DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(September 10, 2024) – As
if its status as the 2024
Progressive American
Flat Track season
finale, sanctioned by
AMA Pro Racing, wasn’t
enough, the inaugural Parts
Plus Lake Ozark Short Track
presented by Arrowhead Brass &
Arby’s will also serve
as a capstone celebration of a
hugely significant era in the
sport’s storied history.
With more than 125,000
motorcyclists flocking to the
Lake of the Ozarks from
September 11-15 for 18th
Annual Lake of the Ozarks
Bikefest, Eldon,
Missouri’s Lake Ozark
Speedway is more than
up to the task of providing such
a momentous event a proper
backdrop when the ‘24 season
concludes this Saturday,
September 14.
A bright spotlight will shine
down on reigning Mission
AFT SuperTwins champion
Jared Mees (No.
1 Rogers Racing/SDI
Racing/Indian Motorcycle
FTR750), who is just three
points away from eclipsing a
record once considered all but
unbreakable. Should Mees
succeed, he will break a tie
with the legendary Scott
Parker and become the
only rider in the seven-decade
existence of the series to claim
a tenth Grand National
Championship.
And Mees will do so in what will
be the final outing of the
overwhelmingly successful Indian
FTR750, which has already
completed its mission of eight
titles in eight attempts while
racking up more than 100 Main
Event victories and nearly 300
podiums along the way.
The FTR’s feat is assured due to
the fact that the only rider
with even the slimmest
mathematical chance of catching
Mees is the Indian-armed
Brandon Robinson (No.
44 Mission Roof Systems Indian
FTR750), who has put together a
career year in 2024.
Even if Mees proves uncatchable,
Robinson still has some work to
do to lock down his first ever
championship top two, however,
as a result of the shock return
to action of Dallas
Daniels (No. 32
Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT)
mere weeks after breaking his
leg in a training accident.
Daniels proved instantly back at
his typical front-running pace,
finishing second and third in
Springfield to continue his
perfect year’s run of podium
results.
Briar Bauman
(No. 3 Rick Ware
Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790
Duke), meanwhile, has his sights
set on another season-ending
victory to both wrap up his
season on a high note and move
level with Robinson and Daniels
for second place in terms of
race victories this season at
three.
Joining Mees and Robinson in
sending the Indian FTR750 off in
an appropriately dominant
fashion are the likes of
Davis Fisher (No. 67
Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s
BMC Racing Indian FTR750),
Jarod Vanderkooi (No.
20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford
Ohio Indian FTR750),
Trevor Brunner (No. 21
Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing
Indian FTR750), and
Declan Bender (No. 70
GOMR/BriggsAuto.com/Martin
Trucking Indian FTR750).
Likewise, Sammy Halbert
(No. 69 Castrol/Boswell’s
Harley-Davidson XR750) will hope
to do the same for the iconic
Harley-Davidson XR750 with one
final opportunity to give the
illustrious machine a 503rd GNC
Main Event victory.
Standing in opposition to those
collective aims along with
Daniels and Bauman will be
Brandon Price
(No. 92 Memphis Shades/Sody
Ent/OTBR Yamaha MT-07),
Dalton Gauthier (No. 79
Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal
Enfield 650), and Max
Whale (No. 18 Latus
Motors Racing/Liqui Moly
Harley-Davidson XG750R), among
several others, who come to
battle with machines
representative of the sport’s
all production-based future.
Parts Unlimited AFT
Singles presented by KICKER
Double defending Parts
Unlimited AFT Singles presented
by KICKER champion Kody
Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware
Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F)
finds himself cast in
essentially the same role as
Mees. With just a small points
haul this weekend, Kopp will
become the class’ first-ever
three-time champion and cement a
run of domination never
previously seen in the Parts
Unlimited AFT Singles history.
The only riders with any chance
of stealing away the #1 plate
also happen to be the only
riders who have managed to
finish atop the podium outside
of Kopp this season: Tom
Drane (No. 59 Estenson
Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and
Chase Saathoff (No.
88 JPG Motorsports Honda
CRF450R).
While attention naturally shifts
back to Kopp as he closes in on
another crown, Drane and
Saathoff have both enjoyed
stellar seasons – seasons that
can only be improved upon now
via an exclamation point at
their conclusion.
It’s up to the rest of the field
to interject in what’s largely
proven a three-rider fight.
Included among the long list of
riders hoping make some noise
this weekend are Trent
Lowe (No. 48 American
Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R),
Tarren Santero
(No. 75 Vinson Construction/P&M
Motorcycles Honda CRF450R),
James Ott (No.
19 1st Impressions Race Team
Husqvarna FC450), Tyler
Raggio (No. 55 Raggio
Racing/Sluggo Racing KTM 450
SX-F), and Evan Renshaw
(No. 265 American Honda/Mission
Foods CRF450R).
Additionally, this Saturday will
mark the 2024 season finale for
Royal Enfield’s successful and
popular Build. Train.
Race. (BTR) flat track
program. Since its introduction,
BTR has injected new talent and
excitement into the series as
highlights, celebrates, and
encourages the involvement of
women in flat track racing.
There will be plenty beyond just
the race action for fans to
enjoy throughout the day,
including numerous vendors,
expansive food and beverage
options, dedicated motorcycle
parking, and a fireworks display
to end the evening.
General Admission tickets
are just $40 (kids 12 and under
$5 with a paid adult General
Admission ticket) if bought
individually or a combined
$85.25 if purchased as a
Party 4 Pack of
tickets. For another $50, the
Pit Pass Upgrade provides
all-day access to the pit area
where fans can scope out the
world’s fastest dirt track
motorcycles and get up close and
personal with the stars of the
sport.
New for 2024 is the
Opening Ceremonies Trackside Fan
Experience ($125 all
ages). This ticket option
provides general admission
seating with Pit Pass access, a
guided tour of, and photo
opportunities at, the infield
podium and start/finish line,
infield viewing of Opening
Ceremonies and the heat races,
and a track talk and photo
opportunity with a special
guest.
Visit
https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/lake-ozark-short-track-104135
to reserve your seats today.
Gates will open for fans at 5:00
p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT). Opening
Ceremonies are scheduled to
begin at 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m.
PT) ahead of a pair of Main
Events at twilight, timed to
allow fans to also attend the
evening’s concerts in Sturgis.
You can catch the livestream of
all the weekend’s racing
activities on FloRacing.
Motorsports fans can subscribe
to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000
live motorsports events in 2024.
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.
FOX Sports coverage
of the Parts Plus Lake
Ozark Short Track presented by
Arrowhead Brass & Arby’s,
featuring in-depth features and
thrilling onboard cameras, will
premiere on FS1
on Sunday, September 22,
at 12:00 p.m. ET
(9:00 a.m. PT).
For more information on
Progressive AFT visit
https://www.americanflattrack.com.
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