Tom Drane (59) and Chase
Saathoff (88) race during the
AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Main Event at the DuQuoin Mile
July 5th. [Photo: American Flat
Track/Tim Lester]
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(July 16, 2025) – A
heated battle atop the
AFT Singles presented by KICKER
standings arrives with
Progressive American
Flat Track, sanctioned
by AMA Pro Racing,
as it makes its Wheatland,
Missouri, debut for the
first-ever Short Track
at Lucas Oil Speedway
on Friday, July 18.
…And in This Corner…
Entering the 2025 season, all
eyes were on presumed 450cc
title fighters Tom Drane
(No. 59 Estenson Racing
Yamaha YZ450F) and Chase
Saathoff (No. 88
RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R).
As it went, the class’
three-time but not-defending
champion, Kody Kopp
(No. 1 Bob Lanphere/KTM/Fastrack
Racing KTM 450 SX-F), wasn’t
quite ready to relinquish the
spotlight, claiming double
victory at the season opener
during DAYTONA Bike Week.
And then rookie sensation
Kage Tadman
(No. 288 Roof Systems/Old Oak
Ranch KTM 450 SX-F) came from
seemingly nowhere to upend the
class’ power hierarchy with a
pair of stunning wins in his
first two attempts.
But now as the season opens its
second half – Drane and Saathoff
have returned to centerstage.
Drane is absolutely rolling,
having secured three victories
in succession while soaring up
the class’ career leaderboards
in multiple categories.
Saathoff, meanwhile, has been
nearly as quick, and, as a
result, remains the only rider
left in the chase who sits
within single-race striking
distance.
And it’s not just that the two
are finally proving themselves
the class of the field as
expected, there’s also the
undeniable heat to their
rivalry.
The fact that they are as well
matched in terms of speed and
skill as they are has naturally
created multiple chances for
on-track clashes throughout
their young careers. Those
chances have resulted in crashes
of both the near and actual
variety, along with heightened
emotion and exchanged words.
While a chummier paddock than
most, rivalry is very much a
feature of the sport. And any
number of champions over the
years have found the benefit in
viewing their adversaries as,
well, adversaries. Some might
even argue that the legendary
Jared Mees
sought ways to make it so, as
his prior and resumed
friendships with the likes of
Bryan Smith and
Briar Bauman
were put on temporary hold
during the peak of their times
as competing title fighters.
Fortunately, both Drane and
Saathoff are mature beyond their
years and calculated in their
respective approaches. So long
as everything stays above board,
the past drama only makes the
prospect of their future battles
that much more intriguing.
Rookies Rising
Along with Kopp’s successful
send-off and the evolution of
Drane vs. Saathoff, the third
major story of the season has
been the bumper crop of
rookies.
Tadman is the headliner with
those remarkable back-to-back
wins in his first two
professional events. However, he
is far from alone.
Walker Porter
(No. 100 American Honda/Mission
Foods CRF450R) hit the ground
running despite jumping in near
midseason. The 2024
Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track
Horizon Award winner
showed himself to be a top-five
talent in his debut weekend, and
he has the ability to do much
more than that as the second
half of the season plays out.
Meanwhile, Ryder Reese
(No. 244 Mission Foods/Roof
Systems KTM 450 SX-F) made his
Progressive AFT debut the same
weekend as Porter. And despite
being lost in the long shadows
cast by Tadman and Porter, he
also came away with a top ten in
his first weekend as a pro.
That same feat was pulled off
earlier in the season, when
Ethan Kitchen
(No. 105 Lucky Thumb M/C Yamaha
YZ450F) did it at the Daytona
opener.
And finally, there’s
Skylar Sentell (No. 249
Hoffer Performance/Stauffer
Motors KTM 450 SX-F), who
finished tenth at the Lima
Half-Mile II – a race that
featured four rookies
in the top ten.
There are some other quick
first-year riders in the field
who continue to get closer and
closer to making their mark as
well.
The sport’s future is not just
coming. It’s already here.
Emergence Day
Between Drane/Saathoff and the
rookies is a healthy next group,
with any number of contenders
hoping to make the leap to the
front.
Trevor Brunner
(No. 21 American Honda/Mission
Foods CRF450R) is the hardest to
place because he’s somewhere
between that first and next
group. While he did defeat Drane
to take the checkered flag in
the Lima Half-Mile I Mission
Triple Challenge Race II,
Brunner is still seeking his
first official race victory of
2025. You have to think it’s
coming – he’s yet to go winless
in four prior seasons in the
class despite battling with the
likes of Dallas Daniels
and Kody Kopp
over that span.
Tarren Santero
(No. 75 Mission Roof Systems
Honda CRF450R) has been the next
best. He’s taken yet another
step forward with a pair of
podium finishes in ‘25. That
said, he’s got to make another
big jump in order to become a
regular thorn in the sides of
the leading duo.
Beyond Brunner and Santero, you
have the likes of Evan
Renshaw (No. 65 1st
Impressions Race Team Husqvarna
FC450), Aidan RoosEvans
(No. 26 FRA Trust/ATV’s and More
Yamaha YZ450F), Bradon
Pfanders (No. 83
Hannum’s HD/Pfanders Racing KTM
450 SX-F), Jared Lowe
(No. 63 Big R/Little Debbie
Racing Honda CRF450R), and
Hunter Bauer
(No. 24 Vinson Construction/Reel
Medics Yamaha YZ450F) – all of
whom seem to take turns in
demonstrating genuine brilliance
but none of whom have yet to
find a way to channel it
consistently.
But AFT Singles is the class
where bouts of inconsistency can
get ironed out and done so in a
hurry.
Go Party, Go Play, and
Go Kart
Fans who come out to the track
on Friday night will find no
shortage of entertainment
options beyond just the
world-class racing.
The Fan Party –
complete with a Rider
Q&A session – will run
from 5:00 p.m. local time right
up until Opening Ceremonies at
7:00 p.m.
Those in attendance will also
have a chance to take advantage
of the on-site go-karting, the
Diamond Bar, DJ’d music, a
multitude of vendors lining the
midway, Jumbotron viewing,
designated motorcycle parking,
and a variety of food and
beverage options.
Seats, Suites, and Fan
Experiences
General Admission
Grandstand tickets for
the Short Track at Lucas
Oil Speedway are just
$25 (kids 12 and under free with
a paid adult ticket), while
Reserved Grandstand
tickets are available for $40
(all ages). Students can
purchase a GA Grandstand
ticket for just $20 at the gate
the day of the event with a
valid ID.
There are multiple options to
enjoy the facility’s 21 VIP
Luxury Suites, starting with an
Individual Suite
ticket ($99), which includes a
private outdoor box seat along
with access to the indoor
lounge.
Private Indoor Suites
are available for groups of up
to 18 ($2000) and 27 ($3000),
both of which include infield
group experience with a guided
tour of the infield podium and
start/finish line, photo op
included, and early race viewing
from the infield.
Also available for purchase is
the Opening Ceremonies
Trackside Fan Experience
($99), which includes reserved
seating, a guided tour of the
infield podium and start/finish
line, photo op included, and
up-close viewing of Opening
Ceremonies and a portion of the
night’s race action.
Finally, fans have the option to
purchase the Practice
Viewing Trackside Fan Experience
as a $25 upgrade to a GA
Grandstand or Reserved
Grandstand ticket, which
provides a guided tour of the
infield podium and start/finish
line, photo op included, and
up-close viewing of a practice
session.
Visit
https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2025-lucas-oil-short-track-141381
to reserve your seats today.
Gates will open for fans at 3:30
p.m. ET/12:30 p.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 Short
Track at Lucas Oil Speedway,
featuring in-depth features and
thrilling onboard cameras, will
premiere on FS1
on Sunday, August 10,
at 11:00 a.m. ET
(8:00 a.m. PT).
For more information on
Progressive AFT visit
https://www.americanflattrack.com.
