FORT WORTH, Texas — The Progressive American Flat Track season will pick right back up following its Florida opener with the Mission Texas Half-Mile at The Dirt Track at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 19.
The results of the season-opening Volusia Half-Mile set an interesting stage heading into round two.Â
The opener’s top four competitors included winner Briar Bauman (No. 3 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750), second-placed Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R), third-placed J.D. Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and fourth-placed rookie Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT).Â
That leaves some key players looking to strike back at Texas Motor Speedway. The most notable is reigning Mission SuperTwins champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750), who finished fifth at Volusia Speedway Park.
Mees won the two most recent races at the Texas half-mile track.
Other established powers looking for redemption are Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), who finished sixth and ninth, respectively, this past weekend.
Both riders are more than capable of finishing Saturday’s race atop the podium and they have a bit of extra motivation performing at their team’s home race.
Nick Armstrong (No. 60 Competitive Racing Frames/Lessley Brothers Yamaha MT-07) served up the opener’s biggest surprise with an impressive victory in the Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines Main Event. Armstrong, who’s demonstrated plenty of ability on multiple occasions in the past, will have the opportunity to establish himself a legitimate contender with a similar effort in Fort Worth.
Dan Bromley (No. 62 Vinson Construction/Viper Air Yamaha MT-07) and Jesse Janisch (No. 33 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) are already at that level and proved themselves to be frontrunners once again as the new season got underway.
The two also showed the potential of the Mission Production Twins Challenge as they mixed it up with some big names in the premier class.
And, as in the premier class, the Mission Foods/Roof Systems-backed pilots will be looking to their sponsors’ home round to get their title campaigns rolling. Ben Lowe (No. 25 Helipower Racing/Mission Foods Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Cory Texter (No. 1 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) finished the opener in sixth and seventh and will be aiming for more this upcoming Saturday night.
The last time the series’ raced at Texas Motor Speedway, Texter made history alongside his sister, Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750), when the two became the first siblings to win Progressive AFT main events on the same evening.
Kody Kopp (No. 12 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE), Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) and Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) came into the season as title favorites for the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER. The three did nothing to dispel their early status as championship favorites with a 1-2-3 performance during the opener.
The riders expect to spend a lot of time up front this season, and it will be up to the remainder of the field to prevent them from dominating the podium.Â
Trent Lowe (No. 48 Mission Foods/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda CRF450R), who finished just off the podium in Volusia, falls into that camp of riders looking to impress in front of his sponsors.Â
A couple of rookies made their spoiler potential obvious with eye-catching debuts. Chase Saathoff (No. 106 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) and Tyler Scott (No. 170 Briggsauto.com/Martin Trucking KTM 450 SX-F) showcased race-winning speed in their maiden professional rides and only expect to get stronger with additional experience and opportunity.
Spectators in Dallas-Fort Worth will be able to witness two of the world’s most historic motorsports series at the same venue on a single weekend, as the NTT IndyCar Series will compete in the XPEL 375 the following day at Texas Motor Speedway.
Â