DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Progressive American Flat Track season resumes just two weeks after its thrilling Bike Week double-opener with the inaugural Yamaha Senoia Short Track at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway on March 25.
All eyes will be on second-year Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle star Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), who comes in with a perfect 50-point score after orchestrating back-to-back virtuoso rides at the Daytona Short Track I & II.
Daniels will have some additional motivation to keep his hot streak going at Yamaha’s home round, as will teammate J.D. Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT). Combined, the Estenson Racing pairing have collected the last three short track victories in succession (and four of the last six), dating back to last season.
The two figure to face stiff challenges from last year’s other ST winners, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke).
Speaking of Bauman, the two-time Mission SuperTwins champ’s initial outing aboard his new KTM 890 Duke was one of the opener’s biggest stories. He didn’t disappoint in his Rick Ware Racing debut, claiming a podium in his first attempt, despite losing his brakes early in the contest.
The overall KTM premier-class presence will be further bolstered at Senoia where Bauman and his brother, Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 890 Duke), will be joined by reigning Mission Production Twins champion Jesse Janisch (No. 33 KTM/Haversack/Z-Max 890 Duke), who will make his Wally Brown Racing debut this weekend.
Meanwhile, no one should ever overlook defending Mission SuperTwins king Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750). Mees had a bit of a quiet opener – at least by his standards – but he still managed to collect a pair of valuable fourths. And while he may not have won on a Short Track a year ago, he has taken multiple ST wins over his career and landed on the box in the close-quarters showdowns on more than one occasion in ‘22.
Along with Mees and the aforementioned Robinson, two other Indian-mounted pilots in Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) and Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) got their ’23 campaigns off to impressive starts, the two finishing 2-3 behind Daniels the last time out.
Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) clearly demonstrated that he and his bike are capable of running up front with the best riders and equipment in the world in the opener. He and teammate Ryan Wells (No. 94 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) will look to follow up a promising opener with an even stronger performance on Saturday.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
A year ago, Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) kick-started his runaway Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER title triumph with six wins over the season’s opening nine races.
Therefore, it should be a serious concern for any prospective class title hopeful that Kopp is off to an even better beginning in ‘23, sweeping the first two rounds after going 1-2 to open ‘22.
While slowing Kopp is a daunting task, the field is loaded with hungry and skilled riders across several manufacturers.
Besides the defending champion, KTM is represented by with some of the category’s most decorated riders, headlined by the likes of Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F), Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), and Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 450 SX-F).
The American Honda-backed Turner Honda effort has been a powerhouse since its earliest days, and ‘23 looks to be no different with the talented trio of Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), and Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R).
Yamaha, meanwhile, will see its home turf defended by the talented Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).
And Husqvarna has a 1-2 punch of its own in James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) and Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450).
Along with joining the premier class in underlining the depth of manufacturer parity and diversity of Progressive AFT, the 2023 opener also showcased some riders who may be poised to step into the spotlight this season. Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/3 Bros KTM 450 SX-F), Justin Jones (No. 91 NRC Racing/Elder Trucking KTM 450 SX-F), and Andrew Luker (No. 11 Rackley Racing/Keeran Racing Yamaha YZ450F) all flashed eye-opening speed in Daytona, while rookies Logan Eisenhard (No. 166 Scotts Powersports/The Cycle Lab LLC KTM 450 SX-F) and Clark Morian (No. 133 Morian Racing/Wells Tuned KTM 450 SX-F) didn’t take long to prove they belonged.
Keyword: Short Wait To Get Back On Track At Inaugural Senoia Short Track