Robinson Wins Texas Half-Mile
Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) took the win at the Mission Texas Half-Mile presented by Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda and Roof Systems of Dallas at the Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, on September 27 - Round 4 of the AMS Pro Racing sanctioned 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season …
Mission Super Twins
Robinson had to go through both nine-time Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750 - second) and premier-class phenom Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT - third) to snatch his hard-fought victory.
Estenson ace Daniels blasted into the lead off the launch and Mees dove up the inside as the two threatened another 1-2 breakaway at the front. Robinson was having none of it though in the season's fourth Half-Mile, tracking the duo down to transform the lead pack into a three-way before they managed to shake free.
The trio traded positions in a flurry of moves before Robinson took command as the contest approached half distance. His thoughts of making an escape were upended by brake issues and Mees - the greatest Half-Miler in the history of the series and the winner of the previous three Texas Half-Miles - stormed back alongside Robinson with two to go.
Mees attempted an around-the-outside bid to steal away the win on the race’s final corner, but Robinson held firm, edging the factory Indian pilot to the checkered flag by a narrow 0.120-second margin. Daniels came home another 0.676 seconds back.
Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) came out on top of a two-rider fight for fourth that saw two-time Mission SuperTwins champ Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) bring it home on fifth.
The platform diversity story continues to unfold, with five Indian FTR750s in the Top 10, including first and second; two Yamaha MT-07 riders (third and eighth); a H-D XG750R (Max Whale, seventh); a KTM 790 Duke (Fisher in fourth) and Johnny Lewis scored 9th for his Moto Autonomy team on the Royal Enfield 650.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
It turned out that 13 was the lucky number for Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) in his protracted, often excruciating, pursuit of a maiden Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER win.
After having previously notched up 12 podiums - half of those runners-up - Saathoff at last secured that elusive win, even if it didn’t play out quite the way he had envisioned.
In fact, the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event felt as if it was actively attempting to derail Saathoff’s luck as opposed to indulging it.
After showcasing race-winning speed throughout the day, Saathoff’s bid was pushed until the end of the day when inclement weather forced a reshuffling of the schedule. And when it did finally take place, the Main was red-flagged no less than three times - each one with Saathoff in the lead - due to a combination of precipitation and crashes.
The race was ultimately called complete with just over one minute remaining on the clock. As a result, Saathoff was awarded the win despite being robbed of the satisfaction of crossing the finish line in first.
Title fighters Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) and Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) were credited in second and third after charging their way forward - Kopp having run as low as eighth in the early going.
Saathoff's CRF450R won with one of the four Hondas in the Top 10; Kopp was one of the three KTM 450 SX-F riders in the Top 10; with two Yamaha YZ450Fs led by Drane in third and Jame Ott in seventh on a Husqvarna FC 450 badged KTM.