EVENT ADVANCE: AFT Singles Ace Drane Makes His Case

Tom Drane (59) leads the field into turn one during the AFT Singles presented by KICKER Main Event in Peoria. [Photo: American Flat Track / Tim Lester]

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – August 28, 2025 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – The AFT Singles presented by KICKER title fight is on the cusp of being decided on the most high-profile stage possible as Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, arrives at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois for the Springfield Mile I & II presented by Drag Specialties, on Saturday, August 30, and Sunday, August 31.

The evidence continues to mount in support of Tom Drane’s (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) claim as one of the greatest riders the category has ever seen.

The Australian now ranks third all-time in AFT Singles race wins, a tally he upped to 16 last time out in Peoria. That same victory also saw him become just the third ever rider to complete the AFT Singles Grand Slam.

Additionally, the triumph increased his active podium streak to nine – a number that equaled the all-time record… which also happened to be posted by Drane in a run that started last season and ended earlier this year.

The Estenson Racing star led the class in Main Event wins a year ago (seven) and has a shot at bettering that number this year. If he wins out this season, he’ll both tie Dallas Daniels and Kody Kopp for most wins in a single season (eight) and Shayna Texter-Bauman for second in career wins (19) in the process.

There’s really only one major goal he has yet to accomplish in the class – the AFT Singles national championship. And he is on the verge of doing that at this weekend’s Springfield Mile, a race he has won three times running.

The Magic Numbers

Only two riders – second-ranked Chase Saathoff (No. 88 RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R) and third-ranked Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) – remain within even 100 points of Drane let alone still technically in contention for the throne.

Drane’s advantage currently stands at 42 points over Saathoff and 60 over Brunner.

Should he lead both by 50 points or more following Saturday’s Springfield Mile I, he will officially be the 2025 AFT Singles champion. That minimum margin drops to just 25 points following Sunday’s Springfield Mile II.

And since Saathoff is still on the mend and won’t be able to compete in either race this weekend, he is effectively eliminated from contention as well.

In other words, the chances of it happening not just in Springfield, but on Saturday, are extremely strong.

Drane only needs to pick up nine points for the remainder of the year to extinguish Brunner, even in the event the Turner Honda pilot goes 1-1-1 down the stretch. Nine points can be acquired any number of ways – including a 15-15-15 conclusion to the season – or via a single eighth-place outing.

Keep in mind that Drane finished top three in nine consecutive races, then fourth, and then top three again for nine more races in succession.

No matter what the math says, don’t look for Drane to go cruising around for 15ths or even an eighth. There are still wins and podium records that require breaking.

Still in Play

As mentioned above, Drane has won the three most recent Springfield Miles. However, those were all certified barnburners.

In the first of those three, nine riders finished within 0.637 seconds of the win. In the second, four riders were within 0.147 seconds of victory. And in the most recent, five riders took the checkered flag within 0.770 seconds of the win.

So, in any event, the racing this weekend figures to be fantastic.

And while the championship fight has nearly been put to bed, there’s still much to sort out down the order.

Behind Drane, Saathoff, and Brunner we have:

144 points: Tarren Santero (No. 75 Mission Roof Systems Honda CRF450R)

131 points: Kage Tadman (No. 288 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450)

123 points: Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Hannum’s HD/Pfanders Racing KTM 450 SX-F)

123 points: Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 FRA Trust/ATV’s and More Yamaha YZ450F)

115 points: Jared Lowe (No. 63 Big R/Little Debbie Racing Honda CRF450R)

As close as they are and with a strong likelihood of a massive lead pack, there’s going to be a lot of opportunity for movement in Springfield.

Neither Santero nor RoosEvans enjoyed particularly strong DuQuoin Miles, but both are rolling quite nicely now.

Tadman, meanwhile, still has a shot at fourth despite not taking part in the opening three rounds of the season. While he struggled even more mightily in DuQuoin than Santero or RoosEvans, the rookie has an opportunity to show what he learned given another shot at a Mile.

He’ll also do so on a 1st Impressions Husqvarna after signing with the team prior to the Peoria TT. Last season, 1st Impressions-built-and-tuned Husqvarnas finished on the podium at a Mile on three occasions, including twice in Springfield courtesy of Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450).

Speaking of Cose, despite not being included on that list of riders fighting for fourth above, he could easily prove the spoiler of all spoilers this weekend.

Grand National Atmosphere

Bring the family and enjoy not only the greatest spectacle on two wheels, but also live music, big-screen viewing, vendor displays, dedicated motorcycle parking, and a variety of food and beverage options.

All ticketholders will have access to the AMCA Motorcycle Swap Meet taking place both days in the infield. In fact, there will be three bike shows in all – the Infield Bike Show as part of the AMCA Motorcycle Swap Meet, the Flat Track Racing Show at the entrance of the grandstands, and the Vintage Iron Rider’s Motorcycle Club display.

At the Springfield Mile, Bikes and Tickets Move Fast

And you had better move fast too because tickets are $10 off if purchased prior to Wednesday.

Act now and Infield tickets are still just $20 (kids 12 and under free with a paid adult), while Reserved Grandstand tickets start at $35 (all ages).

For $150, fans also have the opportunity to receive a VIP Experience that provides an upgraded Reserved Grandstand ticket of their choice, food and beverage in the VIP area, and all day access to the pits.

All ticket holders will have access to the Swap Meet Show taking place on the infield. Camping is also available through the Illinois State Fairgrounds campgrounds. For reservations or any questions, please call (217) 725-0120.

To purchase Springfield Mile I tickets, click HERE.  

To purchase Springfield Mile II tickets, click HERE.

And to save an additional $5 by purchasing Saturday and Sunday tickets together for the Springfield Mile I & II, click HERE.

For more information or media inquiries, please contact Mees Promotions by phone (217) 632-0277 or email: [email protected].

Gates will open for fans at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT) both days, with Opening Ceremonies set to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT) on Saturday and Sunday.

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 Springfield Mile I presented by Drag Specialties, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, September 6, at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT). The Springfield Mile II presented by Drag Specialties will air the following Saturday, September 13, at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 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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