MECHANICSVILLE, Md. — The rolling Briar Bauman (No. 3 Super.com/RWR Harley-Davidson XG750R) upped his win streak to three with yet another dominant outing Saturday at the Budds Creek Half-Mile.
The Main Event of the four-day event hosted by Budds Creek Motocross Park was expected to be a showdown involving Bauman, reigning Grand National Champion Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07), and Mission AFT SuperTwins points leader Kody Kopp (No. 12 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R).
And arguably it was, in a sense, albeit one effectively decided in the opening seconds of the race.
Bauman and Daniels went elbow-to-elbow as they disputed the holeshot. Bauman ultimately had the superior positioning aboard his Rick Ware Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R, which not only forced Daniels to accept second but resulted in him getting shuffled back to third by an opportunistic Chad Cose (No. 49 PRO Roofing/Parker Racing Yamaha MT-07).
The Estenson Racing Yamaha ace spent the next six minutes attempting to uncover a path back around Cose. And by the time he finally managed to do so, Bauman was more than three seconds clear at the front.
Bauman negotiated his way through heavy traffic over the final couple of laps, allowing Daniels to slash the deficit to 2.208 seconds, but the outcome was never truly put in doubt.
After Daniels worked his way past and disappeared in second, Cose shifted his attention to Kopp, who was creeping up from fourth. Despite Kopp’s late push, the Californian held on to the spot by a nerve-wracking 0.210 seconds, securing Cose’s first premier-class podium in eight seasons.
Hunter Bauer (No. 24 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07) and Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 FRA Trust Advisors Harley-Davidson XG750R) joined Kopp to put rookies fourth, fifth, and sixth.
Meanwhile, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods Honda CB750 Hornet), Morgen Mischler (No. 13 IFS Waste Services/D&D Cycles Aprilia Tuareg 660), Cameron Smith (No. 34 Fredericktown Yamaha/Thee Kathy Gray Yamaha MT-07), and Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) closed out the top ten.
Bauman’s surge has shifted the Grand National Championship outlook, closing the margin separating the top three dramatically in recent weeks.
While Kopp continues to lead with 117 points, Daniels (110) and Bauman (108) are now both well within striking distance in second and third.
It took three starts to make it happen, but Kage Tadman (No. 28 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) ultimately ripped into the lead from pole position and powered his way to his fourth-career KICKER AFT Singles victory.
The two prior starts were quickly nullified by early-race red flags – both times removing Chase Saathoff (No. 88 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) from the lead and erasing less-than-ideal launches for the otherwise on-form Tadman.
The second of those reds was thrown following a lowside crash on the part of Tarren Santero (No. 75 Roof Systems/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R), a fall that sparked a chain reaction that also claimed Evan Kelleher (No. 31 Schaeffer’s Motorsports KTM 450 SX-F) and Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Eisenhard Racing/Pags Powersports KTM 450 SX-F).
Tadman finally nailed the third start and was further blessed with the added good fortune of teammate Walker Porter (No. 10 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) slotting into second behind him.
Saathoff, meanwhile, was fourth off the line, stashed behind both Turner Hondas and the cagey Trevor Brunner (No. 21 KMA Racing/March Equipment Yamaha YZ450F).
The race’s drama largely unfolded behind Tadman, who pulled clear at the front.
Saathoff fought his way by Brunner into third and then moved Porter out of the way to seize control of second with just over a minute remaining on the clock. He was then, however – and incredibly – overhauled by Santero, who somehow managed to slash his way up through the field after being forced to the back of the grid due to his earlier crash.
In fact, Santero nearly did the unthinkable, reeling in Tadman from multiple seconds back before at last crossing the stripe only 0.377-seconds off the victory.
A visibly frustrated Saathoff finished third, while Porter regrouped from being punted up the track to claim his second consecutive fourth-place finish.
Bayne Nantz (No. 313 Nantz Bros Racing KTM 450 SX-F) became the fourth different rider to claim victory in AFT ProSport 450 action with a wire-to-wire win at Budds Creek.
The AFT ProSport 450 Main packed in significantly more excitement than that brief summary may suggest. Nantz was hounded early by Camlin Durelle (No. 27 Durelle Racing Yamaha YZ450F), who didn’t even plan to enter the qualifying Road to AFT class in Friday’s AMA-sanctioned Mission Foods CTR Showcase Event, and only finished 11th when he did.
But Durelle found his form on Saturday, looking like an early contender for the win before making contact with Nantz’s rear-end. That incident sent him up the track and down the order.
Loic Nadeau (No. 21 Racine Racing KTM 450 SX-F), Adam Costan-Wood (No. 88 Turner Racing Honda CRF450R), and Brody Hanson (No. 99 Hanson Racing KTM 450 SX-F) picked up the chase in Durelle’s absence, transforming the race into a tight four-way scrap for the win.
Silver Dollar winner Costan-Wood dove under Nadeau for second and then attempted to displace Nantz on the final lap with the same maneuver – a plot that came up 0.163 seconds short of success at the checkered flag.
Nadeau held on to earn a close third, while Hanson and Matéo Racine (No. 23X Picotte Motosport KTM 450 SX-F) came home fourth and fifth, respectively.
