After nine years of trying for a first AFT Mile win, reigning Grand National Champion Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) added his name to the list of American Flat Track legends to win at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center with an imperious victory in Friday night’s Indy Mile I - one that he backed up 24 hours later with a tactical win in the Indy Mile II.
Friday night saw Bauman celebrate the milestone performance with a home run swing of the checkered flag, signifying the completion of his career Grand Slam, adding a first-career AFT SuperTwins presented by Vance & Hines Mile triumph to his earlier Half-Mile, TT and Short Track wins.
Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Coolbeth-Nila Racing Indian FTR750) took second, with multi-time GNC champ Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) third.
On Saturday 22nd, the Indy Mile II saw Briar Bauman top the podium ahead of Mees second and Harley-Davidson, Vance & Hines rider Bryan Smith posting the first podium of the year for the XG750R in third.
The AFT Singles presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys saw second-year pro Brandon Kitchen (No. 105 Donley Excavating/TCD Suspension Honda CRF450F) outfox the most experienced riders in the AFT Singles class with a dramatic final-lap upset victory ahead of Henry Wiles (No. 17 RMR Honda/Honda Talon CRF450R) and Mikey Rush (No. 14 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) third.
The following evening saw Wiles go one better taking the win ahead of Cole Zabala (No. 51 Cornerstone Masonry/B&M Masonry CRF450R) with long-time AFT Singles standout Shayna Texter (No. 52 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) giving the KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F a second Podium of the year in third.
In the AFT Production Twins Class, Ben Lowe (No. 25 Roof Systems of Dallas/Bruce Lowe Excavating Yamaha MT-07) finally broke through to claim his maiden AFT victory in the Class Indy Mile I on Friday 21st, with James Rispoli (No. 43 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) second, ahead of Chad Cose (No. Wally Brown Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R).
In the Production Twins Indy Mile II on Saturday 22nd, James Rispoli went one better with the win, his first in AFT competition in more than a decade, ahead of Cory Texter (No. 1 G&G Racing/Roof Systems Yamaha MT-07) second, and Nick Armstrong (No. 60 Lessley Brothers Racing/Competitive SheetMetal Yamaha MT-07) third.
Next up will be a Springfield tripleheader. The AFT Singles will kick the weekend off in Springfield, Illinois, with the Springfield ST on Friday, September 4. After that, the AFT SuperTwins and AFT Production Twins will take over for two days of racing at the “World’s Fastest Mile,” with the Springfield Mile I on Saturday, September 5, and the Springfield Mile II on Sunday, September 6.
The following weekend is the Williams Grove Half-Mile double header at Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, followed by the Dallas Half-Mile September 25 & 26; the Atlanta Short Track on October 2 & 3; Charlotte Half-Mile on October 9 & 10 and the season finale (TT) at Daytona on October 15 & 16.
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