Jake Johnson Continues to Lead the Way for the Estenson Racing Team

In spite of tough conditions at round two of American Flat Track, Jake Johnson was able to leave the Atlanta Short Track with some valuable championship points for the Estenson Racing squad. Unfortunately, his teammates JD Beach and Kolby Carlile were unable to score a transfer spot from the Semi to the Main Event.

The clay short track at Dixie Speedway has been known to present slick conditions, something that has not typically favored the newly developed Yamaha dirt tracker. However, the team was hopeful that the track would have more traction than in the past and that perhaps some of their off-season testing would prove to be helpful. Unfortunately, it was not a best-case scenario with slick conditions from the start and limited track time for the Twins with no Heat races before the Semi.

Beach and Carlile were up first in Semi 1, finishing just outside the transfer positions, ninth and 10th, respectively.

Johnson on the other hand was able to squeak through to the Main, finishing eighth in his Semi. The two-time Grand National Champion was able to get a good start from 15th to 13th and make progress forward just outside the top 10. Johnson found a line with fresh dirt that worked for him and the Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT. Unfortunately, before the halfway mark, the grip he found on track went away and he continued to lose positions, ultimately finishing 16th.

At the end of the day, the team was able to take away some information from it, and they hope to expand on that at their half-day post-race test, Sunday, March 24 at Dixie Speedway.

Jake Johnson — AFT Twins #5:

“It was a tough day right from the get-go. The track was slick right off the bat. It looked like they had a lot of moisture in it but we went out for the track walk and I was like, man, this thing is going to get slick quick, and it did. Everybody was thinking the sun goes down, moisture comes up, but it just didn’t happen. It seemed like it just got slicker and slicker as the night went on.

“The Main Event started out okay. Got a decent start and kind of dove to the bottom and was just kind of riding in the fresh dirt where really nobody had ridden all day. It seemed like I was close to the top ten, at one point, but each lap, I could see that line just getting blacker and blacker and blacker. After about lap eight, ten, no matter where I went on the track, it felt like I was on ice. I kind of moved all over the track, tried a lot of different things, and it didn’t seem to help me. I just steadily went backwards. But we learned a lot today, and it could have been a lot worse. We were able to leave with some points and have three weeks or so until Texas, so hopefully we learn some more tomorrow at the test.”

JD Beach — AFT Twins #95:

“It was definitely a rough night, but we kind of knew coming into this race we were going to struggle a little bit with the track. We were just kind of chasing the track all night and chasing the bike. With how slick it was, it made it real hard to get grip. It definitely didn’t turn out the way we had hoped, but we’ve got a month off now, three weeks or something like that. So we’ll go back and try again in Texas.”

Kolby Carlile – AFT Twins #136:

“Even though we did not make the Main Event, I’m happy with the progress we continue to make. I felt really good in that Semi; that was the best I felt all day. We just lacked track time. The shortened schedule really, for lack of a better word, sucked. Not being able to have a heat race and having to going straight into a semi is not ideal. But like I said, I’m happy that we continue to make progress and learn. I look forward to our test tomorrow and finding out some new setups.”

Catch the race on NBCSN, March 31 at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Stay up to date with Estenson Racing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

More, from another press release issued by Estenson Racing:

Lessons Learned for Estenson Racing at Atlanta Short Track

WOODSTOCK, Ga. – Estenson Racing’s Ryan Wells crossed the line fourth Saturday night at the Atlanta Short Track, round two of the American Flat Track season at Dixie Speedway. That result was later disqualified following a post-race technical inspection for exceeding the maximum allowable weight for a rear wheel assembly by one pound.

“It’s unfortunate,” said Tommy Hayden, Director of Racing Operations. “We will ensure that this is not repeated. It is a learning experience for our young team. We will regroup, put Atlanta behind us and focus on the long season ahead of us.”

Stay up to date with Estenson Racing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Estenson Racing

Estenson Racing was born out of Team Owner Tim Estenson’s passion for motorcycles and flat track racing. In just their first full year of racing, Estenson Racing quickly established themselves as one of the top non-factory teams in American Flat Track. They reaped success early with an AFT Singles Championship and an X Games Gold Medal and followed that up in 2018 with their first win in the Twins class and multiple wins on the Mile in AFT Singles. Next year the team is more than doubling in size with JD Beach, Jake Johnson and Kolby Carlile in AFT Twins, and Ryan Wells and Dallas Daniels in AFT Singles. For more information about Estenson Racing, www.estensonracing.com

More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING’S FTR750 SWEEPS PODIUM AT ATLANTA SHORT TRACK

Indian Motorcycle Privateer Brandon Robinson Secures First Win Since 2016; Wrecking Crew Riders Jared Mees & Briar Bauman Finish Second and Third

WOODSTOCK, GA. (March 25, 2019) – Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, showcased dominance once again, as the FTR750 swept the Atlanta Short Track podium. In his first year piloting the FTR750, Indian Motorcycle Privateer Brandon Robinson (Kennedy Racing/Armbruster Racing Indian FTR750) secured his first win since 2016. Alongside Robinson, Wrecking Crew Riders Jared Mees and Briar Bauman rounded out the podium, finishing second and third respectively.

Starting from the front row, Robinson battled near the front of the pack for most of the Main – remaining fast and picking off riders one by one. With four laps remaining, Robinson made an impressive move along the outside to surpass Mees for the lead. Robinson’s win in Atlanta and eighth-place finish in Daytona places him second on the championship leaderboard.

“Brandon Robinson is an incredible competitor. It’s great to see him take to the FTR750 so quickly and secure a win in only his second race on the bike,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology & Service for Indian Motorcycle. “On a night where the track got the best of a number of riders, it was great to see Mees and Briar battle it out and secure the FTR750 podium sweep.”

After starting the Main on the pole, Bauman fell back as far as eighth place. As the race went on, Bauman found a line low on the track and was able to make several passes and secure back-to-back podium finishes to start the year. Mees, who was looking to bounce back after the Daytona TT, was running fast to start the Main. Though as the race went on, traction wore thin and Mees ultimately finished in second. Through the first two races of the season, Briar Bauman is atop the leaderboard with 42 points followed by Robinson and Henry Wiles (Bandit Industries, DPC Racing, Wilco Racing Indian FTR750) with 36 and 34 points respectively. Mees and fellow Wrecking Crew Rider Bronson Bauman are tied for fifth with 22 total points.

The season continues on April 20 with the Texas Half-Mile in Fort Worth, Texas. For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For more information Indian Motorcycle Racing’s sponsors, visit their websites: Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, S&S Cycle, Indian Motorcycle Oil, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties, Alpinestars, Bell Helmets and J&P Cycles.

ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®

Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.

More, from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM:

RED BULL KTM’S DAN BROMLEY PODIUMS AT ATLANTA SHORT TRACK

Round 2 – American Flat Track Championship – March 25, 2019

WOODSTOCK, Ga. – Round 2 of the 2019 American Flat Track Championship took place over the weekend with the Atlanta Short Track at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Georgia. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Dan Bromley captured his second-straight podium finish with third overall in the AFT Singles Main Event, while his teammate, Shayna Texter, rode to a top-10 finish in ninth. Bromley, the 2018 AFT Singles Champion, started off the day with a solid sixth-place in qualifying, which gave him a favorable front-row start in Heat #2. Bromley powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION into second-place off the start, where he quickly made his way into the lead by the second lap. From there, he held strong to secure the heat race victory. Bromley then lined up in Semi #1 where he battled with his teammate Texter early on. With a second-place start, Bromley swapped the lead position with Texter a few times through the first three laps but a restart brought their momentum to a halt as they each lost a position upon the new start, filing into second and third, respectively. Bromley held on to the second-place position all the way through the checkers. With a front row grid position for the Main Event, Bromley got off to a second-place start as he chased down the leader early on. As the race wore on, Bromley began losing ground on the race leader so he switched up his line selection in an effort to close the gap. About 10 laps in, Bromley reverted back to his original line selection and ultimately lost some time in the process, where he dropped back to third on lap 12. From there, the defending champion focused on maintaining his speed and crossed the finish in third to continue his consistent start to the season. Dan Bromley: “I got a great start in the main and got into second behind Dalton [Gauthier] for most of the race. He was inching slowly away so I tried to change my line to a higher line and I did about seven laps around the top of the track. On lap 10, I dove to the bottom to try and change up my line to see if I could catch him, and in doing that I believe I lost all my momentum. Morgan [Mischler] was able to catch me with four laps to go and snuck by me for the second-place spot. Overall, I’m happy to be back on the podium and continue my consistency.” Texter qualified 13th overall earlier in the day, where she got off to the early lead in Heat #1. Texter continued to battle for the lead early on before settling into second place, where she would ultimately finish in the heat. In Semi #1, Texter lined up alongside her teammate, Bromley, and the duo diced back and forth through the early laps. It was Texter who claimed the early lead aboard her KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION before swapping spots with Bromley on lap two. Texter reclaimed the lead on lap three before the restart took place. She dropped to third off the restart and from there she battled for the final podium position, ultimately securing third in the Semi. In the Main Event, Texter began on the front row as she powered her way into a top-five position off the start. She battled in sixth for the first half of the race before getting shuffled back to ninth in the final laps. With three laps to go, Texter held strong to maintain a solid ninth-place finish at Round 2. Shayna Texter: “I turned some of the fastest lap times of the day overall in the class during the Semi, so we felt really good, the bike felt great and the track was good. We were having really good starts and getting out front early but for me, when the Main Event came around they didn’t water the track before the session and unfortunately, I struggled with some rear-end grip issues. I was able to salvage a ninth-place and get some points but it was tough for me to struggle that hard in the main after being fast all day and competitive with a shot to win. We’re a new team continuing to learn and work together and make improvements for me on my new KTM Factory Racing bike, so definitely looking forward to the next 16 rounds and I can’t wait to get that first win!” Next Race: April 20, 2019 – Texas Half-Mile – Fort Worth, Texas AFT Singles Main Event 1. Dalton Gauthier, Honda 2. Morgen Mischler, KTM 3. Dan Bromley, KTM OTHER KTM 8. Tristan Avery, KTM 9. Shayna Texter, KTM AFT Singles Point Standings 1. Dalton Gauthier, 45 points 2. Jesse Janisch, 34 3. Dan Bromley, 34 OTHER KTM 5. Morgan Mischler, 25 14. Tristan Avery, 11 15. Shayna Texter, 10 16. Ryan Sipes, 9

More, from a press release issued by D&D Cycles:

Strong start for Dalton Gauthier and his new team for 2019!

Dalton Gauthier and D&D Cycles Team kick off 2019 with strong results and currently lead the American Flat Track Pro Singles Points after two rounds.

Gauthier, proving his versatility by running two completely different brands in the first two races with a KTM provided by Johnny Lewis/MotoAnatomy at Daytona and JMC Racing Honda from Jay Maloney and Jake Constantine for Atlanta.

Team owner and crew chief for Dalton, Rob Mclendon (Robby-Bobby around the racing world): “We weren’t even planning to run the first two events, as Dalton was finishing up his Road to Recovery so we were planning on just focusing on returning for Texas and next thing you know, we are headed to work The Steve Nace All Star series in Savanah and we got the call that we’ve been hoping for. So then we’re scrambling trying to find ANYTHING to race. We had 2 bikes lined up but they fell through so at the last hour Johnny Lewis rented us a stock KTM that he used for his schools and we just had to prep it. Luckily he had his crew there to help and we turned a trainer bike into a professional bike in less than a day. Can’t thank those guys enough.

“Then for Atlanta, we were back at square 1 as Johnny’s KTM was back in school duty so we got a call from the JMC team and they offered a Honda while our Husqvarna was still in development. We got to Atlanta and Dalton was just fired up from the start. They gave us a really good horse and Dalton did his job and did it well.

“I have finally gotten the time to finalize our Husqvarna FC450 and hopefully we get the funding to build a backup bike before the west coast round. I’m really impressed with the platform and I’m confident that I can build him a very capable machine!”

Dalton Gauthier #122: “I am so thankful to be back on a motorcycle. I have put in so much work with Robby training me and working me so hard at Pensacola Dirt Track. I’ve been averaging 1000 laps per week and we’ve had lots of riders come in and train there so we are constantly riding with new people. Coming to Daytona our goal was to just make the main. We knew we had a stock bike and can’t thank Johnny enough for the rental. We made a bunch of changes and I started the day 31st in Qualifying and finished the main in 2nd behind Jesse.

“For Atlanta I really like that track as I won there last 2017 so I knew if Robby could get me comfortable, I thought I could win the thing. Jake Constantine and Jay Maloney and their crew, Guy, Scott all worked on the setup ad I was pretty comfortable and fast right away. Those guys really stepped up to get me a good fast bike and I fast qualified and won everything that day. I’m feeling really good and really excited to get on my own Husky but happy to prove to myself and everyone else that I can still ride a bike.”

D&D is currently looking for more sponsors for the west coast swing coming up and wants to thank its current partners for all the support: D&D Cycles, Gobert Smash, Dodge Bros, FlatTrack.Com, Certified Plumbing, Seafood Atlantic, Racing Unlimited, Lightshoe, NJK leathers, Flat Track Live, Castrol Oils, Pro Plates, Arai Helmets, Evans Coolant, Lonesome Losers, Motion Pro, FLY Racing/WPS