The Memphis Shades Ventura Short Track presented by 805 Beer, the fourth race in the 2026 American Flat Track season, gave Briar Bauman, racing a Harley-Davidson XG750R, his third straight win at the venue and his first of the season.
From the start, Bauman took the lead and stayed out front for the 8-minutes-plus-2-laps Mission AFT SuperTwins main event. Rookie Kody Kopp, also aboard a Harley XG750R, was the only racer with a shot of catching him but couldn’t make up the time, finishing 2nd. Dallas Daniels squeaked past Davis Fisher to finish 3rd after a mechanical issue with Fisher’s KTM.
Kopp is quickly becoming a strong force in the AFT SuperTwins class in his first year. With two wins and two 2nd-place finishes, he leads the standings ahead of 2025 champ and Yamaha-mounted Dallas Daniels. But Kopp still has a long way to go before securing the championship, and Bauman’s impressive show at Ventura could be a sign of serious battles ahead.
American Flat Track returns May 2 for the Silver Dollar Short Track in Chico, California, on May 2. Find more information in the press release below.
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Briar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Jacob Construction/Parts Plus Harley-Davidson XG750R) formally announced his arrival as a 2026 Grand National Championship contender with a dominant performance in Saturday’s Memphis Shades Ventura Short Track presented by 805 Beer.
Even after a somewhat-slower-than-expected start to his ‘26 Mission AFT SuperTwins campaign, Bauman’s one-sided victory at Ventura Raceway came as little surprise. The win was his third straight at the ocean-side venue and served as a stark reminder to the rest of the field the type of performance the two-time premier-class champion is capable of when on his game.
Bauman blasted into the lead from the start and soon after eliminated the threat of all but fellow Harley-Davidson ace Kody Kopp (No. 12 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R).
The rookie points leader did all he could just to keep Bauman in sight as they raced away from the pack. But despite his best efforts, Bauman ultimately proved too strong.
Kopp was given a glimmer of hope late when Bauman got hung up behind a three-rider group waging fifth position as he lapped his way up the order. However, Bauman’s hard work and big lead paid off, as he held on to grab the checkered flag with a 1.373-second margin of victory.
After earning his first win of the season, Bauman admitted, “I got a little bit greedy the first three rounds. I kind of led the team in a difficult direction. We wanted to bite off more than we could chew, and we got a little ahead of ourselves. So apologies to Rick Ware Racing and the whole family, but this is where we belong.
“I love coming here. I see my friends. I see my family where I grew up. I’m a pretty good Short Tracker, so I enjoy riding this track in general… I’m so proud of my guys. We did something massive tonight.”
Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07) finished third but required a good deal of luck to claim his usual spot on the podium.
Earlier, the reigning class king engaged in a bar-banging battle with a motivated Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke). But just as Fisher looked to have gotten the better of Daniels, he was dealt a cruel hand of mechanical misfortune with less than a minute remaining on the clock.
Fisher’s disappointment also elevated part-timer Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Dick Ford Racing/Mission/Roof Systems Yamaha MT-07) to a hugely impressive fourth in his 2026 debut.
Fisher’s teammate, Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Roof Systems KTM 790 Duke), rounded out the top five, finishing just ahead of Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 FRA Trust Advisors Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods Honda CB750 Hornet).
Logan Mcgrane (No. 14 Schaffers MotorSports/Ryan Varnes Racing KTM 790 Duke), Jacob Lehmann (No. 16 Weirbach Racing Kawasaki Ninja 650), and Evan Renshaw (No. 95 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) finished eighth through tenth, respectively.
Four races into his Mission AFT SuperTwins career, Kopp continues to lead the Grand National Championship with 84 points courtesy of two wins and two runners-up. Daniels is second at 77, followed by Bauman with 62.
Next Up
Progressive American Flat Track will round out its back-to-back California swing in Chico next Saturday, May 2, with the Silver Dollar Short Track. Secure your tickets today.
How to Watch
FloRacing
For those that 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 online or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.
FS1
FOX Sports coverage of the Memphis Shades Ventura Short Track, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, May 2, at 10:30 a.m. ET (7:30 a.m. PT). The full listing of American Flat Track’s television premieres can be found on the AFT website.
