Briar Bauman (3), Brandon
Robinson (44), and Dallas
Daniels (32) during Qualifying
Tuesday night at the Jackpine
Gypsies MC in Sturgis
[Photo: American Flat Track/Tim
Lester]
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(August 7, 2025) –
There’s no time to rest at the
85th Sturgis Motorcycle
Rally. With the dirt
barely settled following this
week’s dramatic Short Track
doubleheader, the 2025
Progressive American Flat Track
season, sanctioned by
AMA Pro Racing,
resumes tomorrow with
the Jackpine Gypsies
Super TT at the
Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club
in Sturgis, South
Dakota, on Friday, August 8.
As a result, there’s been almost
no time for the tension to
dissipate after the intensity of
an already red-hot Grand
National Championship
battle was ratcheted up
significantly at the
Jackpine Gypsies Short Track II.
It’s a Bird… It’s a
Plane… It’s… Super TT!
By definition, TTs tend to spice
things up by adding a righthand
corner and a jump in contrast to
the series’ more conventional
oval races. A “Super TT” uses
that base as a starting point
and adds from there.
Friday’s race marks the fourth
race in Progressive AFT history
to get the Super TT moniker. The
three prior – the 2019 Arizona
Super TT, 2021 Atlanta Super TT,
and 2023 Arizona Super TT – set
themselves apart by adding
either extra jumps or rights or
via the inclusion of pavement
sections.
A couple of other TTs could have
easily been adorned with the
“Super” prefix (think the
DAYTONA TT that incorporated the
track’s high banks or last
year’s Sturgis TT, which wove
through downtown), so we won’t
attempt to get overly scientific
with our labeling. But just
understand that it means this
week’s track will not feature a
run-of-the-mill layout by
anyone’s definition.
Pavement sections, multiple
righthanders, and a wide variety
of corner radii will put the
world’s elite motorcycle dirt
trackers to the test.
All three prior Super TTs were
won by JD Beach,
who ranks as among history’s
greatest TTers with an ideal
blend of flat track and
roadracing expertise.
While Beach will be an observer
this time around, Super TTs also
happen to be right in the
wheelhouse of this year’s
Mission AFT SuperTwins
title fighters.
But really, what tracks aren’t?
Bauman vs. Daniels
At various points in the sport’s
past, the TTs provided
non-championship contenders a
chance to step forward and
shine. Versatile riders hailing
from other two-wheeled
disciplines, armed with serious
experience negotiating righthand
turns and passing under brakes,
could sometimes steal the
spotlight.
This is not one of the points.
The series’ leading oval racers
also happen to be its most well
rounded.
In the three prior Super TTs,
championship leader
Briar Bauman (No. 3
RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors
Harley-Davidson XG750R) logged
finishes of second, third, and
third.
Meanwhile, second-ranked
Dallas Daniels (No. 32
Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT)
finished as runner-up to
teammate Beach at the ‘23
Arizona Super TT – his only
attempt in the category as a
premier-class pilot.
The ‘19 Arizona Super TT took
place before he had turned 16.
However, Daniels was able to
properly showcase the skills
that earned him both the 2018
Nicky Hayden AMA Flat
Track and Road Race
Horizon Awards at
the ‘21 Atlanta Super TT. There
the Estenson Racing star doubled
up with wins in AFT
Singles presented by KICKER
and Mission Production
Twins.
This week’s circuit also
includes pavement sections, a
fact that could make him tough
to beat.
Head-to-head, Bauman and Daniels
have proven well matched at TTs
– just as they have virtually
everywhere else.
Since Daniels stepped up to the
premier class in 2022, he has
the edge over Bauman in terms of
wins (1-0) when pit against one
another in direct TT
competition. Bauman, meanwhile,
owns the advantage in terms of
podiums (4-3). Daniels missed
both of last year’s TTs due to
injury, and while he was away,
Bauman snared 1-2 results.
Already considered the clear
co-favorites who were likely to
do battle at the Jackpine
Gypsies Super TT, that
likelihood carries all the more
significance following their
hugely consequential clash on
Tuesday, which left Daniels with
an expanded championship deficit
to contend with and in serious
need of turning the tables back
in his favor.
Spoiler Alert
Just because Bauman and Daniels
stand as the firm favorites,
that doesn’t eliminate the
possibility of a spoiler or two
springing a surprise.
During the aforementioned span
(2022-present), Jarod
VanDerKooi (No. 20
Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown
Racing KTM 790 Duke) is the only
other rider competing this
weekend in the premier class to
have earned a TT podium (third
at last year’s pavement-centric
Sturgis TT). VDK has been a
consistently strong TT
contender, finishing in the top
five on five occasions over that
time period.
Of course, the field also
includes the sport’s all-time
winningest TT rider.
Henry Wiles (No. 911 DL
Racing/HYMMC Yamaha MT-06)
boasts 19 career TT wins, albeit
the vast majority coming at
Peoria and the most recent of
those seven years back. But
Wiles was on the Mission AFT
SuperTwins podium earlier this
season and finished 4th in the
2023 Castle Rock TT, so there’s
plenty of evidence to suggest he
could be a player come Friday.
While not generally considered a
TT standout, Davis
Fisher (No. 67 Rackley
Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing
KTM 790 Duke) did finish fourth
in last year’s Sturgis TT.
A similar caveat can be made
regarding Tuesday winner
Brandon Robinson (No.
44 Mission Roof Systems
Harley-Davidson XG750R). TTs
have long been considered the
weak point in his otherwise
championship-caliber game,
however, Robinson has steadily
improved in the discipline over
the years to the point that he
managed to break into the top
five at last year’s race in
Peoria.
And don’t forget about
Max Whale (No. 18 Moto
Anatomy X Powered by Royal
Enfield 650) and Dan
Bromley (No. 62 Memphis
Shades/Vinson Construction
Suzuki GSX-8S), a pair of riders
who demonstrated strong TT
skills prior to stepping up to
the premier-class ranks.
AFT Singles Presented by
KICKER
Tom Drane (No.
59 Estenson Racing Yamaha
YZ450F) continued his assault on
the AFT Singles record books
with an inspiring
come-from-behind victory in
Tuesday’s Jackpine
Gypsies Short Track II
despite competing while under
the weather.
The Australian, who has opened
up a rather commanding
championship advantage – already
ranks third in career class
wins, fourth in Short Track
wins, and has followed up the
longest podium streak in AFT
Singles history (eight) with
another (six and counting) that
stands third best all-time.
Besides the #1 plate, one of the
few major accomplishments yet
eluding Drane is his inclusion
among the class’ Grand Slammers.
He could rectify that as early
as Friday, and his road racing
background makes him a huge
threat to do precisely that at
the Jackpine Gypsies Super TT.
Standing In His Path…
If Drane succeeds in that
achievement, he’ll become just
the sixth rider to ever do it.
Looking to prevent him from
joining the list is a field that
includes more than half the
riders to have already completed
the AFT Singles Grand Slam:
second-ranked Chase
Saathoff (No. 88
RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R),
third-ranked Trevor
Brunner (No. 21
American Honda/Mission Foods
CRF450R), and 2019 class champ
Dalton Gauthier
(No. 79 Parts Bros Worldwide/D&D
Cycles KTM 450 SX-F).
They are far from the only
riders who could make things
difficult for Drane on Friday.
Tarren Santero
(No. 75 Mission Roof Systems
Honda CRF450R), has shown
himself to be an excellent TT
rider, and Friday’s track should
play to the strengths of
Supermoto ace Bronson
Pearce (No. 132 Mike
Helm/Scott Cason Yamaha
YZ450F).
And who knows what to expect
from this year’s breakout crop
of rookies, led by two-time
winner and four-time podium
finisher Kage Tadman
(No. 288 Roof Systems/Old Oak
Ranch KTM 450 SX-F)?
We will find out soon enough.
AFT AdventureTrackers™
Don’t look now, but the 2025
AFT AdventureTrackers
championship race that only just
left the starting blocks and is
already halfway complete.
The title fight now comes down
to two decisive TTs.
That’s good news for
co-championship leader
Dan Bromley (No. 62 Big
Momma and Daddy Deep Pockets
Suzuki V-Strom 1050) – a fine
TTer – and even better news for
the rider he’s tied with,
Jesse Janisch
(No. 33
WFOracingonline.com/Öhlins
Harley-Davidson Pan America
1250), who stands as among the
best TT riders to come up
through the ranks in recent
memory.
Despite their credentials, this
is unlikely to be a two-rider
show. The AFT AdventureTrackers
field is loaded with certified
and potential TT aces.
Right on their heels is
third-ranked Austin
Luczak (No. 188 Memphis
Shades/Black Hills Powersports
Honda Africa Twin), who backed
up an impressive fourth on
Monday by scoring his
first-career Progressive AFT
podium in third on Tuesday.
And as already stated, no one
has won more TTs in the sport’s
history than Henry Wiles
(No. 911 Walter Bros.
Harley-Davidson Pan America
1250), while Dalton
Gauthier (No. 79
Triumph Racing Triumph Tiger 900
GT Pro) has proven he has the
goods as well.
Meanwhile, Danny Eslick
(No. 164 Saddlemen
Harley-Davidson Pan America
1250) and Brandon Paasch
(No. 196 Triumph Racing Triumph
Tiger 900 GT Pro) might just
have an edge on pavement and on
the brakes due to their
extensive roadracing
backgrounds.
However it shakes out, with the
spotlight shining down on 500+
pounds of versatile big-bore
Dual Adventure equipment, it’s
destined to be very interesting
and highly entertaining.
There Ain’t No Party
Like a Sturgis Party…
The 85th Sturgis Motorcycle
Rally has already delivered, and
Friday’s action at the track
will only add to what’s been an
incredible week of
festivities.
Once again, the Jackpine Gypsies
Motorcycle Club will host a
Fan Party –
complete with a Rider
Q&A session – leading
up to Opening Ceremonies each
night. Friday’s spectators will
also be treated to big-screen
coverage of all the race action,
DJ’d music to maintain the
energy all day and night,
numerous vendors, designated
motorcycle parking, a variety of
food and beverage options, and
fireworks.
And don’t miss the
Ride-In Bike Show
hosted by V-Twin Daily.
Show off your bike and
see if you can’t claim some of
the $2500 in cash put for grabs
courtesy of Bell Helmets,
with awards going out for
Best of Show,
Best Paint,
Best Bagger,
Best Clubstyle,
and AFT Best Tracker.
Get Your Tickets Now
H.O.G. members can purchase a
H.O.G. Membership Ticket
for $45 (all ages), which grants
access to both a dedicated
parking area and reserved
seating, along with a special
event lanyard and H.O.G.
“Championship Bell.”
Fans also have the option to
select Portable Stadium
Chair Seating for $70
(all ages), which includes a
complimentary stadium chair
complete with the event logo
that can be used in a tiered
seating area along the front
stretch of the track.
Finally, the VIP Ticket
($99 all ages) provides
access to a tented area that
overlooks the track,
complimentary snacks and
non-alcoholic beverages, beer
for purchase, and Reserved
Grandstand seating.
Click
HERE to secure your tickets
today.
Gates will open at 6:30 p.m.
ET/3:30 p.m. PT with Opening
Ceremonies scheduled to begin at
10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 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 Jackpine
Gypsies Super TT,
featuring in-depth features and
thrilling onboard cameras, will
premiere on FS1
on Sunday, August 24,
at 4:30 p.m. ET
(1:30 p.m. PT).
For more information on
Progressive AFT visit
https://www.americanflattrack.com.
