DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – American Flat Track returns to Minnesota for the first time since 2010 for one of the final two rounds of its 2018 season. The high-speed racing action will take over Canterbury Park on September 29th for the Indian Motorcycle Minnesota Mile.
The AFT Twins presented by Vance & Hines championship may be locked up given that Indian Motorcycle factory rider Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle Rogers Racing SDI Scout FTR750) just took home his fifth title at the Springfield Mile II on September 2nd, but according to Mees his work is not done. The champ is chasing more than just his 11th win of the season at this weekend’s race: he is chasing history.
The legendary Ricky Graham, three-time Grand National Champion and winner of 39 Nationals during his amazing career, holds the record for most wins in a single season: a seemingly-untouchable 12 victories.
Mees has 10 wins so far with two events remaining, and in order to tie Graham for that coveted record he needs to win both remaining races. Others will be looking to deny Mees that record, prime among them Bryan Smith (No. 4 Indian Motorcycle Racing backed by Allstate Scout FTR750), the ‘Mile Master’ and winner of the Springfield Mile II; fourth-in-points Jeffrey Carver Jr. (No. 23 Roof-Systems of Dallas/Indian of Metro Milwaukee Scout FTR750), who beat Mees at Springfield in May; Briar Bauman (No. 14 Zanotti Racing Indian Scout FTR750), third in points and hungry for his first Mile victory; and Henry Wiles (No. 17 Bandit Industries/Wilco Racing/Willy Built Indian Scout FTR750), who’s put together an amazingly consistent season – including his record 14th-consecutive Peoria TT victory – and currently holds the AFT Twins championship runner-up spot.
There is another wildcard in this weekend’s AFT Twins lineup: newly-crowned MotoAmerica Supersport champion JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07), who joins the Estenson Racing team for the final two rounds of the season on the team’s Yamaha MT-07.
There is a scramble for runner-up honors in the AFT Singles division after Dan Bromley’s (No. 62 KTM North America/Bromley Motorsports 450 SX-F) championship clinch at the Williams Grove Half-Mile in early September. Ryan Wells (No. 94 RMR/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda CRF450) remains second in points, but Shayna Texter (No. 52 Husqvarna Motorcycles/JCS Racing FC 450), Jesse Janisch (No. 132 Roof Systems/West Bend Harley-Davidson-backed Yamaha YZ450F), Morgen Mischler (No. 69 Cycle Craft Yamaha/Rohde’s Sales & Service Yamaha YZ450F) and reigning AFT Singles champ Kolby Carlile (No. 1 Estenson Racing/McCandless Truck Center Yamaha YZ450F) are all within 43 points with two Mile races remaining. Expect 100-plus-mph drafting and three-wide corner entries … in other words, a typical AFT Singles dogfight.
The festivities at the Indian Motorcycle Minnesota Mile kickstart with a Friday night Pre-Party from 5 to 8 pm at Minneapolis’s award-winning SEVEN restaurant. Come mingle with Sammy Halbert and other AFT stars, all while enjoying happy-hour food and drink specials along with DJ Strangelove manning the music.
There will be plenty to do and see at the plush Canterbury Park facility (1100 Canterbury Rd., Shakopee, MN) on Saturday, as well, including the presence of Indian Motorcycle factory rider – and Grand Marshal – Brad Baker. There’ll also be live music by Arch Allies, a highly-acclaimed cover band specializing in the music of Journey, Def Leppard, Boston, Styx and REO Speedwagon. The percussion perfection of the Minnesota Vikings Skol Line – the official drum line of the NFL’s Purple People Eaters – will also be featured, along with lots of regional food and beverage options and a host of other motorcycle-oriented attractions.
Gates open on Saturday, September 29th at 1:00 pm local time with practice beginning at 2:00 pm. Opening Ceremonies begins at 4:45 pm, followed by Semis and then an Open Paddock/Rider Autograph Session scheduled for 6:10 pm. Main Events begin at 7:10 pm (AFT Singles) and 7:50 pm (AFT Twins).
Advance tickets for the 2018 Indian Motorcycle Minnesota Mile at Canterbury Park can be purchased online starting at just $35, with indoor and outdoor reserved seating going for just $45. Military and first responders are just $20 (call 952.445.7224), and kids under 12 are free. There are also exclusive VIP Experiences available, including a Triple Crown Club Terrace/Buffet VIP ticket for $125 and special reserved Clubhouse seats for small groups. Day-of ticket pricing increases by $10, so be sure to purchase them now! All ticket options can be purchased here: http://www.canterburypark.com/events/ama-racing/
Live streaming of every session can be viewed on FansChoice.tv beginning at 3:00 pm ET (12:00 pm PT) with Qualifying rounds commencing at 3:45 pm ET (12:45 pm PT) and Semis scheduled for 6:00 pm ET (3:00 pm PT). The AFT Singles Main Event will kick off at 8:10 pm ET (5:10 pm PT) and AFT Twins at 8:50 pm ET (5:50 pm PT). All live streaming can be found at https://www.fanschoice.tv/watch-live/american-fla…
For an in-depth Minnesota Mile experience with flag-to-flag coverage of both Main Events enhanced by drone and onboard footage, be sure to catch the NBC Sports feature telecast of the Indian Motorcycle Minnesota Mile when it premieres on NBCSN on Sunday, October 14 at 5:00 pm ET (2:00 pm PT). Be sure to check your local listings, or for the complete broadcast schedule for AFT on NBCSN, please visit http://www.americanflattrack.com/events-nbcsn
How to Watch:
NBCSN and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track. For the 2018 season, NBCSN’s coverage of AFT moves to highly-coveted, weekend afternoon programming slots within two weeks of each event. The complete schedule for AFT on NBCSN can be viewed at http://www.americanflattrack.com/events-nbcsn/. FansChoice.tv remains a cornerstone of AFT’s digital strategy, providing live streaming coverage of every event on AFT’s live page while previous events and exclusive features are available on AFT’s VOD page.
About American Flat Track:
American Flat Track is the world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. For more information on American Flat Track, please visit http://www.americanflattrack.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, check us out on Instagram, live stream the events at FansChoice.tv and catch all the American Flat Track racing action on NBCSN.