AFT 2024 - Daytona Short Track II
After Dallas Daniels scored a third consecutive Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, Daytona SuperTwins win the day before, March 7, at the Daytona International Speedway, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) successfully defended his adopted home turf to win the Friday second leg of the season opening Daytona Bike Week double header …
Daytona Royal Enfield Short Track II (2024 Round 2), March 8
Mission Supertwins
Robinson had to overcome potential history in order to do so, forced to chase down an in-form Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Dodge Bros. Racing/Castrol Harley-Davidson XR750) to get the win. Halbert actually led the opening six-and-a-half minutes of the Main Event after earlier winning his heat race and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge a full 53 years, ten months, and five days after Mert Lawwill took the iconic Harley-Davidson XR750 to its maiden win at the Cumberland Half-Mile.
Following an extended pursuit, Robinson finally dove up the inside of Halbert's venerable classic racer, who then was thrown out of his saddle after encountering a bump while off his usual line. Undeterred, Halbert nearly clawed his way back within striking distance before at last conceding the race to Robinson in its final minute.
The victory was the fourth in Robinson's career at the Daytona Short Track, moving him equal with Friday adversary Halbert for most all of the time at the event.
Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), himself the winner of the three prior premier-class showdowns at the venue, battled with Robinson and hunted Halbert over the Main's opening half. He eventually fell into the clutches of the resurgent Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke), to finish third, with Bauman fourth and reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) not far behind in fifth.
Davis Fisher was sixth, with Jarod Vanderkooi seventh on FTR750s. Premier-class rookies Trevor Brunner (KTM 790 Duke) and Max Whale (XG750R) finished eighth and tenth, respectively, with Thursday's runner-up Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) sandwiched in between.
There were four Indian FTR750s in the Top 10, two Yamaha MT-10s and a pair of KTM 790 Dukes, with two different Harleys - Halbert's XR750 and Max Whale's Vance & Hines XG750R - in tenth. Dan Bromley brought his Honda Transalp home in 12th, Johnny Lewis the Royal Enfield 650 in 13th, with Vaughan, Mcgrane and Harvat classified 16th, 17th and 19th respectively on Kawasaki Ninja 650s.
This likely made the Daytona 2024 weekend's racing the most 'platform-diverse' yet seen in AFT SuperTwins - with seven different brands and eight different models competing in the ST II.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Young Australian Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) rebounded from his Thursday disappointment to claim a dominating holeshot to checkered flag 1.951-second win after an early red flag had forced a restart.
Triple Daytona ST winner and double defending class champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) moved up from third into second after working past impressive sophomore Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Hannum's Harley-Davidson KTM 450 SX-F - eventually fifth).
The victory was Drane's first in the Short Track discipline, after previously winning three Miles and a Half-Mile. Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) were third and fourth.
There were three KTM 450 SX-Fs in the Top 10, (plus the Husqvarna FC 450), three Honda CRF450Rs (9 out of 19 in total) and a pair of Yamaha YZ450Fs.
In the Royal Enfield 'Build. Train. Race' Main, Kenzie Luker (No. 17 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited) edged Thursday's winner Taia Little (No. 11 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited) by 0.275 seconds for the Friday victory.
Next Up is the March 23 Yamaha Senoia Short Track at Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia, followed by the Mission Texas Half-Mile (Texas Motor Speedway - Fort Worth, TX - on April 27; Silver Dollar Short Track (Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA) May 4 and the Ventura Short Track at the Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA - on May 11. New York, New Jersey and Ohio follow in June; two race weekends in Illinois in July; Rapid City and Sturgis, SD, in August; with the Springfield Mile Double Header on August 31 and September 1, before a final race weekend venue remains to be confirmed for September 6, 2024.
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