DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(July 24, 2024) – The
time has finally arrived for the
annual running of the
World Famous SC2 Peoria TT
presented by Backyards Saloon
at the Peoria Motorcycle
Club’s spectacular
natural amphitheater in Peoria,
Illinois, on Sunday, July 28.
One of motorsports’ longest
running and most fabled events,
the 77th edition will serve as
Round 11 of the 2024
Progressive American Flat Track
season, sanctioned by
AMA Pro Racing.
The Grand National
Championship outlook
entering this weekend’s Peoria
TT shifted radically with the
shocking news that championship
leader and local hero
Dallas Daniels (No. 32
Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT)
will be unable to participate
for the foreseeable future after
suffering a broken femur in a
training accident on Sunday.
Now recovering after undergoing
successful surgery on Monday,
the development is obviously a
devastating blow to both Daniels
and the Estenson Racing outfit
after the rising star had built
up 19-point advantage in the
Mission AFT SuperTwins title
fight on the strength of a
perfect podium record.
While their premier-class
championship ambitions have
almost certainly put on hold
until the 2025 season, Estenson
Racing will move forward in the
best possible manner this
weekend by recruiting JD
Beach (No. 95 Estenson
Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) to
rejoin the effort in substitute
duty. Beach, who shifted his
focus back to Superbike racing
this season, is one of the
greatest TT riders in the
history of the sport and the
winner of the last three Peoria
TTs while competing for Estenson
Racing.
Daniels’ misfortune also has a
massive impact on the quest of
Jared Mees (No.
1 Rogers Racing/SDI
Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750)
to secure an unprecedented tenth
Grand National Championship. A
victory this weekend would move
him that much closer to history
while providing him with one of
the few significant
accomplishments he has yet to
attain during his decorated dirt
track career. The reigning champ
has come close to winning here
on numerous occasions over the
years, having finished as the
race’s runner-up a full seven
times.
To do so, Mees will not only
have to get past Beach, he'll
also need to overcome his
long-time rival, Briar
Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware
Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790
Duke). Bauman stood atop the
podium at Peoria in 2019 and has
repeatedly reminded the world of
that form in the years since,
regularly pushing Beach at the
front.
The weekend will also be pivotal
for third-ranked Brandon
Robinson (No. 44
Mission Roof Systems Indian
FTR750). Unlike his championship
foes, Robinson does not come in
with an extensive history of TT
success. However, he has
improved his form at Peoria in
recent seasons, developing
himself into a regular top-ten
finisher. He needs to continue
that upward trend and push for a
top five in order to reignite
his title hopes, currently just
11 points shy of Mees and with
six rounds left in which to
close that gap.
Several riders have spoiler
potential, led by the likes of
Jarod Vanderkooi (No.
20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford
Ohio Indian FTR750), who has
taken three consecutive top
fives at Peoria.
Other veterans to keep tabs on
include Davis Fisher
(No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob
Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian
FTR750), Dalton Gauthier
(No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered
by Royal Enfield 650), and
Dan Bromley (No.
62 Memphis Shades/Vinson/Al
Lamb’s Dallas Honda Transalp).
Meanwhile, a pair of 450cc
winners at Peoria have stepped
up to the Mission AFT SuperTwins
ranks in '24 with the
high-profile additions of
Trevor Brunner
(No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti
Racing KTM 790 Duke) and
Max Whale (No. 18 Latus
Motors Racing/Liqui Moly
Harley-Davidson XG750R).
Parts Unlimited AFT
Singles presented by KICKER
No matter who wins this weekend
in Parts Unlimited AFT
Singles presented by KICKER competition,
it is guaranteed that a new name
will achieve Peoria TT
immortality with no past event
winners gracing this year’s
entry list.
Prior to Brunner’s victory a
year ago, both reigning class
champion Kody Kopp
(No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts
Plus KTM 450 SX-F) and rival
Tom Drane (No.
59 Estenson Racing Yamaha
YZ450F) appeared destined to
grab their first Peoria TT
checkered flags before their
respective efforts were undone
by a pair of red flags. Title
leader Kopp and third-ranked
Drane – who have combined to win
eight of ten races this season
in addition to last year’s
Peoria TT speed – are rightly
viewed as the pre-race
favorites.
Meanwhile, Illinois native
Chase Saathoff (No.
88 JPG Motorsports Honda
CRF450R) comes in fresh off a
home-state victory in DuQuoin
with hopes of making it two
straight with his friends and
family cheering him on. Saathoff
has yet to podium at Peoria, but
his fifth- and sixth-place
finishers in his two prior
attempts made his potential to
excel at the circuit obvious.
The lack of a proven Peoria
master leaves the door wide open
for others to step forward and
further their championship
standing. Sitting just behind
the top three is Trent
Lowe (No. 48 American
Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R),
who is still seeking his first
win on the season after claiming
a pair a year ago.
James Ott (No.
19 1st Impressions Race Team
Husqvarna FC450) has at last
found his form, taking his first
podium of the year last time
out. That result came as his
fourth top five in his most
recent five starts, allowing him
to both close on Lowe in fourth
and open up a bit of separation
in fifth ahead of fellow
Californians Travis
Petton IV (No. 82 ECG
Racing/A.M Ortega KTM 450 SX-F),
Tarren Santero
(No. 75 Vinson Construction/P&M
Motorcycles Honda CRF450R) and
Tyler Raggio
(No. 55 Raggio Racing/Sluggo
Racing KTM 450 SX-F).
And rising forces Evan
Renshaw (No. 265
American Honda/Mission Foods
CRF450R) and Logan
Eisenhard (No. 66
Hannum’s Harley-Davidson KTM 450
SX-F) would love to make waves
this weekend with a big outing.
There will be plenty beyond just
the race action for fans to
enjoy throughout the day on
Sunday, including numerous
vendors, expansive food and
beverage options, and dedicated
motorcycle parking.
General Admission
Grandstand tickets are
just $35 (kids 12 and under free
with a paid adult General
Admission ticket), while
VIP Pass tickets, which
include admission to the Turn 1
VIP lounge are $150 (all ages).
The Pit Pass Upgrade grants
access to the pit area for $40
($20 for kids 12 and under).
Visit
https://www.tixr.com/groups/peoriamotorcycleclub/events/peoria-tt-2024-80043
to reserve your seats today.
Gates will open for fans at 9:00
a.m. ET (6:00 a.m. PT) with
Opening Ceremonies scheduled to
begin at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30
a.m. PT). You can catch the
livestream of all the weekend’s
racing activities on FloRacing.
Motorsports fans can subscribe
to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000
live motorsports events in 2024.
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.
FOX Sports coverage
of the World Famous SC2
Peoria TT presented by Backyards
Saloon, featuring
in-depth features and thrilling
onboard cameras, will premiere
on FS1 on
Sunday, August 4,
at 1:00 p.m. ET
(10:00 a.m. PT).
For more information on
Progressive AFT visit
https://www.americanflattrack.com.
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