Three-Way Grand National Championship Battle Races into Springfield Mile Doubleheader
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 27, 2024) –An unexpectedly tightGrand National Championshipbattle arrives at theIllinois State Fairgroundsin Springfield, Illinois for theSpringfield Mile I & II presented by Drag Specialtieson August 31-September 1, the penultimate weekend of the 2024Progressive American Flat Trackseason, sanctioned byAMA Pro Racing.
ReigningMission AFT SuperTwinschampionJared Mees(No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) entered the precedingArrowhead Brass Sturgis TTeying a realistic pathway to clinching an unprecedented tenth Grand National Championship this weekend at the iconic event he co-promotes with his wife, Nichole. However, an incident that took place while Mees was attempting to charge his way up through the field resulted in a disqualification in Sturgis along with a significantly closer points chase.
Mees now leads second-rankedBrandon Robinson(No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) by just six points and third-placedBriar Bauman(No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) by just 12.
Further complicating Mees’ march to history is the fact that both Robinson and Bauman have stood atop the podium at Springfield – Robinson in doubleheader fashion on August 31 and September 1 of 2013 and Bauman the last time the Mission AFT SuperTwins lined up at the venue less than a year ago.
However, the champ is far from defenseless in his mission to retain the #1 plate. One of the sport’s all-time great milers, Mees has repeatedly proven himself up to the task when under pressure, as evidenced by his record-tying nine championships, and at Springfield specifically, where he boasts an incredible eight victories.
Of course, Mees, Robinson, and Bauman won’t be on track alone. Several potential spoilers could play an outsized role in swaying the championship standings one way or the other at a track that lends itself to incredibly close and unpredictable racing. Ten of the most recent twelve Springfield Miles have been decided by under a second. And of those twelve, half have seen three riders finish within a second of victory, four with four riders in contention, two with seven or more, and one that featured ten riders crossing the stripe at the checkered flag separated by less than a second.
During that span,Davis Fisher(No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) andBronson Bauman(No. 37 Fastrack Racing Mission Foods KTM 790 Duke) have finished on the podium and within a second of victory at Springfield, whileBrandon Price(No. 92 Memphis Shades/Sody Ent/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) andJarod Vanderkooi(No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750) have finished within a second of the win.
Meanwhile, rookiesTrevor Brunner(No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing Indian FTR750),Declan Bender(No. 70 GOMR/BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750), andMax Whale(No. 18 Latus Motors Racing/Liqui Moly Harley-Davidson XG750R) are primed to join that list as they return to Springfield armed with the experience of engaging in last year’s huge pack war for victory aboard 450s.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
By scoring his sixth win of the ‘24 season,Kody Kopp(No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) has put himself in strong position to clinch theParts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKERtitle early for the third year in succession.
To do so, he need only end the weekend with 25 points in hand (perhaps 26 depending on how tiebreakers continue to shake out). At the moment, his advantage stands at 34 points overChase Saathoff(No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) and 40 overTom Drane(No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).
While the margin separating first from second and third in the championship chase is considerable, that doesn’t reflect the recent reality on track, where Kopp, Saathoff, and Drane have taken two wins apiece over the last six races.
Expect that same sort of competitiveness to continue at Springfield with the likes ofTrent Lowe(No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R),James Ott(No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450),Tarren Santero(No. 75 Vinson Construction/P&M Motorcycles Honda CRF450R),Evan Renshaw(No. 265 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R),Tyler Raggio(No. 55 Raggio Racing/Sluggo Racing KTM 450 SX-F), andJared Lowe(No. 63 BigR/Little Debbie Racing Honda CRF450R) liable to turn this into a ten-rider barnburner for the top step on the podium.
There will also be plenty of off-track activities for fans to enjoy throughout the weekend, including theCAT Command Trailer, numerous vendors, expansive food and beverage options, and dedicated motorcycle parking.
All tickets are $10 off if purchased prior to Wednesday. If you act fast,Infield Standing RoomOnlytickets remain just $20 (kids 12 and under $5),Reserved Grandstandtickets are $35, and Premium Reserved Grandstand are $45.
Fans also have the opportunity to enjoy aVIPExperienceby selecting a special ticket option that provides access to a premier reserved seat in front of the start/finish line and includes food, beverage, and a Pit Pass for $150.
Pit Pass Upgradesare also available for purchase for non-VIP tickets, which provide all-day access to the pits where fans can scope out the world’s fastest dirt track motorcycles and get up close and personal with the stars of the sport.
Fans who purchase Saturday and Sunday tickets will receive a $5 discount at checkout. To reserve your tickets today, visit:
Mission Springfield Mile I & II:https://www.tixr.com/groups/meespromotions/events/springfield-i-and-ii-89223
Mission Springfield Mile I:https://www.tixr.com/groups/meespromotions/events/springfield-mile-i-89224
Mission Springfield Mile II:https://www.tixr.com/groups/meespromotions/events/springfield-mile-ii-89225
Gates will open for fans at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT) both days, with Opening Ceremonies set to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT) on Saturday and Sunday. You can catch the livestream of all the weekend’s racing activities on FloRacing. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2024. FloSports is available by visitinghttps://flosports.link/aftor by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.
FOX Sportscoverage of theSpringfield Mile I & II presented by Drag Specialties, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere onFS1onSunday, September 8. The Springfield Mile I will air at7:00 a.m. ET(4:00 a.m. PT) with the Springfield Mile II scheduled for11:00 a.m. ET(8:00 a.m. PT).
For more information on Progressive AFT visithttps://www.americanflattrack.com.
