DAYTONA
BEACH, Fla. (August
4, 2026) – From
August 7-16, the
eyes of the
motorcycling world
will be firmly
focused on the 86th
Sturgis Motorcycle
Rally and its
half-million or so
hardcore enthusiasts
in attendance. And
at the center of the
action the
superstars of
Progressive American
Flat Track,
sanctioned by AMA
Pro Racing, will
celebrate that
burning bright
spotlight with two
rounds of the Grand
National
Championship.
With just eleven
points separating
the three primary
Mission
AFT SuperTwins title
contenders and 40%
of the year’s
remaining races
slotted into a
three-day span, the
upcoming week is
destined to be
intense.
First up is the
first TT of the 2026
season – the
Caterpillar Jackpine
Gypsies Super TT –
which will take
place at the
historic Jackpine
Gypsies Motorcycle
Club in Sturgis,
South Dakota, on
Saturday, August 8.
Numbers
Game
Even by Sturgis’
standards, this
edition is destined
to be an especially
patriotic affair.
Having evolved into
an iconic showcase
of Americana, the
86th Sturgis
Motorcycle Rally
will take place just
over a month after
the United
States celebrated
its 250th birthday
and just over a
month prior to 9/11,
the nation now 25
years removed from
that fateful day in
2001.
While the rally has
grown far beyond
its initial ambitions,
Progressive AFT has
done well to remind
the world that it
was originally
launched in 1938 by
the Jackpine Gypsies
Motorcycle Club as a
way of promoting a
Half-Mile dirt track
race.
Its racing heritage
once again prominent
via its renewed ties
to the
venerable-yet-vibrant
Grand National
Championship,
Sturgis may just see
another historic
number recognized
this weekend…
700
Another icon of
Americana –
Harley-Davidson –
comes to Sturgis
boasting 698 GNC
Main Event
victories, putting
the brand within
reach of
scoring #699 and
#700 in front of the
legions of Harley
faithful that will
descend upon Sturgis
by the hundreds of
thousands this
week.
And 700 is not just
a mathematical possibility
– it’s a very real
one indeed. H-D has
zeroed in on that
number in rapid
fashion in ‘26 with
rookie title leader
Kody Kopp (No. 12
Latus Motors Racing
Harley-Davidson
XG750R) and wins
leader Briar Bauman
(No. 3
Super.com/RWR/Rocket
Doctor
Harley-Davidson
XG750R) combining to
tally up nine
victories already
this year.
Both riders are
blessed with the
requisite all-around
skills to stand atop
the box at a TT and
a ST, while being
further fueled by
their respective
championship
ambitions in a
scorching hot title
fight that’s racing
toward its
conclusion.
The Harley-Davidson
contingent will be
further bolstered by
the presence of
Aidan RoosEvans (No.
26 FRA Trust
Advisors
Harley-Davidson
XG750R).
While RoosEvans earned
his first
official Progressive
AFT podium earlier
this season, fans
will remember that
he held off KICKER
AFT Singles king Tom
Drane to cross the
stripe as the
runner-up in
the class’ Main
Event at the Super
TT a year ago before
later being
disqualified for a
technical
infraction.
While the result
was ultimately
scratched, that
performance
certainly demonstrated his
potential at the
venue.
TT Defense
But to hit #700 in
Sturgis, H-D is
going to have to go
through reigning
Grand National
Champion and
defending
Caterpillar Jackpine
Gypsies Super TT
winner Dallas
Daniels (No. 1
Estenson Racing
Yamaha MT-07).
Daniels – another
all-around ace with
especially sublime
TT chops – took the
honors last season
in a state of
extreme motivation
following a
controversial clash
with rival Bauman
days prior.
While emotions
aren’t
running that hot (at
least not yet),
Daniels understands
that he needs to
come up big down the
stretch to overcome
the formidable duo
of Kopp and Bauman.
And to realistically
do so, it’s vital
that he capitalizes
on each and
every occasion in
which he holds the
upper hand – as
he arguably does at
a Super TT.
Saturday’s race is
the fifth all-time
to carry the Super
TT moniker, which is
reserved for layouts
that go beyond the
usual TT addition of
a righthand corner
and a jump. The
Jackpine Gypsies
Super TT meets that
threshold and then
some by way of
multiple
right-handers,
multiple jumps, and
a pavement section.
Yamaha has won
every previous premier-class
Super TT, courtesy
of Daniels and
former Estenson
teammate JD Beach,
both of whom happen
to be elite-caliber
flat trackers
and roadracers.
The Fight
for Fifth
Following an uneven
start to the season,
Davis Fisher (No. 67
Rackley Racing/Bob
Lanphere’s BMC
Racing KTM 790 Duke)
has things rolling
nicely now. The
Oregonian is well
clear in fourth
place, thanks to an
active run of four
consecutive podium
finishes.
Fisher has it in him
to up that number to
five on Saturday; he
was hunting a podium
finish here a year
ago, hounding TT
legend Henry Wiles
(No. 911 DL
Racing/HYMMC Yamaha
MT-07), before a
mechanical issue
dropped him from
contention.
While Kopp, Daniels,
Bauman, and Fisher
have a firm
grasp on the top
four positions in
the standings, a
coveted top-five ranking
in the Grand
National
Championship is
still up for grabs.
Trent Lowe (No. 48
American
Honda/Mission Foods
Honda CB750 Hornet)
achieved that honor
in his very first
attempt, securing
fourth overall in
his rookie campaign
last year. Lowe is
well positioned
to back that up with
another top-five, as
he currently ranks
fifth.
However,
the aforementioned RoosEvans is
just eight points
back in sixth
(117-109), and
Fisher’s teammate
and noted TT expert,
Ben Lowe (No. 25
Rackley Racing/Roof
Systems KTM 790
Duke), is just a
further 13 points
adrift and not out
of top-five contention
just yet.
Party Like
You're at the
Sturgis Motorcycle
Rally
The Sturgis
Motorcycle Rally
is regarded
the world over as
one of the planet’s
ultimate party
destinations, and
the revelry will be
overflowing at the
track and throughout
the town. NASCAR
legend Mike Skinner
will serve as Grand
Marshal to help
cement the event’s
elevated status.
And along with the
world-class race
action, the
Caterpillar Jackpine
Gypsies Motorcycle
Club will host the
V-Twin Visionary
Ride-In Bike Show, a
Strider race for
kids, big-screen
viewing, an
abundance of food
and beverage
options, and more.
Act Fast to
Lock in Savings and
Your Seat
A limited number of
General Admission
tickets for the
Caterpillar Jackpine
Gypsies Super TT and
the Caterpillar
Jackpine Gypsies
Short Track are
available for just
$25 each round.
General Admission
Grandstand tickets
are only $53 per
round (kids 12 and
under free with a
paid adult ticket)
with Reserved
Grandstand tickets
available for $64
(all ages). Students
can purchase a GA
Grandstand ticket
for just $20 at the
gate the day of the
event with a valid
ID.
The Harley-Davidson
VIP Experience
($135, all ages),
delivers
H.O.G. members an
unforgettable
evening that
includes exclusive
H-D seating, a rider
meet-and-greet, an
infield tour
complete with podium
photos, and Harley
swag.
Finally, an
exclusive offering –
limited to just 30
guests – is access
to the AFT
Hospitality Tent,
which provides prime
sightlines along
with food and drinks
all day for $125
(all ages).
And if you act fast,
you can save $5 off
the gate price and
be one of the first
500 who’ll snag a
free seat cushion.
Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-jackpine-gypsies-super-tt-191302
to reserve your
seats for the
Caterpillar Jackpine
Gypsies Super TT.
And visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-jackpine-gypsies-short-track-194954
to reserve your
seats for the
Caterpillar Jackpine
Gypsies Short
Track.
Both days will see
the gates open for
fans at 6:30 p.m.
ET/3:30 p.m. PT with
Opening Ceremonies
scheduled to begin
at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00
p.m. PT.
