Robust begin for Aussies Drane & Whale at Daytona AFT double-header

2023 American Flat Monitor

Photos by Scott Hunter, Tim Lester

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Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) did the double at Daytona over the weekend, claiming victory within the Daytona Brief Monitor I and Daytona Brief Monitor II within the Mission SuperTwins class.

Kody Kopp (No. 1 Purple Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing 450 SX-F) was the AFT Singles victor as properly, in each runnings. Of the Aussies Tom Drane completed fifth within the opening bout, with Max Whale eight, whereas within the second working (Daytona Brief Monitor II) Whale was fifth and Drane thirteenth.

Learn on for the race studies…

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Daytona Brief Monitor I

Dallas Daniels secured a nail-biting victory on the DAYTONA Brief Monitor I offered by Daytona Dodge to open the 2023 Progressive American Flat Monitor season in dramatic style.

A busy opening a number of laps across the Flat Monitor at Daytona Worldwide Speedway featured the 4 riders on 4 completely different makes who lined the entrance row for the Mission SuperTwins offered by S&S Cycle Predominant Occasion.

Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) raised quite a lot of eyebrows when he grabbed the early lead aboard the Royal Enfield whereas established Mission SuperTwins superstars Daniels, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Methods Indian FTR750), and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Components Plus/Jacob Corporations KTM 890 Duke) jockeyed for place simply behind.

After some back-and-forth, Robinson managed to work his manner into the lead after which threatened to make an early escape. By the point Daniels and Bauman dispatched Lewis, the Mission Roof Methods rider had almost a second in hand.

Daniels put his head down at that time, stretching out a bonus over Bauman whereas consuming away at Robinson’s. By half distance the 2 linked up on the entrance simply as they made their manner into lapped visitors for the primary time.

The Estenson Racing pilot started to actively seek for a manner into the lead with simply over two minutes on the clock, nudging the entrance wheel of his Yamaha MT-07 DT up the within of Robinson’s Indian FTR750 a number of instances earlier than lastly discovering the hole he had been searching for.

As soon as via, Daniels, Robinson, and Bauman appeared protected to open their 2023 campaigns a respective 1-2-3 as time expired. Nonetheless, the Predominant Occasion delivered a last twist within the type of a waving crimson flag that got here after Lewis’ crashed from fifth following a conflict with one other rider.

Not solely was Lewis’ hard-earned high 5 gone, however so seemingly was Bauman’s outstanding podium run in his debut aboard the all-new Rick Ware Racing KTM 890 Duke, his brake pedal disconnected through the Predominant Occasion melee.

Nonetheless, even with Bauman’s technical points and the potential for chaos the highest three had been pressured to barter, the trio locked down their positions as they powered away from the staggered begin and held on to the checkered flag.

The victorious Daniels mentioned, “I let you know what – there’s nothing that makes you extra nervous than that proper there, main the laps going away and a crimson flag comes out with two to go. My dad was speaking to me (earlier than the restart), saying “You’re good, you’re good.” After which he stopped speaking, and I used to be like, “No, no, no, maintain speaking, I’m getting nervous! These two guys on the rostrum with me – I grew up watching these guys win right here. These guys are my heroes. And now I wish to beat them. It’s an honor to win right here.”

Even when the rostrum went unaltered within the wake of the late stoppage, there was loads of reshuffling on account of the restart. Defending Mission SuperTwins king Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorbike/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) was the largest beneficiary, slashing as much as a fourth-place end after beforehand being mired as deep as twelfth within the pack.

He was adopted dwelling by Daniels’ teammate, JD Seashore (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), who took fifth regardless of not faring a lot better than Mees to that time.

4-time DAYTONA ST winner Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Martin Trucking/Castrol Yamaha MT-07) took sixth, adopted by Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Building Yamaha MT-07) and the remounted Lewis.

Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) – who had been fourth on the time of the crimson flag – ended up ninth, whereas Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Meals Indian FTR750) accomplished the highest ten.

AFT SuperTwins Daytona Brief Monitor I Outcomes

Components Limitless AFT Singles offered by KICKER

Reigning Components Limitless AFT Singles offered by KICKER champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Purple Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing 450 SX-F) acquired his title protection off to what was successfully an ideal begin.

The truth that Kopp entered the season as the first goal of each different rider within the area seemingly did nothing however improve the dominant streak he flashed so usually a yr in the past. Regardless of contending with a slick monitor that demanded focus and invited errors, the manufacturing unit KTM ace topped follow and qualifying, received his Warmth and the Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Problem, after which in the end reigned supreme within the season’s opening Predominant Occasion.

Kopp blasted off to the holeshot and principally put it out of attain a number of brief corners later. He systematically labored his lead as much as round 4 seconds earlier than cruising his solution to an eventual 3.370-second margin of victory.

Afterward, Kopp claimed the day didn’t come fairly as simply because it appeared outwardly. He mentioned, “The #1 plate positively is somewhat heavy I believe. There have been some nerves and a few Outlaw races this offseason the place I used to be doubting myself if we had been nonetheless good on a Brief Monitor. However that is some solution to begin a season for certain. We just about had a clear sweep of the day.”

Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Licensed KTM 450 SX-F) held down second all through, completely positioned to benefit from a mistake that by no means got here. Nonetheless, his runner-up effort despatched a powerful message that he’s nonetheless very a lot a menace regardless of returning to an unbiased effort in ‘23.

Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) rounded out the rostrum, popping out on high of a race-long battle after making an early strike on Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Meals CRF450R), the rider signed to fill Gauthier’s former seat at Turner Honda.

Aussie sensation Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) made it two Estenson Yamahas within the high 5 with a pleasant begin to his full-time Progressive AFT in fifth.

Kopp’s teammate and anticipated title challenger Max Whale (No. 18 Purple Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing 450 SX-F) didn’t take pleasure in almost as easy a night as his stablemate. Whale crashed in his Warmth and the LCQ, however nonetheless simply managed to advance into the Predominant, the place he battled his manner as much as eighth in the long run.

Max Whale sharing, “Nothing like beginning your season off like that. Certified P5. Was battling for second in my warmth and went down. Needed to come from the final row of the LCQ. Grabbed the final switch to the primary. Predominant begin P18 completed P8. Fought laborious all evening powerful monitor to cross however was fortunate with a number of crimson flags. Lets reset and begin once more right this moment!!”

AFT Singles Daytona Brief Monitor I Outcomes

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Daytona Brief Monitor II

Dallas Daniels kicked off his 2023 Progressive American Flat Monitor championship marketing campaign in near-perfect style, finishing the second half of the season-opening double win with one other sensational journey in Saturday evening’s DAYTONA Brief Monitor II offered by Daytona Dodge on the Flat Monitor at Daytona Worldwide Speedway in Daytona Seashore, Florida.

Daniels was already a respectable title contender as a rookie a yr in the past. Early indications recommend he’s that a lot stronger now with a yr’s Mission SuperTwins offered by S&S Cycle expertise underneath his belt.

The Estenson Racing Yamaha ace acquired away off the road in third, working in shut quarters behind early chief Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) and Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorbike/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750), with Thursday runner-up Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Methods Indian FTR750) proper in his tracks.

Robinson made an early exit from the battle for the win, moving into the airfence and shedding a number of positions within the course of. Daniels slipped up the within of Mees rather less than three minutes into the ten-minute-plus-two-lap Predominant to take over second, simply as Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) closed in to make it four-rider battle on the entrance once more.

Daniels then spent the subsequent 4 minutes stalking Vanderkooi, trying up the within and round outdoors, whereas usually making use of the kind of strain which may simply open a door straight via. He lastly discovered the hole he was searching for with 3:half-hour remaining on the clock, hanging up the within because the leaders encountered a wave of lapped riders.

Daniels met little resistance as soon as into the lead, stretching out a bonus that finalized as a 2.069-second margin of victory in the long run.

“It was powerful – Jarod was working a extremely good race,” Daniels mentioned. “He was being affected person – he was very easy on the throttle and wasn’t making any errors. I needed to search. I wished to take a seat there for somewhat bit. After I acquired off the road, I used to be all proper with the place I used to be, and I used to be taking note of every little thing. I wished to stalk him for some time, however then it was time to go. A double at Daytona is loopy. It’s unbelievable. A giant due to the entire Estenson Monster Power Yamaha crew. We had an excellent yr final yr, and to start out off the yr with two wins in Daytona is insane.”

Shortly after Daniels took over the lead, Fisher slashed his well past Mees to finish the “new guard” podium line-up in third, becoming a member of winner Daniels and second-placed Vanderkooi.

Reigning champ Mees got here away along with his second fourth of the double-opener – a marked improve over how his prospects might have regarded earlier within the week. In the meantime, Daniels’ teammate, JD Seashore (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), logged a second fifth.

Robinson recovered properly sufficient from his early drama to complete in sixth, one spot forward of Briar Bauman (No. 3 Components Plus/Jacob Corporations KTM 890 Duke), who was pressured to claw his manner as much as seventh from outdoors the highest ten.

4-time DAYTONA ST winner Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Martin Trucking/Castrol Yamaha MT-07), privateer Kayl Kolkman (No 98 B&L Plumbing/Rod Lake Yamaha MT-07), and Royal Enfield manufacturing unit man Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) accomplished the highest ten.

AFT SuperTwins Daytona Brief Monitor II Outcomes

AFT SuperTwins Standings

Components Limitless AFT Singles offered by KICKER

Defending Components Limitless AFT Singles offered by KICKER Kody Kopp (No. 1 Purple Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing 450 SX-F) doubled up in Daytona, delivering a second dose of domination on Saturday evening.

Clearly in a category of his personal on the venue, Kopp pulled off one other sweep, repeating his Thursday trick of topping follow, qualifying, his Warmth, the Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Problem, and most significantly, the Predominant Occasion.

Kopp efficiently weaved his manner via the opening lap chaos to safe the lead three turns into the race. And whereas Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Meals CRF450R) did every little thing in his energy to cling onto Kopp’s rear wheel, somewhat greater than a minute in, the race for victory was successfully over.

Kopp in the end labored his benefit as much as over 5 seconds earlier than taking a drama-free checkered flag.

“It’s simply two for 18,” Kopp mentioned. “We’ve acquired 16 extra rounds, so there’s much more work to do. You possibly can’t decide a season off two races at a monitor that basically fits my type. I grew up using quite a lot of indoors within the Pacific Northwest, and this was kinda like that. Because of my entire Purple Bull KTM crew – this can be a dream solution to begin the season for certain.”

After shedding contact with the chief, Saathoff was step by step reeled in by ‘22 championship runner-up Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Licensed KTM 450 SX-F), who first needed to battle his well past Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Meals CRF450R) and Justin Jones (No. 91 NRC Racing/Elder Trucking KTM 450 SX-F) to slip into third.

Gauthier and Saathoff then swapped the second spot forwards and backwards, squaring each other up in fast succession earlier than the charging Gauthier lastly stole the place away for good.

Saathoff held on for the ultimate spot on the field by a scant 0.084 seconds regardless of having to fend off a late problem from new Turner Honda teammate Lowe.

Kopp’s teammate, Max Whale (No. 18 Purple Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing 450 SX-F), battled previous the spectacular Jones to finish the highest 5.

Tome Drane completed the second race in thirteenth.

AFT Singles Daytona Brief Monitor II Outcomes

AFT Singles Standings

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