Two wins for Drane at Jackpine Gypsies ST as Whale podiums

2025 American Flat Track

Jackpine Gypsies Short Track  I & II

Images by Tim Lester

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Ahead of the 85th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, two Progressive American Flat Track rounds have been run, kicking off with the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track  I and followed by the Short Track II, the former featuring the Mission Triple Challenge format and added a third class to the mix with the much anticipated return of the AFT AdventureTrackers.

In AFT Singles, three different riders earnt a win, including the round’s overall victor, Chase Saathoff, with Tom Drane also collecting a win but suffering from illness.

Meanwhile, two-time Grand National Champion Briar Bauman took two wins, while chief rival Dallas Daniels claimed the second main event victory.

That was followed up in the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track II, where Brandon Robinson at last got his first victory aboard the Harley-Davidson XG750R.

Robinson’s triumph was the first win for any rider this season other than AFT SuperTwins title contenders Briar Bauman and Dallas Daniels.

Tom Drane also followed up his single win from the triple-header, with another win for the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track II event, which featured a single main each class.

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AFT Singles – Jackpine Gypsies Short Track I

Main Event 1

The night’s first Main Event saw Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) overcome a determined challenge from Saathoff, who stormed by at one point only to be quickly dropped back to second.

Saathoff made another last-lap stab at the win, but Brunner held strong to grab the win by 0.230 seconds.

Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 FRA Trust/ATV’s and More Yamaha YZ450F) slipped free from the big pack behind him to earn a fairly safe third a little over a second back of the win.

Rising stars Kage Tadman (No. 288 Roof Systems/Rice’s Rapid Motorsports KTM 450 SX-F) and Walker Porter (No. 100 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) came home fourth and fifth, with Tadman fighting past his fellow rookie on the final circulation.

Meanwhile, title leader Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), who was feeling under the weather throughout the day, could only manage a sixth-place result

Main Event 2

Under the weather or not, Main Event 2 saw Drane revert to his more typical form, blasting up to second off the start and then sailing past Brunner to capture the lead just two laps in.

With the Australian walking off at the front, Brunner turned his attention to locking down second with Saathoff and Tadman in hot pursuit. That is until the race was red-flagged due to a bizarre crash that saw RoosEvans yanked clear of his bike when his left leg was somehow snared by the machine of Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Hannum’s HD/Pfanders Racing KTM 450 SX-F).

Following the staggered restart, Drane resumed his position at the front. However, this time he found himself under serious fire from Tadman. The rookie tapped back into his California style, railing around the outside of both Saathoff and Brunner to zero in on Drane.

While he even nosed ahead at one point, Tadman couldn’t quite make a move stick and Drane went on to claim the victory.

Brunner finished third ahead of Saathoff, while Tarren Santero (No. 75 Mission Roof Systems Honda CRF450R) – who made his way into the Main Event program via the LCQ – finished fifth.

Main Event 3

After twice being denied, Saathoff pulled it all together when it mattered the most. The RWR pilot switched up his tactics to employ a Tadman-like high line and used it to work his way past Brunner, Tadman himself, and, soon enough, Drane to grab the lead.

Even when all alone in the lead, Saathoff continued to ride high, moving more than a second out in front of archrival Drane in the process.

Behind, Tadman and Brunner went back-and-forth for several laps while contesting third before up-and-comer Tadman finally established himself in the position.

A late charge from Drane saw him pull back alongside Saathoff with just two laps to go. However, Saathoff simply refused to allow him through as the two waged yet another epic final-lap clash.

Tadman came home in third followed by Brunner and RoosEvans.

The overall podium mirrored that of Main Event 3, with Saathoff earning his second win of the season, Drane scoring his sixth consecutive podium, and Tadman picking up the third podium of his stellar rookie season.

Brunner finished fourth in the race as well as the overall results, while RoosEvans was fifth in Main Event 3 and sixth overall. Fifth place overall went to Pfanders thanks to the combined points added up from his 8-6-6 evening.

Chase Saathoff

“This is very meaningful. I took a chance in that race off the start, and I just rolled with it. Man, I didn’t want to have to close the door on Tom that hard, but I was there for the win, and I wasn’t giving it up on the last lap. Hats off to my whole team. I can’t thank everybody enough. I’m so happy to have done it here.”

Despite suffering the narrow defeat, Drane continues to lead the title fight quite comfortably, boasting 191 points to Saathoff’s 172. Brunner is third at 151.

Singles Main Event 1 Results

Singles Main Event 2 Results

Singles Main Event 3 Results

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AFT Singles – Jackpine Gypsies Short Track II

Feeling under the weather and confronted with a tight and physical racetrack, Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) was forced to dig deep on Tuesday night. And in doing so, he left his AFT Singles presented by KICKER title rivals in an even deeper hole with just five rounds remaining to determine the season’s championship.

Rookie hero Kage Tadman (No. 288 Roof Systems/Old Oak Ranch KTM 450 SX-F) jumped out to the early advantage and held down first for the opening couple of minutes. Monday winner Chase Saathoff (No. 88 RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R) then stole the momentum, first slinging around the outside of Drane to grab second and then using the same line to storm past Tadman for the lead.

Saathoff threatened to shake free at that point. Drane, however, wasn’t willing to give up, diving under Tadman and then reeling in his rival at the front. The Estenson Racing star snuck under the RWR pilot with just 30 seconds left on the clock, timing the strike just as they came upon lapped traffic.

Tom Drane

“That race was pretty tough at the start. I can’t thank my whole team enough for all the effort they’ve been putting in. And we’ve been training hard back home to make sure we had the pace we needed at the end of the race to come back through.”

Runner-up Saathoff finished just 0.230 seconds back, while Tadman settled into a lonely third to claim the fourth podium of his spectacular rookie season.

Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) finished fourth, while Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) rounded out the top five after breaking free of a huge 10-plus-rider pack late.

Following 11 of 16 races, Drane leads Saathoff 214-191. Brunner is third at 164, while Tarren Santero (No. 75 Mission Roof Systems Honda CRF450R) is the only other rider within even 100 points of Drane at 118.

Singles Main Event Results

AFT Singles Standings – Top 20

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AFT SuperTwins – Jackpine Gypsies Short Track I

Main Event 1

For the second time this season, the series used the new-for-‘25 Mission Triple Challenge format. Three successive Main Events – a 10-lap sprint, a 15-lapper that paid double points, and a final 20-lap Main which concluded the night with triple the points – determined the evening’s overall winner.

All of this action was somehow contained by the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club’s ultra-tight Short Track, which at 1/5-mile is claimed to be the shortest ever negotiated by twin-cylinders throughout the long history of the Grand National Championship.

The first Main Event barely gave the combatants a chance to breathe, taking just over two minutes to complete. But despite the diminutive track and short duration, Bauman still had enough room and time to deliver a relative blowout. The RWR ace grabbed the holeshot and immediately pulled clear of the frantic melee behind.

Daniels found himself an early fourth, overtaken at launch by ST master Henry Wiles (No. 911 DL Racing/HYMMC Yamaha MT-07) and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R).

It took Daniels just two laps to drive up the inside of both, but by then Bauman was nearly a second out in front.

But even with clear air in front of Daniels, Bauman would eventually work that advantage up to 1.329 seconds by the time he took the checkered flag.

Robinson came home third, followed by a charging Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) and Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke).

Main Event 2

Daniels nearly pulled off the holeshot, but that merely put him in a position for Bauman to push him wide and allow a resourceful Robinson through into second. Undeterred, the Estenson Racing pilot quickly regrouped and powered under Robinson to close right in on Bauman’s rear wheel.

Before he could attempt a strike, however, the race was red-flagged as a result of a crash on the part of Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Luczak Racing Yamaha MT-07).

While Bauman and Daniels picked their battle back up after the restart, Whale joined the party with the impressive utilization of an high-risk, high-reward, high line. But before the shootout could really take shape, another red was shown, this time due to a crash that involved Bender (again) and Fisher.

While Bauman grabbed the lead off the start for a third time, he got extremely loose and Daniels instantly pounced.

Bauman would go on to survive scares in the same corner on the subsequent two laps as well, allowing his rival to earn the win with more than a half second to spare.

Despite the repeated bobbles, Bauman maintained second, followed by Whale, Robinson, and Jarod VanDerKooi (No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke).

Main Event 3

Bauman and Daniels saved the best for last, going back and forth down to the final lap.

The two swapped first place multiple times on the opening handful of laps before Daniels finally established himself in first and locked down the inside.

Unlike the earlier fights, the title fighters didn’t have this one all to themselves with Robinson, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp), and Whale in close contention, eagerly awaiting any mistake that would allow them to potentially pull off an upset.

And that opportunity seemed almost likely, with Bauman riding on the ragged edge in hopes of finding a way – any way – past Daniels.

But rather than make a mistake, Bauman made it happen, ripping through with six to go. Robinson followed him past Daniels, but the Yamaha rider put himself right back into second and looked to turn the tables once again.

However, try as he might, Daniels couldn’t work out a path to the win and was forced to watch from close behind as Bauman claimed his sixth overall win of the year.

Briar Bauman

“Dallas took me to school in the second Main Event. To come back and get him… he usually just builds momentum and gets better throughout the night. My Rick Ware Racing/Part Plus/Latus Motors team worked really, really hard. We changed quite a bit of stuff even though we’ve been fast all day… Dallas is so good. I’ve never been this stressed out all the time, but we’re out here, baby, and we’re working for it.”

Robinson finished third in Main Event 3 and the overall results. Lowe finished fourth in Main Event 3 to move up to sixth in the final round results, while Whale took fifth in the race and fourth overall.

Wiles was awarded fifth overall following his 7-6-6 night.

Bauman now leads the Mission AFT SuperTwins championship fight over Daniels by just eight points (208-200). Robinson is a distant third at 135.

SuperTwins Main Event 1 Results

SuperTwins Main Event 2 Results

SuperTwins Main Event 3 Results

AFT SuperTwins – Jackpine Gypsies Short Track II

In what is almost certainly destined to rank as among the most dramatic and consequential moments of the ‘25 Grand National Championship fight, the championship rivals collided during the Main Event with Daniels taking the brunt of it.

With both pilots actively seeking a way past race leader Robinson, Bauman attempted to square up Daniels to steal away second. However, Daniels did not drift up the track the way Bauman appeared to expect. As a result, rather than run under, he ran into his adversary, dumping him in the dirt.

A red flag immediately flew, after which both riders were placed at the back of the field for the restart.

The two then battled one another as they sliced and diced their way forward. Bauman again came away better, finishing in third behind Robinson and second-place finisher Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke).

Daniels, meanwhile, saw his historic podium streak snapped at 23 when he finished in fifth position, 0.134 seconds behind fourth-place finisher Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Suzuki GSX-8S).

A heated Daniels promptly engaged in an animated discussion with Bauman during the cool down lap, while the RWR pilot later repeatedly expressed his apologies for the incident from the podium.

By contrast, Robinson was all smiles. The Mission Roof Systems ace – who campaigned the XG750R full time in 2017 and 2018, and for parts of 2019 – was absolutely thrilled to finally celebrate a victory with the machine.

Brandon Robinson

“Hell yeah!” he said. “There were a couple heartbreaking years in ‘17 and ‘18; we got our butts whipped on these things. I always said when the rules went production(-based), the XGs were going to be really good motorcycles. It’s just awesome it’s come full circle – from the Vance & Hines Factory Harley days with Terry Vance helping me, to now with Jerry Stinchfield and the Roof Systems/Mission Foods team. I absolutely love this crew. This is awesome.”

Jarod VanDerKooi (No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke) was the last rider to get overhauled by both Bauman and Daniels and was relegated to sixth in the process. He was followed home by Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp), Henry Wiles (No. 911 DL Racing/HYMMC Yamaha MT-07), Justin Jones (No. 91 1st Impressions Race Team KTM 790 Duke), and James Ott (No. 19 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07) to complete the top ten.

Bauman’s championship lead was expanded to 11 points in the clash, as he now leads Daniels 224-213. Robinson sits third at 158, followed by Fisher with 141.

SuperTwins Main Event Results

AFT SuperTwins Standings

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AFT AdventureTrackers – Jackpine Gypsies Short Track I

While the Mission AFT SuperTwins and AFT Singles utilized the Mission Triple Challenge format, the AFT AdventureTrackers determined its first winner of the season in a single 10-lap Main Event, with 500-pound, near-stock Dual Adventure bikes going bar-to-bar in a two-wheeled cage match.

The sky-high capabilities of these versatile bikes – some of which were either ridden on the streets or sourced from dealer showroom floors as recently as yesterday – was expertly demonstrated by a field stacked with elite racers.

None did so more effectively than Jesse Janisch (No. 33 WFOracingonline.com/Öhlins Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250). The 2022 Mission Production Twins champion leveraged a low line to cut under early leader Dan Bromley (No. 62 Big Momma and Daddy Deep Pockets Suzuki V-Strom 1050) with eight laps remaining.

2018 AFT Singles champ Bromley spent the remainder of the race muscling his bike around in a fruitless bid to square up Janisch.

Jesse Janisch

“We’ve been having a blast. I got to ride the thing all day yesterday out in the hills, enjoying the scenic views of Sturgis, which was amazing. I’ve got to thank everyone who helped us out. I had a good battle with Dan, and I’m stoked to get the first one.”

2019 AFT Singles champion Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Triumph Racing Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro) claimed the final spot on the box following a three-way scrap that also included fourth-place finisher Hunter Bauer (No. 24 Vinson Construction/Memphis Shades BMW F 900 GS) and fifth-place finisher Henry Wiles (No. 911 Walter Bros. Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250).

In fact, Wiles appeared to have third all but sewn up, however, a mechanical issue on the final lap allowed Gauthier to steal back the position at the last possible moment.

AFT AdventureTrackers Main Event Results

AFT AdventureTrackers – Jackpine Gypsies Short Track II

After suffering a pair of near misses in the first two races in class history, Dan Bromley (No. 62 Big Momma and Daddy Deep Pockets Suzuki V-Strom 1050) finally raced his way to the top of the AFT AdventureTrackers podium.

Bromley grabbed the holeshot and subsequently used every bit of leverage his lanky frame provided to throw the 500-pound Suzuki Dual Adventure bike underneath him around the 1/5-mile Short Track en route to a convincing victory.

Second-place went to Monday winner Jesse Janisch (No. 33 WFOracingonline.com/Öhlins Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250), who was forced to fight his way out of a huge pack tussling for second. But by the time he did, Bromley was long gone.

As a result, the two are now tied after trading 2-1 and 1-2 finishes at the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track as the four-race series hits its halfway point.

Dan Bromley

“I put that bad boy in low gear and just put it on the bottom. Yesterday, I led the Main Event and Jesse got by me. When he passed me, I was like, ‘How did he do that? He passed me so fast on the inside…’ And I was like, ‘Oh wait, we’ve got front brakes!’ So today I remembered to use it, and it worked out good.”

Outside of Janisch, Austin Luczak (No. 188 Memphis Shades/Black Hills Powersports Honda Africa Twin) succeeded in keeping that big group of heavy hitters corralled behind him to earn his maiden Progressive AFT podium finish.

Daytona 200 legend Danny Eslick (No. 164 Saddlemen Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250) finished fourth with the heavily decorated Henry Wiles (No. 911 Walter Bros. Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250) taking the last spot in the top five.

AFT AdventureTrackers Main Event Results

AFT AdventureTrackers Standings

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Next Up:

The third Progressive AFT round in five days featured at this year’s 85th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally will take place on Friday, August 8, with the Jackpine Gypsies Super TT.