The new AFT Sturgis TT event provided bar-banging race action in front of Sturgis rallygoers last weekend, with JD Beach taking the SuperTwins victory ahead of a strong pack of dirt-trackers.
AFT Sturgis Double-Header Preview
Beach was subbing for the injured Dallas Daniels on the Estenson Yamaha MT-07, but it wasn’t easy for the MotoAmerica roadracer. Rain had pushed back the schedule into the evening, and the race was halted after championship leader Jared Mees had collided with Brandon Price in the dirt section and partially rode over the fallen rider. A red-flag situation forced a race restart.
Beach rebounded with another great start and was never challenged up front. Peoria TT winner Briar Bauman earned the runner-up spot, followed by Jarod Vanderkooi, who scored his first podium of the 2024 season. Mees finished in 5th place but remains at the top of the championship points table, with a 22-point gap over Brandon Robinson and 27 points over Bauman. After the results were posted, AFT ended up disqualifying Mees, presumably for his tangle with Price, but there was no official announcement from AFT about the DQ.
AFT Black Hills Half-Mile Results
It was the second win of the week for Beach, backing up his victory at the Black Hills Half-Mile last Tuesday night. Beach now has nine career TT wins to his credit and set a record of victories at six different TT courses. The AFT championship resumes August 31-September 1 in Springfield, Illinois, for the Mission Springfield Mile I & II.
The AFT Sturgis TT also saw the debut of AFT’s AdventureTrackers class, which features adventure-styled streetbikes modified for racing. Along with Harley-Davidson Pan Americas were Honda Africa Twins and Triumph Tiger 1200s.
Taking victory was flat-track hero Sammy Halbert on a Triumph after Dan Bromley’s Honda lost power while battling for the lead. Iván Cervantes, a five-time world enduro champion, secured the runner-up spot on his Triumph, and four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick completed the podium on his Pan America.
More information in the press release below.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 11, 2024) – Neither pavement, dirt, rain, nor restart could prevent JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) from putting on yet another exhibition of all-around motorcycle mastery in Sunday’s Arrowhead Brass Sturgis TT presented by Rick Ware Racing & The CAT Rental Store, Round 13 of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
While inclement weather pushed the planned proceedings back several hours, the event proved every bit the spectacle that was promised once the world’s elite dirt trackers finally locked handlebars on the unique hybrid racetrack laid out in the streets of downtown Sturgis, South Dakota.
And while the combination of pavement turns, dirt jumps and switchbacks put the talents of even the greatest Mission AFT SuperTwins riders to the test, world-class dirt tracker/roadracer Beach looked to be in his natural environment.
Beach powered into the lead from pole and immediately threatened to sap all tension right from the race’s opening lap. However, despite Beach’s best efforts, reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) managed to inject the Main Event with an abundance of drama soon after.
The nine-time series king sank down the order at the light due to a poor launch, getting clipped and nearly taken out by Sammy Halbert (No. 69 OnlyFans/Martin Trucking Yamaha MT-07) as he was swallowed up by the pack. Trapped down in eighth early, Mees threw in a hard overtake on Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Sody Ent/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) entering the dirt section. That attempt resulted in contact, which knocked his opponent over and brought a stop to the race.
But the red flag only temporarily delayed Beach’s escape to victory. Peoria TT winner Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) got away well in second following the restart and hounded Beach for a time, but the Estenson Racing substitute rider systemically eked away one and two tenths per circulation before finally working his way to a 1.715-second margin of victory.
The triumph was Beach’s second in the week, backing up his Tuesday night win at the Black Hills Half-Mile. It also increased his career TT wins total to nine, equal to Steve Eklund for third all-time and now training only Henry Wiles and Chris Carr. It also saw him set the new standard for wins at the most different TT courses at six.
“It’s been a great three rounds, but this round was amazing,” Beach said. “I’ve got to give it up to the whole fanbase. All of the fans were going crazy all day long, and so many people stuck it out despite all the rain. I think this race was awesome. And I’ve got to thank the Estenson Racing Monster team for letting me come out and do these three rounds to fill in for Dallas (Daniels). I’m bummed he’s not here because I know he would have given me a run for my money too, but it’s been a real good three races.”
Bauman, meanwhile, held on for second; this despite the late-race charge of Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750), who finally earned his first podium of the ‘24 season by finishing third after several near misses along the way.
Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) limped his way to fourth after injuring his foot in the Mission #2Fast#Tasty Challenge, colliding with the wall while harrying Beach for the win.
And for all the excitement, Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) completed what must be considered a successful evening in fifth, as that result pulled him further clear of second-ranked (and tenth-placed) Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) in the title chase.
Meanwhile, Sammy Halbert (No. 69 OnlyFans/Martin Trucking Yamaha MT-07), Max Whale (No. 18 Latus Motors Racing/Liqui Moly Harley-Davidson XG750R), Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing Indian FTR750) and Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) sandwiched between the championship leaders in sixth through ninth, respectively.
Mees’ advantage now sits at a healthy 22 points (251-229) with three rounds remaining, with Bauman closing in on second at 224.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) did his part in ensuring the historic nature of the Arrowhead Brass Sturgis TT. The double defending class champion earned his first career TT victory at the event, which upped his record-setting tally of wins to 21, completed his quest for a Singles Grand Slam, and moved that much closer to an unprecedented third Parts Unlimited AFT Singlescrown.
Kopp figured to be in for a serious fight when rival (and experienced roadracer) Tom Drane(No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) grabbed the holeshot. But rather than let that become a problem, Kopp executed an aggressive pass as the two transitioned onto the dirt section for the first time.
Once through, Kopp simply set sail at the front. Drane might have liked to formulate a plan to strike back at Kopp but was instead forced to worry about what was behind him as a pack of five riders closed in on his rear wheel – a group headed by an on-form Tarren Santero (No. 75 Vinson Construction/P&M Motorcycles Honda CRF450R).
Drane and Santero then two carried their fight for second to the checkered flag as Bronson Pearce (No. 132 Scott Cason @ USA Mortgage Honda CRF450R), Chad Cose (No. 49 D&D Cycles/DG79 Husqvarna FC450), and Justin Anselmi (No. 115 Team TDR/Unsettled Racing Yamaha YZ450F) retreated from the podium battle even as Chase Saathoff(No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) marched his way forward.
Saathoff’s climb merely gave him a front-row seat from fourth to witness Santero pull off a final-lap acing of Drane in order secure his first career Progressive AFT podium with a runner-up result.
Supermoto specialist Pearce was right at home on the pavement-heavy circuit and it showed with a fifth-place finish just ahead of Cose, who finished sixth while sitting in for former teammate James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450).
Rookie Anselmi took seventh followed by another first-year pilot in Evan Renshaw (No. 265 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R). Olin Kissler (No. 40 JCM Construction KTM 450 SX-F) and Jared Lowe (No. 63 BigR/Little Debbie Racing Honda CRF450R) completed the top ten.
Kopp’s victory puts him in strong position to lock up a championship early for the third time. He now leads by 34 points over Saathoff and 40 over Drane as the series next heads to Springfield with the #1 plate both on his bike and in his sights. He said, “It’s awesome to get a TT (win) finally. It took a lot of starts and a lot of days on TTs where we were fastest all day and just didn’t finish the job… We’re on track for a third championship and this break coming up is much needed.”
AFT AdventureTrackers
As both hoped and expected, the AFT AdventureTrackers made a huge impression in the class’ eagerly awaited debut. Featuring near-stock Dual Adventure bikes piloted by riders from a diverse set of racing backgrounds – including dirt track, roadracing, enduro, Super Hooligan, and stunt – the AFT AdventureTrackers competitors treated fans to a one-of-a-kind demonstration that illustrated the full potential of the versatile machines.
And none did so as effectively as a pair of full-time flat trackers in Dan Bromley (No. 62 Sody Enterprises/Memphis Shades/Vinson Honda Africa Twin) and Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Triumph Racing Triumph Tiger 1200).
The two ran off at the front, Bromley looking smooth and controlled while Halbert was all aggression and excitement. Halbert took the lead momentarily, but a bobble allowed Bromley right back through and once again in control.
However, any and all potential for last-lap fireworks was erased when Bromley momentarily lost power, handing first position – and ultimately the win – over to Halbert.
“It was actually quite easy for me to ride that Triumph, it worked so well,” Halbert said. “I’m just a little guy and that’s a big bike, but it’s so nice and easy to ride. I’m so stoked to get that win in the inaugural race for the class… It was a rad event.”
Five-time Enduro World Champion Iván Cervantes (Triumph Racing Triumph Tiger 1200) worked his way around four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick (No. 64 Saddlemen Race Development Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250) to secure second place as the two completed a star-studded podium.
Robby McLendon (No. 169 Triumph Racing Triumph Tiger 1200) and Kole King (No. 80 Triumph Racing/Triumph Indianapolis Triumph Tiger 1200) made it four Triumphs in the top five, followed by pre-race favorite Frankie Garcia (No. 14 Saddlemen Race Development Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250), whose shot at the win stalled off the line.
Next Up
The battle for the Grand National Championship will resume when Progressive AFT descends on the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois, for the Mission Springfield Mile I & II on August 31-September 1.
The Arrowhead Brass Sturgis TT pre-race show will air on FS2 on Saturday, August 17,at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT), immediately followed by the race broadcast on FOX at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT). The complete two-hour pre-race and race package will then re-air on FS1 later that evening, starting at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT). Find more information on the Progressive AFT website.
