DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(August 11, 2024) – Neither
pavement, dirt, rain, nor
restart could prevent JD
Beach (No. 95 Estenson
Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) from
putting on yet another
exhibition of all-around
motorcycle mastery in Sunday’s
Arrowhead Brass Sturgis
TT presented by Rick Ware Racing
& The CAT Rental Store,
Round 13 of the 2024
Progressive American Flat Track season,
sanctioned by AMA Pro
Racing.
While inclement weather pushed
the planned proceedings back
several hours, the event proved
every bit the spectacle that was
promised once the world’s elite
dirt trackers finally locked
handlebars on the unique hybrid
racetrack laid out in the
Streets of Downtown
Sturgis, South Dakota.
And while the combination of
pavement turns, dirt jumps and
switchbacks put the talents of
even the greatest
Mission AFT SuperTwins riders
to the test, world-class dirt
tracker/roadracer Beach looked
to be in his natural
environment.
Beach powered into the lead from
pole and immediately threatened
to sap all tension right from
the race’s opening lap. However,
despite Beach’s best efforts,
reigning Grand National
Champion Jared
Mees (No. 1 Rogers
Racing/SDI Racing/Indian
Motorcycle FTR750) managed to
inject the Main Event with an
abundance of drama soon after.
The nine-time series king sank
down the order at the light due
to a poor launch, getting
clipped and nearly taken out by
Sammy Halbert
(No. 69 OnlyFans/Martin Trucking
Yamaha MT-07) as he was
swallowed up by the pack.
Trapped down in eighth early,
Mees threw in a hard overtake on
Brandon Price
(No. 92 Memphis Shades/Sody
Ent/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) entering
the dirt section. That attempt
resulted in contact, which
knocked his opponent over and
brought a stop to the race.
But the red flag only
temporarily delayed Beach’s
escape to victory. Peoria TT
winner Briar Bauman
(No. 3 Rick Ware
Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790
Duke) got away well in second
following the restart and
hounded Beach for a time, but in
time, the Estenson Racing
substitute rider systemically
eked away, one and two tenths
per circulation, before finally
working his way to a
1.715-second margin of victory.
The triumph was Beach’s second
in the week, backing up his
Tuesday night win at the
Black Hills Half-Mile.
It also increased his career TT
wins total to nine, equal to
Steve Eklund
for third all-time and now
training only Henry
Wiles and Chris
Carr. It also saw him
set the new standard for wins at
the most different TT courses at
six.
“It’s been a great three rounds,
but this round was amazing,”
Beach said. “I’ve got to give it
up to the whole fansbase. All of
the fans were going crazy all
day long, and so many people
stuck it out despite all the
rain. I think this race was
awesome. And I’ve got to thank
the Estenson Racing Monster team
for letting me come out and do
these three rounds to fill in
for Dallas (Daniels).
I’m bummed he’s not here because
I know he would have given me a
run for my money too, but it’s
been a real good three races.”
Bauman, meanwhile, held on for
second; this despite the
late-race charge of
Jarod Vanderkooi (No.
20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford
Ohio Indian FTR750), who finally
earned his first podium of the
‘24 season by finishing third
after several near misses along
the way.
Davis Fisher
(No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob
Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian
FTR750) limped his way to fourth
after injuring his foot in the
Mission #2Fast#Tasty Challenge,
colliding with the wall while
harrying Beach for the win.
And for all the excitement,
Jared Mees (No.
1 Rogers Racing/SDI
Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750)
completed what must be
considered a successful evening
in fifth, as that result pulled
him further clear of
second-ranked (and tenth-placed)
Brandon Robinson
(No. 44 Mission Roof Systems
Indian FTR750) in the title
chase.
Meanwhile, Sammy Halbert
(No. 69 OnlyFans/Martin Trucking
Yamaha MT-07), Max
Whale (No. 18 Latus
Motors Racing/Liqui Moly
Harley-Davidson XG750R),
Trevor Brunner (No. 21
Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing
Indian FTR750) and
Dalton Gauthier (No. 79
Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal
Enfield 650) sandwiched between
the championship leaders in
sixth through ninth,
respectively.
Mees’ advantage now sits at a
healthy 22 points (251-229) with
three rounds remaining, with
Bauman closing in on second at
224.
Parts Unlimited AFT
Singles presented by KICKER
Kody Kopp (No.
1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus
KTM 450 SX-F) did his part in
ensuring the historic nature of
the Arrowhead Brass Sturgis TT.
The double defending class
champion earned his first career
TT victory at the event, which
upped his record-setting tally
of wins to 21, completed his
quest for a Singles Grand Slam,
and moved that much closer to an
unprecedented third
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles crown.
Kopp figured to be in for a
serious fight when rival (and
experienced roadracer)
Tom Drane (No. 59
Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F)
grabbed the holeshot. But rather
than let that become a problem,
Kopp executed an aggressive pass
as the two transitioned onto the
dirt section for the first time.
Once through, Kopp simply set
sail at the front. Drane might
have liked to formulate a plan
to strike back at Kopp but was
instead forced to worry about
what was behind him as a pack of
five riders closed in on his
rear wheel – a group headed by
an on-form Tarren
Santero (No. 75 Vinson
Construction/P&M Motorcycles
Honda CRF450R).
Drane and Santero then two
carried their fight for second
to the checkered flag as
Bronson Pearce (No. 132
Scott Cason @ USA Mortgage Honda
CRF450R), Chad Cose
(No. 49 D&D Cycles/DG79
Husqvarna FC450), and
Justin Anselmi (No. 115
Team TDR/Unsettled Racing Yamaha
YZ450F) retreated from the
podium battle even as
Chase Saathoff (No. 88
JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R)
marched his way forward.
Saathoff’s climb merely gave him
a front-row seat from fourth to
witness Santero pull off a
final-lap acing of Drane in
order secure his first career
Progressive AFT podium with a
runner-up result.
Supermoto specialist Pearce was
right at home on the
pavement-heavy circuit and it
showed with a fifth-place finish
just ahead of Cose, who finished
sixth while sitting in for
former teammate James
Ott (No. 19 1st
Impressions Race Team Husqvarna
FC450).
Rookie Anselmi took seventh
followed by another first-year
pilot in Evan Renshaw
(No. 265 American Honda/Mission
Foods CRF450R). Olin
Kissler (No. 40 JCM
Construction KTM 450 SX-F) and
Jared Lowe (No.
63 BigR/Little Debbie Racing
Honda CRF450R) completed the top
ten.
Kopp’s victory puts him in
strong position to lock up a
championship early for the third
time. He now leads by 34 points
over Saathoff and 40 over Drane
as the series next heads to
Springfield with the #1 plate
both on his bike and in his
sights.
He said, “It’s awesome to get a
TT (win) finally. It took a lot
of starts and a lot of days on
TTs where we were fastest all
day and just didn’t finish the
job… We’re on track for a third
championship and this break
coming up is much needed.”
AFT AdventureTrackers™
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