“New-Look” Grand National Championship Battle Bound for the Beach 

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – April 23, 2025 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, returns to stunning Ventura Raceway for the Memphis Shades Ventura Short Track presented by Law Tigers this Saturday, April 26, with an enthralling Grand National Championship fight taking form.

That clash has a new look with Mees retired and will take center stage before a breathtaking backdrop this weekend, with previous stops at Ventura Raceway boasting grandstands packed with fans to take in both the incredible race action and the unrivaled views provided by a beach-set venue less than two hundred meters removed from the Pacific Ocean.

Void? What Void?

The sport has been extraordinarily fortunate to witness intense Mission AFT SuperTwins championship rivalries in recent seasons, with the last six title fights remaining undecided until the final race of the year.

From 2019 through 2022, the main event was ten-time king Jared Mees versus double champ Briar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors Harley-Davidson XG750R). And in 2023 and 2024, Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) stepped forward to emerge as Mees’ primary challenger.

With Mees now retired from championship competition, it seems only natural that Bauman and Daniels would be set on a collision course for supremacy in a budding rivalry that has the potential to define motorcycle dirt track racing for the next decade or longer.

While still early days, the post-Mees era is off to a thrilling start. Despite preseason concerns of a Daniels runaway, he leads Bauman by just a single point (62-61) through three races with two victories and a third to his adversary’s pair of seconds and breakthrough win.

That developing showdown promises to continue as a close-fought affair when it arrives in Ventura, California: Daniels and Bauman split top honors in the series’ two previous visits to the oceanside circuit.

Robbed

Bauman’s immediate and highly successful acclimation to the Harley-Davidson XG750R hasn’t only come at the expense of preseason title favorite Daniels. In fact, it was Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) who appeared well on his way to at last completing his long-held goal of becoming the racebike’s first-ever premier-class winner.

Bauman denied him both that night and in the history books, charging up through the top five to snatch the lead away from Robinson with less than two short laps remaining before the checkered flag.

That near-miss runner-up finish still served as clear indication that Robinson has already found his footing in his transition back to the Harley. And it merits mentioning that it was Robinson – not Daniels nor Bauman – who finished second to Mees in last season’s Mission AFT SuperTwins title battle.

Should Robinson bring his best every weekend, he has every chance to make this a season-long three-rider melee. But that best needs to come out again in Ventura to prevent his quarry from pulling away any further up front.

Beach Par(i)ty 

The all-production-based ruleset introduced this season in hopes of encouraging greater parity has delivered.

Yamaha, Harley-Davidson, KTM, and Kawasaki have all featured on the podium in the opening three rounds of the season, while Honda, Suzuki, and Royal Enfield have also featured inside the top ten on multiple occasions.

Bauman’s victory last season at Ventura Raceway came aboard a KTM 790 Duke. And despite his defection to H-D, the bike remains a serious threat up front. Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke) has led that charge to date, as he’s currently tied with Robinson for third in the points on the strength of a third and two fourths. And Jarod VanDerKooi (No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke) is not far behind, nine points further adrift in fifth.

Meanwhile, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp), Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Suzuki GSX-8S), and Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) have flashed of the speed necessary to up the manufacturer podium count this season and do so early.

Daniels’ record-setting podium streak (now at 16 and counting) has helped ensure Yamaha remains in the spotlight week in and week out. But he isn’t the only rider representing the brand. Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) still seeks that maiden premier-class victory that has narrowly eluded him for years, while Californian James Ott (No. 19 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07) is motivated to shine in front of his home state fans after demonstrating impressive form a few weeks back in Atlanta.

View to a Thrill… and More

Incredible racing and spectacular beachside viewing won’t be the only attractions for fans, who can also expect a multitude of vendors, big screen viewing, designated motorcycle parking, and a variety of food and beverage options.

Reserve Your Seats Today

General Admission tickets are just $50 (kids 12 and under free) all taxes and fees included. Reserved Grandstand and Premium Reserved Grandstand tickets are only $15 and $25 more (all ages), respectively. With a student ID as proof, students can purchase a General Admission ticket for just $30 at the door on the day of the event. And new for 2025, every level of ticket automatically includes paddock access.

Also available for purchase is the Opening Ceremonies Trackside Fan Experience ($105), which includes reserved seating, a guided tour of the infield podium and start/finish line, photos opps included, and up-close viewing of Opening Ceremonies and a portion of the night’s race action.

Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/ventura-short-track-121465 to reserve your seats today.

Gates will open for fans at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

How to Watch 

FloRacing

For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2025. FloSports is available by visiting https://flosports.link/aft or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.

FS1

FOX Sports coverage of the Memphis Shades Ventura Short Track presented by Law Tigers, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, May 4, at 1:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. PT).

For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

About Progressive American Flat Track: 

Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is the world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. For more information on Progressive American Flat Track, please visit us on the web, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, check us out on Instagram and catch all the Progressive American Flat Track racing action on FOX Sports. 

Source: Progressive American Flat Track

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