of the
DAYTONA Short Track
doubleheader opener on Friday at
the Flat Track at Daytona
International Speedway. Gates
will open for fans at 3:00 p.m.
ET (12:00 p.m. PT) with Opening
Ceremonies scheduled to begin at
7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT)
ahead of the evening’s program.
Visit
https://www.tixr.com/promoters/americanflattrack
to secure your DAYTONA Short
Track II tickets today.
For those that can’t catch the
live action from Daytona
International Speedway,
FansChoice.tv is the
live streaming home of
Progressive AFT. Sign up now and
catch every second of on-track
action starting with Practice &
Qualifying and ending with the
Victory Podium at the end of the
night at
https://www.fanschoice.tv.
FOX Sports coverage,
featuring in-depth features and
thrilling onboard cameras, will
premiere on FS1
from the DAYTONA Short
Track I on March
18 at 10:30
a.m. ET (7:30 a.m. PT)
and DAYTONA Short Track
II on March 19 at
12:30 p.m. ET (9:30 a.m.
PT).
For more information on
Progressive AFT visit
https://www.americanflattrack.com.
