DAYTONA
BEACH, Fla. (April
27, 2024) – Brandon
Robinson
(No. 44 Mission Roof
Systems Indian
FTR750) successfully
defended his team’s
home turf in a
spectacular
Mission SuperTwins
Main Event to
headline Saturday
night’s
Mission Texas
Half-Mile presented
by Al Lamb’s Dallas
Honda and Roof
Systems of Dallas, Round
4 of the 2024
Progressive
American Flat Track season,
sanctioned by
AMA Pro
Racing.
A victory at
Texas Motor Speedway
in Fort Worth,
Texas, was always
the dream result for
the locally-based
Mission Roof Systems
outfit, but Robinson
would have to go
through both
nine-time
Grand National
Champion
Jared Mees
(No. 1 Rogers
Racing/SDI
Racing/Indian
Motorcycle FTR750)
and premier-class
phenom
Dallas Daniels
(No. 32 Estenson
Racing Yamaha MT-07
DT) to do so.
Estenson ace Daniels
blasted into the
lead off the launch
and Mees dove up the
inside as the two
threatened another
1-2 breakaway at the
front. Robinson was
having none of it,
however, tracking
the duo down to
transform the lead
pack into a
three-piece before
they could shake
free.
For the next few
minutes, the trio
traded positions in
a flurry of moves
before Robinson
grasped command as
the contest
approached half
distance. His
thoughts of making
an escape were
upended by brake
issues and Mees –
the greatest
Half-Miler in the
history of the
series and the
winner of the
previous three Texas
Half-Miles – stormed
back alongside
Robinson with two to
go.
Mees attempted an
around-the-outside
bid to steal away
the win on the
race’s final corner,
but Robinson held
firm, edging the
factory Indian pilot
to the checkered
flag by a narrow
0.120-second margin.
Daniels came home in
third another 0.676
seconds back.
“When we unloaded, I
was definitely
uncomfortable to
start the day,”
Robinson admitted.
“Huge shout out to
Ben Evans and Kayl
Kolkman – they got
me dialed-in. That
race was epic. I’ve
never really had a
firm grasp on this
place in the past,
but tonight was
awesome. I was able
to use the high line
in the beginning to
make some moves and
get around the guys.
From there, I felt
really good, but
with about four
minutes to go, I
lost brakes, which
was not fun. But we
weathered that
storm. It’s awesome
to start the season
the way we have. Big
thanks to Mission
Foods and Jerry
Stinchfield at Roof
Systems – they make
our program happen.”
Davis Fisher
(No. 67 Rackley
Racing/Bob
Lanphere’s BMC
Racing Indian
FTR750) came out on
top of a two-rider
fight for fourth
that also included
two-time Mission
SuperTwins champ
Briar Bauman
(No. 3 Rick Ware
Racing/KTM/Parts
Plus KTM 790 Duke).
Jarod
Vanderkooi (No.
20 JMC
Motorsports/Fairway
Ford Ohio Indian
FTR750) crossed the
line clear in sixth,
while Max
Whale (No.
18 Latus Motors
Racing/Liqui Moly
Harley-Davidson
XG750R),
Brandon Price
(No. 92 Memphis
Shades/Corbin/OTBR
Yamaha MT-07),
Johnny Lewis
(No. 10 Moto Anatomy
X Powered by Royal
Enfield 650), and
Declan
Bender (No.
70
GOMR/BriggsAuto.com/Martin
Trucking Indian
FTR750) completed
the top ten in that
order.
After failing to win
a race in 2023,
Robinson became the
first rider to claim
a second Mission
SuperTwins victory
in 2024. He also
took control of the
championship lead in
the process, as
Robinson now leads
Daniels by four
points (86-82). Mees
remains well within
striking distance at
75 points in his
quest to secure an
unprecedented tenth
GNC.
Parts
Unlimited AFT
Singles presented by
KICKER
It turns out 13 was
the lucky number for
Chase
Saathoff (No.
88 JPG Motorsports
Honda CRF450R) in
his protracted,
often excruciating,
pursuit of a maiden
Parts
Unlimited AFT
Singles presented by
KICKER win.
After having
previously notched
up 12 podiums – half
of those runners-up
– Saathoff at last
secured that elusive
win, even if it
didn’t play out
quite the way he had
envisioned.
In fact, the Parts
Unlimited AFT
Singles Main Event
felt as if it was
actively attempting
to derail Saathoff’s
luck as opposed to
indulging it.
After showcasing
race-winning speed
throughout the day,
Saathoff’s bid was
pushed until the end
of the day when
inclement weather
forced a reshuffling
of the schedule. And
when it did finally
take place, the Main
was red-flagged no
less than three
times – each one
with Saathoff in the
lead – due to a
combination of
precipitation and
crashes.
The race was
ultimately called
complete with just
over one minute
remaining on the
clock. As a result,
Saathoff was awarded
the win despite
being robbed of the
satisfaction of
crossing the finish
line in first.
Saathoff said, “It
was crazy for sure.
Every time there was
a red flag, I’d just
try to go over and
control my thoughts.
I pulled through
with like four
holeshots and can’t
be more stoked with
this, I would say,
‘win.’ I got the
holeshot and led all
of the race, but I
would have liked to
have taken the
checkered flag. But
I’ll take it. I’m
not ashamed of it.
I’d like to thank
everybody so much
for all their
support.”
Title fighters
Kody Kopp
(No. 1 Rick Ware
Racing/Parts Plus
KTM 450 SX-F) and
Tom Drane (No.
59 Estenson Racing
Yamaha YZ450F) were
credited in second
and third after
charging their way
forward – Kopp in
particular after
running as low as
eighth in the early
going.
Kopp still holds a
commanding lead with
92 points, while
Saathoff’s
breakthrough win
elevated him into
second (75) followed
by Drane in third
(69).
Next Up:
The Progressive
American Flat Track
season continues
next weekend with
the inaugural
Silver
Dollar Short Track
at Silver Dollar
Speedway in Chico,
California, on
Saturday, May 4.
Visit
https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/silver-dollar-short-track-89147
to secure your
tickets today.
For those who can’t
catch the action
from the circuit,
FloRacing
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
http://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage
of the
Mission Texas
Half-Mile,
featuring in-depth
features and
thrilling onboard
cameras, will
premiere on FS1
on Sunday,
May 5, at 11:00
a.m. ET
(8:00 a.m. PT).
For more information
on Progressive AFT
visit
https://www.americanflattrack.com.
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