This week in US Powersports racing.
Dallas Daniels Conquers Caterpillar Springfield Mile I, Repeats as Grand National Champion
A destiny promised is now a destiny realized. Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07) joined the exclusive ranks of multi-time Grand National Champions with a victorious performance in Saturday’s Caterpillar Springfield Mile I at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois.
Racing in front of his home-state fans at the crown jewel of the Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, Daniels once again did exactly what he needed to do when it mattered the most.
Main Event 1
The Mission AFT SuperTwins competitors lined up for the season’s third and final Mission Triple Challenge contending with not just one another but near-triple-digit temperatures to boot. That extreme heat carried over into the competition, which was scorching hot from the opening lap.
An initial ten-lap sprint properly set the tone for the day with an eight-rider lead pack scrapping for top honors as the contest settled in. Two-time Grand National Champion Briar Bauman (No. 3 Super.com/RWR/Rocket Doctor Harley-Davidson XG750R) grabbed the holeshot but was immediately overhauled by last year’s hero of Springfield, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods Honda CB750 Hornet).
Daniels took his turn at the front soon after but saw Lowe and Fisher simultaneously rip past on either flank with seven laps to go. Those three would then proceed to slowly stretch out an advantage over the remainder of the field.
Fisher kicked in up another gear late, shaking free over the final two laps to claim an unchallenged victory in the first of three Mission Triple Challenge Main Events.
Daniels edged Lowe for second by just 0.059 seconds, while KICKER AFT SuperTwins champion Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07) did his part to help out his teammate, drafting past Bauman and Kody Kopp (No. 12 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) on the final lap to steal away fourth.
Main Event 2
An even better race played out in the 15-lap Main Event 2 – and one that ultimately proved to have massive championship implications.
From the early going, this one was a six-rider affair. Fisher immediately dropped to the back of the group following a poor start from pole that sent him spinning up the track, while Daniels powered under Lowe to secure the lead.
Daniels proceeded to control the race from the front but never had room to breathe with Lowe, Drane, Kopp, Bauman, and Fisher running in tight formation on his rear wheel.
With four laps remaining, title hopeful Bauman raised his hand, indicating a problem. Moments later, he pulled out of the race, further opening the door for Daniels’ quest for a second-consecutive crown.
He raced through that opening to close out Main Event 2, holding Lowe at bay by 0.111 seconds to claim the win.
Kopp edged former 450cc rival Drane for third while Main Event 1 winner Fisher came home fifth, finishing just 0.564 seconds off the win despite struggling to keep his bike tidy and low in the rematch.
Behind, Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) ran a lonely race to sixth, with Hunter Bauer (No. 24 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07), Chad Cose (No. 49 PRO Roofing/Parker Racing Yamaha MT-07), Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), and Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Roof Systems KTM 790 Duke) rounding out the top ten.
Main Event 3
While his shattered championship aspirations couldn’t be resurrected, Bauman did get a significant measure of revenge in Main Event 3.
Starting from the back of the field, Bauman clawed his way into contention, slotting into sixth after the opening lap.
Working a slightly higher line, the RWR Harley-Davidson ace continued to pick his way forward, taking his position at the front of a seven-rider pack shortly after the race hit its half-way point.
Meanwhile, Daniels had bigger concerns, finding himself in a dogfight with Fisher, Lowe, and Drane as he calculated what he needed to do to secure the day’s overall win and the 2026 Grand National Championship along with it.
While Fisher repeated his Main Event 2 fade, Lowe and Drane didn’t go anywhere. Bauman managed to break the draft with Daniels, Lowe, and Drane racing side-by-side for second over the contest’s final three laps.
Once in position, Daniels again proved a difficult quarry. And he indeed came home in second, finishing some 0.289 seconds behind Bauman and 0.059 seconds ahead of Lowe.
That (2-1-2) was all Daniels needed to do to lock down the Caterpillar Springfield Mile I overall win and another #1 plate.
The victory was Daniels’ fourth in a row and moved him equal with Bauman at six on the season. Afterward, he said, “It was a tough year. It was really long, and it was hard. The guys I’m racing against are so good. Each year you expect to take a step (forward), but your competition does too. I didn’t know if it was going to happen today.
“I could talk about the day, or I could talk about the season, but really, I want to thank my whole team. The Estenson Racing Monster Energy Yamaha team – Tommy Hayden and Tim Estenson – gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to come out here and do what I love and make a living doing it. I also want to thank all of my supporters… This year came together late, but winning four in a row and the Springfield Mile, it’s awesome.
“This is an emotional time for me. I dreamed of this for a long time. It’s cool.”
Lowe finished the day second overall (3-2-3) to claim his first podium of the season. Meanwhile, Bauman’s victory more than made up for his second race 15th, springing him all the way up to third (5-15-1) on the combined order. Fisher finished fourth (1-5-6) with Drane rounding out the top five (4-4-4).
With one race to go, Daniels now holds an unassailable 27-point lead over Bauman (295-268). Kopp is third at 261 and still well within striking distance of second heading into Sunday’s finale.
KICKER AFT Singles
Two-time KICKER AFT Singles champion Tom Drane (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) continued his unprecedented revision of the record books with yet another Springfield Mile performance to remember.
Saturday’s Main Event was predictably frenetic with a huge pack of motivated riders holding the throttle wide open around the fabled Mile. A red flag brought the action to a momentary halt after promising rookie Charlie Jaques (No. 110 J&M Logging/Miller Racing Honda CRF450R) crashed from fourth after briefly running in the lead.
When the race resumed, it took shape as a five-rider breakaway. Kage Tadman (No. 28 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) did manage to open up a gap of more than a half-second as the race took the halfway flags but was quickly hunted down by the chasing Drane, Chase Saathoff (No. 88 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), Trevor Brunner (No. 21 JMC Motorsports/Fairway GMC KTM 450 SX-F), and Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Mark Tepper Racing/Pags Powersports KTM 450 SX-F).
All but Eisenhard held the lead at one point or another as the contenders rehearsed last-lap strategies with the laps ticking away. Eisenhard finally fell off the lead pack with less than a minute to go, as the jockeying continued at the front.
As the last lap opened, Tadman sailed ahead of Drane entering Turn 1 to reclaim the lead but was helpless as Drane rushed back by on the entrance to Turn 3.
Drane tucked in low coming off of Turn 4, hoping to beat his pursuers to the checkered flag. The gambit worked, as he blasted past the checkered flag mere fractions of a second ahead of second-placed Saathoff (.037 seconds back) and third-placed Brunner (0.067 seconds back).
The victory was the Estenson Racing star’s ninth of 2026, establishing a new single-season wins record for the category. It also upped the Australian’s Mile win streak to seven and his Springfield-specific streak to six.
Tadman, despite leading on the final lap and finishing just 0.085 seconds back of the win, didn’t even earn himself a trip to the podium in fourth.
Eisenhard managed to come home with a top five but only just, as Evan Kelleher (No. 31 Schaeffer’s Motorsports KTM 450 SX-F) closed in to finish 0.035 seconds behind him in sixth.
Walker Porter (No. 10 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) battled from the back to an eventual seventh, while Jordan Beaulac (No. 156 Picotte Motosport/Dofralex GASGAS MC 450F), Jett Katarzy (No. 117 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), and Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Memphis Shades/Corbin Seats Yamaha YZ450F) completed the top ten.
Fisher Over Drane by 0.009 in Caterpillar Springfield Mile II Finale Thriller
Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke) scored his second-career Mission AFT SuperTwins victory in a thrilling Caterpillar Springfield Mile II that closed out a spectacular 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, in fine style.
As with his first – taken at the 2021 Charlotte Half-Mile – Fisher did so in a season-ending stunner. The difference is this one came in Springfield, Illinois, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds’ fabled Springfield Mile.
Equally noteworthy was the overall makeup of the podium, which did not feature any of the three Grand National Championship protagonists who dominated the headlines and garnered all previous 15 victories leading into the last race of the year.
While champion Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07) and title rivals Briar Bauman (No. 3 Super.com/RWR/Rocket Doctor Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Kody Kopp (No. 12 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) played their roles in the race, Fisher ultimately earned the win by fending off KICKER AFT Singles superstar and Mission AFT SuperTwins wild card Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07) at the flag.
Fisher and Drane went back and forth for first over the back half of the contest, where it became increasingly obvious that Fisher needed to keep Drane behind him entering Turn 3 on the final lap to have any hope of taking the win. And he did exactly that, a fact that allowed him to edge the talented Australian by a meager 0.009 seconds at the flag.
Fisher said, “Tom (Drane) put up a heck of a fight. I just can’t thank the whole Rackley team enough for just chugging away at this and putting the KTM on the top of the box. My long-time sponsor Bob Lanphere from Beaverton Motorcycles made the trip here, and he told me, ‘I’m here to watch you win the Mile.’ And we did that.
“It’s pretty cool going into the offseason on top. I get to look at the scoreboard all year long, just like I did after Charlotte. It’s been a while since I got a win. It was long overdue, and it feels so great.”
2025 Springfield winner Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods Honda CB750 Hornet) finished in third just 0.057 seconds further adrift to back up his Saturday podium with another on Sunday.
As for the title fighters, Bauman frequently ran at the head of the multi-rider lead pack until he was forced out with an apparent mechanical issue with just over four minutes remaining.
Daniels, meanwhile, lost touch with the lead group just prior to half-distance. He dropped nearly two seconds back at one point before executing a late charge aided by the back-and-forth antics of Fisher and Drane at the front. That enabled him to latch onto the tail of the draft with two laps to go, bringing him near enough to zap Kopp on the final lap for fourth.
Despite that setback, fifth was more than enough for Kopp to overtake the unlucky Bauman and finish his rookie premier-class campaign ranked second in the Grand National Championship.
Behind, Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) took a lonely sixth, while Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) won out in a tight all-Yamaha battle for seventh, finishing just ahead of Hunter Bauer (No. 24 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07) and Chad Cose (No. 49 PRO Roofing/Parker Racing Yamaha MT-07).
The “Wizard” Jeffrey Carver, Jr. (No. 123 Mission Foods/Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) earned a popular top ten in his return to action at the Springfield Mile.
Daniels concluded his second-consecutive championship-winning campaign with 309 points. He was followed by Kopp (274) and Bauman (270).
Fisher rounded out a fine season in fourth with 216 points, followed by Lowe at 178.
KICKER AFT Singles
The KICKER AFT Singles category held out until its final Main Event of the season to unleash its wildest race of 2026.
Twelve riders went back and forth for ten minutes and (nearly) two laps, swapping the lead at the end of almost every straight. That intensity reached its boiling point on the final lap, at which point Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Mark Tepper Racing/Pags Powersports KTM 450 SX-F) got sucked up the track and collected Jordan Beaulac (No. 156 Picotte Motosport/Dofralex GASGAS MC 450F), sending both riders into the air fence.
The incident brought out a red flag while double class champ Tom Drane (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) held the lead negotiating the race’s final lap.
However, Chase Saathoff (No. 88 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) had actually taken the white flag to open that lap inches ahead of both Kage Tadman (No. 28 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) (0.038 seconds back) and Drane (0.039) as the massive group maneuvered to set up their last-gasp sprints to a checkered flag that would never wave.
As a result, the win was awarded to Saathoff in what might prove to be an unexpected conclusion to an epic, years-long KICKER AFT Singles rivalry should one or both graduate to premier-class duty in 2027.
After picking up his second victory of the season, home-state hero Saathoff said, “It still feels great to win. I’m super grateful, and I do feel we would have had a chance at the line. I can’t thank the whole team enough; it’s been a great year. I’m very blessed to be up here right now, even though it was by a technicality… it happens.”
Tadman was credited with second while Drane officially finished third – a tough luck end to his seven-race Mile win streak aboard the YZ450F.
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 JMC Motorsports/Fairway GMC KTM 450 SX-F) and Jared Lowe (No. 63 Big R Racing/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R) rounded out the top five in that order.
Walker Porter (No. 10 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Memphis Shades/Corbin Seats Yamaha YZ450F), Tarren Santero (No. 75 Roof Systems/Texas Utility Studies/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R), Jett Katarzy (No. 117 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) and Kaleb Martin (No. 93 GETMOREBIKE Honda CRF450F) were listed sixth through tenth, respectively, in the official results.
Despite Sunday’s minor disappointment, Drane had already locked down a record-breaking nine-win season to round out a second consecutive crushing title triumph. He ended his campaign with 303 points, followed by Saathoff at 257 and Tadman with 226.
Harley-Davidson Repeats as Mission AFT SuperTwins Manufacturer Champion
Harley-Davidson was awarded the 2026 Mission AFT SuperTwins Manufacturer Championship following the final race of the season at the Springfield Mile in Springfield, Ill. The award was presented by AMA Pro Racing at its season-closing banquet on Sept. 7. The Springfield Mile double-header weekend also featured the final Harley-Davidson Ride to the Race rally of the season, which saw Harley-Davidson champion racer James Rispoli lead a group ride along historic Highway 66 from Conrad’s Harley-Davidson in Shorewood, Ill. to the track.
Harley-Davidson earned 331 manufacturer points in the 16-race 2026 Mission AFT SuperTwins championship to win the manufacturer title by 17 points over second-place Yamaha. Latus Motors Racing/Harley-Davidson/BMC Racing rider Kody Kopp led all Harley-Davidson racers with 274 total season points and a second-place position in the final standings. Kopp, a three-time AFT Singles champion, had a spectacular rookie season in the premier AFT SuperTwins class, riding a Harley-Davidson® XG750R motorcycle to three race wins and six additional podium results.
Kopp, the 21-year-old son of Joe Kopp, who raced a Harley-Davidson® XR750 to win the 2000 Grand National Championship, led the series for the first half of the season. Super.com/RWR/Rocket Doctor rider Briar Bauman battled for the Mission AFT SuperTwins championship all season, scoring 270 total points to take third place in the final standings. Bauman, a two-time Mission SuperTwins champion, rattled off five consecutive race wins between April and June on a Harley-Davidson XG750R motorcycle and finished the season with six race victories and six additional podium results.
Participants in the Harley-Davidson Ride to the Race rally got a genuine Harley-Davidson racers perspective from Rispoli, currently a Big Diehl x Harley-Davidson Factory Racing rider in the Mission King of the Baggers series on a race-prepared Harley-Davidson Road Glide® motorcycle, the 2025 Mission Super Hooligans champion on a Harley-Davidson Pan America® 1250 ST motorcycle and the 2020 AFT Production Twins title on a Harley-Davidson XG750R motorcycle. Rispoli led 40 riders on the Route 66 Centennial Ride, a 160-mile tour from Conrad’s Harley-Davidson in Shorewood, Ill., to the Springfield Mile. Rispoli also hosted a VIP tour of the racing pits and infield area and an introduction to Harley-Davidson racers.
Final 2026 Mission AFT SuperTwins Manufacturers Points Standings
- Harley-Davidson 331
- Yamaha 314
- KTM 229
- Honda 179
- Royal Enfield 125
- Kawasaki 57
- Aprilia 46
- Suzuki 27
Dunlop Celebrates Championship-Winning 2026 American Flat Track Season
Dunlop Motorcycle Tires celebrates the conclusion of another exceptional season of Progressive American Flat Track competition, highlighted by championship performances, record-setting achievements and some of the closest racing in motorsports.
Throughout the 2026 season, Dunlop’s DT4 once again played an integral role across American Flat Track competition, providing riders with the performance, consistency and durability demanded across the diverse mix of Short Tracks, TTs, Half-Miles and Miles that define the sport.
At the top of the sport, Estenson Racing Yamaha’s Dallas Daniels successfully defended his Grand National Championship, earning his second consecutive Mission AFT SuperTwins title.
Daniels secured the championship at the legendary Springfield Mile, capping another impressive season that further established him among the elite names in American Flat Track. He finished the 2026 season with 309 championship points and six victories.
In KICKER AFT Singles, Estenson Racing Yamaha’s Tom Drane delivered another dominant championship campaign. The Australian secured his second consecutive Singles title at the Peoria TT with two rounds remaining and continued adding to his impressive season through the closing rounds.
Drane finished 2026 with 303 championship points and nine victories, further establishing himself as one of the most accomplished Singles competitors in Progressive AFT history.
Dunlop also celebrated a standout season from one of its own Team Dunlop Elite racers during the inaugural AFT ProSport 450 season.
Adam Costan-Wood, racing aboard the Turner Racing Honda CRF450R, finished the 2026 AFT ProSport 450 season atop the overall points standings with 29 points, five ahead of Cody Mishey.
Costan-Wood’s season included a thrilling victory at Silver Dollar Speedway, where he edged the competition by just 0.053 seconds, followed by a third-place finish at the season-ending Peoria TT to secure the top position in the final standings.
The result represents another significant milestone for the Team Dunlop Elite program and reinforces the pathway Dunlop continues to support from amateur racing into professional competition. From developing young riders at the grassroots level to competing successfully within the Progressive American Flat Track paddock, Costan-Wood’s season demonstrates the long-term impact of that commitment.
The Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. program also delivered another competitive season, with Emma Gottsch claiming the 2026 championship.
Gottsch opened the season with consecutive victories at Daytona, added another win at Ventura and ultimately finished the championship with 107 points and three victories.
From established Grand National Champions to riders taking their first steps toward professional competition, the 2026 season once again demonstrated the depth of talent within American Flat Track and Dunlop’s commitment to supporting riders throughout that progression.
The Dunlop DT4 continues to serve as the benchmark throughout American Flat Track competition. Developed specifically for the unique demands of flat track racing, the DT4 provides competitors with consistent performance across the wide variety of surfaces, layouts and race formats encountered throughout the season.
The DT4 is used throughout AFT SuperTwins, AFT Singles and AFT ProSport 450 competition, helping provide the performance and consistency required whether riders are competing on a tight Short Track, technical TT, fast Half-Mile or the legendary high-speed Miles.
“American Flat Track continues to showcase motorcycle racing in one of its purest and most exciting forms,” said Chad Geer, Director, Motorcycle Marketing & Motorsports at Dunlop Motorcycle Tires. “From Dallas Daniels and Tom Drane winning championships at the highest level to Team Dunlop Elite racer Adam Costan-Wood finishing atop the AFT ProSport 450 season standings, this season represents exactly why Dunlop continues to invest in flat track racing. The DT4 has been developed through competition, and seeing it perform across such a wide variety of tracks, motorcycles and riders is something our entire team takes tremendous pride in.”
The season-ending accomplishments further reinforce Dunlop’s longstanding commitment to American flat track racing, from developing competition tires for the world’s fastest professional racers to supporting the next generation of athletes working their way toward the sport’s biggest stage.
