(Brandon
Robinson (44), Davis Fisher
(67), Dallas Daniels (32),
Justin Jones (91), Ben Lowe
(25), Briar Bauman (3); Photo:
American Flat Track/Tim Lester)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(April 22, 2025) – Progressive
American Flat Track,
sanctioned by AMA Pro
Racing, returns to
stunning Ventura Raceway
for the Memphis
Shades Ventura Short Track
presented by Law Tigers
this Saturday, April 26, with an
enthralling Grand
National Championship
fight taking form.
That clash will take center
stage before a breathtaking
backdrop this weekend, with
previous stops at Ventura
Raceway boasting grandstands
packed with fans to take in both
the incredible race action and
the unrivaled views provided by
a beach-set venue less than two
hundred meters removed from the
Pacific Ocean.
Void? What Void?
The sport has been
extraordinarily fortunate to
witness intense Mission
AFT SuperTwins
championship rivalries in recent
seasons, with the last six title
fights remaining undecided until
the final race of the year.
From 2019 through 2022, the main
event was ten-time king
Jared Mees versus
double champ Briar
Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Parts
Plus/Latus Motors
Harley-Davidson XG750R). And in
2023 and 2024, Dallas
Daniels (No. 32
Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT)
stepped forward to emerge as
Mees’ primary challenger.
With Mees now retired from
championship competition, it
seems only natural that Bauman
and Daniels would be set on a
collision course for supremacy
in a budding rivalry that has
the potential to define
motorcycle dirt track racing for
the next decade or longer.
While still early days, the
post-Mees era is off to a
thrilling start. Despite
preseason concerns of a Daniels
runaway, he leads Bauman by just
a single point (62-61) through
three races with two victories
and a third to his adversary’s
pair of seconds and breakthrough
win.
That developing showdown
promises to continue as a
close-fought affair when it
arrives in Ventura, California:
Daniels and Bauman split top
honors in the series’ two
previous visits to the oceanside
circuit.
Robbed
Bauman’s immediate and highly
successful acclimation to the
Harley-Davidson XG750R hasn’t
only come at the expense of
preseason title favorite
Daniels. In fact, it was
Brandon Robinson (No.
44 Mission Roof Systems
Harley-Davidson XG750R) who
appeared well on his way to at
last completing his long-held
goal of becoming the racebike’s
first-ever premier-class
winner.
Bauman denied him both that
night and in the history books,
charging up through the top five
to snatch the lead away from
Robinson with less than two
short laps remaining before the
checkered flag.
That near-miss runner-up finish
still served as clear indication
that Robinson has already
found his footing in his
transition back to the Harley.
And it merits mentioning that it
was Robinson – not Daniels nor
Bauman – who finished second to
Mees in last season’s Mission
AFT SuperTwins title battle.
Should Robinson bring his best
every weekend, he has every
chance to make this a
season-long three-rider melee.
But that best needs to come out
again in Ventura to prevent his
quarry from pulling away any
further up front.
Beach Par(i)ty
The all-production-based ruleset
introduced this season in hopes
of encouraging greater parity
has delivered.
Yamaha,
Harley-Davidson,
KTM, and
Kawasaki have
all featured on the podium in
the opening three rounds of the
season, while Honda,
Suzuki, and
Royal Enfield
have also featured inside the
top ten on multiple occasions.
Bauman’s victory last season at
Ventura Raceway came aboard a
KTM 790 Duke. And despite his
defection to H-D, the bike
remains a serious threat up
front. Davis Fisher
(No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob
Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790
Duke) has led that charge to
date, as he’s currently tied
with Robinson for third in the
points on the strength of a
third and two fourths. And
Jarod VanDerKooi
(No. 20 Fastrack
Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM
790 Duke) is not far behind,
nine points further adrift in
fifth.
Meanwhile, Trent Lowe
(No. 48 American
Honda/Progressive Insurance
Honda Transalp), Dan
Bromley (No. 62 Memphis
Shades/Vinson Construction
Suzuki GSX-8S), and Max
Whale (No. 18 Moto
Anatomy X Powered by Royal
Enfield 650) have flashed of the
speed necessary to up the
manufacturer podium count this
season and do so early.
Daniels’ record-setting podium
streak (now at 16 and counting)
has helped ensure Yamaha remains
in the spotlight week in and
week out. But he isn’t the only
rider representing the brand.
Brandon Price
(No. 92 Memphis Shades/Vinson
Construction/OTBR Yamaha MT-07)
still seeks that maiden
premier-class victory that has
narrowly eluded him for years,
while Californian James
Ott (No. 19 G&G Racing
Yamaha MT-07) is motivated to
shine in front of his home state
fans after demonstrating
impressive form a few weeks back
in Atlanta.
View to a Thrill… and
More
Incredible racing and
spectacular beachside viewing
won’t be the only attractions
for fans, who can also expect a
multitude of vendors, big screen
viewing, designated motorcycle
parking, and a variety of food
and beverage options.
Reserve Your Seats Today
General Admission
tickets are just $50
(kids 12 and under free) all
taxes and fees included.
Reserved Grandstand and
Premium Reserved
Grandstand tickets are
only $15 and $25 more (all
ages), respectively. With a
student ID as proof, students
can purchase a General Admission
ticket for just $30 at the door
on the day of the event. And new
for 2025, every level of ticket
automatically includes paddock
access.
Also available for purchase is
the Opening Ceremonies
Trackside Fan Experience
($105), which includes reserved
seating, a guided tour of the
infield podium and start/finish
line, photos opps included, and
up-close viewing of Opening
Ceremonies and a portion of the
night’s race action.
Visit
https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/ventura-short-track-121465
to reserve your seats today.
Gates will open for fans at 5:30
p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT with
Opening Ceremonies scheduled to
begin at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m.
PT.
How to Watch
FloRacing
For those that can’t catch the
live action from the circuit,
FloRacing is
the live streaming home of
Progressive AFT. Motorsports
fans can subscribe to FloRacing
to enjoy over 1,000 live
motorsports events in 2025.
FloSports is available by
visiting
https://flosports.link/aft
or by downloading the FloSports
app on iOS, Android, Apple TV,
Roku, Amazon Fire and
Chromecast.
FS1
FOX Sports
coverage of the Memphis
Shades Ventura Short Track
presented by Law Tigers,
featuring in-depth features and
thrilling onboard cameras, will
premiere on FS1
on Sunday, May 4,
at 1:00 p.m. ET
(10:00 a.m. PT).
For more information on
Progressive AFT visit
https://www.americanflattrack.com.
