| DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 18, 2026) – The possibilities are endless as the KICKER AFT Singles and AFT ProSport 450 classes roll into the Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia, on Saturday, March 21, for the Yamaha Atlanta Short Track, Round 3 of the 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. Some Things Never Change…The first race of the ‘26 KICKER AFT Singles season ended in familiar fashion, lining up the class’ three most accomplished active riders on the box. Reigning champion Tom Drane (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), Chase Saathoff (No. 88 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 KMA Racing/March Equipment Yamaha YZ450F) came into the year as the title favorites and for good reason. Each one has reeled in multiple wins over the past few seasons, and together, they’ve provided precious little space for anyone else to join in on the podium celebrations. And if you needed a little bit of familiar drama to go with the familiar results, Drane and Saathoff obliged, clashing yet again in a dispute over first place that left Saathoff on the ground and with more bitter feelings. It was not the first chapter of this particular tale, and it’s unlikely to be the last. Drane and Brunner will be competing to hand Yamaha its first-ever win in its home round at Senoia Raceway. Drane already looks to be in fighting form, grabbing the early points lead in his title defense with a DAYTONA 1-2. Brunner, meanwhile, appeared loose and relaxed on the KMA Racing Yamaha. While riding for big factory teams certainly has its perks, it also comes with a bright spotlight and big expectations. Brunner tends to ride his best when he’s flowing and free, and perhaps his new surroundings will allow him to do just that. And despite lacking a bit of luck, Saathoff, too, looked fast and confident at the opener. He’s clearly happy to be back on a Husqvarna after riding one throughout his amateur career. Having Jared Mees and Andrew Butler in his corner doesn’t hurt either. And neither does this week’s return to a track he won at a year ago. …And Some Things DoWhile Thursday’s top three came as no surprise, the class retains its propensity for radical and immediate change. Remember how Kage Tadman (No. 28 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) came from seemingly nowhere a year ago to dominate back-to-back rounds to launch his progressional career? Well, there were triple-digit numbers galore pushing their way up the timesheets and the order at the DAYTONA Flat Track. Combined qualifying times for the opening race of the season featured four such riders in the top ten, with rookies Jack Brucks (No. 113 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), Aaden Savage (No. 277 J&M Logging Husqvarna FC450), Jaymes Arnaiz (No. 227 Arnaiz & Goss Racing KTM 450SX-F), and Jordan Beaulac (No. 156 Picotte Motosport/Dofralex GASGAS MC 450F) running 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th fastest, respectively. Brucks backed that speed with a fourth-place run in his Progressive AFT debut later that night, while the others all finished in the points. And Beaulac – the son of Canadian flat track legend and ‘06 Lima Half-Mile winner Dominic Beaulac – was the story of Friday night until he wasn’t. Short of a late-race red flag, we would be talking about an all-new winner. Dues PaidActually, we still are. While Beaulac’s night took a turn for the worse following the red flag and subsequent restart, fortune smiled instead on Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Memphis Shades/Corbin Seats Yamaha YZ450F)… finally. Rookie routes à la Tadman are uncommon. More often, riders have to pay their dues, gain experience, and enjoy a bit of luck before they are able to win. But ultimately talent perseveres. And talent was never a question for Pfanders. Luck, however… Pfanders was well positioned to get that first win here at Senoia Raceway a year ago, slated to start the Main Event from pole after winning his heat. Instead, he was ruled out after going down hard in a scary crash involving Dalton Gauthier that occurred while Pfanders was leading the four-lap 1st Impressions Challenge race. There are several others in the field who have shown the potential to break through. In this year’s double opener, Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Eisenhard Racing/Pags Powersports KTM 450 SX-F) was the fastest qualifier and won his heat on Thursday and then ran up front with Beaulac on Friday before suffering a similar fate. Tarren Santero (No. 75 Roof Systems/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R) took his turn as the fastest qualifier on Friday and led late in the race before getting bumped off the podium altogether. Santero now owns three career second-place finishes while still hunting that maiden victory. Jared Lowe (No. 63 Big R Racing/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R) and Evan Kelleher (No. 31 Schaeffer’s Motorsports KTM 450 SX-F) have each finished inside the top five, as has Walker Porter (No. 10 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), who is representative of a big group of sophomores looking to level up following respectable rookie campaigns. The Road Less TraveledSam Drane (No. 7 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) stood victorious when the AFT Pro Sport 450 class made its official debut with the Road to AFT Amateur Invitational on Thursday at DAYTONA. Drane’s win over runner-up Ryder Bitz-Hay (No. 14 Bitz-Hay Racing KTM 450 SX-F) came one day after finishing second to Bitz-Hay in the qualifying 450 Road to AFT race held at the AMA-sanctioned Mission Foods CTR Showcase Event. Drane wasn’t finished. After going second on Wednesday and first on Thursday, he made his way over to the high banks of Daytona International Speedway to compete in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup aboard a Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing YZF-R7. There he finished second on Friday, and then – you guessed it – won on Saturday. 2-1. 2-1.Not a bad four-day run for the young Australian. The future stars of the sport will showcase their skills on Friday and Saturday at Senoia Raceway, with Friday’s Mission Foods CTR Showcase Event set to determine the amateur entries for Saturday’s AFT ProSport 450 competition. Time to ShineBeyond the incredible racing, fans will have an abundance of entertainment options available to them at Senoia Raceway. Included among them will be a meet and greet with even Grand Marshals Mark Ramsey and Digger Manes of Moonshiners fame, the Kids Zone, along with a wide variety of food and beverage options to choose from. Your Seat Awaits (and So Does Your Promo Code) General Admission Grandstand tickets are just $50 (students $30 with a valid ID and kids 12 and under free with a paid adult ticket) while Reserved Grandstand tickets start at $60 (all ages). Even better, if you use the Promo Code RESERVED25 you can get one Limited Reserved Grandstand ticket for a mere $25. There’s also a Military/First Responder Discount available, allowing GOVX fans to purchase tickets at reduced rates. The Practice Viewing and Opening Ceremonies Trackside Fan Experiences offer General Admission seating, a guided tour of the infield podium and start/finish line complete with photos ops. The Practice Viewing Fan Experience is available for $110, while the Opening Ceremonies Trackside Experience, which also includes up-close viewing of Opening Ceremonies, can be purchased for $135 per day. Trackside Parking ($150) and Multi-Day Camping Passes ($75) are also available to purchase. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-atlanta-short-track-165280 to reserve your seats today. Gates will open for fans at 3:15 p.m. ET/12:15 p.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 7:10 p.m. ET/4:10 p.m. PT. How to Watch FloRacingFor 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 by visitinghttps://flosports.link/AFT2026 or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast. FS1FOX Sports coverage of the Yamaha Atlanta Short Track, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, March 29, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT). The full listing of American Flat Track’s television premieres can be found at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports. |
