DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – One night after his history-making Mission AFT SuperTwins debut, Kody Kopp(No. 12 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) raised the bar that much higher with an even more convincing repeat performance in the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA II.
Kopp’s remarkable DAYTONA Flat Track double victory adds fuel to an already scorching hot Grand National Championship landscape, laying the early groundwork for what should prove to be a scintillating 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
The series brought back the high-stakes, high-intensity Mission Triple Challenge format first introduced in ‘25 for the second night of the DAYTONA doubleheader. Under those rules, three successive Main Events – a 10-lap sprint, a 15-lapper that pays double points, and a final 20-lap Main which concludes the night with triple the points – combined to determine the evening’s overall winner.
And with lap times in the 17-second range, that first 10-lap battle immediately threw the contenders into the fire.
Reigning Grand National Champion Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07) lunged ahead of surprise polesitter Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 FRA Trust Advisors Harley-Davidson XG750R) off the line, but both riders were immediately overtaken by Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke).
After a bit of back-and-forth, Daniels settled in on Fisher’s tail, while RoosEvans turned his attention to fending off Briar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Jacob Construction/Parts Plus Harley-Davidson XG750R).
Everything was reset on lap 6 of 10, however, when LCQ winner Logan Mcgrane (No. 14 Schaffers MotorSports/Ryan Varnes Racing KTM 790 Duke) crashed, bringing out a red flag.
Fisher resumed his advantage off the staggered restart and successfully held Daniels at bay to the checkered flag. RoosEvans retained his position in third as well, leaving the major happenings behind the top three.
Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) got a flier of a restart, storming around the outside of Bauman for fourth. While Bauman fought back through, Thursday winner Kopp powered forward, pushing his way past Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Martin Trucking/OnlyFans/Castrol Yamaha MT-07) and then closing in on Robinson for fifth.
Kopp made good on that threat, overtaking Robinson on the final lap to claim a spot inside the top five.
Meanwhile, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods Honda CB750 Hornet), who was forced to burn his provisional start just to make the Main, fought his way up to eighth to secure himself a better starting position and brighter prospects for the subsequent Mains.
Momentum from Main Event 1 carried over for the aforementioned pair of rising stars. Starting on the inside of Row 2, Kopp continued his aggressive push up the order, first forcing his way under Daniels and then doing the same to Bauman to climb into second on the race’s opening lap. One lap later, the Latus Motors Racing ace slipped past Main Event 1 winner Fisher to take the lead and promptly escape at the front.
Lowe, too, picked up where he left off. Starting from the outside of Row 2, Lowe followed Kopp through the field, moving into second on lap 3. From there, the American Honda-backed Lowe was the only rider who could even keep Kopp honest – finishing just under a second back – while a field packed with proven premier-class heroes was left to tangle for third.
Daniels and Bauman crossed each other up for position on more than one occasion before the Estenson Racing star got a firm hold on fourth. Once there, he reeled in third-placed Fisher. But yet again, he was unable to find a way through at the stripe.
Bauman held on for fifth, followed by Robinson, Henry Wiles (No. 911 J&M Logging/Ray C’s Harley-Davidson Kawasaki Ninja 650), and Halbert.
Kopp hustled his Harley-Davidson XG750R into the lead at the start of the third and decisive Main with Lowe and Fisher in close contention.
While those three streaked away at the front, Daniels was shuffled down to eighth, trailing Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07), Halbert, Robinson, and Bauman, in addition to the leading trio.
For a moment, Kopp actually looked vulnerable. He was displaced by both Fisher and Lowe in quick succession with 16 of 20 laps remaining. However, rather than get discouraged, the heralded premier-class rookie regrouped, adjusted, and retaliated. He reclaimed his position out front with 11 laps to go and continued to build upon his advantage, taking the checkered flag with a healthy 1.195-second margin in the end.
That distance was actually Daniels, who made a characteristic charge late. This time, he finally found a way past Fisher, slipping through on the final lap of the final Main. That move also saw him edge ahead of Fisher in the combined results with Kopp (5-1-1) finishing first, followed by Daniels (2-4-2) and Fisher (1-3-3).
While Robinson passed Lowe late in Main Event 3, Lowe (8-2-5) wound up fourth in the combined order, followed closely by Robinson (6-6-4). Title hopeful Bauman (4-5-7) was credited with sixth overall.
As a result, Kopp leads the championship chase following the opening two rounds with a perfect 46 points. Defending champ Daniels ranks second at 38, followed by Fisher with 29.
Kopp said, “I knew what I had to do, and I know what I’m capable of – that’s all I’ve got to say. I work my butt off for this, and this is what I want to do for my life. To have this opportunity with George Latus, Bob Lanphere, Dave Zanotti, Michelle Disalvo… this whole team has been unreal to work with.”
The KICKER AFT Singles class delivered an absolute stunner for an encore to Thursday’s opener.
Friday’s wild Main Event saw the emergence of a maiden winner in Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Memphis Shades/Corbin Seats Yamaha YZ450F). However, deep into the contest it appeared that distinction would actually go to rookie Jordan Beaulac(No. 156 Picotte Motosport/Dofralex GASGAS MC 450F).
The race-shattering moments came early and often with Tom Drane (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) adding yet another chapter to their rivalry in the race’s opening stages. While actively disputing the lead, Drane ran up the inside of Saathoff and the two made contact, leaving Saathoff on the ground in a reversal of their clash here in ‘24.
Saathoff picked up his bike and continued on at the back of the pack, while Beaulac picked up the pieces of the incident to steal away the lead in the melee.
From there the young Canadian ripped open a gap of more than a second, with Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Eisenhard Racing/Pags Powersports KTM 450 SX-F) in second and Drane in third.
The race took another massive turn with just under two minutes to go when Saathoff suffered his second fall of the Main, this one bringing out the red flag.
Once back underway, Beaulac and Eisenhard jumped back into first and second off the line but made simultaneous mistakes while working the opening lap of the restart, stalling their bikes and splitting the field.
Original polesitter Tarren Santero (No. 75 Roof Systems/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R) came out of the chaos with lead, followed closely by Pfanders. Meanwhile, Drane found himself in fifth, trailing Justin Jones (No. 91 Fairway Ford Chevy GMC Yamaha YZ450F 450) and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 KMA Racing/March Equipment Yamaha YZ450F).
A five-way fight for first played out for several laps with Pfanders at last securing the lead with just two to go.
An undeniable Drane then forced his way up to second, creating an opportunity for Kage Tadman (No. 28 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) to grab the final spot on the box while following in the Aussie’s wake.
Santero came home fourth, with 2015 DAYTONA winner Jones fifth. Saathoff somehow made his way up to sixth, while the unfortunate duo of Eisenhard and Beaulac could do no better than 12th and 14th, respectively, after earlier looking like a strong bet to land the top two spots on the box.
The win is the first of Pfanders’ KICKER AFT Singles career after previously demonstrating front-running on multiple occasions since making his Progressive AFT debut in 2024.
“This is unreal,” Pfanders said. “I never had a real, legitimate podium, and to do it with a win is insane. My whole family is here. I got to give (my) little sister a victory lap that’s been promised for three years. I can’t thank everybody behind me enough. I’m glad I can repay their faith in me.”
As a result of his opening week 1-2, reigning champ Drane holds an early advantage in the ‘26 title fight with 42 points. Pfanders is second at 33, followed by Saathoff with 31.
The 2026 AFT AdventureTrackers opener was a test of patience, determination and toughness.
The contenders were clearly caught off guard by the changing track conditions at the start of the Main Event, with William Harris (No. 45 OTB Racing/Memphis Shades BMW F 900 GS), Austin Luczak (No. 97 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Sody Concrete BMW F 900 GS), and class champion Dan Bromley (No. 1 Big Momma and Daddy Deep Pockets Suzuki V-Strom 1050) all crashed while still on the race’s opening lap.
Bromley’s fall was particularly brutal and prevented him from re-entering the fray in the restart.
Incredibly, with all the riders tiptoeing their way around as they searched for grip, the two who pushed the hardest were remounted crashers Harris and Luczak.
Harris worked into to the lead early and held it until nearly the very end, with Luczak fighting his way through with just seconds to go on the clock.
While Luczak and Harris completed the BMW 1-2, Matt Beland (No. 278 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Sody Concrete Honda Africa Twin) made a late pass on Michael Hill (No. 47 Weirbach Racing/Berry Bros Triumph Tiger 1200) to complete the podium.
- Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. (BTR)
Emma Gottsch (No. 5 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited/Arai/Alpinestars) finished off her DAYTONA double in Friday’s Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. (BTR) Main Event.
Gottsch was again the class of the field, breaking away to secure her third career win at the venue after going 1-2 in last year’s opener.
She was followed to the flag by Julia Hess (No. 13 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited/Arai/Alpinestars) and Madicela Rodriguez(No. 113 Royal Enfield/Parts Unlimited/Arai/Alpinestars) to complete a repeat of last night’s podium.
America’s Original Extreme Sport will head north for the Yamaha Atlanta Short Track at Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia, on Saturday, March 21.
Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-atlanta-short-track-165280 to purchase your tickets today!
FloRacing
For those that can’t catch the live action at the track, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive American Flat Track. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2026. FloSports is available by visiting https://flosports.link/AFT2026 or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.
FS1
FOX Sports coverage of the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, March 14, at 8:30 a.m. ET (5:30 a.m. PT), with the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA II set to air on Saturday, March 21, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT). The full listing of American Flat Track’s television premieres can be found at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports.
