AFT Round 8 Appalachian H-D Half-Mile
Port Royal Speedway, PA., July 24, 2021
Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle
Reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Champion Briar Bauman (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) denied Brandon Price (No. 92 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) a first-career AFT victory in a spectacular inaugural Port Royal Half-Mile presented by Appalachian Harley-Davidson at Port Royal Speedway, Port Royal, Pennsylvania (July 24, 2021).
One day after dominating the pre-race test, Price looked more than capable of doing the same in Saturday's Main event. The Mission Roof Systems rider worked his way up from outside the top five and into the lead with apparent ease, grabbing the lead just a minute-and-a-half into the contest.
It took the remaining eight-and-a-half minutes for Bauman to reel him back in, frequently employing a very wide line that provided the requisite momentum when it came time for the decisive strikes - Californian-turned-Pennsylvanian Bauman threw in a pair of hard passes over the race's final two laps to put Price behind him and keep him there to the checkered flag for the 19th win of his career.
Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) translated his first-ever Mission Challenge win into the early lead. However, he ultimately found himself overhauled by Price, Bauman, and, finally, Jared Mees (No. 9 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750), who snatched away the final spot on the podium.
Fifth went to Davis Fisher (No. 67 BMC Racing/Dick Wall 60 Indian FTR750) by a mere 0.008 seconds over Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Indian Motorcycle of Oklahoma City FTR750). Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) finished an uncharacteristic seventh. Bauman left Port Royal with a 25-point championship lead over Robinson (164-139), with Mees in third at 133.
AFT Singles
Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) took sole command of the AFT Singles championship by adding a third victory to his 2021 title campaign. It didn't come easily though - the Australian was forced to go back and forth with a hard-charging Kody Kopp (No. 143 Smartop/Jones Honda/Latus Motors CRF450R), whose performance went a long way to fully justifying the rookie's preseason hype.
Kopp took second from high-line maestro Morgen Mischler (No. 13 Mission Roof Systems KTM 450 SX-F) by 0.022-seconds. Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) and Trent Lowe (No. 48 WBR/Suzuki Motor of America RM-Z450) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines
Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Cycles/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R), the 2019 AFT Singles champion, earned his first win of the season with a large contingent of home-state fans cheering him on.
Gauthier shook free from 2018 AFT Singles king and fellow Pennsylvanian Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) relatively early. He then went about building up his advantage on the way to a blowout victory, stating afterwards that "I can't thank the Vance & Hines guys enough for giving me an awesome motorcycle."
Title leader and holeshot expert Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) made Gauthier's breakthrough a bit easier by stumbling off the start from pole. By the race's midpoint, Texter clawed his way into a three-way battle with Bromley and 2020 AFT Singles champ Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07).
Despite taking part in his first-ever oval race aboard a twin-cylinder (he earlier won his class debut at the Atlanta Super TT), Daniels overcame the twin challenge presented by Texter and Bromley to lock down second spot with Texter third, for an imposing 31-point class championship lead after this eighth race of the season, with Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield Twins FT) fourth, ahead of Bromley's Yamaha (fifth) by 0.007 seconds.
With no races during the Sturgis Rally this year, next up will be the Mission Foods New York Short Track I & II doubleheader, presented by Mad Max Indian Motorcycle at Weedsport Speedway, Weedsport, New York, August 13-14; the Peoria, Il. TT (August 21st); the Memphis Shades Springfield Mile I & II (September 4th and 5th); the Sacramento Mile I & II (September 11th and 12th), followed by what is presently slated to be the final race of the season, the Charlotte Half-Mile on Friday October 8.
However, with the DuQuoin Mile proving to be the season's second weather-induced cancelation on July 17, there may be an addition to the remaining schedule to be announced.
www.americanflattrack.com
Mission Super Twins Presented by S&S Cycle
1. Briar Bauman - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle/Progressive
2. Brandon Price - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle, Mission Foods/Roof Systems
3. Jared Mees - Indian FTR750, Indian Motorcycle/Progressive
4. Jarod Vanderkooi - Indian FTR750, Mission Foods/Roof Systems
5. Davis Fisher - Indian FTR750, BMC Racing/Dick Wall 60/Roof Systems
Singles
1. Max Whale - KTM 450 SX-FFE, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
2. Kody Kopp - Honda CRF450R, Smartop/Jones Honda/Latus Motors
3. Morgen Mischler - KTM 450 SX-F, Mission Foods/ Roof Systems DFW
4. Trevor Brunner - Honda CRF450R, American Honda/Progressive Insurance
5. Trent Lowe - Suzuki RMZ 450, WBR/Suzuki Motor of America
Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines
1. Dalton Gauthier - Harley-Davidson XG750R, D&D Cycles, Vance & Hines, Boswells H-D
2. Dallas Daniels - Yamaha MT-07
3. Cory Texter - Yamaha MT-07, G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing
4. Johnny Lewis - Royal Enfield 650, Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield
5. Dan Bromley - Yamaha MT-07, Memphis Shades, Vinson Construction
