DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(April 21, 2026) – The KICKER
AFT Singles class stole the
show at last year’s Memphis
Shades Ventura Short Track
presented by 805 Beer.
They’ll return for an encore
performance on Saturday,
April 25, at Ventura
Raceway, host to Round 4 of
the 2026 Progressive
American Flat Track season,
sanctioned by AMA Pro
Racing.
Return to the Scene
of the Sublime
When the series arrived in
Ventura, California, a year
ago, the KICKER AFT Singles
hierarchy seemed all but
etched in stone.
Kage Tadman (No. 28 American
Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R)
proceeded to smash those
assumptions to dust. Despite
making his pro debut with
relatively little advance
fanfare, Tadman proved
utterly dominant and with
eye-popping speed and
style.
The Salinas, California,
native’s thrilling form made
it look as if he might
crash on any given corner.
Instead, he leveraged it to
earn pole position, win his
heat, take the Challenge
race, and then claim his
first Progressive AFT Main
Event victory in his very
first attempt.
And if
that wasn’t convincing
enough, Tadman backed it up
with a repeat feat in the
following week’s Silver
Dollar Short Track.
The California swing was
originally intended to be
his only two appearances of
the season, but his
unprecedented debut success
served as a springboard for
him to complete
the remainder of the
season.
In the end, Tadman enjoyed a
breakout rookie campaign,
one in which he snared
seven additional top fives,
including three more
podiums, en route to fourth
in the championship
standings. That showing
earned him a place on the
American Honda-backed Turner
Racing squad for 2026,
where he’s already returned
to the box to up his career
podium tally to six.
Still, Tadman continues to
seek his third victory,
after going two-for-two at
the start. This weekend’s
return to Ventura Raceway
has him back in
the spotlight and
expectations are high.
He’s trying to stay relaxed
and ride free, tempering
those expectations with the
understanding
that he’s still learning his
new bike and team.
That said, the potential for
a repeat is undeniable.
Power Trio
Last year, Tom Drane (No. 1
Estenson Racing Yamaha
YZ450F), Trevor Brunner (No.
21 KMA Racing/March
Equipment Yamaha YZ450F),
and Chase Saathoff (No. 88
1st Impressions Race Team
Husqvarna FC450) managed to
re-establish order after
Tadman’s two-week barrage.
They ended up going 1-2-3 in
the standings at the end of
the 2025 season,
and that’s precisely where
they sit in the 2026 points
to date.
All three will be geared up
for another opportunity to
show that they’re up to the
challenge presented by
Tadman this weekend. And you
can be sure no one will be
overlooking him this time
around.
Winning Time
It’s worth remembering that
Tadman, Drane, Brunner, and
Saathoff aren’t the only
KICKER AFT Singles winners
in the field.
Bradon Pfanders (No. 83
Memphis Shades/Corbin Seats
Yamaha YZ450F) earned his
first class victory earlier
this season, and, judging by
his flashes of speed, the
rising star has it in him to
stack several more on top of
it.
And veteran pilot Justin
Jones (No. 91 Fairway Ford
Chevy GMC Yamaha YZ450F 450)
has a win on his record too
– albeit one scored more
than a decade ago. But that
2015 triumph is more than
just a distant memory; it’s
evidence of what’s still
possible for the New Yorker,
who might just be riding
better now than he ever
previously has in his
career.
Despite coming home second
last time out in Georgia,
Jones was less than
satisfied, feeling he left a
win on the table. He’s eager
to make up for it as soon as
humanly possible.
Who’s Next?
While Tadman will naturally
garner much of the pre-race
hype, there’s another
Californian to keep close
tabs on. Tarren Santero (No.
75 Roof Systems/Vinson
Construction Honda CRF450R)
now boasts three runner-up
finishes among his five
career KICKER AFT Singles
podium finishes. However,
he’s still angling for that
maiden win.
Santero finished seventh
here in 2025 – which was his
career-best finish at the
time. He’s significantly
upped his game in the two
years since, including the
third he picked up here a
year ago.
There are plenty of others
who could spring a surprise,
including the likes of
rookie ace Jack Brucks (No.
113 1st Impressions Race
Team Husqvarna FC450),
DAYTONA standout Logan
Eisenhard (No. 66 Eisenhard
Racing/Pags Powersports KTM
450 SX-F), Tadman’s
teammate, Walker Porter (No.
10 American Honda/Mission
Foods CRF450R), fellow
sophomore Ryder Reese (No.
41 Fairway Ford Chevy GMC
KTM 450 SX-F FE), and
perennial challenger Jared
Lowe (No. 63 Big R
Racing/Vinson Construction
Honda CRF450R).
The Wizards of Oz
AFT ProSport 450 will
continue to introduce
Progressive American Flat
Track fans to the future
stars of the sport, as some
of the world’s most
promising amateurs will earn
a spot on Saturday’s grid in
Friday night’s
AMA-sanctioned Mission Foods
CTR Showcase Event at the
venue.
If the first two rounds
serve as
any indication, we’re now in
the opening stages of a
full-blown Aussie invasion
of the series.
Last year, Tom Drane became
the first international
rider to win a Progressive
AFT national championship.
It seems highly
unlikely he’ll be the
last.
His younger brother, Sam
Drane (No. 7 Estenson Racing
Yamaha YZ450F), was
victorious in the opening
two races of the AFT
ProSport 450 era. Meanwhile,
fellow Australians Jed
Fyffe (No. 23 Thriller
Motorsports/Yamaha Australia
YZ450F) and Jake Paige (No.
55 Paige Racing KTM 450
SX-F) joined him on the
box.
Of course, there is no
shortage of talented young
Americans coming up through
the ranks. That list is
perhaps headlined by
Californian Ryder
Bitz-Hay (No. 14 Bitz-Hay
Racing KTM 450 SX-F) who has
podiumed both times out in
AFT ProSport 450 action.
Build. Check. Train.
Check. Race…!
The Memphis Shades Ventura
Short Track will also
feature the popular and
influential Royal Enfield
Build. Train. Race.
(BTR) program.
Now in its seventh season of
highlighting, celebrating,
and encouraging the
involvement of women in flat
track, BTR will contest its
third race of the ‘26 season
at Ventura Raceway.
If you’re looking for
favorites, a well defined
pecking order has already
taken shape. Emma
Gottsch (No. 5 Royal
Enfield/Parts
Unlimited/Arai/Alpinestars), Julia
Hess (No. 13 Royal
Enfield/Parts
Unlimited/Arai/Alpinestars),
and Madicela Rodriguez (No.
113 Royal Enfield/Parts
Unlimited/Arai/Alpinestars)
have finished 1-2-3 in each
of the season’s prior two
Main Events.
A Night to
Remember
As if the world-class racing
and remarkable beachside
vibes weren’t enough, there
will be plenty more reasons
to celebrate at the Memphis
Shades Ventura Short Track.
The day will feature a pair
of Thrashed Kids Freestyle
Shows headlined by X Games
Gold Medalist and Ventura
Short Track Grand
Marshal Tyler Bereman.
The event will also serve to
honor the lives of Ventura
native and Landspeed
legend Chris
Raschke (1964-2005) via
“Chris Raschke Day,” and
Salinas native and flat
tracker Jess
Garcia (1993-2020) with
the Jess Garcia Memorial
Challenge featuring the
fastest four KICKER AFT
Singles racers.
Fans can also expect a
multitude of vendors, big
screen viewing, designated
motorcycle parking, and a
variety of food and beverage
options.
Get Your Tickets
Today
General Admission tickets
are just $50 (kids 12 and
under free) all taxes and
fees included. Reserved
Grandstand tickets are just
$15 more (all ages).
Students with proof of a
valid student ID can
purchase a General Admission
ticket for just $30 at the
door. There’s also
a Military/First Responder
Discount available,
allowing GOVX fans to
purchase tickets at reduced
rates.
The Opening Ceremonies
Trackside Fan Experience is
available for purchase for
$135 (all ages) or $95 as an
add-on. This premium option
includes GA seating, full
event pit access, a guided
tour of the infield podium
and start/finish line with
photos opps, and up-close
viewing of Opening
Ceremonies and a portion of
the night’s race action.
And don’t miss out on
the 805 Pit Party, a premium
ticket add-on designed to
elevate raceday hospitality.
Available for $75, the 805
Pit Party provides guests
with access to a dedicated
hospitality area featuring a
variety of beverage options,
along with snacks available
throughout the event.
Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-ventura-short-track-168769 to
reserve your seats today.
Gates will open for fans at
5:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. PT
with Opening Ceremonies
scheduled to begin at 10:00
p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.
