Mission AFT SuperTwins riders during the Mission Triple Challenge at the Lima Half-Mile: Dallas Daniels (32), Brandon Robinson (44), Dan Bromley (62), and Briar Bauman (3). Photo credit: Tim Lester / American Flat Track.
Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) won the historic Lima Half-Mile I, Round 6 of the 2025 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
Daniels desperately needed a victory at the Allen County Fairgrounds. Nearly four months after his last victory and having seen Mission AFT SuperTwins title rival Briar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors Harley-Davidson XG750R) win the last three races in a row, the preseason Grand National Championship favourite arrived in Lima, Ohio, desperate to rebalance the momentum in his favour.
The debut of Mission Triple Challenge almost guaranteed an evening of drama and excitement as the two competed for supremacy. The entire field faced an all-new format for the first time, with three successive Main Events – the first a 10-lap sprint, the second a 15-laper with double points, and a decisive 20-lap Main to round out the evening with triple points – the results of which combined to determine the evening’s overall winner.
On paper, the concept looked promising; in practice, it delivered.
Main Event 1
The Mission AFT SuperTwins evening began in barn-burning fashion, with Bauman, Daniels, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R), and Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Suzuki GSX-8S) running four wide when they weren’t intersecting lines.
However, that demonstration of controlled chaos came to an abrupt halt due to an early fall by Ben Lowe (No. 25 Mission Foods/Roof Systems Yamaha MT-07), who raised the red flag.
Daniels took full advantage of the race reset, sprinting away to add 23 points to his total for the evening. He was followed home by Bauman, who slipped past Robinson on the final lap.
Bromley placed fourth, ahead of Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650).
Main Event 2
Lessons learnt: Main Event 2 was a contest of shifting lines and strategies.
While Daniels and Bauman battled for the lead in the early stages, Robinson shot past both and attempted a breakaway.
At that point, Main Event 1 winner Daniels appeared to be in the best position to avoid this outcome, while Bauman appeared to be doing everything he could to stay in third place.
However, he was simply doing his homework. When Bauman finally unleashed the line he worked out while out of sight of Robinson and Daniels, he ate up the gap and ran around the outside of both of his opponents, taking the lead for good with six laps to go.
Daniels took notes and dropped Robinson back to third by the time they reached the finish line.
In Main Event 2, Bromley and Whale repeated their previous fourth and fifth-place finishes.
Main Event 3
Daniels’ lightning-fast start meant little when Bauman and Robinson stormed past in one fell swoop.
While the three broke away from the pack almost immediately, Bauman kept charging forward, temporarily turning the contest into a one-man show.
However, after Bauman threatened a fourth consecutive premier-class victory by edging the lead to near-second, Daniels reeled him back in.
Bauman’s machine appeared to have a slipping clutch just as the Estenson Racing ace was closing in for the strike with five of 20 laps remaining. That enabled Daniels to easily pass and power his way to a third overall victory in 2025.
With nearly five seconds on Robinson, Bauman was almost able to maintain his lead until the checkered flag, but was caught and overhauled in the race’s final corner.
Nonetheless, Bauman’s earlier 2-1 results were enough to hold off Robinson in the overall standings, with him finishing second in the combined order despite his disappointing final lap in Main Event 3.
Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTB Racing Yamaha MT-07) finished fourth in the race, capping off an exciting debut with On the Box Racing by passing the in-form Bromley late in Main Event 3.
Bromley, like Bauman, was rewarded for his consistent efforts with a fourth-place overall finish.
Bender’s overall result of eighth did not reflect his strong performance in Main Event 3, as his combined tally still placed him behind fifth-placed Whale, sixth-placed Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp), and seventh-placed Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke).
Daniels stated, “The second and third Mains were just extremely difficult for us. The track was unlike anything I’d seen at Lima before; it was very brushed off, and you had to go in and bump the cushion.
“I was matching Briar there for a little while. I’m not sure if he had a problem or not, but I had a great line in Turns 3 and 4. I had to slow down to go faster, which has never happened here before. So it took a little time to adjust, and Briar has been on it throughout the season. He’s won the past three races. He’s been kicking our buttocks. So it’s best to stop the bleeding.
“It’s going to be a hell of a season battling with him and the rest of these guys.”
AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Meanwhile, Daniels’ teammate, AFT Singles presented by KICKER titleholder and defending Lima Half-Mile winner Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), won his first race of the 2025 Progressive AFT season.
Despite having blistering speed from the first practice, Drane was forced to fight for it over the course of three epic Main Events.
Main event 1
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) took the holeshot in the evening’s first 10-lap sprint, and Drane quickly drew up behind him. The two fought for position for several laps before the Australian took control and broke away at the front.
The battle for third place was even more intense. Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) took the lead at first, but was eventually overtaken by Chase Saathoff (No. 88 RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R), Tarren Santero (No. 75 Mission Roof Systems Honda CRF450R), and Evan Renshaw (No. 65 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450).
Saathoff, who started eighth and finished third, and Renshaw, who started 12th and finished fifth, not only added significant points to their combined tally, but also improved their chances by securing better starting positions in Main Event 2.
Main Event 2
Saathoff’s improved starting position put him in contention in the early stages of Main Event 2. However, the race gradually developed into a Drane vs. Brunner rematch.
This time, however, the Turner Racing pilot had something for his Estenson Racing Yamaha-powered competitor. Once in front, Brunner defended his position fiercely, changing lines and refusing to close the throttle when Drane slid up alongside and pushed him up against the fence.
Saathoff stayed close enough in third to watch the fight in front of him, while Santero took fourth for the second time in the evening, with rookie sensation Kage Tadman (No. 288 Roof Systems/Old Oak Ranch KTM 450 SX-F) rounding out the top five in Main Event 2.
Main Event 3
Even a shaky start couldn’t keep Drane from exacting his revenge in the third and final Main, as well as the overall result of the round.
The Australian dropped back to fifth at the start, while Brunner and Saathoff battled for first. A quick red flag resulted in a staggered restart, at which point Drane pounced on Saathoff before quickly dispatching Brunner as well.
Drane refused to give up, building a lead of more than five seconds as he approached the finish line.
All of Brunner’s hard work was undone when his Honda died with less than five laps to go. Despite a 2-1 record in Main Events 1 and 2, the triple points awarded for Main Event 3 cost him dearly, and he was eventually shuffled all the way down to sixth in the night’s combined results.
Santero took full advantage of Brunner’s misfortune, outdueling Saathoff to leap up to second in the Main and overall.
Meanwhile, Saathoff converted three-thirds into a combined third. Rising stars Renshaw and Tadman came in fourth and fifth place in Main Event 3 and overall.
Another highly touted rookie, Walker Porter (No. 100 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), performed admirably in his professional debut. Porter consistently finished near the top five, with scores of 8-9-8 to finish seventh in his first attempt at the Progressive AFT level.
After the race, winner Drane said, “It was really good. We were fast throughout the day. I knew what I had to do, and once I got past Trevor, all I had to do was put my head down and keep moving. It is unfortunate that he broke.
“At home, we do something similar. We have five heat races. For me, it was no problem. I just had to chip away at it, and then ride that last one like it was the Main because of the points. 
“Thank you to my entire Estenson Racing Monster Energy Yamaha team. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be here winning tonight. And I’m very grateful for them.”
