Daniels, Kopp Pull Off Double Doubles at Daytona
Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) kicked off his 2023 Progressive American Flat Track championship campaign in near-perfect fashion, completing the second half of the season-opening double, backing up his Round 1 win with another sensational ride in the Daytona Short Track II presented by Daytona Dodge at the Flat Track at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Daniels was already a legitimate title contender as a rookie a year ago. Early indications suggest he's that much stronger now with a year's experience under his belt ...
Daytona Short Track I
March 1, 2023, Round 1
Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) secured a nail-biting victory at the Daytona Short Track I presented by Daytona Dodge to open the 2023 Progressive American Flat Track season on March 9 in dramatic fashion.
Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle
A hectic opening several laps around the Flat Track at Daytona International Speedway featured the four riders on four different makes, lining up on the front row for the Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Main Event. Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) raised more than a few eyebrows when he grabbed the early lead aboard the Royal Enfield, while established Mission SuperTwins superstars Daniels, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke) jockeyed for position just behind.
After some back-and-forth, Daniels put his head down, with the Estenson Racing pilot eventually taking the win after a red flag staggered restart when Lewis crashed from fifth following a clash with another rider.
Robinson scored second, with Briar Bauman taking third. Defending Mission SuperTwins king Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) made it up to 4th place after the restart (having been 12th at one stage), with Daniels' teammate JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) taking fifth.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Reigning Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) got his title defense off to what was effectively a perfect start.
The fact that Kopp entered the season as the primary target of every other rider in the field seemingly did nothing but enhance the dominant streak he flashed so often a year ago. Despite contending with a slick track that demanded focus and invited mistakes, the factory KTM ace topped practice and qualifying, won his Heat and the Al Lamb's Dallas Honda Challenge, and then ultimately reigned supreme in the season's opening Main Event.
Kopp blasted off to the holeshot and basically put it out of reach a few short corners later. He systematically worked his lead up to around four seconds before cruising his way to an eventual 3.370-second margin of victory.
Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) held down second throughout, Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) took third, with Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) fourth, and Aussie sensation Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) made it two Estenson Yamahas in the top five.
Daytona Short Track II
March 11, 2023, Round 2
Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle
The Estenson Racing Yamaha ace Dallas Daniels got away off the line in third, running in close quarters behind early leader Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) and Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750), with Round 1 runner-up Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) right in his tracks.
Robinson made an early exit from the fight for the win, getting into the airfence and losing several positions in the process. Daniels slipped up the inside of Mees a little less than three minutes into the ten-minutes-plus two-lap Main to take over second, just as Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere's BMC Racing Indian FTR750) closed in to make it a four-rider fight at the front again.
After stalking Vanderkooi for four minutes, he finally found the gap he was looking for with 3:30 minutes remaining on the clock, striking up the inside as the leaders encountered a wave of lapped riders.
Daniels met little resistance once into the lead, stretching out a winning advantage that gave him a 2.069-second margin of victory over Vanderkooi, second. Shortly after Daniels took over the lead, Fisher slashed his way past Mees to complete the "new guard" podium line-up in third. Reigning champ Mees was fourth again, ahead of Daniels' teammate JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) scoring fifth again.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Defending Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) doubled up with a second dose of domination in Round 2. Clearly in a class of his own at the venue, Kopp pulled off another sweep, repeating his Round 1 trick of topping practice, qualifying, his Heat, the Al Lamb's Dallas Honda Challenge, and most importantly, the Main Event - securing the lead three turns into the race.
While Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) did everything in his power to cling onto Kopp's rear wheel, a little more than a minute in, the race for victory was effectively over. Kopp ultimately took the checkered flag by over five seconds.
The 2022 championship runner-up Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) was ultimately second, ahead of Saathoff third, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) fourth and Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) fifth.
Next Up: The series now heads for the Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia, for the inaugural Yamaha Senoia Short Track on March 25, after which it is the Arizona Super TT (April 1), the Dallas Half-Mile (April 22), Ventura Short Track (May 6) and Sacramento Mile (May 13).