Mees Targets Report Tenth Grand Nationwide Championship as Progressive AFT Opens ‘24 Season with Daytona Bike Week Doubleheader
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 5, 2024) – Following months of coaching, preparation, and anticipation, the 2024 Progressive American Flat Monitor season, sanctioned by AMA Professional Racing, is now simply two days away. And in Daytona Bike Week custom, the season will kick off in spectacular doubleheader vogue beneath the lights of the Flat Monitor at Daytona Worldwide Speedway with the Royal Enfield Brief Monitor at DAYTONA I & II on Thursday, March 7, and Friday, March 8, in Daytona Seashore, Florida.
With many years of heroics in its report books relationship again to 1954, every new battle for the fabled Grand Nationwide Championship is historic by definition. 2024 has the potential to go down as some of the important as reigning Mission SuperTwins king Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Bike FTR750) makes an attempt to improve his already lofty standing from legendary to immortal.
Mees has an unprecedented tenth Championship squarely in his sights, needing only one extra title triumph to reset one of many sport’s foundational information as soon as thought unbreakable. Nonetheless, it’ll probably show some of the troublesome of his outstanding profession, a truth that might very nicely be underlined within the Daytona opener.
Regardless of his prolonged record of accomplishments, Mees has but to overcome the DAYTONA Brief Monitor. That actuality is in sharp distinction to rising title challenger Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), who dominated the occasion final 12 months, a feat that served as a springboard to a spectacular sophomore season wherein he very almost toppled Mees in his quest for a ninth Grand Nationwide Championship. And Daniels solely figures to be that rather more formidable in ‘24 as he continues to realize confidence and expertise.
One other rival standing within the path of Mees is two-time Mission SuperTwins champion Briar Bauman (No. 3 Elements Plus/Jacob Firms KTM 790 Duke), who toiled in ‘23 with the expectation of being rewarded for these efforts in ‘24. Bauman managed to win a pair of races final season at the same time as he tamed a KTM 790 Duke that was nonetheless early in its improvement. The hard-earned data gleaned final season ought to permit him to as soon as once more emerge a full-blown championship contender.
The obstacles Mees might want to overcome don’t finish with Daniels and Bauman. The 2024 discipline is loaded with the best motorbike grime trackers on the planet, together with premier-class Principal Occasion winners Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Methods Indian FTR750), Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750), Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing Mission Meals KTM 790 Duke), and Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650).
And whereas Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Dodge Bros. Racing/Castrol Harley-Davidson XR750) is just not a risk for the crown, he’s a risk to run up entrance at any time when he traces up throughout his restricted schedule. That’s very true on the DAYTONA Brief Monitor the place he stands because the occasion’s winningest rider, boasting 4 prior victories.
The Mission SuperTwins discipline solely will increase in energy this season with a lot of big-name skills stepping as much as full-time premier-class responsibility, together with Max Whale (No. 18 Latus Motors Racing/Liqui Moly Harley-Davidson XG750R), Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Meals/Zanotti Racing KTM 790 Duke), Declan Bender (No. 70 GOMR/BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750), and Morgen Mischler (No. 13 Large Purple Tremendous Twins Honda XL750R), who joins Dan Bromley (No. 62 Large Purple Tremendous Twins Honda XL750R) on the newly introduced Honda-powered Large Purple Tremendous Twins squad.
Elements Limitless AFT Singles introduced by KICKER
It’s one thing of an identical story within the Elements Limitless AFT Singles introduced by KICKER class, the place reigning champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Latus Motors/BMC KTM 450 SX-F) is in place to develop into essentially the most embellished rider within the historical past of the class, each by way of championship triumphs and race victories.
Kopp initiatives as Mission SuperTwins celebrity within the close to future; if every little thing goes to plan, this might very simply show to be his final alternative to depart his mark within the terribly aggressive and entertaining Elements Limitless AFT Singles class.
His presence can be a possibility for different up-and-coming riders seeking to make their very own impression. The record of potential usupers to Kopp’s throne is headlined by the Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R), and Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Meals CRF450R).
As soon as absolutely in control, Drane was successfully Kopp’s equal over the ‘23 season’s second half and will solely be that significantly better in his second full season. Saathoff has been on the verge of a breakthrough maiden win for 2 seasons now, the primary of which might come at any time and open the floodgates to many extra. Lowe managed to interrupt down that very same wall a 12 months in the past and now seems to be to rework that velocity into legit title rivalry.
The category is rarely in brief provide of expertise, additionally boating the likes of Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Licensed/Vance & Hines KTM 450 SX-F), Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Elements Plus/Jacob Firms KTM 450 SX-F), and James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Workforce Husqvarna FC450) amongst its ranks.
It’s additionally a battleground the place newcomers can set up themselves as frontrunners with little delay. Might 2023 Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Monitor Horizon Award winner Evan Renshaw (No. 265 American Honda/Mission Meals CRF450R) develop into the most recent rookie sensation to set the Progressive AFT alight?
Moreover, Royal Enfield will showcase its enormously profitable and widespread Construct. Practice. Race. (BTR) program on each days on the Royal Enfield Brief Monitor at DAYTONA. Since its introduction, BTR has injected new expertise and pleasure into the sequence as highlights, celebrates, and encourages the involvement of ladies in flat observe racing.
There shall be loads to maintain followers entertained off the observe as nicely, together with quite a few distributors, loads of meals and beverage choices, music courtesy of worldwide famed and Daytona-based DJ Shea Michaels, fireworks shows on the conclusion of each evening’s Principal Occasion applications, Monster Vitality and Mission Meals sampling activations, and intensive motorbike parking.
Basic Admission Grandstand tickets are simply $30 (children 12 and beneath $5) every day, whereas Reserved Grandstand tickets are solely $10 extra (all ages) per day. The Pit Cross Improve supplies all-day entry to the pit space the place followers can scope out the world’s quickest grime observe bikes and rise up shut and private with the celebrities of the game. Pit entry is included with Reserved Pit Grandstand tickets, that are $75 per day.
New for 2024 is the Opening Ceremonies Trackside Fan Expertise ($150 all ages). This ticket possibility supplies reserved seating with pit move entry, a guided tour of, and picture alternatives at, the infield podium and begin/end line, infield viewing of Opening Ceremonies and the warmth races, and a observe speak and picture alternative with 2016 Grand Nationwide Champion Bryan Smith.
Followers can save $10 by buying Thursday and Friday tickets collectively through the Multi-Day Low cost.
To buy Royal Enfield Brief Monitor at DAYTONA I tickets, go to: https://www.tixr.com/teams/americanflattrack/occasions/daytona-short-track-i-86846.
To buy Royal Enfield Brief Monitor at DAYTONA II tickets, go to: https://www.tixr.com/teams/americanflattrack/occasions/daytona-short-track-ii-86992.
And to reap the benefits of the Multi-Day Low cost for the Royal Enfield Brief Monitor at DAYTONA I & II, go to: https://www.tixr.com/teams/americanflattrack/occasions/daytona-short-track-i-and-ii-86845.
Gates will open for followers at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT on each days.
For these that may’t catch the stay motion from the circuit, FloRacing is the stay streaming dwelling of Progressive AFT. Motorsports followers can subscribe to FloRacing to get pleasure from over 1,000 stay motorsports occasions in 2024. FloSports is offered by visiting https://flosports.hyperlink/aft or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fireplace and Chromecast.
For extra info on Progressive AFT go to https://www.americanflattrack.com.
To attain the most recent gear for the Progressive American Flat Monitor fan, go to our official merchandise retailer at https://retailer.americanflattrack.com.
The publish American Flat Monitor: 2024 Season Kicks Off Thursday Night time In Daytona appeared first on Roadracing World Journal | Bike Driving, Racing & Tech Information.
