AFT Singles presented by KICKER
riders Trevor Brunner (21), Chad
Cose (49), Kage Tadman (228),
and others race during heats at
the Lima Half-Mile this past
weekend
[Photo:
American Flat Track/Tim Lester]
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(July 2, 2025) – Don’t
blink. If the past two stops
were any indication, this year’s
AFT Singles presented by
KICKER race at the
Memphis Shades DuQuoin
Mile will be decided by
the smallest of margins when
Progressive American
Flat Track, sanctioned
by AMA Pro Racing,
does battle at the
DuQuoin State Fairgrounds
in DuQuoin, Illinois, this
Saturday, July 5.
All Aboard the Drane
Train
After his double domination of
the Lima Half-Mile,
everyone can stop worrying about
when Tom Drane
(No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha
YZ450F) will finally get his
first victory of the 2025 season
and shift their concerns to
whether or not anyone will be
able to stop him now that’s he’s
rolling at full steam.
Whatever minor “slump,” Drane
might have dealt with to open
the season did not knock him off
the historic trajectory that has
defined the Australian’s early
Progressive AFT career. Consider
that, in just two-and-a-half
seasons, he’s already moved into
a tie with former class
champions Dallas Daniels
and Dalton Gauthier
for third all-time in AFT
Singles victories at 13.
He’s also now tied with Daniels
for third most Half-Mile wins at
five.
If the opposition thought it was
going to get any easier this
weekend, they might want to
reconsider. Even without a stop
at a Mile in ‘25, Drane already
ranks second all-time in career
Mile wins – also at five – with
one of those coming at DuQuoin
in ‘23.
Should he sweep all three Miles
this season, he would move into
a tie with Shayna
Texter-Bauman atop the
career order.
Daniels, Gauthier,
Texter-Bauman… That’s some
pretty exclusive company.
It’s The FBI Again
But don’t crown Drane just yet.
In fact, he wasn’t even on the
podium at DuQuoin a year ago…
despite finishing just 0.088
seconds back of the win.
That’s not a typo. In fact, the
eight riders who represented
first through fourth at the
DuQuoin Mile in ‘23 and ‘24 were
separated by less than two
tenths of a second, combined.
Last year’s victory went to home
state Fast Boy from Illinois
Chase Saathoff
(No. 88 RWR/Parts Plus Honda
CRF450R), who beat triple
champion Kody Kopp to the stripe
at the head of a five-rider pack
by 0.001 seconds.
The year before, Saathoff was on
the other end of things, losing
out to Drane at the front of a
six-rider pack by 0.011
seconds.
Past history suggests it’ll be a
major upset if anyone walks away
with it this weekend, and if the
multi-rider pack doesn’t include
title rivals Drane and
Saathoff.
The potential for several other
riders in the mix also creates
opportunity for significant
movement in the championship
chase. For example, should
Saathoff repeat and Drane get
shuffled back to a close fourth
again this year, the margin
between the two would get
slashed from 16 to just 7.
Flying With Wings
Who else could join that
hypothetical mix?
Even accounting for Drane’s
recent Mile brilliance, Honda
has traditionally been the
primary force on the big
tracks.
Honda-mounted riders have won
more than half (36 of 67) Miles
in class history, with an even
better record since 2019 (12 of
21). And that’s not a stat
propped up due to the
overwhelming skills of any one
rider; those 12 wins since ‘19
are split up amongst eight
different riders.
Along with Saathoff, Honda comes
into DuQuoin with Trevor
Brunner (No. 21
American Honda/Mission Foods
CRF450R) – winner of three
career Miles – in its corner.
And don’t forget about
Tarren Santero (No. 75
Mission Roof Systems Honda
CRF450R), who is no doubt out to
make amends after his Saturday
second at Lima was spoiled by a
blown motor on Sunday. Santero
now has a podium finish in a
Half-Mile, Short Track, and TT.
The Mile is the lone holdout,
although he finished a solid
sixth here a year ago.
You Gotta Wear Shades
Progressive AFT fans should pay
close attention to the amateurs
taking part in the 2025
Roof Systems AMA Flat Track
Grand Championship this
week in DuQuoin. Because when we
say the week will put a
spotlight on the future stars of
the sport – we’re talking
near future.
Consider the names to previously
shine at the amateur nations.
Winners of the Nicky
Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon
Award going back to
just 2018 include Daniels,
Brunner, Kopp, Saathoff,
Evan Renshaw (No. 65
1st Impressions Race Team
Husqvarna FC450), and
Walker Porter (No. 100
American Honda/Mission Foods
CRF450R).
And this year’s crop of pros who
were amateurs just one year ago
is shaping up to be an
all-timer.
Just four races into his career,
Kage Tadman
(No. 288 Roof Systems/Old Oak
Ranch KTM 450 SX-F) already
boasts two wins and four top
fives.
Porter made a remarkable
top-five pro debut last weekend
and is now set to return to
DuQuoin where he was named the
recipient of the Nicky Hayden
AMA Flat Track Horizon Award one
year ago.
Meanwhile, fellow rookie
Ryder Reese (No. 244
Mission Foods/Roof Systems KTM
450 SX-F) finished ninth in his
Progressive AFT debut weekend at
Lima. That saw him join Tadman,
Porter, Skylar Sentell
(No. 249 Hoffer
Performance/Stauffer Motors KTM
450 SX-F) and Ethan
Kitchen (No. 105 Lucky
Thumb M/C Yamaha YZ450F) in
breaking into the top ten as a
rookie already this season.
And while it may not be easy to
dice it up with the more
experienced riders on a
tactically taxing Mile, recall
that Evan Kelleher
(No. 31 Schaeffer's Motorsports
KTM 450 SX-F) finished just
0.204 seconds off last year’s
DuQuoin Mile win as a rookie.
Speaking of, Kelleher comes in
riding high following the best
weekend of his sophomore
campaign.
It’s Independence Day
Weekend. Of Course, We’re Gonna
Party
This week-long celebration of
motorcycle dirt track racing
will also offer plenty of
activities away from the track.
The Rider Q&A
will take place during the
Fan Party that
leads directly into Opening
Ceremonies.
There will also be a multitude
of vendors, plenty of food and
beverage options, extensive
motorcycle parking, and an
abundance of good vibes.
That’s the Ticket
General Admission
Grandstand tickets for
the Memphis Shades
DuQuoin Mile are just
$35 (kids 12 and under free with
a paid adult ticket) while
Reserved Grandstand
tickets are just $45
(all ages). And new for 2025,
every ticket includes access to
the paddock’s where you can get
up close and personal with the
planet’s most incredible dirt
track riders and machines.
Visit
https://www.tixr.com/groups/trackenterprises/events/2025-duquoin-mile-129199
to reserve your seats today.
Gates will open for fans at 2:00
p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT with
Opening Ceremonies scheduled to
begin at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 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 DuQuoin Mile,
featuring in-depth features and
thrilling onboard cameras, will
premiere on FS1
on Sunday, July 13,
at 11:30 a.m. ET
(8:30 a.m. PT).
For more information on
Progressive AFT visit
https://www.americanflattrack.com.
