DAYTONA
BEACH, Fla.
(September 1,
2026) – Even
with the 2026
championship
already decided,
there’s still
much in play as
the KICKER AFT
Singles class
closes out the
Progressive
American Flat
Track season,
sanctioned by
AMA Pro Racing,
with the
Caterpillar
Springfield Mile
I & II at the
Illinois State
Fairgrounds in
Springfield,
Illinois, on
Saturday,
September 5, and
Sunday,
September 6.
One Last
(All) Time
If this weekend
proves to be his
last in the
class, Tom Drane
(No. 1 Estenson
Racing Yamaha
YZ450F) has
already made a
compelling case
for
the category’s G.O.A.T.
That’s not to
say the
Australian can’t add
even more
firepower to
that claim this
weekend. Already
holding the
class record for
most victories
all-time (27),
and most Mile
victories
all-time (9),
the Australian
can break a
three-way tie
with Kody Kopp
and Dallas
Daniels and
claim sole
possession of
most single-season wins
all-time. One
more would do
it, upping his
‘26 tally to
nine. And a
double win would
put it borderline
out of reach at
ten.
What are the
odds he pulls it
off? History
suggests they’re even
better than
you likely
imagine.
Drane comes into
Springfield
having won the
series’ last six
Miles. His
Springfield-specific
mastery is
equally notable,
where he’s taken
the last five
straight (make
that seven if
you separate out
his clean sweep
of last year’s
Mission Triple
Challenge).
But
that doesn’t mean it’s likely
to come easily.
Every single one
of
the aforementioned
victories was
measured by – at
most – tenths
and more often
by hundredths
and even
thousandths of a
second.
Incidentally,
Drane will be
juggling his run
at the record
books with a
glimpse into the
future with a
Mission
AFT SuperTwins wild
card entry.
Parting
Shots
Outside of
equaling Kopp’s
back-to-back-to-back
titles, there
seems to be
little left for
Drane to
accomplish
before
graduating to
the
premier-class
ranks. And
considering the
performance of
his immediate
predecessors –
reigning Grand
National
Champion Daniels
and runaway
Rookie of the
Year Kopp –
Drane is a
likely candidate
to move up a
weight class.
If that’s the
case, this may
be the last
chance some old
foes have at
getting the
better of Drane,
at least on
single-cylinder
machinery.
First among
rivals is Chase
Saathoff (No. 88
1st Impressions
Race Team
Husqvarna
FC450), who has
been butting
heads and
trading paint
with
Drane pretty
much from the
start.
Lost in Drane’s
superlative
season is
another standout
year for
Saathoff. With
two races yet to
go, he’s already
logged ten
podiums,
including a win
and six
top twos.
But
that hasn’t put
him completely
out of reach of
a trio of riders
who still have
an outside shot
of swiping
second in the
standings.
Third-ranked
Kage Tadman (No.
28 American
Honda/Mission
Foods CRF450R),
fourth-ranked
Tarren Santero
(No. 75 Roof
Systems/Texas
Utility
Studies/Vinson
Construction
Honda CRF450R),
and Trevor
Brunner (No. 21
JMC
Motorsports/Fairway
GMC KTM 450
SX-F) still all
hold a
mathematical
opportunity to
overtake
Saathoff.
It’s unlikely to
happen,
especially in
the case of
Brunner, who
would
practically need
to sweep out and
have Saathoff
sleep in to pull
it off.
But all three
could certainly
factor in the
fight for the
wins. Each one
took checkered
flags within
striking
distance
of Drane
here last year,
with Brunner
walking away
with a pair of
seconds – one by
0.017 seconds
and the other by
0.028.
Year to
Remember
Regardless of
what happens
this weekend,
2026 will go
down as
breakthrough
seasons for both
Bradon Pfanders (No.
83 Memphis
Shades/Corbin
Seats Yamaha
YZ450F) and Evan
Kelleher (No. 31
Schaeffer's
Motorsports KTM
450 SX-F), who
joined the
prestigious list
of KICKER AFT
Singles Main
Event winners
this year.
But what better
way to celebrate
than via an
exclamation
point in
Springfield?
Even
though Pfanders’
maiden win came
in the
opener, he’s riding
consistently
stronger than
ever before at
this stage of
the season,
racking up
five top-five finishes
in his last six
outings.
And while
Kelleher’s first
triumph came at
a Super
TT, you’d be
wise to remember
that he
initially burst
onto the scene
with a
front-running
ride at the
‘24 DuQuoin Mile.
Beyond
Santero
While Santero
continues
to attempt to
shed his place
atop the list of
riders most
likely to get
their first
KICKER AFT
Singles win, he’s not
alone in growing
impatient.
Among the
remainder of the
field, Walker
Porter (No. 10
American
Honda/Mission
Foods CRF450R)
and Jared Lowe
(No. 63 Big R
Racing/Vinson
Construction
Honda CRF450R)
have flashed the
speed needed to
win most
frequently, and
they’ve got two
last
opportunities to
get it done
before heading
into the
offseason.
Rookie
of the Year
Jack Brucks (No.
113 1st
Impressions Race
Team Husqvarna
FC450) has
already locked
up KICKER AFT
Singles Rookie
of the Year
honors. He’s done
so on the
strength of
eight top tens,
including three
finishes of
sixth or better
with a
fourth-place
ride to his
name.
And despite
coming close,
yet he’s still
seeking a
rookie-season
podium finish.
Time is running
short.
Get Your
Kicks on Route
66
Fans can make
their way to the
Springfield Mile
on Saturday
by participating in
a special Route
66 Centennial
certified ride
created and
organized by
Mees Promotions
in partnership
with
Harley-Davidson.
The ride
will depart from
Conrad’s
Harley-Davidson
and travel to
the Illinois
State
Fairgrounds via
the historic
Route 66.
Participation is
free with the
purchase of a
Springfield Mile
event ticket.
The first 75 to
register will
also receive an
exclusive event
t-shirt.
Fans
interested in
participating in
the September 5
ride can
register HERE.
The Race
for Your Seats
is Underway
Bring the whole
family and enjoy
big-screen
viewing, vendor
displays, and a
wide variety of
food and
beverage
options
Move fast and
you can save $10
on all
tickets purchased prior
to Wednesday.
Until then, you
can still get
Infield tickets
for just $25 per
day (kids 12 and
under free with
a paid adult),
while Reserved
Grandstand
tickets start at
$35 per day (all
ages). A Pit
Pass can be
added to any
ticket for
an additional $40.
For $150 per
day, fans
also have the
opportunity
to receive a
Hospitality VIP
Experience which
provides an
upgraded
Reserved
Grandstand
ticket of their
choice, food and
beverage in the
VIP area,
and all-day access
to the pits.
And for $130 per
day (all ages),
H.O.G. members
can enjoy the
Harley-Davidson
VIP Experience,
which provides
dedicated H.O.G.
parking and an
exclusive
seating section,
a guided tour of
the infield
podium and
start/finish
line, photo ops
included, a
meet-and-greet
with the
Harley-Davidson
riders, and
exclusive swag.
Camping is also
available
through the
Illinois State
Fairgrounds
campgrounds. For
reservations or
questions,
please call
217-524-9894.
To
purchase
Caterpillar
Springfield Mile
I tickets, click
HERE.
To
purchase
Caterpillar
Springfield Mile
II tickets, click
HERE.
And for
additional
savings,
purchase your
Saturday and
Sunday tickets
together. To
purchase two-day
Caterpillar
Springfield Mile
I & II, click
HERE.
For more
information or
media inquiries,
please contact
Mees Promotions
by phone
217-632-0277 or
email: meespromotions@gmail.com.
Gates will open
for fans at
10:00 a.m. ET
(7:00 a.m.
PT) both days,
with Opening
Ceremonies set
to begin at 2:40
p.m. ET (11:40
a.m. PT) on
Saturday and
2:30 p.m. ET
(11:30 a.m. PT)
on Sunday.
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
Caterpillar
Springfield Mile
I, featuring
in-depth
features and
thrilling
onboard cameras,
will premiere on
FS1 on Sunday,
September 13, at
10:00 a.m. ET
(7:00 a.m. PT).
The Caterpillar
Springfield Mile
II will air the
following
Sunday,
September
20, at 11:00
a.m. ET (8:00
a.m. PT)
For more
information on
Progressive AFT
visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.
