Unprecedented: Mees, Kopp Complete Bids for History at 2024 Progressive AFT Finale
Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) put the finishing touches on what may prove the final and most convincing argument in support of his claim as the greatest rider in the history of Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing: an unprecedented tenth Grand National Championship. Mees did exactly what he needed to - and then some - at the Lake Ozark Speedway Short Track (Round 16) to secure this crowning achievement as the 2024 season came to its conclusion with the inaugural running of the Parts Plus Lake Ozark Short Track presented by Arrowhead Brass and Arby's in Eldon, Missouri.
Mission AFT SuperTwins
Racing before a packed house with some 125,000 motorcycle enthusiasts flooding the area for the 18th Annual Lake of the Ozarks Bikefest, the Mission AFT SuperTwins Main Event was loaded with talented riders motivated to end their respective '24 campaigns on a high note.
The Indian Motorcycle hero grabbed the holeshot and battled it out over the race's opening stages with second-ranked Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), the only rider retaining even the slimmest mathematical chance of stealing away the #1 plate.
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| Mission AFT SuperTwins Results [click image to enlarge] |
But by the contest's halfway point, Mees had shook free at the front and the remaining drama centered on whether Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), running in ninth, could maintain his season-long podium streak.
He systematically worked his way forward while Robinson duked it out with Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750) for second. Daniels eventually made his way up to their scrap, displacing Robinson and then Vanderkooi, all the while drawing shockingly near to Mees as the contest reached its final circulation.
Mees held on to finish the season - and potentially his career - on top in practically every sense, winning the season finale by 0.423 seconds over his young rival. Vanderkooi was third, with Robinson and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) in fourth and fifth respectively.
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| Mission AFT SuperTwins Standings [click image to enlarge] |
Mees' résumé is far too extensive to list here in full, but in brief, the Lake Ozark Raceway Short Track updates his Grand National Championship victory tally to now include 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. He also ranks first or second in the career wins rankings for Half-Miles, Short Tracks, Miles and total GNC Main Event victories.
Mees, who elevated an already Hall-of-Fame-worthy career to stratospheric heights once he joined forces with Indian Motorcycle in 2017, sent the marque's remarkable FTR750 out in appropriate fashion this season. Tonight's championship secures the bike a perfect eight-for-eight record in Grand National Championship battles in what will go down as one of the most dominant eras the sport has ever witnessed from both man and machine.
In this final ever outing for the Indian FTR750 as the SuperTwins series goes production bikes only in 2025, there were six riders on board the FTR platform in the Top 10, with two on the KTM 790 Duke and one each on the Yamaha MT-07 and, in the perfect bookend that sees another legendary era come to an end, Sammy Halbert rode his personal Harley-Davidson XR750 to eighth spot.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
As if Mees' record-breaking achievement wasn't enough to secure the '24 finale's place in the sport's annals, Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) closed out the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER season by securing the 450 cc equivalent.
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| Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Results [click image to enlarge] |
Needing to merely avoid catastrophe, Kopp actually jumped out into the lead to open the decisive final contest. However, once Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) and then Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) drove underneath him, Kopp seemed to re-evaluate his strategy, dropping down to fifth before settling back in.
With Saathoff powering away out front, Kopp wicked his pace back up, pouncing on Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Evan Renshaw (No. 265 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) in rapid succession to slot back into a podium position.
He then carried that momentum past Lowe and began the difficult task of closing the gap to Saathoff when a red flag flew as a result of a Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/A.M Ortega KTM 450 SX-F) fall with less than a minute remaining on the clock.
That changed the complexion of the race completely, transforming it into a wild bar-to-bar affair to the flag. Lowe led initially before Saathoff and Drane took their season-long rivalry to the front of the pack. Kopp was again shuffled back to fifth where he could have easily stayed to collect his third #1 plate, but instead he made a final push to claim third ahead of Renshaw and Lowe.
Meanwhile, the season's final victory went to Drane over Saathoff by 0.061 seconds, handing the Australian bragging rights for most wins on the season at seven in the process. Renshaw was fourth, Trent Lowe fifth.
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| Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Standings [click image to enlarge] |
Kopp ultimately took the crown with a grand total of 339 points to Drane's 324 and Saathoff's 318. And like Mees in the premier class, he now stands alone in the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles record books. Following the completion of his third successive title run, the Rick Ware Racing star now owns more championships (three) and more race victories (22) than anyone in the category's history, while also holding either sole possession or a share of first place all-time in terms of Short Track, Half-Mil, and single-season victories.
There were five Honda CRF450R riders in the Top 10, three on the KTM 450 SX-F (plus the Husqvarna badged FC 450), and Drane's Yamaha YZ450F taking the Round 16 class win.
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| Royal Enfield's Build. Train. Race. Standings [click image to enlarge] |
Finally, Shasta L'Heureux (No. 67 Royal Enfield) completed the 2024 season for Royal Enfield's successful and popular Build. Train. Race. (BTR) program by claiming her first-career victory in the class with perpetual frontrunners Kenzie Luker (No. 17 Royal Enfield) and Taia Little (No. 11 Royal Enfield) rounding out the podium.
Next up: What, you want more? Yes, of course you do, and so do we - but we'll all have to wait for Daytona in March 2025 for the annual kick-off of the new season.