Estenson Racing’s Twins Team Notches a Pair of Top 10s in AFT Twins
RAPID CITY, S.D. – In spite of challenges, Estenson Racing’s JD Beach and Jake Johnson ended Tuesday night at the Black Hills Half-Mile with top-10 finishes. Roger Hayden crossed the line 12th, while Twins Rookie Kolby Carlile scored valuable points in the AFT Production Twins class with a 7th-place result.
Slick, clay Half-Miles have been the team’s Achilles’ heel all season long with their all-new flat track machine. The team continues to put in the hours to overcome these challenges, so although anything short of a win is disappointing, progress was made with all four riders making the Main Event.
Beach, fresh off his win Sunday night at the Buffalo Chip TT, got a good start behind his teammate Johnson and moved his way up a couple positions into 13th. After the restart, the road racer/flat tracker made more forward progress and ultimately crossed the line in ninth. Two-time Grand National Champion Johnson was right behind him to round out the top 10. In just his fifth race back to flat track racing in the premier class, retired road racer Hayden crossed the line in 12th.
Meanwhile, in the AFT Production Twins class, Carlile put together a solid effort in spite of the challenges on the clay. The 2017 AFT Singles Champion finished third in his Semi, but unfortunately did not get the start he was looking for in the Main Event and crossed the line eighth. At the end of the day, it was still an important points-haul in the championship.
The Estenson Racing squad now heads west for the third American Flat Track race in six days, the legendary Sacramento Mile, Saturday, August 10, at the Cal Expo.
JD Beach — AFT Twins #95:
“It was a tough day. We tried some new stuff with the bike and haven’t really made too much headway with it, but we’re figuring out stuff that doesn’t work, at least. It sucks because the whole team is working so hard. We’re not making the gains that we had hoped for, but we’ll keep trying. To come home with a top 10 is good, but we definitely want more. So we’ll just keep pushing.”
Jake Johnson — AFT Twins #5:
“We struggled from the first practice until the last lap of the Main Event. I just couldn’t get anything going. The track was pretty slick. I think everybody felt that. Slick is not good for us on these oval tracks. I don’t know. We have to find something. Being so good on TT’s… You would think it would be simpler going around on a circle, but we just struggled. We’ve tried a lot of different things. Each guy on the team is kind of trying different things at the same time kind of with the same results. I think we’re just going to have to start looking elsewhere and trying some different things. Next week, Sacramento, horsepower, straight-line speed, we could use that to our advantage. We haven’t really had a true Mile yet this season, looking forward to seeing how we go there.”
Roger Hayden — AFT Twins #195:
“I was a lot closer all day than I have been in the previous weeks. The Main Event didn’t go that great. I didn’t get a good start like I wanted, but all in all the day has been OK. Even though I did better in the other races, I think today was the most positive day as far as learning about the bike and getting confidence in it and stuff like that. We would have liked to have been a little quicker, but definitely considering the race at Weedsport and then here, I was a lot better off. I’m definitely improving and figuring things out. Obviously, we’re not happy with 12th, but I learned a lot. Plus, getting the Main Event experience is huge for me.”
Kolby Carlile – AFT Production Twins #136:
“I gave it everything I had today. We’re all just struggling a little bit with the same issue. It’s frustrating, but we’re all putting forth a lot of effort. We’ll keep working, push forward and hopefully get back on the podium where we belong next weekend at the Sacramento Mile.”
Catch the Buffalo Chip TT on NBCSN, August 10, at 1:00 p.m. ET followed by the Black Hills Half-Mile at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Stay up to date with Estenson Racing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
More, from another press release issued by Estenson Racing:
Rookie Dallas Daniels Scores Best Finish in American Flat Track
RAPID CITY, S.D. – Just three races into his professional career in American Flat Track, Estenson Racing’s Dallas Daniels took home a top-five finish in AFT Singles on Tuesday night at the Black Hills Half-Mile. Unfortunately for teammate Ryan Wells, a technical issue ended his night early in the Semi.
Outside of Wells leading the first practice session, the team struggled to find the right setup for the slick, clay Half-Mile at Black Hills Speedway. Daniels suffered the most in qualifying, but he made up for it by getting great starts when it came time to race. He finished eighth in his Heat and improved upon that to finish fifth in the Semi. Starting from the second row of the grid, he got off to a great start behind the top three, but soon found himself in a three-way battle for position. In the final moments, the rookie was able to get past the reigning AFT Singles Champion to score a career-best finish in fifth.
In spite of the day’s challenges, Wells was having a decent day with a top-10 qualifying effort and finishing fifth in his Heat. The 2016 AFT Singles Champion was making great progress in his Semi, as well. He worked his way through the pack after a second-row start, but a technical issue unfortunately dropped him back down to 10th and out of a transfer position to the Main Event.
The Estenson Racing squad now heads west for the third American Flat Track race in six days, the legendary Sacramento Mile, Saturday, August 10, at the Cal Expo.
Dallas Daniels — AFT Singles #163:
“The day started out kind of rough with qualifying overall somewhere in the mid-twenties. It was terrible, honestly. All day, we were kind of struggling with trying to hook up these Yamahas on a slick track. So we were throwing stuff at it all day. Me, my dad, and Johnny Lewis were working hard to try to get it to where we wanted it. Kind of sucks because Ryan started having bike problems and he didn’t make it. I would have liked to have raced with him in the Main Event. We were close in speed.
“In the Main Event, I started on the second row. The track had changed with the sun going down and the moisture coming up. I got another really good start, and I was up to fourth or so, right on the top three. Kind of stayed there the whole race. The top three pulled away from me just a little bit. Michael Inderbitzin and Dan Bromley caught up to me. Inderbitzin passed me and then me and Bromley pretty much battled for the last five laps. I was able to nip Bromley at the line and get fifth, which is awesome. A top five is exceeding expectations for myself, for sure.”
Ryan Wells — AFT Singles #94:
“The beginning of the day started really well, unfortunately it didn’t end that way. We were fastest in the free practice and then it was the same stuff that we’ve been battling with, just kind of lost it for a minute. Then, in the Semi, we started picking off some people. I think I was up to around fifth, making passes, and then we had a mechanical. I suffered from that and dropped back to 10th and wasn’t able to make the Main. I think we made some good headway throughout the day and learned some stuff. Looking to come back swinging at Sacramento.”
Catch the Buffalo Chip TT on NBCSN, August 10, at 1:00 p.m. ET followed by the Black Hills Half-Mile at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Stay up to date with Estenson Racing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
More, from a press release issued by KTM North America:
SHAYNA TEXTER FIGHTS BACK TO CLAIM A PODIUM FINISH AT THE BLACK HILLS HALF-MILE
Round 12 – American Flat Track Championship
RAPID CITY, S.D. – Just two days after competing in Sturgis for Round 11, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team returned to action on Tuesday with the Black Hills Half-Mile in Rapid City, South Dakota for Round 12 of the 2019 American Flat Track Championship. Shayna Texter rebounded from a tough outcome on Sunday to place her Red Bull KTM on the second step of the podium in the AFT Singles Class, while her teammate, Dan Bromley, finished sixth to collect valuable points in the championship chase, where he now sits only 10 points back in the overall standings.
Additionally, KTM-mounted rider, Morgen Mischler, rounded out the AFT Singles podium with an impressive third-place finish aboard the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION.
Texter, who is known for acing the short track courses, had a good start to the day as she qualified ninth overall in the class. She went on to claim the holeshot in AFT Singles Heat 3 aboard her KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION as she led all five laps of the heat race. In the semi, she got off the line in about fourth but she quickly passed her way into the lead by lap two. From there, she maintained control of the race to earn the win in the semi and a great start position for the Main Event. In the main, Texter got off to a decent start in seventh, where she worked her way up to fourth early on. While battling for a podium spot, the third-place rider broke down in front of Texter, which cost her a bit of time against the leaders but allowed her to move into third around the halfway point. She was able to close the gap and negotiate a position inside the lead battle and from there, it was a back-and-forth fight all the way to the checkers, with Texter finishing 0.062 behind the race-winner.
Shayna Texter: “The last few laps were pretty physically-challenging with Chad [Cose], I battled hard! We were bumping elbows and rubbing the wall, just fighting for the win. On the last lap, I got a little bit spun up out of turn four and I lost the drive coming down the front stretch and that was just enough for him to get the win. Overall, I’m happy, but disappointed at the same time, because I really wanted that win.”
For Bromley, Tuesday’s result wasn’t his best finish of the season but the Pennsylvania native did what he needed to do in order to fight for a second-straight title. Qualifying seventh on the day, Bromley lined up in AFT Singles Heat 1. He began outside the top-five on the opening lap and he got shuffled back to ultimately finish eighth, claiming the final transfer into the Main Event. In the semi, he rounded the opening lap in ninth. He worked his way up as far as fifth but he once again got shuffled back to finish eighth. Bromley was able to overcome his 16th place start in the Main Event, as he powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION into a top-10 position by lap two. He quickly began picking his way through the field, where he reached a top-five position by lap three. He continued to push his way into fourth but he soon lost all his momentum when contact with another rider caused him to hit the wall and drop a couple positions to sixth. He battled back up to fourth later in the race and ultimately fought his way to a sixth-place finish.
Dan Bromley: “The Rapid City Half-Mile was a struggle for me. We started the day off good, qualifying in the top-10 every practice session but in the heat and semi I was struggling with some traction issues. In the Main Event, I felt like I was constantly having to battle for position rather than being able to battle for the lead but we were able to work our way to the front to finish sixth and get some much-needed points towards the championship.”
Next Race: August 10, 2019 – Sacramento Mile – Sacramento, California
AFT Singles Main Event
1. Chad Cose, SUZ
2. Shayna Texter, KTM
3. Morgen Mischler, KTM
OTHER KTM
6. Dan Bromley, KTM
13. Tristan Avery, KTM
16. Kayden Downing, KTM
AFT Singles Point Standings
1. Dalton Gauthier, 191 points
2. Dan Bromley, 181
3. Mikey Rush, 173
OTHER KTM
6. Shayna Texter, 128
8. Morgen Mischler, 107
12. Tristan Avery, 70
More, from a press release issued by Quarterley Racing On Track Development
Road Racers Flying High in the Dirt
Quarterley Racing On Track Development riders Jamie Astudillo and Dallas Daniels recently competed in separate dirt racing events. Jamie got fifth overall in the women’s division at the 2019 Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s in Tennessee, while Dallas raced both the American Flat Track Buffalo Chip TT and the Black Hills Half Mile in South Dakota.
Jamie Astudillo:
“It was really hectic,” said Jamie. “There was only one 15 minute practice session for each class the day before we started racing. It’s really different than anything else I’ve ever ridden. They put four types of dirt on the track and with the first moto at 7:30 in the morning and the last one at 6:30 at night, the track gets super rough over the course of the day. It’s not very technical but they have to make a track that kids riding 50cc bikes all the way up to pros can race on. The ruts are crazy deep and on my 250cc both pegs were dragging in the dirt. The little bikes are almost completely buried!
“Even if you’re in an early moto you end up jumping through breaks in the ruts. It’s physically challenging and you get super tired. The motos are 20 minutes long and Loretta’s is the only place where you would go for that long. I train all summer for this event at the South of the Border Motocross Training Complex in South Carolina riding three or four times a week doing 20 minute motos. Training just can’t do what riding will do for you.
“Each class has its own separate moto with 42 riders at the starting gate. I always got away in third or fourth but in the last moto I got my worst start. I went into the first turn on the outside of another rider and she moved over, pushing me off the track at full speed. I went over two bales on the outside and thought I was going to go down but didn’t. I got back on track in fourth, which is where I finished.
“In my first two motos I finished sixth, which is far back for me compared to previous years. I’ve always have podium finishes in the past, and this wasn’t what I was hoping for and it wasn’t where people were used to seeing me.
“This year I started to get some major arm pump and it’s hard to ride through it on a track as rough as this one. It happened between the first and second motos and nothing seemed to help. Then, going into the third moto, we made some drastic changes on the suspension with help from Ohlins. There was no additional practice before the race and we didn’t have any idea how it was going to go. I also drank half a bottle of pickle juice, which is supposed to help with muscle cramps. If you’ve never tried that stuff, it’s awful!
“Even though it was my best moto, it wasn’t where I wanted to finish. Third place was mine but I ended up stalling the bike with three turns left to go. As bad as it tasted, I believe the pickle juice actually worked. My arm pump wasn’t as bad as the first two races and I could push the entire moto. Also, concentrating on regular breathing helped.
“I think it’s awesome that I can do just three motocross races a year and still finish fifth overall. The girls I was racing against have been racing all season, so even though I didn’t get the results I expected of myself, I’m still happy with my performance overall.”
Jamie’s motocross sponsors include SOBMX, Yoshimura Research and Development of America, Bell Powersports, Ohlins USA, MXTire.com, Hinson Clutch Components, O’Neal, Scott Powersports Inc., MGX Unlimited, TCX Boots USA and Defiance Lifestyle.
Dallas Daniels:
Dallas Daniels just completed his second and third professional American Flat Track races in South Dakota, finishing as high as fifth overall. Following his first pro race in at the Lima, Ohio, on June 29, Daniels was just outside the top ten at the Buffalo Chip TT in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 4 and got fifth overall at the Black Hills Half-Mile Presented By Law Tigers in the AFT Singles class in Rapid City, South Dakota on August 6.
“My second pro race at the Buffalo Chip is in the books!” said the young rider from Illinois. “I got the last transfer spot for the main event from my semi and worked my way up to eighth place just after mid-race. Then I crashed. Another rider got into my bars and I got in a tank-slapper, then another rider hit my bike and crashed, too. They red-flagged the race and re-gridded according to the standings on the lap prior to the crash. I was in the very last spot in seventeenth because I caused the incident. I moved up five places during the restarted race and ended up twelfth overall. I didn’t end the race the way I would’ve liked to, but it was a great learning experience going forward. The best part of the night was that I had the second-fastest lap of the race! I ended up really looking forward to the next race in Rapid City.
“At the Black Hills Half Mile we struggled a bit in the beginning of the night with a few things, but we got everything dialed in for the main event. I qualified eighth in the heat race and fifth in my semi-final, which gave me a second row start in the main event. I took the checkered flag in fifth overall after posting the third-fastest lap time of the race. That’s my best pro finish so far. I’m learning so much this year and can’t wait for the next round, road racing in the MotoAmerica LIQUI MOLY Junior Cup at Sonoma Raceway. California, here we come!
“I can’t thank my Estenson Racing Monster Energy team enough for providing me with an amazing pair of Yamaha YZ450s for the races.” Dallas’ American Flat Track sponsors include Moto Anatomy/Johnny Lewis, Arai Helmet Americas, Dainese, Fly Racing, WPS, Motion Pro and Ron Meek.
Quarterley Racing On Track Development sponsors for 2019 include Inter-Tech Supplies, Fast By Ferracci, Inc, Yoshimura Research & Development of America, Inc., Wiseco Powersports, Motul USA., Regina Chain, BrakeTech USA, Inc., Ferodo Racing, Matt & Jesse, Scott Powersports, Inc., Defiance Lifestyle, Woodcraft Technologies, Dynojet Research Inc., Beta Tools of Italy – USA, RoadracingWorld.com, Drippinwet.com, MOTO-D Racing, Fast Bike Industries, Nitron Racing Systems Ltd., VAN DYK Recycling Solutions, Earl’s Racing Team and Kiwi Classic Moto
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE’S FTR750 SWEEPS TOP FIVE AT BLACK HILLS HALF-MILE
Wrecking Crew Rider Briar Bauman Secures Third Win of the Year
RAPID CITY, SD. (AUGUST 8, 2019) – Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, and its championship-winning FTR750 continued its dominance over the field by sweeping the podium for the fifth time this season. Wrecking Crew Rider and current points leader Briar Bauman once again found himself at the forefront, earning his third win of the 2019 season. Indian Motorcycle Privateer Jeffrey Carver Jr. and fellow Wrecking Crew Rider Bronson Bauman placed second and third, while Privateers Brandon Robinson and PJ Jacobsen finished fourth and fifth, respectively, to complete the FTR750 top-five sweep.
Following a tough outing last Sunday night at the Buffalo Chip TT, Briar was able to bounce back and secure the win at the Black Hills Half-Mile. However, the win was no easy feat for the resilient points leader, as a red flag restart halted the action near the half-way point of the Main. Down the stretch, Bauman was forced to hold off Carver who, despite a valiant effort, fell short of the victory.
“Briar demonstrated immense grit and showcased his championship-mentality as he continues to march closer to his first Grand National Twins Championship,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology & Service for Indian Motorcycle. “Briar’s ability to stay focused on the task at hand, and move on from the past is what keeps him locked in to his ultimate goal. He knows he cannot let up, as both Jared Mees and his brother Bronson are sitting in second and third on the leaderboard.”
Bronson Bauman continued his impressive run as of late, securing his fifth consecutive top-five finish and his second podium of the year. Bronson’s 148 points has him third on the leaderboard, while defending AFT Twins Champion Jared Mees is in second with 166 points.
The season continues this weekend on August 10 for the Sacramento Mile. 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.