DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.  – The earliest signs that a rookie wave was about to hit the 2025 AFT Singles presented by KICKER class registered as barely more than a ripple.

The Progressive American Flat Track DAYTONA double season opener was meant to serve as a glorified torch-passing ceremony, with three-time reigning class champ Kody Kopp – who was preparing to embark on a roadracing career – slated to hand the reins over to his dueling heir apparents, Tom Drane and Chase Saathoff.

Instead, Kopp used the opportunity to clock a pair of extended victory laps, adding two more wins to his all-time class record before tossing said torch into the dirt for Drane and Saathoff to scrap over in his absence.

Nearly lost to that bright spotlight was the performance of Lucky Thumb M/C’s Ethan Kitchen, who managed to sneak into the bottom of the top ten in his debut weekend.

The wave next hit not just like a tsunami, but one of historic proportions.

Beachside Ventura Raceway served as a scenic backdrop framing the raw brilliance of Kage Tadman, who set the scene alight with a dominant victory in his very first attempt.

Very few riders had managed that in the history of the class. And no one had ever done what he would do days later – repeat the remarkable feat at Silver Dollar Speedway.

In doing so, Tadman set the stage for what has proved to be an unusually impactful rookie class.

Read the complete story and 2025 Singles Rookie breakdown HERE.