Factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia led the Sunday morning warmup at the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland in Germany. Ducatis locked out the top five spots, with Bagnaia ahead of Franco Morbidelli, Championship leader Jorge Martin, Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez.
MotoGP warmup Classification
Progressive American Flat Track (AFT) Series
Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile
DuQuoin, Illinois
July 6, 2024
Results:
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Challenge Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Chase Saathoff (Hon), 4 laps
2. Tom Drane (Yam), -0.057 second
3. Trent Lowe (Hon), -0.058
4. Kody Kopp (KTM), -0.301
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Jared Mees (Ind), 4 laps
2. Dallas Daniels (Yam), -0.082 second
3. Brandon Price (Yam), -0.102
4. Briar Bauman (KTM), -0.210
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Chase Saathoff (Hon), 19 laps
2. Kody Kopp (KTM), -0.001 second
3. James Ott (Hus), -0.044
4. Tom Drane (Yam), -0.088
5. Evan Kelleher (KTM), -0.204
6. Tarren Santero (Hon), -5.704 seconds
7. Travis Petton (KTM), -5.719
8. Evan Renshaw (Hon), -5.799
9. Jared Lowe (Hon), -9.390
10. Tyler Raggio (KTM), -9.455
11. Hunter Bauer (Yam), -9.503
12. Aidan RoosEvans (Yam), -9.517
13. Logan Eisenhard (KTM), -9.520
14. Brandon Newman (KTM), -21.504
15. Justin Jones (Hus), -21.554
16. Aidan Brown (Hon), -21.867
17. Jess Reynolds (KTM), -21.958
18. Trent Lowe (Hon), -2 laps
19. Shayna Texter-Bauman (KTM), -16 laps, DNF
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Jared Mees (Ind), 26 laps
2. Dallas Daniels (Yam), -0.389 second
3. Brandon Price (Yam), -0.444
4. Briar Bauman (KTM), -0.686
5. Davis Fisher (Ind), -5.907 seconds
6. Declan Bender (Ind), -5.997
7. Trevor Brunner (Ind), -6.039
8. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -7.290
9. Cameron Smith (KTM), -8.172
10. Jarod VanDerKooi (Ind), -13.660
11. Bronson Bauman (KTM), -13.738
12. Ben Lowe (KTM), -16.897
13. Max Whale (Har), -16.902
14. Kevin Stollings (Kaw), -26.843
15. Cody Johncox (Yam), -32.790
16. Dan Bromley (Hon), -37.029
17. Jesse Janisch (Kaw), -1 lap
18. Dalton Gauthier (Roy), -5 laps, DNF
More, from a press release issued by AFT:
Mees Works His Magic at Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 6, 2024) – Reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) demonstrated his Mile mastery yet again with a victory in Saturday night’s Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile, Round 10 of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
The Mission AFT SuperTwins Main Event at the “Magic Mile” was a race-long struggle of nerves and consistency. Mees attempted throughout to shake loose at the front while a three-rider pack of pursuers consisting of Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Sody Ent/OTBR Yamaha MT-07), and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) did everything in their collective power to prevent that eventuality from playing out.
Daniels’ early strategy was to keep Mees corralled the best he could, continually running underneath him on corner entrance in hopes of limiting the Indian star’s opportunity to run with clear air in front of him.
Ultimately, the Estenson Racing ace was riding a tightrope in those efforts, and once Mees finally managed to maintain the lead for a full lap, he stretched open those crucial couple of tenths he needed to grasp a firm grip on the race. While he was unable to make an escape, the trio of contenders behind were also unable to draw back near enough to make any further assaults from that point forward.
That nearly changed when Dalton Gauthier’s (No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) bike broke with less than a minute remaining, resulting in a thick cloud of smoke that settled in across the track. The lack of visibility forced Mees to check up ever so slightly, allowing Daniels to close from more than a half-second back to just 0.234 seconds with only two laps remaining to decide the winner.
Mees stayed calm and regrouped to eked back out to a 0.389-second margin of victory at the flag. While unable to pull off the upset, Daniels did execute his secondary mission of minimizing any damage done to his championship hopes by holding on for second.
The victory was the 75th of Mees’ record-breaking career, moving him to within three of second-placed Chris Carr. It also elevated his career Mile wins mark to 28, just one behind Carr for second in the discipline as well.
“It felt really good, just to feel good again, honestly,” Mees said. “The bike worked really good from the start, and we knew coming in here we were going to be a big player. The Rogers Racing/SDI Insulation/Progressive Insurance Indian Motorcycle was really strong tonight. Big thanks to everyone… So many great people are big contributors to our success. I had a lot of fun tonight, for sure.”
Price earned his second podium of the season in third, just 0.055 seconds back of Daniels, while Bauman finished fourth less than a quarter of a second further in arrears.
Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) edged rookies Declan Bender (No. 70 GOMR/BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750) and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing Indian FTR750) for fifth in a fight that took place approximately six seconds behind the lead group.
Meanwhile, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) suffered a blow to his title efforts in eighth, with Cameron Smith (No. 34 RVR/KTM/Schaefer’s Motorsport KTM 790 Duke) and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750) rounding out the top ten.
The race served as a fitting conclusion the week-long celebration of motorcycle dirt track racing at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, that also saw the sport’s future stars crowned at the 2024 Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship, sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association, before the greatest riders of today took centerstage to put on a show.
2018 Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award winner Daniels now leads 2001 Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award winner Mees 216 to 197 in the fight for the 2024 Grand National Championship. Robinson was relegated to third at 186.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) finally pulled it off. After finishing less than 0.1 seconds from victory in the most recent five Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Mile Main Events, the JPG Motorsports pilot took Saturday’s win by an official 0.001 seconds following ten minutes and two laps of epic pack-war action.
The high drama actually got underway even before the race itself did. Double defending champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) lost his chain during the citing lap, threatening his participation in the race while promising to leave his hard-earned points lead in tatters.
While Kopp’s Rick Ware Racing crew frantically worked to fit a new chain in the Turn 4 area, the field blasted off and worked its way around to complete the opening lap.
Kopp was finally released into the fray one lap down, but his incredibly bad luck was swapped out for some incredibly good luck when a red flag was thrown as a result of debris on the racing line. That led to a complete restart, which put Kopp back in the fight and back on the lead lap, albeit forced to start from the back of the pack after failing to line up on the grid for the original start.
At the restart, Saathoff resumed his battle for first with the likes of Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), and Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), among several others.
However, Kopp made the most of his second opportunity, powering his way all the way up from 18th and into the lead in the span of seven laps.
A 12-rider lead pack slowly whittled its way down to six by the time the clock hit zero. That was immediately reduced to five when race leader Lowe encountered a mechanical issue of his own moments after taking the two-to-go flags.
On the decisive final circulation, Kopp blew up pre-race favorite Drane’s last-lap strategy, pushing him up the track ever so slightly where the Aussie lost his drive and drifted back to fourth. Kopp then zeroed in on Saathoff, and the KTM-mounted champ very nearly pulled off the last-to-first win, coming up mere millimeters short of edging ahead of his opponent’s Honda as they stormed over the line.
While it was technically Saathoff’s second career victory, it was the first time he actually did so under live action with the checkered flag waving.
Afterward, he said, “The main thing for me was to focus on my job, and I had to have a gameplan the whole day. But that entire Main Event, I didn’t know what the heck was going on. I didn’t know if I should try to lead or make a pass at the finish. Towards the end, I came around Turn 3 and I was leading, and I thought, ‘I’m just gonna do it!’ It was a crazy race. I can’t thank everyone enough… I’m so happy I got to take the victory lap with Bryan (Bigelow). That meant the world to me.”
Third place went to Ott – his first podium of the season – just 0.044 seconds off the win and 0.044 seconds ahead of Drane. Fifth was taken by impressive rookie Evan Kelleher (No. 131 Schaefers Motorsports/South Shore Design KTM 450 SX-F), who slugged it out with the best riders in the class to finish just 0.204 seconds off the win.
Kopp’s potential championship catastrophe was not only avoided, he actually maintained his pre-race advantage of 32 points, only now with Saathoff back in second (225-193) and Drane falling to third at 188.
Next Up:
Progressive American Flat Track will return to action on Sunday, July 28, with the World Famous SC2 Peoria TT presented by Backyards Saloon at the Peoria Motorcycle Club in Peoria, Illinois. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/peoriamotorcycleclub/events/peoria-tt-2024-80043 to secure your tickets today.
For those who can’t catch the action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of the on-track action, from the first practice to the victory podium, at https://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage of the Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, July 14, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT).
For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
JARED MEES TRIUMPHS AT MEMPHIS SHADES DUQUOIN MILE, SCORING THIRD WIN OF THE SEASON ABOARD INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING FTR750
Mees Currently Sits Second Overall in Championship Standings at 197 Points With Six Rounds Remaining
Minneapolis, MN. (July 6, 2024) – This past Saturday, Indian Motorcycle Racing’s Jared Mees demonstrated his racing prowess aboard his Indian FTR750 by securing a crucial victory at the Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile for round 10 of the 2024 American Flat Track series. This win marks Mees’ third of the season and is a pivotal moment in his pursuit of a record-breaking 10th championship, as he now sits just 19 points behind the leader with six rounds remaining.
This victory was a true spectacle of skill and determination, as Mees had to battle fiercely throughout the 26-lap race to maintain the lead position. When the race got underway, Mees quickly jumped out front and opened up a small gap. However, it was short-lived, as Dallas Daniels was set to give him a run for his money. Throughout the opening laps, the two championship contenders swapped positions multiple times. Shortly after, two additional riders began putting pressure on the front duo, with a four-rider battle for the lead ensuing. Mees, a nine-time champion, continued to push forward, showcasing his experience by defending the lead with unwavering tenacity, ultimately taking the checkered with a 0.389-second margin of victory.
“With only six rounds left in the season, this was a pivotal win for Jared and the entire team in his pursuit for the all-time championship record. He rode his FTR750 flawlessly throughout the race, showcasing his experience as he managed to fight off a barrage of attempts for the lead from the competition,” said Gary Gray, Vice President of Racing & Service for Indian Motorcycle. “We will continue working hard during this last half of the season to close the points lead and hopefully secure this championship.”
After 10 rounds, Mees sits second in the championship chase with 197 points, 19 back from the Daniels in the lead, and 11 points ahead of third. This victory marks Mees’ 75th win and the 28th Mile win of his record-breaking career.
The 2024 American Flat Track season continues on July 28 for the Peoria TT in Peoria, Illinois, where Mees looks to repeat his 2023 performance and take another win.
For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, X and Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE
Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
Editorial Note: Americans Julian Correa, Eli Banish, and Joshua Raymond, Jr. finished sixth, seventh, and 15th, respectively, in British Talent Cup Race One Saturday at Snetterton.
SBK R1
More, from a press release issued by MSVR:
Storm warning: Stacey masters the conditions to steal Snetterton victory from Rollo
There was a Storm coming in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship in the opening race at Snetterton as the LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki team celebrated their first Superbike race win as Storm Stacey mastered the conditions to score his debut race victory ahead of Lewis Rollo by just 0.222s.
The race began with tyre choice proving crucial as the conditions continued to change following earlier rainfall. The riders who opted for the full wet tyre choice took the early advantage in the race as Ryan Vickers launched off the Omologato Pole Position ahead of Jason O’Halloran, Lee Jackson and Danny Kent.
Stacey though had made the decision of the wet front tyre and intermediate rear, and as the track conditions changed, he was rapidly closing down their advantage on the LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki. He then took the lead on lap eight ahead of Kent, Vickers and O’Halloran. Meanwhile Jackson was forced to retire with a technical problem.
However, on lap nine the race was red flagged when Rory Skinner crashed out at Coram and as the race had not reached two-thirds distance it would be restarted over five laps. Skinner was taken to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital with a suspected fracture to his right tibia and fibula.
The rain began again before the race restarted and when it recommenced, everyone had switched to full wet tyres.
The five lap restart became a two rider fight for the victory with both Stacey and Rollo gunning for a debut victory in the Superbike class and it went down to the wire with the pair almost inseparable on the final lap.
Rollo held the lead onto the final lap, but Stacey was pushing and he made a decisive move at Brundle to take the lead and was able to hold off his IN Competition SENCAT Aprilia rival to the line by the smallest of margins as the pair took their first podium finishes.
Kyle Ryde completed the podium for OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing, moving up the order by the third lap to nudge O’Halloran back to fourth on the Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki.
Glenn Irwin salvaged fifth place for the Hager PBM Ducati team after a crash in Speedy Hire Qualifying put him 14th on the grid and he was able to take advantage of the conditions. He now moves to the top of the standings, equal on points with reigning champion Tommy Bridewell who crashed out on the opening lap.
Christian Iddon was another rider to take advantage of the conditions, taking sixth place for Oxford Products Racing Ducati ahead of Andrew Irwin and Leon Haslam. Vickers eventually ended the opening race in ninth place whilst Franco Bourne scored his best result of the season in tenth.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, Race 1 result:
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Storm Stacey
LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki
“I was so nervous to ruin the second part of that race; when the red flag came out I wasn’t sure if I had won as I had gone for a stiff tyre choice and it paid off and it felt good, I felt robbed as I thought I had done it!
“I felt better and then I saw Danny [Kent] lose the front and I knew I just had to keep it together. Lewis came past and I thought, I am catching him and then I thought let’s have a go for this; I passed him on the straight and I managed to make it stick and hold it to the line to bring her home in P1!
“Together me and the team have been pushing to fight for a podium and we would have been happy with that – but to get my first Superbike win is amazing! I am going to celebrate with some tunes and a big plate of dinner! I need to thank everyone involved for making this possible.”
Aprilia led two of the three practice sessions, was in the top three in all of them, was fastest in Qualifying One and put two bikes – the Trackhouse Racing machines – on the front row at the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland at the Sachsenring. Miguel Oliveira then chased World Championship leader Jorge Martin all the way through the sprint and held off the factory Ducatis of Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini to score the first Trackhouse MotoGP podium in only its ninth event. Oliveira said the team and riders had met with Aprilia after the Assen round to tell technicians what they wanted, and that meeting, plus the additional technical assistance Trackhouse received after factory rider Aleix Espargaro withdrew, made the machine more competitive.
MotoGP Championship leader Jorge Martin won the MotoGP Sprint Race on Saturday afternoon at the Sachsenring in Germany. With storm clouds closing in and complicating setup choices for the riders, Martin took the lead on Lap Three and never was headed. The American Trackhouse Racing team took its first podium, with Miguel Oliveira finishing second, ahead of Francesco Bagnaia. Marc Marquez finished sixth after battling through the field from his starting position of 13th.
MotoGP Sprint Classification
Celestino Vietti took his Kalex to pole position in Germany, ahead of Jake Dixon and Fermin Aldeguer, who will complete the front row for the Moto2 World Championship race at the Sachsenring.
American Joe Roberts qualified 11th, two places behind OnlyFans American Racing Team teammate Marcos Ramirez.
Moto2 qualifying Classification
Collin Veijer set a new Moto3 lap record and will start from pole at the Sachsenring at the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. Veijer’s 1:24.885 is the first sub-1:25 lap for a Moto3 machine at the Sachsenring. David Alonso and Luca Lunetta were second and third.
Moto3 qualifying Classification
MotoGP World Championship leader Jorge Martin set a new lap record en route to pole position at the Sachsenring. Martin’s 1:19.423 edged the mark set by Maverick Vinales on Friday. Trackhouse Racing’s Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez completed the front row after Fernandez topped Qualifying One. Marc Marquez was blocked on his final flying lap in Qualifying One and will start from 13th on the grid.
MotoGP Qualifying Classification
Miguel Oliveira continued his impressive form at the Sachsenring by heading the final MotoGP practice session of the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. Third quickest on Friday, the Trackhouse Racing rider turned a 1:20.353 to lead MotoGP World Championship leader Jorge Martin and factory Aprilia rider Maverick Vinales, who crashed during the session. Marc Marquez, injured in a bruising highside on Friday, returned to the track and finished the session fifth.
MotoGP Saturday practice Classification
Aron Canet was quickest with a 1:22.744 in the final Moto2 practice session at the Sachsenring. Sergio Garcia was second fastest, ahead of Manuel Gonzalez. Garcia’s Boscoscuro split the Kalex machines of Canet and Gonzalez.
American Joe Roberts finished the session sixth, 0.206 seconds off of Canet’s best lap.
Factory Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia led the Sunday morning warmup at the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland in Germany. Ducatis locked out the top five spots, with Bagnaia ahead of Franco Morbidelli, Championship leader Jorge Martin, Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez.
MotoGP warmup Classification
Progressive American Flat Track (AFT) Series
Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile
DuQuoin, Illinois
July 6, 2024
Results:
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Challenge Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Chase Saathoff (Hon), 4 laps
2. Tom Drane (Yam), -0.057 second
3. Trent Lowe (Hon), -0.058
4. Kody Kopp (KTM), -0.301
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Jared Mees (Ind), 4 laps
2. Dallas Daniels (Yam), -0.082 second
3. Brandon Price (Yam), -0.102
4. Briar Bauman (KTM), -0.210
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Chase Saathoff (Hon), 19 laps
2. Kody Kopp (KTM), -0.001 second
3. James Ott (Hus), -0.044
4. Tom Drane (Yam), -0.088
5. Evan Kelleher (KTM), -0.204
6. Tarren Santero (Hon), -5.704 seconds
7. Travis Petton (KTM), -5.719
8. Evan Renshaw (Hon), -5.799
9. Jared Lowe (Hon), -9.390
10. Tyler Raggio (KTM), -9.455
11. Hunter Bauer (Yam), -9.503
12. Aidan RoosEvans (Yam), -9.517
13. Logan Eisenhard (KTM), -9.520
14. Brandon Newman (KTM), -21.504
15. Justin Jones (Hus), -21.554
16. Aidan Brown (Hon), -21.867
17. Jess Reynolds (KTM), -21.958
18. Trent Lowe (Hon), -2 laps
19. Shayna Texter-Bauman (KTM), -16 laps, DNF
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Jared Mees (Ind), 26 laps
2. Dallas Daniels (Yam), -0.389 second
3. Brandon Price (Yam), -0.444
4. Briar Bauman (KTM), -0.686
5. Davis Fisher (Ind), -5.907 seconds
6. Declan Bender (Ind), -5.997
7. Trevor Brunner (Ind), -6.039
8. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -7.290
9. Cameron Smith (KTM), -8.172
10. Jarod VanDerKooi (Ind), -13.660
11. Bronson Bauman (KTM), -13.738
12. Ben Lowe (KTM), -16.897
13. Max Whale (Har), -16.902
14. Kevin Stollings (Kaw), -26.843
15. Cody Johncox (Yam), -32.790
16. Dan Bromley (Hon), -37.029
17. Jesse Janisch (Kaw), -1 lap
18. Dalton Gauthier (Roy), -5 laps, DNF
More, from a press release issued by AFT:
Mees Works His Magic at Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 6, 2024) – Reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) demonstrated his Mile mastery yet again with a victory in Saturday night’s Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile, Round 10 of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
The Mission AFT SuperTwins Main Event at the “Magic Mile” was a race-long struggle of nerves and consistency. Mees attempted throughout to shake loose at the front while a three-rider pack of pursuers consisting of Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Sody Ent/OTBR Yamaha MT-07), and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) did everything in their collective power to prevent that eventuality from playing out.
Daniels’ early strategy was to keep Mees corralled the best he could, continually running underneath him on corner entrance in hopes of limiting the Indian star’s opportunity to run with clear air in front of him.
Ultimately, the Estenson Racing ace was riding a tightrope in those efforts, and once Mees finally managed to maintain the lead for a full lap, he stretched open those crucial couple of tenths he needed to grasp a firm grip on the race. While he was unable to make an escape, the trio of contenders behind were also unable to draw back near enough to make any further assaults from that point forward.
That nearly changed when Dalton Gauthier’s (No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) bike broke with less than a minute remaining, resulting in a thick cloud of smoke that settled in across the track. The lack of visibility forced Mees to check up ever so slightly, allowing Daniels to close from more than a half-second back to just 0.234 seconds with only two laps remaining to decide the winner.
Mees stayed calm and regrouped to eked back out to a 0.389-second margin of victory at the flag. While unable to pull off the upset, Daniels did execute his secondary mission of minimizing any damage done to his championship hopes by holding on for second.
The victory was the 75th of Mees’ record-breaking career, moving him to within three of second-placed Chris Carr. It also elevated his career Mile wins mark to 28, just one behind Carr for second in the discipline as well.
“It felt really good, just to feel good again, honestly,” Mees said. “The bike worked really good from the start, and we knew coming in here we were going to be a big player. The Rogers Racing/SDI Insulation/Progressive Insurance Indian Motorcycle was really strong tonight. Big thanks to everyone… So many great people are big contributors to our success. I had a lot of fun tonight, for sure.”
Price earned his second podium of the season in third, just 0.055 seconds back of Daniels, while Bauman finished fourth less than a quarter of a second further in arrears.
Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) edged rookies Declan Bender (No. 70 GOMR/BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750) and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing Indian FTR750) for fifth in a fight that took place approximately six seconds behind the lead group.
Meanwhile, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) suffered a blow to his title efforts in eighth, with Cameron Smith (No. 34 RVR/KTM/Schaefer’s Motorsport KTM 790 Duke) and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750) rounding out the top ten.
The race served as a fitting conclusion the week-long celebration of motorcycle dirt track racing at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, that also saw the sport’s future stars crowned at the 2024 Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship, sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association, before the greatest riders of today took centerstage to put on a show.
2018 Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award winner Daniels now leads 2001 Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award winner Mees 216 to 197 in the fight for the 2024 Grand National Championship. Robinson was relegated to third at 186.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) finally pulled it off. After finishing less than 0.1 seconds from victory in the most recent five Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Mile Main Events, the JPG Motorsports pilot took Saturday’s win by an official 0.001 seconds following ten minutes and two laps of epic pack-war action.
The high drama actually got underway even before the race itself did. Double defending champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) lost his chain during the citing lap, threatening his participation in the race while promising to leave his hard-earned points lead in tatters.
While Kopp’s Rick Ware Racing crew frantically worked to fit a new chain in the Turn 4 area, the field blasted off and worked its way around to complete the opening lap.
Kopp was finally released into the fray one lap down, but his incredibly bad luck was swapped out for some incredibly good luck when a red flag was thrown as a result of debris on the racing line. That led to a complete restart, which put Kopp back in the fight and back on the lead lap, albeit forced to start from the back of the pack after failing to line up on the grid for the original start.
At the restart, Saathoff resumed his battle for first with the likes of Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), and Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), among several others.
However, Kopp made the most of his second opportunity, powering his way all the way up from 18th and into the lead in the span of seven laps.
A 12-rider lead pack slowly whittled its way down to six by the time the clock hit zero. That was immediately reduced to five when race leader Lowe encountered a mechanical issue of his own moments after taking the two-to-go flags.
On the decisive final circulation, Kopp blew up pre-race favorite Drane’s last-lap strategy, pushing him up the track ever so slightly where the Aussie lost his drive and drifted back to fourth. Kopp then zeroed in on Saathoff, and the KTM-mounted champ very nearly pulled off the last-to-first win, coming up mere millimeters short of edging ahead of his opponent’s Honda as they stormed over the line.
While it was technically Saathoff’s second career victory, it was the first time he actually did so under live action with the checkered flag waving.
Afterward, he said, “The main thing for me was to focus on my job, and I had to have a gameplan the whole day. But that entire Main Event, I didn’t know what the heck was going on. I didn’t know if I should try to lead or make a pass at the finish. Towards the end, I came around Turn 3 and I was leading, and I thought, ‘I’m just gonna do it!’ It was a crazy race. I can’t thank everyone enough… I’m so happy I got to take the victory lap with Bryan (Bigelow). That meant the world to me.”
Third place went to Ott – his first podium of the season – just 0.044 seconds off the win and 0.044 seconds ahead of Drane. Fifth was taken by impressive rookie Evan Kelleher (No. 131 Schaefers Motorsports/South Shore Design KTM 450 SX-F), who slugged it out with the best riders in the class to finish just 0.204 seconds off the win.
Kopp’s potential championship catastrophe was not only avoided, he actually maintained his pre-race advantage of 32 points, only now with Saathoff back in second (225-193) and Drane falling to third at 188.
Next Up:
Progressive American Flat Track will return to action on Sunday, July 28, with the World Famous SC2 Peoria TT presented by Backyards Saloon at the Peoria Motorcycle Club in Peoria, Illinois. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/peoriamotorcycleclub/events/peoria-tt-2024-80043 to secure your tickets today.
For those who can’t catch the action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of the on-track action, from the first practice to the victory podium, at https://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage of the Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, July 14, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT).
For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
JARED MEES TRIUMPHS AT MEMPHIS SHADES DUQUOIN MILE, SCORING THIRD WIN OF THE SEASON ABOARD INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING FTR750
Mees Currently Sits Second Overall in Championship Standings at 197 Points With Six Rounds Remaining
Minneapolis, MN. (July 6, 2024) – This past Saturday, Indian Motorcycle Racing’s Jared Mees demonstrated his racing prowess aboard his Indian FTR750 by securing a crucial victory at the Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile for round 10 of the 2024 American Flat Track series. This win marks Mees’ third of the season and is a pivotal moment in his pursuit of a record-breaking 10th championship, as he now sits just 19 points behind the leader with six rounds remaining.
This victory was a true spectacle of skill and determination, as Mees had to battle fiercely throughout the 26-lap race to maintain the lead position. When the race got underway, Mees quickly jumped out front and opened up a small gap. However, it was short-lived, as Dallas Daniels was set to give him a run for his money. Throughout the opening laps, the two championship contenders swapped positions multiple times. Shortly after, two additional riders began putting pressure on the front duo, with a four-rider battle for the lead ensuing. Mees, a nine-time champion, continued to push forward, showcasing his experience by defending the lead with unwavering tenacity, ultimately taking the checkered with a 0.389-second margin of victory.
“With only six rounds left in the season, this was a pivotal win for Jared and the entire team in his pursuit for the all-time championship record. He rode his FTR750 flawlessly throughout the race, showcasing his experience as he managed to fight off a barrage of attempts for the lead from the competition,” said Gary Gray, Vice President of Racing & Service for Indian Motorcycle. “We will continue working hard during this last half of the season to close the points lead and hopefully secure this championship.”
After 10 rounds, Mees sits second in the championship chase with 197 points, 19 back from the Daniels in the lead, and 11 points ahead of third. This victory marks Mees’ 75th win and the 28th Mile win of his record-breaking career.
The 2024 American Flat Track season continues on July 28 for the Peoria TT in Peoria, Illinois, where Mees looks to repeat his 2023 performance and take another win.
For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, X and Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE
Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
Editorial Note: Americans Julian Correa, Eli Banish, and Joshua Raymond, Jr. finished sixth, seventh, and 15th, respectively, in British Talent Cup Race One Saturday at Snetterton.
SBK R1
More, from a press release issued by MSVR:
Storm warning: Stacey masters the conditions to steal Snetterton victory from Rollo
There was a Storm coming in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship in the opening race at Snetterton as the LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki team celebrated their first Superbike race win as Storm Stacey mastered the conditions to score his debut race victory ahead of Lewis Rollo by just 0.222s.
The race began with tyre choice proving crucial as the conditions continued to change following earlier rainfall. The riders who opted for the full wet tyre choice took the early advantage in the race as Ryan Vickers launched off the Omologato Pole Position ahead of Jason O’Halloran, Lee Jackson and Danny Kent.
Stacey though had made the decision of the wet front tyre and intermediate rear, and as the track conditions changed, he was rapidly closing down their advantage on the LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki. He then took the lead on lap eight ahead of Kent, Vickers and O’Halloran. Meanwhile Jackson was forced to retire with a technical problem.
However, on lap nine the race was red flagged when Rory Skinner crashed out at Coram and as the race had not reached two-thirds distance it would be restarted over five laps. Skinner was taken to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital with a suspected fracture to his right tibia and fibula.
The rain began again before the race restarted and when it recommenced, everyone had switched to full wet tyres.
The five lap restart became a two rider fight for the victory with both Stacey and Rollo gunning for a debut victory in the Superbike class and it went down to the wire with the pair almost inseparable on the final lap.
Rollo held the lead onto the final lap, but Stacey was pushing and he made a decisive move at Brundle to take the lead and was able to hold off his IN Competition SENCAT Aprilia rival to the line by the smallest of margins as the pair took their first podium finishes.
Kyle Ryde completed the podium for OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing, moving up the order by the third lap to nudge O’Halloran back to fourth on the Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki.
Glenn Irwin salvaged fifth place for the Hager PBM Ducati team after a crash in Speedy Hire Qualifying put him 14th on the grid and he was able to take advantage of the conditions. He now moves to the top of the standings, equal on points with reigning champion Tommy Bridewell who crashed out on the opening lap.
Christian Iddon was another rider to take advantage of the conditions, taking sixth place for Oxford Products Racing Ducati ahead of Andrew Irwin and Leon Haslam. Vickers eventually ended the opening race in ninth place whilst Franco Bourne scored his best result of the season in tenth.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Snetterton, Race 1 result:
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Storm Stacey
LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki
“I was so nervous to ruin the second part of that race; when the red flag came out I wasn’t sure if I had won as I had gone for a stiff tyre choice and it paid off and it felt good, I felt robbed as I thought I had done it!
“I felt better and then I saw Danny [Kent] lose the front and I knew I just had to keep it together. Lewis came past and I thought, I am catching him and then I thought let’s have a go for this; I passed him on the straight and I managed to make it stick and hold it to the line to bring her home in P1!
“Together me and the team have been pushing to fight for a podium and we would have been happy with that – but to get my first Superbike win is amazing! I am going to celebrate with some tunes and a big plate of dinner! I need to thank everyone involved for making this possible.”
Aprilia led two of the three practice sessions, was in the top three in all of them, was fastest in Qualifying One and put two bikes – the Trackhouse Racing machines – on the front row at the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland at the Sachsenring. Miguel Oliveira then chased World Championship leader Jorge Martin all the way through the sprint and held off the factory Ducatis of Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini to score the first Trackhouse MotoGP podium in only its ninth event. Oliveira said the team and riders had met with Aprilia after the Assen round to tell technicians what they wanted, and that meeting, plus the additional technical assistance Trackhouse received after factory rider Aleix Espargaro withdrew, made the machine more competitive.
MotoGP Championship leader Jorge Martin won the MotoGP Sprint Race on Saturday afternoon at the Sachsenring in Germany. With storm clouds closing in and complicating setup choices for the riders, Martin took the lead on Lap Three and never was headed. The American Trackhouse Racing team took its first podium, with Miguel Oliveira finishing second, ahead of Francesco Bagnaia. Marc Marquez finished sixth after battling through the field from his starting position of 13th.
MotoGP Sprint Classification
Celestino Vietti took his Kalex to pole position in Germany, ahead of Jake Dixon and Fermin Aldeguer, who will complete the front row for the Moto2 World Championship race at the Sachsenring.
American Joe Roberts qualified 11th, two places behind OnlyFans American Racing Team teammate Marcos Ramirez.
Moto2 qualifying Classification
Collin Veijer set a new Moto3 lap record and will start from pole at the Sachsenring at the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. Veijer’s 1:24.885 is the first sub-1:25 lap for a Moto3 machine at the Sachsenring. David Alonso and Luca Lunetta were second and third.
Moto3 qualifying Classification
MotoGP World Championship leader Jorge Martin set a new lap record en route to pole position at the Sachsenring. Martin’s 1:19.423 edged the mark set by Maverick Vinales on Friday. Trackhouse Racing’s Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez completed the front row after Fernandez topped Qualifying One. Marc Marquez was blocked on his final flying lap in Qualifying One and will start from 13th on the grid.
MotoGP Qualifying Classification
Miguel Oliveira continued his impressive form at the Sachsenring by heading the final MotoGP practice session of the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland. Third quickest on Friday, the Trackhouse Racing rider turned a 1:20.353 to lead MotoGP World Championship leader Jorge Martin and factory Aprilia rider Maverick Vinales, who crashed during the session. Marc Marquez, injured in a bruising highside on Friday, returned to the track and finished the session fifth.
MotoGP Saturday practice Classification
Aron Canet was quickest with a 1:22.744 in the final Moto2 practice session at the Sachsenring. Sergio Garcia was second fastest, ahead of Manuel Gonzalez. Garcia’s Boscoscuro split the Kalex machines of Canet and Gonzalez.
American Joe Roberts finished the session sixth, 0.206 seconds off of Canet’s best lap.
