Briar Bauman (3) and Dallas Daniels (32) battle it out during the Mission AFT SuperTwins Main Event in Peoria. [Photo: American Flat Track / Tim Lester]
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 26, 2025) – A thrilling Grand National
Championship fight is well and truly racing down the backstretch as it
arrives for the Springfield Mile I & II presented by Drag Specialties at
the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois, on Saturday,
August 30, and Sunday, August 31.
The victory of Briar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors
Harley-Davidson XG750R) over Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing
Yamaha MT-07 DT) at the 78th World Famous Peoria TT was _big _in terms
of their ongoing Mission AFT SuperTwins title conflict.
This weekend’s Progressive American Flat Track doubleheader,
sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, at the series’ crown jewel event
promises to have even bigger implications.
The Stage is Set
As a result of Bauman’s win in Peoria, he now leads Daniels by 11
points (266-255). With just three races remaining, that puts the
Estenson Racing Yamaha ace in a position where he needs to win out to be
assured of the crown.
Considering the form of Daniels and his machine at the season’s only
other Mile (DuQuoin) – further amplified by the desperation of his
current situation – he’s likely viewed as the favorite this weekend.
However, even if he doubles in Springfield, he could still potentially
face a scenario in which he’d need to win over Bauman at the Lake
Ozark Short Track finale. And there he’s destined to be swapped into
the role of underdog considering that Bauman has beaten Daniels
head-to-head in each of the five most recent Short Tracks.
Still, even if Bauman is completely confident in his ability to overcome
Daniels in Missouri, he can’t feel overly comfortable coming into
Springfield due to some complicating factors.
More on those in a bit.
King Maker
The Springfield Mile has always loomed large in determining the Grand
National Championship. That’s only been made truer since being slotted
in as a late-season doubleheader.
Last season, Jared Mees came into Springfield with just a six-point
championship advantage. A pair of wins later, he left up 22 with just
Lake Ozark remaining to secure his unprecedented tenth premier-class
crown.
In 2023, Mees led Daniels by just a single point prior to the
Springfield Mile double finale. His 1-2 – contrasted by his young
challenger’s 5-4 – stretched the final separation open to 16.
In 2021 (the event was rained out in ‘22), Mees used a Springfield
sweep to springboard his comeback title campaign. Down 25 points at the
time, Mees won both races in Springfield and then in Sacramento to turn
the tables on Bauman.
In 2019 and 2020, Bauman proved it possible to weather a Springfield
championship drubbing, although under considerably different
circumstances than what he now faces. ‘19 saw Bauman go into
Springfield with a massive 38-point advantage. Mees’ 1-1 vs. his 3-2
slashed the difference down to a still hefty 25.
And in ‘20, Bauman came in up three points and left down 13, as a
result of his 7-3 vs Mees’ 2-1. However, the Springfield Mile
doubleheader came early that season due to the pandemic scheduling
shakeup, and Bauman managed to respond with four consecutive wins to get
his championship campaign back on track.
Complicating Factors
As previously alluded, Springfield is a special case. While Bauman has
finished first or second in 11 of 13 races this season (with one of the
two misses being a third in which he had to race up through the field
after being placed at the back of the pack), this weekend poses a
steeper climb toward that end goal.
Bauman finished fifth at the ‘25 DuQuoin Mile and looked rather
overmatched in doing so. Even though DuQuoin and Springfield have their
own particular characteristics, that recent data point has to be a bit
alarming for the Rick Ware Racing outfit.
And at Springfield, if you’re off by even a fraction, it can cost you
huge in the points payout.
Looking for some numbers to back up that assertion? How’s this?:
In the last 30 Springfield Miles:
23 have been decided by less than a second at the checkered flag.
18 of those 23 had at least three riders finish within a second of
victory.
11 of those 18 featured at least five riders within a second of victory.
Home track hero Jeffrey Carver, Jr. (No. 123 Happy Trails
Racing/Carver’s BBQ Kawasaki Ninja 650), won the Springfield Mile in
2018 over Mees by 0.819 seconds. The following year, he finished 0.653
seconds behind race winner Mees… and finished tenth!
And that wasn’t the only such race, as there were two among the 11
that saw 10 riders take the checkered flag within a second of the win.
A similar outcome for Bauman (or Daniels) would likely prove
catastrophic to their championship chances.
The Cascade
That sort of variability is liable to have ramifications all throughout
the championship tables.
At the moment, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems
Harley-Davidson XG750R) is relatively secure in third with 176 points
compared to the twin 158-point efforts of Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley
Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke) and Jarod VanDerKooi
(No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke).
However, he’s arguably somewhat less secure than he was two rounds
back when he led them 158-141-128. That current 18-point advantage
sounds even shakier when you factor in the possibility of a 15-point
shift a la Carver in 2019.
There’s also a tight race for sixth waged by Trent Lowe (No. 48
American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp), James Ott (No. 19
G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07), Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson
Construction Suzuki GSX-8S), and Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X
Powered by Royal Enfield 650).
Lowe leads them in that order, 137-131-128-127.
Behind those four, Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Luczak Racing
Yamaha MT-07) sits a distant tenth at 83 after joining the chase halfway
in.
Daniels and Yamaha would love to see Ott and Bender make big moves this
weekend, ideally replicating their DuQuoin 1-2-3. There, a Yamaha podium
lockout was significant. Here, it could be of Grand National
proportions.
Even assuming a win at Lake Ozark, Bauman needs to score at least 31
points in Springfield to fend off a 1-1-2 season’s finish by Daniels.
Two thirds would do it. A third and a fourth would not.
It may not prove to be podium or bust for Bauman, but he should
probably plan on viewing it as such.
The Magic is Back
And if all that doesn’t make for enough intrigue, this weekend will
mark the racing return of the one, the only, and the aforementioned
Jeffrey “The Wizard” Carver, Jr.
Carver’s entry at Springfield marks his first premier-class race since
2022. While he’ll be pressed to quickly brush off whatever rust has
accumulated in the time since, he’s a spectacular natural talent and
one of the more entertaining riders the sport has produced in recent
times.
Carver’s bona fides are legit. He’s a four-time Mission AFT SuperTwins
winner and 22-time podium finisher. Additionally, he won the AFT Singles
crown in 2010.
And he’s continued to have an impact on the sport even from the
fences; Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 FRA Trust/ATV’s and More Yamaha
YZ450F) credits Carver with playing a significant role in the
breakthrough season his fellow Illinois native has enjoyed in AFT
Singles competition this season.
That said, it’ll be fun to see Carver back out on track and flexing
those Springfield Mile muscles again.
Up for the (Triple) Challenge
And don’t forget, the Springfield Mile I marks the third and final
time this season the Mission Triple Challenge format will be utilized.
The shorter distances involved are likely to only bunch things up even
further, creating all the more opportunities for photo finishes and the
unexpected.
Grand National Atmosphere
Bring the family and enjoy not only the greatest spectacle on two
wheels, but also live music, big-screen viewing, vendor displays,
dedicated motorcycle parking, and a variety of food and beverage
options.
All ticketholders will have access to the AMCA Motorcycle Swap Meet
taking place both days in the infield. In fact, there will be three bike
shows in all – the Infield Bike Show as part of the AMCA Motorcycle
Swap Meet, the Flat Track Racing Show at the entrance of the
grandstands, and the Vintage Iron Rider’s Motorcycle Club display.
At the Springfield Mile, Bikes _and _Tickets Move Fast
And you had better move fast too because tickets are $10 off if
purchased prior to Wednesday. Act now and Infield tickets are still just
$20 (kids 12 and under free with a paid adult), while Reserved
Grandstand tickets start at $35 (all ages).
For $150, fans also have the opportunity to receive a VIP Experience
that provides an upgraded Reserved Grandstand ticket of their choice,
food and beverage in the VIP area, and all day access to the pits.
Camping is also available through the Illinois State Fairgrounds
campgrounds. For reservations or any questions, please call (217)
725-0120.
To purchase Springfield Mile I tickets, click HERE [6]. [7]
To purchase Springfield Mile II tickets, click HERE [8].
And to save an additional $5 by purchasing Saturday and Sunday tickets
together for the Springfield Mile I & II, click HERE [9].
For more information or media inquiries, please contact Mees Promotions
by phone (217) 632-0277 or email: meespromotions@gmail.com.
Gates will open for fans at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT) both days,
with Opening Ceremonies set to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT) on
Saturday and Sunday.
How to Watch
FloRacing
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit,
FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Motorsports
fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports
events in 2025. FloSports is available by visiting
https://flosports.link/aft [10] or by downloading the FloSports app on
iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.
FS1
FOX Sports coverage of the Springfield Mile I presented by Drag
Specialties, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras,
will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, September 6, at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00
a.m. PT). The Springfield Mile II presented by Drag Specialties will air
the following Saturday, September 13, at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT)
For more information on Progressive AFT visit
https://www.americanflattrack.com [11].