DAYTONA
BEACH, Fla. (May 13,
2026) – 450cc
racebikes will
feature prominently
over four days of
ThrottleFest,
including in amateur
flat track,
motocross,
endurocross, hare
scrambles, and stunt
shows. That
single-cylinder
showcase in
Mechanicsville,
Maryland, will reach
its zenith on
Saturday, May 16,
when the KICKER AFT
Singles and AFT
ProSport 450 series
resume at
ThrottleFest for the
sixth round of the
2026 Progressive
American Flat Track
season, sanctioned
by AMA Pro Racing.
The Drane
Remains the Same
The opening four
rounds injected some
serious intrigue
into the KICKER AFT
Singles class with
four different
riders standing atop
the box.
Round 5 saw its
first repeat winner
– reigning champion
Tom Drane (No. 1
Estenson Racing
Yamaha YZ450F) – and
brought the title
fight into tight
focus along with it.
While multiple
riders have taken
their turn in the
spotlight,
Australian Drane has
been the constant
all throughout,
reeling in a points
haul via two firsts,
two seconds, and a
fourth. As a result,
the preseason title
favorite has further
locked down that
status as he’s
opened up a bit of
space at the top of
the order.
The upcoming run of
Half-Miles only
stands to play more
heavily in his
favor. He’s
currently tied for
third in class
history in HM wins
and is perfectly
positioned to
continue that climb
up the charts.
Staying
Power
Record-book
revisions have
become an annual
story in KICKER AFT
Singles as of late –
a story that
predates Drane’s
ongoing assault on
the sport’s annals.
Prior to Dallas
Daniels, no rider in
class history had
earned more than a
single class crown.
But then Daniels did
it twice. He was
immediately
succeeded by Kody
Kopp, who proceeded
to do it three times
in a row. And now
there’s Drane, who
is looking like a
very strong bet to
become the
category’s third
consecutive
multi-title winner.
Unsurprisingly,
Daniels, Kopp, and
Drane have wreaked
some serious damage
on the record books
as a byproduct of
their unusually
lengthy reigns. Kopp
stands as its
all-time winningest
rider, and Drane is
likely to overtake
him for that honor
yet this season.
Daniels boasts the
longest-ever win
streak – followed by
Drane and Kopp,
while Drane owns the
two longest podium
streaks, followed by
Kopp.
Why the
recent trend?
As the class has
risen in prominence,
as well as in
importance to the
manufacturers,
there’s been greater
incentive to keep
potential
championship winners
in play – along with
enhanced financial
rewards and
increased prestige
for those who do.
Moreover, the jump
up to Mission AFT
SuperTwins is a
precarious
transition. If a
rider leaps too
early, it can be
difficult to find
their footing – and
the transition back
to 450s often proves
equally difficult
once they’ve left
the nest.
While KICKER AFT
Singles champs
formerly graduated
to Mission AFT
SuperTwins upon
winning the title
almost as a rule,
the examples of
Daniels and Kopp –
the defending Grand
National Champion
and its current
points leader,
respectively – have
demonstrated the
wisdom of waiting
until a rider has a
bit more seasoning
and maturity before
they step up to the
premier ranks.
Drane projects in a
similar manner – a
forecast for success
further solidified
by his ‘25
Springfield one-off
in which he
immediately ran up
front on the Yamaha
MT-07 DT.
If he continues to
stretch open his
points advantage,
that’s a sight we
may see again this
year . Prior to the
season, Estenson
Racing’s Team Owner,
Tim Estenson, noted
that the rulebook
allows Drane to take
part in as many as
six Mission AFT
SuperTwins races
this season as a
wild card.
That’s an option
they may consider
taking advantage of
depending on the
status of his active
title defense.
A High Bar
to Clear
The successive
extended runs of
Daniels, Kopp, and
Drane has also made
it more challenging
for aspiring aces to
make a big
impression. No doubt
it would have been
easier for newcomers
to win races and
championships had
those three all
immediately vacated
their thrones.
But it’s also
provided those
up-and-comers a
realistic measure of
their skills and
readiness. Their
continued presence
has set a bar that
makes clear to a
rider exactly how
they match up with
what they can
reliably believe is
one of the very best
riders in the
paddock.
That in turn gives
them valuable
insight into their
relative strengths
and weaknesses,
allowing them to
actively improve
before advancing
rather than making a
blind leap into the
deep end.
Second-ranked Trevor
Brunner (No. 21 KMA
Racing/March
Equipment Yamaha
YZ450F) has measured
himself up against
Daniels, Kopp, and
Drane, whereas
third-ranked Chase
Saathoff (No. 88 1st
Impressions Race
Team Husqvarna
FC450) has gone
head-to-head with
Kopp and Drane.
Both riders have
taken their share of
wins in those
match-ups. They’ve
also taken some
lumps along the way.
Brunner and Saathoff
remain the biggest
threat to Drane’s
title defense.
Brunner already put
in one season in
Mission AFT
SuperTwins where he
proved himself a
top-five finisher
and the Rookie of
the Year. Saathoff
is now five years
into his pro career,
and he’s been a
frontrunner the
entire time. Should
either overthrow
Drane, their next
move would be a
fascinating one.
But for it to even
be a question, they
need to do
everything in their
power to prevent the
Drane freight train
from building up
steam starting this
weekend.
Mixing It Up
It’s up to everyone
else to make this
more than a
three-rider fight.
Fortunately, there’s
plenty of talent in
the ranks to make
that a reality.
New Yorker Justin
Jones (No. 91
Fairway Ford Chevy
GMC Yamaha YZ450F)
should be buoyed by
the return back
East, as will
DAYTONA winner
Bradon Pfanders (No.
83 Memphis
Shades/Corbin Seats
Yamaha YZ450F) after
the Pennsylvanian
endured a tough West
Coast swing.
By contrast, Kage
Tadman (No. 28
American
Honda/Mission Foods
CRF450R) – and to a
lesser extent,
Tarren Santero (No.
75 Roof
Systems/Vinson
Construction Honda
CRF450R) – may find
some relief racing
free of the
expectations that
came with the
home-state pressure
cooker faced in
California.
Jared Lowe (No. 63
Big R Racing/Vinson
Construction Honda
CRF450R) and Walker
Porter (No. 10
American
Honda/Mission Foods
CRF450R) arrive full
of confidence after
Lowe enjoyed
arguably his best
round as a pro at
Ventura Raceway and
Porter did the same
the following week
at Silver Dollar
Speedway.
And the KICKER AFT
Singles class never
has a shortage of
promising would-be
contenders. That
long list includes
the likes of Jack
Brucks (No. 113 1st
Impressions Race
Team Husqvarna
FC450), Ryder Reese
(No. 41
Fasthouse/Smoking
Butcher Coffee KTM
450 SX-F FE), Evan
Kelleher (No. 31
Schaeffer's
Motorsports KTM 450
SX-F), and Logan
Eisenhard (No. 66
Eisenhard
Racing/Pags
Powersports KTM 450
SX-F), any one of
whom could strike
for their maiden win
on any given
weekend.
Head East
Twelve amateurs will
earn their place in
the AFT ProSport 450
field with a
successful run
during the
AMA-sanctioned
Mission Foods CTR
Showcase Event held
on Friday at
ThrottleFest.
Sam Drane (No. 7
Estenson Racing
Yamaha YZ450F), Jett
Katarzy (No. 17 1st
Impressions
Husqvarna FC450),
and Adam Costan-Wood
(No. 88 Turner
Racing Honda
CRF450R) have all
stood on top of the
Progressive American
Flat Track podium in
the class to date.
The trip to the East
Coast – and in the
general neighborhood
of some noted
hotbeds of flat
track talent – might
just lure out some
new faces who figure
to factor in the
sport’s
not-too-distant
future.
Full
Throttle. Full
Festival
ThrottleFest is a
motorsports and
music festival
unlike any other.
With Progressive
American Flat Track
at its center, Budds
Creek Motocross Park
will be loaded up
with two-wheeled
racing all day for
four days, including
amateur flat track,
motocross, pit bike
racing, endurocross,
and hare scrambles.
And that’s only half
the fun.
ThrottleFest will
also bring it with
live music,
contests, mechanical
bull riding, Stacyc
and RC racing,
interactive games,
food trucks, vendor
areas, and more.
ThrottleFest is
ready. Are you?
Don’t Miss
This One
General Admission
Standing Room Only
tickets for Saturday
start at $65 with
Reserved Grandstand
tickets available
for $90 and Premium
Reserved Grandstand
tickets $120.
Tickets for kids
five and under are
just $5 in any
section, while
children 6-12 get
their tickets 60%
off.
The Saturday VIP at
ThrottleFest ticket
can be had for $205,
complete with
Premium Reserved
seating,
complimentary food
and refreshments,
and paddock access
to rub elbows with
the best dirt
trackers on the
planet while getting
a close-up view of
their racebikes.
Fans can also
purchase single day
tickets for
Thursday, Friday, or
Sunday, as well as
two-, three-, or
four-day ticket
packages.
Camping is available
for $100 per vehicle
(event passes sold
separately), with
free parking for all
attendees.
Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-throttlefest-saturday-184353 to
choose your
adventure today.
Gates will open for
fans at 3:00 p.m.
ET/12:00 p.m. PT on
Saturday with
Opening Ceremonies
scheduled to begin
at 7:10 p.m. ET/4:10
p.m. PT.
How to Watch
FloRacing
For those that can’t
catch the live
action at the track,
FloRacing is the
live streaming home
of Progressive
American Flat Track.
Motorsports fans can
subscribe to
FloRacing to enjoy
over 1,000 live
motorsports events
in 2026. FloSports
is available by
visiting https://flosports.link/AFT2026 or
by downloading the
FloSports app on
iOS, Android, Apple
TV, Roku, Amazon
Fire and Chromecast.
FS1
FOX Sports coverage
of ThrottleFest,
featuring in-depth
features and
thrilling onboard
cameras, will
premiere on FS1 on
Sunday, May 24, at
11:30 a.m. ET (8:30
a.m. PT). The full
listing of American
Flat Track’s
television premieres
can be found at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports.
