AMA AND OTHER SERIES

Scott Hunter

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 5, 2026) – Reigning champion Tom Drane (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) arrives at the 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally with yet another record in his sights as the KICKER AFT Singles competitors prepare for the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT, Round 12 of the 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, on Saturday, August 8.

Drane Storm

Estenson Racing Yamaha ace Drane has proven a nigh-unstoppable force as of late, racking up five consecutive victories. That run of success has vaulted him into some truly rarified air as the Australian continues to make his case for consideration as the greatest rider in KICKER AFT Singles history.

The numbers are increasingly on his side. Drane now boasts the most career wins and the most consecutive podiums, among many other achievements of significance. Now he enters Saturday’s race at the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club in Sturgis, South Dakota, needing just one more victory to claim a share of the longest win streak in class history.

Despite all that, he might not even be the pre-race favorite this week.

Drane has won a lot of races at a lot of different venues. Not only does he have more overall victories than anyone else, he has the most Mile wins, the second most Short Track wins, and the third most Half-Mile wins.

However, of those 26 wins just one has come at a TT. Granted, it came at the series’ most recent, the 2025 Peoria TT, a triumph that made him just the sixth to ever complete the KICKER AFT Singles Grand Slam.

Despite having enjoyed just a single TT win, Drane’s background as a standout roadracer certainly has the makeup to excel at TTs, and he has regularly demonstrated the pace to do so.

While it’s fair to point out that the relative infrequency of the discipline on the calendar has presented him with a limited number of opportunities to change the narrative, it also makes for a refreshing change of pace to be able to position Drane as the underdog following a lengthy reign as the resident overdog.

The Rider to Chase

The rider arguably most in need of a huge week in Sturgis also happens to be the one who just so happened to enjoy a huge week in Sturgis one year ago.

Long-time Drane foil Chase Saathoff (No. 88 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) powered to victory in last year’s Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT to round out a spectacular 1-2-1 week.

Despite having racked up eight podiums en route to a clear second-place ranking this season, Saathoff is still seeking his first victory of ‘26.

With more than a full race’s padding on third-ranked Kage Tadman (No. 28 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Saathoff is primed to let it hang out at a track he’s previously conquered with hopes of finally bringing Drane’s win streak to an end.

Vindicated

Last year’s Super TT was also a monumental one for Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Memphis Shades/Corbin Seats Yamaha YZ450F) – albeit more in hindsight than in action.

Pfanders was credited with third, marking his first career Progressive AFT podium. However, it didn’t involve a trip to the podium, as he crossed the line in fourth and was only elevated to the position after Aidan RoosEvans was DQ’d from second.

While likely not how he envisioned his first podium, Pfanders more than made up for it when he took his maiden KICKER AFT Singles victory at the DAYTONA double season opener earlier this year.

He’s also well set up to stand upon the box in Sturgis this year, having rediscovered his form following a mid-season dip. The OTB Racing pilot has reeled in consecutive finishes of fifth, fifth, and sixth and appears ready to capitalize at a track he’s done well at in the past.

Bounce Back Candidate

While Pfanders has gotten his season back on the track, preseason title hopeful Trevor Brunner (No. 21 KMA Racing/March Equipment Yamaha YZ450F) is looking for a turnaround of his own.

Brunner – among the most decorated riders the class has ever known – came out swinging in ‘26, claiming four podiums over the season’s first five races, including a victory at the Senoia ST.

However, he’s now mired in an uncharacteristic slump that’s seen him finish eighth or lower six races running. Brunner is obviously capable of much more, and perhaps the Super TT is exactly what he needs to re-unlock his potential. 

He’s tied with Saathoff for most TT wins among active riders (two). One more would vault him into a tie for third all-time while giving him a much-needed boost in confidence.

Puncher’s Chance

While Drane has made it unlikely-bordering-on-impossible as of late, the KICKER AFT Singles class is still capable of springing a surprise winner at times.

Tadman did it twice in 2025, and, as noted above, Pfanders pulled off an upset of his own earlier this year.

A win by Tarren Santero (No. 75 Roof Systems/Texas Utility Studies/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R) might not even register as a surprise, considering how close he’s come on multiple occasions before.

Jared Lowe (No. 63 Big R Racing/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R) was strong here a year ago, while Walker Porter (No. 10 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) has made himself a regular up near the front at times this season.

We haven’t yet gotten a chance to see how rookies like Jack Brucks (No. 113 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) and Jett Katarzy (No. 117 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) will fare at a Super TT, but we can trust that long-time Supermoto ace Bronson Pearce (No. 132 A1R Racing/FRA Trust Yamaha YZ450F) will be at the top of his game.

Party Like You're at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is regarded the world over as one of the planet’s ultimate party destinations, and the revelry will be overflowing at the track and throughout the town. NASCAR legend Mike Skinner will serve as Grand Marshal to help cement the event’s elevated status. 

And along with the world-class race action, the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club will host the V-Twin Visionary Ride-In Bike Show, a Strider race for kids, big-screen viewing, an abundance of food and beverage options, and more.

Act Fast to Secure Your Seat

A limited number of General Admission tickets for the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT and the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track are available for just $25 each round. General Admission Grandstand tickets are only $53 per round (kids 12 and under free with a paid adult ticket) with Reserved Grandstand tickets available for $64 (all ages). Students can purchase a GA Grandstand ticket for just $20 at the gate the day of the event with a valid ID.

The Harley-Davidson VIP Experience ($135, all ages), delivers H.O.G. members an unforgettable evening that includes exclusive H-D seating, a rider meet-and-greet, an infield tour complete with podium photos, and Harley swag.

Finally, an exclusive offering – limited to just 30 guests – is access to the AFT Hospitality Tent, which provides prime sightlines along with food and drinks all day for $125 (all ages).

And if you act fast, you can save $5 off the gate price and be one of the first 500 who’ll snag a free seat cushion.

Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-jackpine-gypsies-super-tt-191302 to reserve your seats for the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT.

And visit  https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-jackpine-gypsies-short-track-194954 to reserve your seats for the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track.

Both days will see the gates open for fans at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

For more information on Progressive American Flat Track, visit https://www.americanflattrack.com

TIM LESTER

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 4, 2026) – From August 7-16, the eyes of the motorcycling world will be firmly focused on the 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and its half-million or so hardcore enthusiasts in attendance. And at the center of the action the superstars of Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, will celebrate that burning bright spotlight with two rounds of the Grand National Championship.

With just eleven points separating the three primary Mission AFT SuperTwins title contenders and 40% of the year’s remaining races slotted into a three-day span, the upcoming week is destined to be intense.

First up is the first TT of the 2026 season – the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT – which will take place at the historic Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club in Sturgis, South Dakota, on Saturday, August 8.

Numbers Game

Even by Sturgis’ standards, this edition is destined to be an especially patriotic affair. Having evolved into an iconic showcase of Americana, the 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally will take place just over a month after the United States celebrated its 250th birthday and just over a month prior to 9/11, the nation now 25 years removed from that fateful day in 2001.

While the rally has grown far beyond its initial ambitions, Progressive AFT has done well to remind the world that it was originally launched in 1938 by the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club as a way of promoting a Half-Mile dirt track race.

Its racing heritage once again prominent via its renewed ties to the venerable-yet-vibrant Grand National Championship, Sturgis may just see another historic number recognized this weekend…

700

Another icon of Americana – Harley-Davidson – comes to Sturgis boasting 698 GNC Main Event victories, putting the brand within reach of scoring #699 and #700 in front of the legions of Harley faithful that will descend upon Sturgis by the hundreds of thousands this week.

And 700 is not just a mathematical possibility – it’s a very real one indeed. H-D has zeroed in on that number in rapid fashion in ‘26 with rookie title leader Kody Kopp (No. 12 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) and wins leader Briar Bauman (No. 3 Super.com/RWR/Rocket Doctor Harley-Davidson XG750R) combining to tally up nine victories already this year.

Both riders are blessed with the requisite all-around skills to stand atop the box at a TT and a ST, while being further fueled by their respective championship ambitions in a scorching hot title fight that’s racing toward its conclusion.

The Harley-Davidson contingent will be further bolstered by the presence of Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 FRA Trust Advisors Harley-Davidson XG750R). While RoosEvans earned his first official Progressive AFT podium earlier this season, fans will remember that he held off KICKER AFT Singles king Tom Drane to cross the stripe as the runner-up in the class’ Main Event at the Super TT a year ago before later being disqualified for a technical infraction.

While the result was ultimately scratched, that performance certainly demonstrated his potential at the venue. 

TT Defense

But to hit #700 in Sturgis, H-D is going to have to go through reigning Grand National Champion and defending Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT winner Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07).

Daniels – another all-around ace with especially sublime TT chops – took the honors last season in a state of extreme motivation following a controversial clash with rival Bauman days prior.

While emotions aren’t running that hot (at least not yet), Daniels understands that he needs to come up big down the stretch to overcome the formidable duo of Kopp and Bauman. And to realistically do so, it’s vital that he capitalizes on each and every occasion in which he holds the upper hand – as he arguably does at a Super TT.

Saturday’s race is the fifth all-time to carry the Super TT moniker, which is reserved for layouts that go beyond the usual TT addition of a righthand corner and a jump. The Jackpine Gypsies Super TT meets that threshold and then some by way of multiple right-handers, multiple jumps, and a pavement section.

Yamaha has won every previous premier-class Super TT, courtesy of Daniels and former Estenson teammate JD Beach, both of whom happen to be elite-caliber flat trackers and roadracers. 

The Fight for Fifth

Following an uneven start to the season, Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke) has things rolling nicely now. The Oregonian is well clear in fourth place, thanks to an active run of four consecutive podium finishes. 

Fisher has it in him to up that number to five on Saturday; he was hunting a podium finish here a year ago, hounding TT legend Henry Wiles (No. 911 DL Racing/HYMMC Yamaha MT-07), before a mechanical issue dropped him from contention.

While Kopp, Daniels, Bauman, and Fisher have a firm grasp on the top four positions in the standings, a coveted top-five ranking in the Grand National Championship is still up for grabs.

Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods Honda CB750 Hornet) achieved that honor in his very first attempt, securing fourth overall in his rookie campaign last year. Lowe is well positioned to back that up with another top-five, as he currently ranks fifth.

However, the aforementioned RoosEvans is just eight points back in sixth (117-109), and Fisher’s teammate and noted TT expert, Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Roof Systems KTM 790 Duke), is just a further 13 points adrift and not out of top-five contention just yet.

Party Like You're at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Act Fast to Lock in Savings and Your Seat

Finally, an exclusive offering – limited to just 30 guests – is access to the AFT Hospitality Tent, which provides prime sightlines along with food and drinks all day for $125 (all ages).

And if you act fast, you can save $5 off the gate price and be one of the first 500 who’ll snag a free seat cushion.

Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-jackpine-gypsies-super-tt-191302  to reserve your seats for the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT.

And visit  https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-jackpine-gypsies-short-track-194954 to reserve your seats for the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track.

Both days will see the gates open for fans at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

For more information on Progressive American Flat Track, visit https://www.americanflattrack.com

How to Watch

FloRacing

For those who can’t catch the live action at the track, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive American Flat Track. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2026. FloSports is available by visiting https://flosports.link/AFT2026 or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast.

FOX Sports

FOX Sports provides national television coverage of select Progressive American Flat Track events throughout the season, featuring in-depth race coverage, rider features, and onboard cameras. The 2026 Progressive AFT television schedule is available at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports.

Rusty Wallace Named Grand Marshal of the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 30, 2026) - Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, announced today that NASCAR Hall of Famer and 1989 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Rusty Wallace will serve as Grand Marshal of the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track on Monday, August 10, during the 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

An avid motorcyclist, Wallace will also host the Rusty Wallace Charity Ride presented by Harley-Davidson on Friday, August 14, in Deadwood, South Dakota. Proceeds from the ride will benefit The NASCAR Foundation and Special Olympics of South Dakota.

Wallace earned 55 NASCAR Cup Series victories, the 1984 Rookie of the Year award and the 1991 International Race of Champions title. His accomplishments have earned him induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame and several other prominent motorsports halls of fame.

“Sturgis, motorcycles and short-track racing. That’s a pretty good combination as far as I’m concerned,” Wallace said. “I’m looking forward to getting out to Sturgis, seeing the great fans and watching the riders go for it!”

Wallace will join Progressive AFT competitors and fans for pre-race festivities at the historic Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club as the series concludes its Sturgis doubleheader with a night of short-track racing.

Tickets for the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track are available now at https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-jackpine-gypsies-short-track-194954

Next Up

Progressive American Flat Track heads to the historic Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club in Sturgis, South Dakota, for two nights of racing during the 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The doubleheader opens with the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT on Saturday, August 8, featuring inaugural NASCAR Truck Series Champion Mike Skinner as Grand Marshal, followed by the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track on Monday, August 10.

Get tickets to the Progressive American Flat Track events during the 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally:

Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT: https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-jackpine-gypsies-super-tt-191302

Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track: https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-jackpine-gypsies-short-track-194954

For more information on Progressive American Flat Track, visit https://www.americanflattrack.com

10 Minutes + 2 Laps with Kolby Carlile

Kristen Lassen

In “10 Minutes + 2 Laps with…”, we take the same amount of time required to complete a Mission AFT SuperTwins Main Event (give or take a red flag) and use it to catch up with, and hopefully learn a little about, some of the more prominent figures on the Progressive American Flat Track scene. This week, we caught up with Progressive AFT champion turned Progressive AFT commentator Kolby Carlile.

AmericanFlatTrack.com: Hey Kolby, I have to say, you’ve made a seamless transition from racing to commentating. You seem very natural in the role. What’s that experience been like for you?

Kolby Carlile: Once I started getting hurt there in 2022, I started doing it just for fun with (“the voice of American Flat Track”) Scottie (Deubler). I had no intention of actually trying to do it full-time like I'm doing now. But I feel like I've always been pretty articulate on the podium and things like that, so I think that's why it naturally flowed really well. And then obviously I've had chemistry with Scottie for so long. It’s all really culminated into what we have now.

AFT: Does that chemistry go back to him originally interviewing you on the podium and in the pits when you were first coming up?

KC: Yeah… And he’s a racer himself to begin with, and then we’d actually done some traveling together a long time ago. So we’ve just built chemistry and rapport over the years. Not even from the interviews, necessarily, but just seeing him at the races and talking in the pits during the weekends.

AFT: You both share the self-deprecating humor and your personalities mesh in that sense too.

KC: With us being friends, we can kind of mess with each other a little bit and make little jokes. I think that comes off well with the fans because being a little bit looser and funnier, I think deep down that’s how our fans want us to be. They don't want us to be fully serious. I think that’s just kind of how dirt track fans are.

Scottie Deubler interviews Kolby Carlile immediately after he clinched the 2017 AFT Singles crown [Photo: Scott Hunter for AMA Pro Racing]

AFT: I have a theory, and you can tell me if you agree. I feel like one of your strengths is the fact that you can relate to the experiences of pretty much everyone out there. You had significant success – Singles title, Production Twins wins, SuperTwins top-fives – but you also know what it’s like to struggle with injuries or having to fight just to make the Main. Thoughts?

KC: I think that's a great point because I truly have been all over. I've been on my own team, I've been on bad teams, and I've been on the best team in the pits. I have had the highest of highs, winning the championship and having some good results, and then the lowest of lows, being injured just repeatedly there towards the end, having a lot of surgeries but no luck.

I also think I've got a good vision of what I'm actually watching. I've got enough respect for my (former) competitors, that even though sometimes I can't do what they can, and I can't go as fast as some of them can, I still feel like I'm well versed enough in what they're doing that I can call them out if I think they could be doing something better. That’s a fine line to walk at times, but I feel confident in it, and I think that helps bring another layer to the commentary.

AFT: You mentioned having had experience with what you termed the best team in the paddock… It may be hard for some people to remember – but I’m sure you’re not one of them – that Estenson Racing endured some real struggles developing the Yamaha to get it where it is now. Back in ‘21, for example, you and JD (Beach) had to give everything you had just to sniff the top ten. And now they’re on the box pretty much every week.

When you see what they’re doing, do you feel a sense of pride in having played a role in that development, or are you just wishing you had ridden a bike like the one they have now?

KC: Honestly, I don't think we played much of a role. I'd like to think we did, but I just think that the leap they took at the end of 2021 coming out with flywheel, and then just all of a sudden figuring out the electronic package in 2022, that bike was night-and-day better than what I, JD, and Jake Johnson rode.

There were times where JD and I were battling to the death for 14th and 15th. I mean, we were going tooth and nail, and we just couldn’t do it. We just didn’t have the equipment under us. Plus we were going up the Indians, which wasn’t easy.

But that bike that they rolled out on in ‘22, they just figured it out. So yeah, I really wish I could have ridden that one because I think I could have done well. I think I could have gotten some top fives and maybe a podium… And maybe on the right day, I could have even won. That bike was way better from what we had… Look at JD – look how his results just transformed overnight on the oval tracks.

Kolby Carlile at speed on the Estenson Yamaha in Springfield in 2020 [Photo: Brian J Nelson for AMA Pro Racing]

AFT: At a minimum, one has got to give Estenson credit for sticking with the program and putting in a huge effort to make that leap.

KC: Yeah, it would have been easy to switch to Indians. But that’s not the vision they had. And I mean, they poured so much money into getting it to where it is now, and it was good to see them get there. I just wish I could have been on that bike.

AFT: But even now it’s a fight. You look at what the Harley is doing… The XG has been racking up the wins.

KC: I think with the rule changes, something's going on with them. Two years ago, (Estenson) were really, really good. And last year, they were still very good, but this year something just off. Dallas (Daniels) has to be perfect to try to go for these wins.

AFT: Every time we do one of these, we ask the same two bonus questions. First, can you name an interest or hobby of yours that is completely removed from racing, engines, or wheels?

KC: I like to read.

AFT: What do you read?

Speaker 2: I'll pretty much read anything, but right now I'm reading Dungeon Crawler Carl.

AFT: I have not read that, but I keep seeing it get recommended.

KC: Yeah, it’s phenomenal.

AFT: Okay, last question. What would be your death-row style last meal?

KC: Chicken Parmesan.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 28, 2026) - Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, announced today that NASCAR legend Mike Skinner will serve as Grand Marshal for the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT, set for Saturday, August 8, at Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club in Sturgis, South Dakota.

A NASCAR Truck Series pioneer and longtime standout across multiple forms of stock car racing, Skinner will help set the stage for one of the most unique events on the 2026 Progressive AFT schedule.

Skinner made history in 1995 when he won the first race in NASCAR Truck Series history and went on to claim the inaugural series championship driving the famed No. 3 truck for Richard Childress Racing. He ultimately earned 28 career NASCAR Truck Series victories and became the first driver in series history to record 50 poles.

Skinner also competed full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, earning 1997 Rookie of the Year honors. During his rookie season, he captured pole positions for both Daytona races and went on to finish a career-best 10th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings.

A member of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, Skinner remains active in motorsports as co-host of Skinner Round-Up on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio alongside his wife, Angie. He also competes in vintage racing events around the world and continues to support charitable efforts, including The Rusty Wallace Charity Ride and NASCAR Foundation initiatives.

“Racing has taken me to a lot of special places over the years, and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is one of those events that has a life of its own,” said Skinner. “To be part of it with American Flat Track and Jackpine Gypsies, around racers and fans who love this stuff the way I do, is something I’m really looking forward to. The Jackpine Gypsies Super TT ought to be a great night of racing in the heart of the Rally.”

The Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT will bring Progressive American Flat Track to the legendary Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, showcasing the world’s best dirt track motorcycle racers in one of the country’s most iconic motorcycle destinations.

Tickets for the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT are available now at https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-jackpine-gypsies-super-tt-191302

Next Up

Progressive American Flat Track heads to the historic Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club in Sturgis, South Dakota, for two nights of racing during the 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The doubleheader opens with the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT on Saturday, August 8, followed by the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track on Monday, August 10.

Get tickets to the Progressive American Flat Track events during the 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally:

Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT: https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-jackpine-gypsies-super-tt-191302

Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track: https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-jackpine-gypsies-short-track-194954

For more information on Progressive American Flat Track, visit https://www.americanflattrack.com

How to Watch

FloRacing

FOX Sports

Drane, Saathoff on Collision Course in Super TT Rematch

Progressive AFT Superstars Set for Super TT Showdown at 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally