The world’s elite motorcycle dirt trackers put on quite the show in the inaugural Short Track at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri, to open the second half of an intense 2025 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
The “Diamond of Dirt Tracks” was properly introduced to two-wheeled action on the night, playing witness to the two best riders in the world performing at the top of their games. In the end, Briar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors Harley-Davidson XG750R) overcame the valiant effort of a relentless Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) to score his fifth victory of the season and break their points tie atop of the Mission AFT SuperTwins standings.
Prior to the race, Bauman’s victory felt nearly preordained considering both his form on the season and throughout the day. That seemed especially true once he got the holeshot and Daniels languished down near tenth after struggling uncharacteristically and qualifying on the third row.
However, Daniels locked onto an extreme low line and made it work, leaping up to fifth in short order and then sitting on the back of a fight for third waged by Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke) and Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp).
That became a four-rider dispute for second once Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) dropped his pursuit of Bauman and fell into the clutches of Fisher, Lowe, and Daniels as the contest approached half-distance.
A minute later, Daniels used that ultra-low route to dive past all three and jump up from fifth to second in one extended swoop. By that point, however, Bauman held an advantage of 1.354 seconds and seemed safe on his way to victory.
Daniels made it less and less safe, however, ultimately closing to within 0.329 seconds by the time they arrived at the checkered flag.
Bauman’s triumph was his ninth-ever Short Track win, elevating him into a four-way tie with Chris Carr, Henry Wiles, and Jared Mees for the career lead in the discipline. It was also his 31st overall premier-class win, moving him into the all-time top ten in terms of career victories.
Bauman said, “(Daniels) just figured it out halfway through the Main Event and was clicking laps. I thought I was hitting my marks, but he’s so good and this is so tight, that I’m just numb to it at this point…
“I’m fired up. When Jared Mees stepped away, I said I need to be the guy to fill his shoes. I know there are a lot of people who want to see us succeed, and I can feel that. That gets me fired up. Once again, Rick Ware Racing, Parts Plus, Latus Motors… Rick (Ware) and George (Latus) came together to put this thing together. I never thought I’d have five wins. This Harley-Davidson XG750R is working really good.”
Meanwhile, Fisher held off the impressive Lowe to get his season back on track with a third podium result of ‘25.
Unfortunately for Robinson, he was a non-finisher; he pulled off with a mechanical issue just as Lowe overtook him for fourth with under a minute-and-a-half remaining on the clock.
Jarod VanDerKooi (No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke) won out in a scrap for sixth with James Ott (No. 19 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07) and Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Luczak Racing Yamaha MT-07).
Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Mission Foods/Roof Systems Yamaha MT-07), and Billy Ross (No. 29 Racing Unlimited/Bel Ray Kawasaki Ninja 650) rounded out the top ten.
Bauman now leads Daniels 185-181 in what’s truly taken shape as a two-rider battle for the Grand National Championship. Despite his misfortune on the evening, Robinson remains ranked third, albeit 66 points back of the lead at 119.
AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) pulled off an epic final-lap, final-corner pass on AFT Singles presented by KICKER title leader Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) to claim his first victory of the season.
After Drane made quick work of the fast-starting Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Hannum’s HD/Pfanders Racing KTM 450 SX-F), it looked as if the Australian might simply march off to his fourth consecutive victory.
And Drane did in fact open up a second-plus advantage before championship rival Chase Saathoff (No. 88 RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R) and Brunner finally made their way into second and third with right around three minutes remaining on the clock.
From that point forward, Saathoff and Brunner couldn’t decide who should lead the charge in their joint attempt to track down Drane. Instead, they battled it out all non-stop but somehow continued to reel in the Estenson Racing ace all the while.
The two finally moved to within striking distance as the clocks hit zero; Brunner and Saathoff flanked Drane from close behind with the Turner Honda pilot perched on his right shoulder and the RWR rider there on his left.
Just when it looked like it was all too little, too late, Brunner threw in a last-gasp Hail Mary maneuver and was rewarded for his audaciousness, stealing the checkered flag from Drane by a scant 0.069 seconds.
“It feels amazing,” Brunner said. “I feel like I’ve got like 300 pounds lifted off my chest. I knew I could get it done, but we were just missing the little things, and I think it’s a lot mentally from myself. But, man, this facility is awesome, the fans are awesome, the whole experience here at Lucas Oil Speedway has been awesome.”
Three seconds behind Brunner, Drane, and Saathoff, Jared Lowe (No. 63 Big R/Little Debbie Racing Honda CRF450R) completed a charge of his own to fight his way into fourth.
Early leader Pfanders equaled his career-best finish of fifth, while car track expert Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 FRA Trust/ATV’s and More Yamaha YZ450F) came home sixth.
Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), Tarren Santero (No. 75 Mission Roof Systems Honda CRF450R), Walker Porter (No. 100 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), and Evan Kelleher (No. 31 Schaeffer’s Motorsports KTM 450 SX-F) finished seventh through tenth, respectively.
Despite the narrow defeat on the night, Drane actually extended his points lead. He now leads Saathoff by 23 points (172-149), while Brunner closed in just a bit, upping his tally to 137.
Next Up:
Progressive American Flat Track will make its way to the 85th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally for the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track I & II on Monday, August 4 and Tuesday, August 5.
To purchase Jackpine Gypsies Short Track I & II tickets, visit: https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2025-jackpine-gypsies-short-track-i-144070 and https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2025-jackpine-gypsies-short-track-ii-144071.
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage of the Short Track at Lucas Oil Speedway, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, August 10, at 11:00 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. PT).
For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.
