This week in US Powersports racing.
Mees Takes Control with Springfield Super Sunday Double Victory
The Springfield Mile I & II presented by Drag Specialties lived up to its billing as one of the most significant events in the series’ modern history as two of the final three rounds of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, played out over the course of a single day at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois.
When the dust settled at the conclusion of the Super Sunday doubleheader, reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) emerged the big winner… again.
A day of domination for the all-time great ended with his third Springfield Mile double – this one leaving him just three points away from the immortality granted by a record tenth premier-class crown.
Mission AFT SuperTwins Main Event 1
Mission AFT SuperTwins Main Event 1 was a contradictory concoction of unpredictability and inevitability courtesy of the sport’s primary protagonists, Mees and Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), who made a shock return to action just six weeks removed from surgery to repair a broken femur.
Despite hobbling around the paddock on a crutch, Daniels didn’t look to have missed a step once he threw his leg over a racebike. Starting from pole, the Estenson Racing ace mixed it up for the lead with the likes of Mees, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), and Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Sody Ent/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) for the race lead.
But a moment of near catastrophe transpired in still in the contest’s early stages when the still-mending Daniels got well sideways, clipped Price’s rear wheel and then Robinson’s, before being sent up the track and down the order… but most crucially, all while somehow remaining upright.
The drama allowed Mees to break the draft and subsequently check out, piling up a monster lead before cruising to a 2.137-second margin of victory at the flag. The win was both his ninth-career victory at the Springfield Mile and his 29th in the Mile discipline overall, tying him with Chris Carr for second on the all-time order.
Mees said, “So many people have contributed to our program. My guys worked so hard just to try to fine-tune it all day. And I needed that in the Main. You don’t really get perfect motorcycles every race, but that Main Event, the thing was really, really close to perfect. It was awesome and came together when we needed it.”
Rather than cower and fold following his near fall, Daniels clawed his way back up from seventh to third, finishing behind only Mees and fellow charger Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) to resume his run of podiums at 11.
Robinson pulled off a final-lap pass on Price to lock down fourth, limiting the extent of the damage done to his championship chances. While less than ideal, he got off easy compared to fellow title hopeful Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke), who retired from the race and was credited in 19th position.
Mission AFT SuperTwins Main Event 2
Minus a second moment of terror for Daniels, the day’s second scheduled Mees disappearing act proved considerably more difficult to execute. While largely controlling the race from the front, Daniels, Bauman, Robinson, and Fisher kept the champion firmly in their sights over the race’s opening half.
However, Fisher then faded from the lead pack, destined to ultimately finish fifth behind Price. A short while later, Bauman was removed from the equation as well, forced to pull off a second time due to mechanical issues, leaving only Daniels and Robinson to give chase.
With his conditioning left wanting after sitting on the couch for the past month, Daniels eventually had to shift his focus from pursuing Mees to fending off Robinson, which allowed the factory Indian superstar to at last stretch open a bit of padding with a couple minutes to go.
The champ stormed past the checkered flag with almost a second-and-a-half in hand, securing his 10th Springfield Mile win and a Carr-surpassing 30th-career Mile victory.
Now on the verge of an unprecedented tenth Grand National Championship, Mees said, “Total domination all day. We came in super focused but kind of had some jitters and some nerves, just because the pressure was on me because I’ve done so well in the past. I had the target on my back, but I do well with that. A huge shout out to my entire team…. I wanted to get Indian Motorcycle their last couple wins here, I really did. That burnout was for Indian Motorcycle. I’m so happy they put me on board in 2016 and ‘17 – a phenomenal company to ride for.
”We came into the Springfield Mile needing to do this… We’ve got one more to go, but we have a little bit of cushion now.”
Daniels managed to successfully hold off Robinson for second, upping his podium streak to 12 in the process. Robinson, however, did just enough to keep his title hopes alive – if just barely – now 22 points back of the title lead (286-264) with only the finale to go.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Main Event 1
Defying pre-race expectations for another of the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles class’ standard ten-plus-rider Mile track pack wars, a four-pilot breakaway featuring title fighters Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F), Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R), and Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), along with savvy vet Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions/Media HT Husqvarna FC450), quickly took shape in the day’s opening Main Event.
However, eight minutes of final-lap trial runs and strategic formulations was undone in an instant when a red flag was thrown just as the clocks hit zero. The potential for a pack battle was again on the table with the field bunched back up for a frantic two-lap dash to the checkered flag.
But somehow, Saathoff, Drane, Cose, and Kopp instantly shook free yet again, relegating everyone else to an outsized fight for fifth. Saathoff appeared to be in prime position to claim his third straight home-state win when he powered into Turn 3 for the final time with the lead and Drane displaced to third by Cose.
Instead, the Australian immediately countered and leapt out of 4 with a near-perfect launch, enabling him to blast by Saathoff at the stripe by 0.048 seconds. Cose held on for third another 0.048 seconds back, followed by championship leader Kopp in fourth.
“It was definitely a hard race out there,” Drane said. “There was a big battle at the front, and then that red flag made it real dicey towards the end. I was able to just get through on Chad, which gave me a good run on Chase and was able to get him at the line. I couldn’t have done it without my whole Estenson Racing Monster Energy crew; they’ve put in a lot of work, and it paid off.”
Miler extraordinaire Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) took full advantage of the race reset to secure her season’s best result by far in fifth.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event 2
After Cose was forced to line up at the back of the grid for jumping the start and Drane, Saathoff, and Kopp stretched open a healthy gap in less than a lap, Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event 2 seemed destined to be a three-contender affair.
Instead, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) bridged the gap from the second group and then Cose arrived to conclude his torrid climb up the order.
The development of a five-rider freight train at the front was not in the plans for Kopp, especially when he was shuffled down to fifth while seeking a finish of second or better in order to clinch the championship early for the third consecutive season.
A back-and-forth scrap saw Drane and Saathoff cross the line with two laps to go separated by nothing – 0.000 seconds apart – and Cose, Kopp, and Lowe tucked tight in their tow.
The Estenson Racing star moved into the lead to open the final lap while Cose pushed Saathoff down to third. The JPG Motorsports runner responded by overhauling both opponents entering Turn 3. Cose then got completely sideways while holding onto second, allowing Drane and Kopp through as they navigated the final corner.
In the decisive sprint to the flag, Drane replicated his Main Event 1 trick to zap Saathoff for the win once again – this time by an even slimmer 0.019 seconds. Meanwhile, Cose edged ahead of Kopp by 0.045 seconds to keep the championship fight a three-rider affair heading into the season finale.
Lowe took fifth, less than a second removed from the race win.
“That was a really good one,” Drane said. “We had a really good race with me, Chad, and Chase. We were all putting in really good laps and swapping back and forth throughout the race. I got a little bit lucky in that last corner, Chad slipped up a little bit, allowing me to go underneath him and then get Chase to the line.”
Despite failing to end this one early, Kopp remains in a very strong position to claim an unprecedented third class crown. With just 25 points left on the table, the Rick Ware Racing star now leads Drane by 22 points (321-299) and Saathoff by 24 (297).
KORIE STEEDE CONTINUES WXC PODIUM STREAK AS GNCC RESUMES WITH BUCKWHEAT 100
A strong performance from Korie Steede in the WXC Class at Round 10 of the 2024 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series saw her finish third on the podium at the Buckwheat 100 in Newburg, West Virginia, where the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team lined up with the distinctive new Heritage livery that has been worn by Husqvarna riders globally in recent weeks.
Steede has been exceptionally consistent in GNCC this year, earning her eighth podium of the series despite recently separating her collarbone during the summer break. A strong start saw Steede position herself up front early onboard the Husqvarna FX 250, managing her injury from there to be rewarded with a podium once the checkered flag flew.
“I wanted to grab that holeshot and knew it was going to be a long day for me,” Steede commented. “Brandy [Richards] got around me pretty quick and we tried to stay consistent, because I separated my collarbone from my sternum about two weeks ago, and knew I would have to try to be smooth out there. I did go down, but after that, I tried to hold on and I’m pumped to be on the podium.”
It was a more challenging return to action for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing XC1 Open Pro Class teammates Craig DeLong and Trevor Bollinger, finishing eighth and 12th, respectively. Fatigue impacted a fast-starting DeLong – the defending GNCC number one plate-holder on his Husqvarna FX 350– during the race, while an early crash dented Bollinger’s hopes for a stronger result.
“Today started okay, we were up toward the front, and then I began to struggle a little from there as the race wore on,” DeLong said. “We will look into that some more, keep learning, and come out stronger at the next one.”
“We had to make an early pit stop after a crash, but it was a challenge out there today,” Bollinger reflected. “We will keep pushing for the final rounds and to get some momentum on my side.”
GRANT DAVIS AND JOHNNY GIRROIR STAND ON TOP OF BUCKWHEAT 100 GNCC PODIUM
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers rider Grant Davis claimed his first overall victory and the XC2 250 Pro Class win at the Buckwheat 100, as the 2024 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series returned to action at Round 10. FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir was top of the XC1 Open Pro finishers in second overall to extend his points lead, and Brandy Richards won her third WXC race of the year.
Following the annual summer break, GNCC took off again in Newburg, West Virginia, this weekend, where Girroir rode his KTM 350 XC-F to the XC1 Open Pro victory – his third in a row in class – to build a 53-point advantage with three rounds in the season remaining. He only narrowly missed out on the overall after near three hours of competition, finishing just two seconds short of Davis.
Johnny Girroir: “I guess I just had to go two seconds faster today [laughs]! It was a good race, really slick out there and hard to push, but I knew that we had to go for the overall. I pushed the last lap, but Grant just pushed a little harder and I’m happy for him. I’m stoked to win the class, although not to miss out on the overall – I won’t let that happen again! The XC2 guys were ripping today. I feel awesome going into the rest of the season, so we’ll keep pushing and putting our best foot forward each weekend.”
Former GNCC champion Ben Kelley made a welcome return with FMF KTM Factory Racing and impressed from the outset, pressuring Girroir at one point of the race before a mistake saw him eventually settle into fourth position. It was a strong outing that he will be able to build upon in the coming rounds, taking a lot from today’s race experience following an extended period on the sidelines.
Ben Kelley: “It’s a good feeling to be back out here racing again and the result was positive today. I haven’t lined up in a long time, so to come out with a top-five was solid and we will keep building into the final few rounds.”
Davis became just the second XC2 250 Pro rider to stand on top of the podium overall, edging Girroir to the win aboard his KTM 250 XC-F. It was a milestone achievement for the FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers standout, joined on the class podium by teammate Gus Riordan. A sixth XC2 win of the year sees Davis now 42 points ahead of Riordan in the title race.
Grant Davis: “Today was a good one! I got a good start and just kept picking my way through the pack from there. I got behind Gus and he made a mistake, but honestly, I was having trouble staying off the ground out there as well! I kept getting pit boards telling me about the overall, that I was beating Johnny – I can’t believe this happened and we got an overall. I was just sending it that last lap and we were able to get it done.”
Gus Riordan: “It was a good race. I got the holeshot, which made it a bit easier, and then started catching the XC1 boys by Lap 2. At the two-hour mark I was in the lead and then I crashed with two to go, lost my flow, and Grant was riding well. It takes a bit more out of you than you think when you crash, so we’re happy with the result here the weekend.”
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers’ Brandy Richards continues to make an impact in GNCC, picking up a third WXC victory of the season in another outstanding performance. Richards sits third in the standings on her KTM 250 XC-F, a single point outside of P2 as the series enters its final stages.
Brandy Richards: “I led the first lap and then I went down pretty hard on Lap 2, but tried to stay smooth after I got back up, and it was a battle the whole race! It was slick out there and it was a great race, so I’m stoked to be up here, and to get another win.”
XC1 Open Pro Class Results
1. Johnny Girroir, FMF KTM Factory Racing
2. Liam Draper, Yamaha
3. Jordan Ashburn, GASGAS
4. Ben Kelley, FMF KTM Factory Racing
8. Craig DeLong, Husqvarna
12. Trevor Bollinger, Husqvarna
XC2 250 Pro Class Results
1. Grant Davis, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
2. Gus Riordan, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
3. Cody Barnes, Honda
WXC Class Results
1. Brandy Richards, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
2. Rachael Archer, Kawasaki
3. Korie Steede, Husqvarna
2024 United States Trials des Nations Team Announced
The American Motorcyclist Association is proud to announce the men and women selected to represent the United States at the 2024 FIM Trial des Nations, which takes place Sept. 21-22 in Pobladura de Las Regueras, Spain.
Team USA includes Josh Roper, Alex Myers and Alexander Niederer on the men’s team, while Maddie Hoover, Kylee Sweeten and Louise Forsley make up the women’s team.
In addition to the men’s and women’s teams, the AMA is sending two riders to the Trials Des Nations Challenge, which formed in 2022. This added event provides younger riders with the opportunity to compete on the international stage for an FIM Championship. The U.S. TDN Challenge team will be composed of Murphy Aaron and Hailey Glueck.
“I am incredibly proud of the team we’ve assembled to represent the United States on the world stage at the Trial des Nations,” Team USA Manager Daniel Blanc-Gonnet said. “This event is a major milestone in the trials calendar, and our team is eager to showcase their talent and sportsmanship.
“Having spent nine years as an athlete on this team, my goal now is to leverage that experience to enhance the USA’s presence globally by providing our riders with the best possible environment for success,” Blanc-Gonnet continued. “We deeply appreciate the continued support from our fans and encourage everyone to follow our journey and contribute through mototrials.com/tdn or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.”
The Trials des Nations began in Europe in 1983, and is sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, with the goal of showcasing the best trials riders from across the globe. Since its creation, the Trials des Nations has grown into one of the most anticipated international motorcycle events of the year. Each competing nation fields two teams — a men’s and women’s team each consisting of three riders.
The team is tasked with raising money for the trip each year, so donations are greatly appreciated. Those looking to support the U.S. riders can do so by visitingmototrials.com/tdn.
Fans can stay up to date on the journey by checking the USA Trials des Nations Team Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/USATrialDesNations/.
The SuperMotocross League and Progressive Insurance Enter Into Exclusive Sponsorship Ahead of SuperMotocross Post-Season
The SuperMotocross League and Progressive Insurance announce today a multi-year exclusive sponsorship surrounding the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals, fueled by Monster Energy. Progressive will become an official sponsor of the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals starting at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, NC. Progressive will title the Holeshot as the Progressive Holeshot at each post-season event and become an integral part of the FanFest experience.
“As the country’s leading motorcycle insurer, we’re continuously looking for different ways to reach and engage riders and the cycle community,” said Eric Doubler, Progressive Recreational Lines Business Leader. “We’ve seen the passion and enthusiasm riders, fans and the SuperMotocross community possess, and we’re excited to collaborate with the league and see that excitement first-hand.”
The Progressive Holeshot will be seen on the track and in the television broadcast at each post-season race. Holeshot winners will be tracked through the post-season, with a 450 and 250 Progressive Holeshot winner being crowned in Las Vegas for their cumulative performances across the finals. The Holeshot is often considered the most critical point of a racer’s start out of the gate, the first rider to cross the Holeshot stripe across the first turn is the winner of the Holeshot in that race.
“We’re excited to welcome Progressive to the SuperMotocross post-season and look forward to working closely together on their incorporation into our live event and fan experiences,” said Dave Muye, Vice President of Global Partnerships for Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “Progressive’s involvement in the SuperMotocross industry continues to grow, and we’re pleased to take their presence to another level in the biggest championship environment of the year.”
Progressive will also be present throughout the Friday Fan Zone and Saturday FanFest experience each week with numerous activations and fan engagement opportunities. SuperMotocross fans can learn more about Progressive and its offerings each week by visiting them in FanFest on both Friday and Saturday with the purchase of Friday Fan Zone ticket and Saturday event ticket or visit progressive.com.
The SuperMotocross World Championship Finals are set to take place starting this Saturday, September 7 with SuperMotocross Playoff 1 at zMAX Dragway in Concord, NC, followed by SuperMotocross Playoff 2 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas on Saturday, September 14.
The SuperMotocross World Championship takes place at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas on Saturday, September 21.
American Honda, Progressive Join Forces in Multifaceted Agreement
Today at the opening round of the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs, American Honda revealed an exciting new multidimensional collaboration with Progressive that includes title sponsorship of the factory race team. Starting with this weekend’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Team Honda HRC Progressive features Progressive branding on its race bikes and rider uniforms, with additional branding placements to come.
While the factory race-team title sponsorship is the headline news, that is only the beginning of this relationship. In the coming weeks and months, Honda fans and customers will see Progressive involved in an array of initiatives. Other examples are Progressive’s support of American Honda’s Demo Ride events and Rider Education Centers.
“We’re excited to finally kick off this unique new sponsorship,” said Brandon Wilson, American Honda Manager of Racing & Advertising. “What I think makes it most interesting is that it’s not just a traditional race-team sponsorship; it’s a broader agreement, with an intercompany, cross-departmental aspect. It’s fun to kick this collaboration off for the SMX Playoffs, but this is just the beginning.”
“Collaborating with Honda is a natural fit for Progressive as we both share a commitment to innovation, safety, and customer satisfaction,” said Eric Doubler, Recreational Lines Business Leader of Progressive. “Together, we can explore initiatives that enhance the driving experience and offer unparalleled value to our customers. We’re excited to embark on this journey.”
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