DAYTONA
BEACH, Fla.
(September 4,
2026) – An
epic,
triple-star
Grand National
Championship
battle will be
decided during
this weekend’s
Caterpillar
Springfield Mile
I & II at the
Illinois State
Fairgrounds in
Springfield,
Illinois, on
Saturday,
September 5, and
Sunday,
September 6.
And there’s no
more fitting
place for this
monumental
occurrence to be
staged than the
crown jewel of
the Progressive
American Flat
Track calendar,
sanctioned by
AMA Pro Racing,
where America’s
Original Extreme
Sport® will
compete before a
massive crowd at
a venue that
consistently
delivers
unforgettable
action.
Go for
Broke or Play
the Odds?
With three
successive wins
in his favor,
reigning Mission
AFT SuperTwins king
Dallas Daniels
(No. 1 Estenson
Racing Yamaha
MT-07)
has established himself
the
odds-on-favorite
after
spending the
majority of his
title defense in
chase mode.
Now up 20 points
with just the
double finale to
go, there are
all sorts of
ways Daniels can
accumulate the
points necessary
to become just
the 13th rider
in the nearly
three-quarter-century
history of the
series to take
the title in
back-to-back
seasons.
Among all
of those
options, there’s one that’s the
most direct. A
victory on
Saturday would
put Daniels up
by at least 24
points with just
23 points left
in play. That
would guarantee
him the crown,
regardless of
what anyone else
managed
to accomplish on
the weekend.
And to do that,
all he needs to
do is repeat
last year’s
performance in
the Mission
Triple
Challenge.
That’s no
doubt that’s how
he and Estenson
Racing Yamaha
would prefer to
get it done.
Still, a more
conservative
path must be
tempting as
well. Even in
the worst case
for Daniels –
one in which
second-ranked
Briar Bauman
(No. 3
Super.com/RWR/Rocket
Doctor
Harley-Davidson
XG750R) sweeps
the weekend –
Daniels would
need to garner a
combined 27
points across
both
days. That’s the
equivalent of a
fourth and a
fifth.
If you’re a
Dallas Daniels
fan, you can
take comfort in
his track
record. During
the entirety of
his five-year
premier-class
career, Daniels
has finished
lower than fifth
just twice –
both
coming in his rookie campaign.
Since then, in
61
starts, he’s finished
off the podium
just five times,
those being two
fourths and
three fifths.
Now
if you’re pulling
for Bauman (or
Kody Kopp (No.
12 Latus Motors
Racing
Harley-Davidson
XG750R),
who requires just
a bit more
help), you’ll need
to take solace
in Springfield’s
history of
magnifying
misfortune and
punishing even
the slightest
miscalculation.
In the most
recent 34
Mission AFT
SuperTwins Main
Events at the
circuit, nearly
half (14) saw
five or more
riders cross the
finish line
within a second
of victory. And
on more than one
occasion, ten riders
hit the stripe
within that same
small margin.
Even the best
can get caught
out in the
Springfield
shuffle. And
you don’t need
to look back far
for evidence of
that.
In the opening
leg of last
year’s Mission
Triple
Challenge,
Bauman finished
0.836 seconds
off the win but
was only
rewarded with a
seventh-place
finish.
Even more
relevantly, in
the second leg,
Daniels himself
finished just
0.629 seconds
off the win yet
still only
mustered
seventh.
Make
no mistake, Daniels
comes in with a
commanding
advantage. But
if any track is
going to bite
you, this is the
one.
The Hunt
for 700
Counterintuitively,
Daniels’
standing as the
heavy favorite
might actually
increase Harley-Davidson’s
shot at making
history.
Hours were
poured over
historic
results, various
databases,
and numerous archives
to confirm the
records. In
doing so, one
win was found to
be misattributed
in the official
record.
That win bumped
H-D’s all-time
Grand National
Championship
Main Event
victory mark to
699.
You can be sure
Bauman and Kopp
will do
everything in
their collective
power to hit 700
this weekend.
There’s
motivation for
both beyond
their respective
outside
shots at stealing
away the title.
Bauman comes in
with six wins to
Daniels’
five. He’ll no
doubt
be seeking to
repeat his
status as the
season’s winningest rider.
Kopp, meanwhile,
could claim a
share of the
all-time rookie
wins record at
five with a
Springfield
double. That
would also
cement his claim
on the single
greatest rookie campaign
in GNC history.
Lowe Man
Wins
With football
season rapidly
approaching,
your television
sets are bound
to be replete
with the cliché,
“low man wins.”
While not a
common phrase in
the racing
world, a similar
one was in vogue
here a year
ago.
At last year’s
Springfield
Mile, Trent Lowe
(No. 48 American
Honda/Mission
Foods Honda
CB750
Hornet) and
Turner Racing’s
American
Honda-backed Big
Red SuperTwins effort
spread their
wings and flew
to victory.
In doing so,
Lowe guided
Honda to its
first
twin-cylinder victory
in over a
quarter century
and its first as
an official
effort at
Springfield
since Bubba
Shobert pulled
it off all the
way back in
1987.
That performance
created huge
expectations for
2026 –
expectations
that have proved
difficult to
meet. Lowe has
enjoyed a nice
season
– he’s solidly
ranked fifth –
however, the
wins and podiums
have not poured
in as hoped.
That said,
another
Springfield
stunner would
certainly make
the season that
did unfold go
down a whole lot
smoother.
Next
Best
Davis Fisher
(No. 67 Rackley
Racing/Bob
Lanphere’s BMC
Racing KTM 790
Duke) is
flat-out rolling
right now.
While a double
dip in Rounds 4
and 6 pretty
much knocked him
out of title
contention even
before
midseason,
Fisher has been
performing at a
championship-caliber
level ever
since.
He comes into
Springfield
boasting five
podiums in his
last seven
races, including
a second-place
finish at
the DuQuoin Mile
where he
finished just
0.012 seconds
behind race
winner Kopp.
And as with
Lowe, a win in
the finale would
do a great deal
to shift the
narrative
on what’s already
been rounding into
an all-around
excellent
campaign.
Anyone’s
Race
The
track’s aforementioned tendency toward massive
swarms of
contenders
drafting back
and forth to the
flag gives rise
to the
possibility of
another upset
win.
Next-generation
Fast
Boy From Illinois
Declan Bender
(No. 70 Memphis
Shades/Vinson
Construction
Yamaha MT-07)
finished fourth
here last year
after coming
home third
in DuQuoin.
And he and
Daniels won’t have
a monopoly on
fleet Yamahas,
with Hunter
Bauer (No. 24
G&G Racing
Yamaha MT-07)
and Chad Cose
(No. 49 Parker
Racing/Pro
Roofing Yamaha
MT-07) also
showing plenty
of speed at the
Miles.
Meanwhile,
Aidan RoosEvans (No.
26 Bubba
Boswell/Smokey
Mountain
Harley-Davidson
XG750R), Dalton
Gauthier (No. 79
Moto Anatomy X
Powered by Royal
Enfield 650),
and Ben Lowe
(No. 25 Rackley
Racing/Roof
Systems KTM 790
Duke) will look
to put a
convincing
conclusion on a
year that
saw RoosEvans and
Gauthier on the
box and Lowe in
the top five.
Let’s
Get Wild
As if
there wasn’t enough
intrigue
already,
reigning KICKER
AFT Singles
champion Tom
Drane (No. 59
Estenson Racing
Yamaha MT-07)
will be pulling
double duty this
weekend. In
addition to his
quest to claim a
new
single-season
record for
Singles wins,
the Australian
will
be showcasing his
premier-class
potential.
And
if you’ll recall,
during last
year’s wild card
entry,
Drane immediately proved
himself capable
of running with
the best of the
best. A year
stronger, wiser,
and even more
prepared, there’s no
doubt Drane
could pose a
genuine threat
to the
established
order this
weekend.
He’ll be joined
in both classes
by fellow KICKER
AFT Singles
standout Tarren
Santero (No. 75
Mission Roof
Systems
Harley-Davidson
XG750R), who
flashed serious
speed in his
premier-class
debut earlier
this season at
Williams Grove.
Meanwhile, if
all
that wasn’t enough
magic for you,
the “Wizard”
Jeffrey Carver
(No. 123 Happy
Trails Racing
Kawasaki Ninja
650) will be
back in
action.
While Carver
makes relatively
infrequent appearances
on the grid
these days,
whenever he does
line up, the
Illinois native
is a threat to
win. If
you don’t believe
it, just ask
Springfield Mile
co-promoter and
ten-time Grand
National
Champion Jared
Mees, who
finished second
to Carver at
Springfield back
in 2018.
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
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.
