Championship-altering news surfaces as Progressive AFT heads for the 77th World Famous Peoria TT this weekend, June 28. Current points leader Dallas Daniels on the Estenson Racing team broke a femur in a training accident on Sunday, putting him out of the 2024 season and opening the door for Indian’s Jared Mees to take back the lead and earn a record-breaking 10th Grand National Championship.
In all likelihood, Dallas Daniels will sit out the rest of the 2024 season, dropping the 19-point advantage he has accrued thus far. In his place, JD Beach, who won the Peoria TT in 2023, joins the Estenson team as substitute after shifting his focus to Superbike racing for 2024.
Before his unfortunate accident, Dallas Daniels led the points standings with 216, followed by Mees with 197 and Brandon Robinson with 186. With six races left of the 16-race season, Mees and Robinson will have plenty of opportunity to battle for the lead, and we could see current 4th-place Briar Bauman or 5th-place Brandon Price making a move for the top.
The Peoria TT has the potential to be a season-altering event. Tickets are available now, and fans can subscribe to FloRacing to catch livestreams of all the weekend’s racing events.
Read the press release below for more information.
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 24, 2024) – The time has finally arrived for the annual running of the World Famous SC2 Peoria TT presented by Backyards Saloon at the Peoria Motorcycle Club’s spectacular natural amphitheater in Peoria, Illinois, on Sunday, July 28. One of motorsports’ longest running and most fabled events, the 77th edition will serve as Round 11 of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
The Grand National Championship outlook entering this weekend’s Peoria TT shifted radically with the shocking news that championship leader and local hero Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) will be unable to participate for the foreseeable future after suffering a broken femur in a training accident on Sunday.
Now recovering after undergoing successful surgery on Monday, the development is obviously a devastating blow to both Dallas Daniels and the Estenson Racing outfit after the rising star had built up 19-point advantage in the Mission AFT SuperTwins title fight on the strength of a perfect podium record.
While their premier-class championship ambitions have almost certainly put on hold until the 2025 season, Estenson Racing will move forward in the best possible manner this weekend by recruiting JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) to rejoin the effort in substitute duty. Beach, who shifted his focus back to Superbike racing this season, is one of the greatest TT riders in the history of the sport and the winner of the last three Peoria TTs while competing for Estenson Racing.
Daniels’ misfortune also has a massive impact on the quest of Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) to secure an unprecedented tenth Grand National Championship. A victory this weekend would move him that much closer to history while providing him with one of the few significant accomplishments he has yet to attain during his decorated dirt track career. The reigning champ has come close to winning here on numerous occasions over the years, having finished as the race’s runner-up a full seven times.
To do so, Mees will not only have to get past Beach, he’ll also need to overcome his long-time rival, Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke). Bauman stood atop the podium at Peoria in 2019 and has repeatedly reminded the world of that form in the years since, regularly pushing Beach at the front.
The weekend will also be pivotal for third-ranked Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750). Unlike his championship foes, Robinson does not come in with an extensive history of TT success. However, he has improved his form at Peoria in recent seasons, developing himself into a regular top-ten finisher. He needs to continue that upward trend and push for a top five in order to reignite his title hopes, currently just 11 points shy of Mees and with six rounds left in which to close that gap.
Several riders have spoiler potential, led by the likes of Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750), who has taken three consecutive top fives at Peoria.
Other veterans to keep tabs on include Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), and Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Transalp).
Meanwhile, a pair of 450cc winners at Peoria have stepped up to the Mission AFT SuperTwins ranks in ’24 with the high-profile additions of Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing KTM 790 Duke) and Max Whale (No. 18 Latus Motors Racing/Liqui Moly Harley-Davidson XG750R).
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
No matter who wins this weekend in Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER competition, it is guaranteed that a new name will achieve Peoria TT immortality with no past event winners gracing this year’s entry list.
Prior to Brunner’s victory a year ago, both reigning class champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) and rival Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) appeared destined to grab their first Peoria TT checkered flags before their respective efforts were undone by a pair of red flags. Title leader Kopp and third-ranked Drane – who have combined to win eight of ten races this season in addition to last year’s Peoria TT speed – are rightly viewed as the pre-race favorites.
Meanwhile, Illinois native Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) comes in fresh off a home-state victory in DuQuoin with hopes of making it two straight with his friends and family cheering him on. Saathoff has yet to podium at Peoria, but his fifth- and sixth-place finishers in his two prior attempts made his potential to excel at the circuit obvious.
The lack of a proven Peoria master leaves the door wide open for others to step forward and further their championship standing. Sitting just behind the top three is Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), who is still seeking his first win on the season after claiming a pair a year ago.
James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) has at last found his form, taking his first podium of the year last time out. That result came as his fourth top five in his most recent five starts, allowing him to both close on Lowe in fourth and open up a bit of separation in fifth ahead of fellow Californians Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/A.M Ortega KTM 450 SX-F), Tarren Santero (No. 75 Vinson Construction/P&M Motorcycles Honda CRF450R) and Tyler Raggio (No. 55 Raggio Racing/Sluggo Racing KTM 450 SX-F).
And rising forces Evan Renshaw (No. 265 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Hannum’s Harley-Davidson KTM 450 SX-F) would love to make waves this weekend with a big outing.
How to Watch Progressive AFT
There will be plenty beyond just the race action for fans to enjoy throughout the day on Sunday, including numerous vendors, expansive food and beverage options, and dedicated motorcycle parking.
General Admission Grandstand tickets are just $35 (kids 12 and under free with a paid adult General Admission ticket), while VIP Pass tickets, which include admission to the Turn 1 VIP lounge are $150 (all ages). The Pit Pass Upgrade grants access to the pit area for $40 ($20 for kids 12 and under). Reserve your seats today.
Gates will open for fans at 9 a.m. ET (6 a.m. PT) with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT). You can catch the livestream of all the weekend’s racing activities on FloRacing. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2024. FloSports is available here or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.
FOX Sports coverage of the World Famous SC2 Peoria TT presented by Backyards Saloon, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, August 4, at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT).
For more information on the Progressive AFT website.
