The Mission CTR Showcase Series of flat track events is designed to combine fun with a “Road to AFT” component and will continue on Friday, March 20th at Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia. The series launched at Daytona with a two-day event that attracted several MotoAmerica racers, including Twins Cup competitor Sam Drane and Talent Cup racer Jake Paige (who also competes in the FIM Asia Talent Cup series).
This is Scotty Taylor’s report on what happened at the opening round held at Daytona:
Mission CTR Showcase: Daytona
If the walls of Daytona International Speedway could talk, you would hear legendary tales featuring names like Petty, Earnhardt, Tomac and Russell. The World Center of Racing saw an addition in 2010 with the opening of the Daytona Flat Track outside NASCAR turns one and two. Sixteen years later, a new crop of talented athletes prepared to start building their own legacy with the inaugural Mission Foods Cory Texter Promotions Showcase Event.
A three-day flat track spectacular at the Daytona Flat Track, part of 2026 Daytona Bike Week, would culminate in the opening rounds of the 2026 American Flat Track Season Every good show needs a strong opening act and this story began with top amateur riders having the opportunity to begin paving their own Road to American Flat Track. Californian Ryder Bitz-Hay became the first Road to AFT winner of the year with a wire-to-wire victory, literally riding off into the Florida sunset in the day’s final race. Bitz-Hay’s success ended what had been a perfect afternoon for Estenson Yamaha Rider Sam Drane. The Australian, Drane, had a loaded Daytona Bike Week, also competing in Twins Cup action for Moto America on the high banks. Drane’s week began triumphantly topping the 450 Amateur and Open Amateur Main Events. Drane also picked up a win in the Mission Challenge Dash for Cash during the afternoon.
The Showcase event split riders into two groups with a morning session that highlighted AMA Youth Classes where Jayden Nickens and Cruise Texter would join Drane with multiple victories on the day. For Nickens, his 85cc victory came after a hard fought battle with 2025 Amateur National Champion Jackson Joiner. The two got together going into turn one fighting for the top spot resulting in Joiner going down. Nickens victory in the Youth Premier Main Event was much more comfortable as the Virginian was unphased by multiple restarts and would cruise to a victory by over seven seconds. The word “cruise” perfectly describes how Texter claimed his two victories during the day. Texter was dominant in the 50cc Chain and Mini Open Classes. It appeared Cruise could be in line for a perfect day but a moment in lap traffic brought the 65cc Main Event to a dramatic conclusion. Texter, nicknamed “Shark Bait,” left blood in the water when attempting to make a move outside a lap rider. A patient attack and perfectly timed pass on the last lap by a looming Reef Pendergrass would secure him the 65cc victory.
Maddox Wingard was also successful in youth competition picking up a win in the 50cc Air Cooled Class. Additional Group One Winners would include Evan Myers in Open Novice and Brianna McHigh in the Women’s Class. McHugh from Georgia would prevail over rising stars from the United Kingdom; Skye Adams and Jamie Kimber. Doug O’Boyle also found success in the 60+ Main Event as part of the morning session.
While Bitz-Hay and Drane may have seen the spotlight shine a little brighter on their success during the afternoon portion, several other competitors earned wins on the hallowed grounds of Daytona. Kenneth Shaffer (50+), Robby “Bobby” McLendon (40+) and John Poorman (30+) topped the AMA Vet Classes. Stephan Flach and Nicholas Myers won the event’s Vintage Classes with Flach taking Vintage Light honors and Myers being the Vintage Open winner. Joshua Pierce topped the 250 Amateur Class and James Parker held off Jon Kruppenbacker for the Hooligan victory.
The next Mission Foods, Cory Texter Promotions Showcase Event will commence at Senoia Raceway on March 20th.
Other series events are scheduled in conjunction with AFT rounds at Ventura Speedway in Ventura, California on April 24th; Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California on May 1st; Budds Creek MX at Mechanicsville, Maryland on May 15th; Williams Grove Half Mile at Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania on May 23rd; and Tennessee National Raceway on June 5th.