2024 American Flat Track Texas Half Mile Results

| May 1, 2024

Thanks to equal parts passion and investment, Dallas Roof Systems, Al Rams Dallas Honda, and Mission Foods are bringing Progressive to the Dallas-Fort Worth area despite no prior claims as a hotbed. – Provided an undeniable gravitational pull to the world of American flat track. Sports.

Brandon Robinson at the 2024 AFT Texas Half Mile — **Brandon Robinson extended the Super Twins' points lead with his second win of the season.**

Written by Chris Martin | Photography by Tim Lester & Kristen Lassen

Jerry Stinchfield, CEO of Roof Systems in Dallas, Texas, team owner of the Mission Roof Systems team, and sponsor of countless riders, is a pivotal figure in this transformation. However, his main team has yet to taste victory on home soil.

And thanks to equal parts determination and boldness, the Dallas-Fort Worth area received little cooperation in the effort despite a night of winds of more than 40 mph and intermittent rain. Regardless, things finally changed in 2024.

In fact, the Mission Super Twins main event was moved forward to increase its chances of being held after weather threatened to cancel the entire event.

That frenetic, rushing atmosphere carried over into the early stages of the race, with expected title fighter Jared Meese (nine-time Grand National champion) and widely regarded potential successor Dallas.・Daniels took the lead and decided on a fast break.

Jared Meese (1) at the 2024 AFT Texas Half Mile — **Jared Meese (1) took an early lead and passed Robinson late in the race, but fell just short of winning.**

But before turning the Texas Half-Mile into an even more personal showdown, Mission Roof Systems ace Brandon Robinson charged from the back and Rick Ware Racing KTM's Briar Baumann took over in the previous Mission #2 Fast2Tasty Challenge. I used the High Line. effect.

Meads and Daniels were competing fiercely, but Robinson continued to fend off both men in rapid succession, leading to a prolonged three-way battle at the front.

“The main event was a contest,” Robinson said. “I was changing gears at the last moment, so I was the only one without a bike. But it was raining, so I figured the course would be a little slower, so I added some teeth to it. was the key to the outcome of the race.

“I almost fell back to fourth place. It took me about two laps to get going, but once I found the high line I was able to run right around the guys. It was kind of crazy. It was cool. It felt like it.”

Indeed, Robinson appeared to have both criteria, slipping out in front before Meath made a charge and was back within striking distance in the final moments of the race. It turned out that Meads' comeback was partially facilitated by misfortune on Robinson's part. This development puts Roof Systems' design to the top of the podium in serious jeopardy.

“I was thinking, 'Okay, I've done this.' Then with four minutes left, my brakes stopped working and it wasn't fun. This isn't a course where you should let off the brakes at all. So, about two For every minute I held on and tried not to make any mistakes.”

Dallas Daniels (32) at the 2024 AFT Texas Half Mile — **Dallas Daniels (32) was in the lead early on, but finished in third place.**

The brakes came back on at just the right time and Robinson fought off an overtake at the final corner and took the checkered flag 1200ths of a second ahead of Mies. Daniels sat out in case Robinson and Meads tangled in a situation ripe for drama, and he came home in third place, just a few tenths of a second behind.

Robinson credited the Mission Roof Systems crew for helping the team achieve its first Premier Class DFW win. “The team was good today. They got me out of the spot a few times today, made some changes, a few good changes. No, it was the longest 25 laps ever. I think so.”

Meads finally tried it. “That was one of them,” he said. “I got the lead, but I couldn't hold it for long. Dallas came right back to me and limped me back, but at one point Brandon gave me a good lead. I just tried to lap up to him and was able to get to him, but as soon as I did that, I almost high-sided his rear wheel in Turn 4. That just killed my option when I caught him. All that and all, the checkered flag was up. There was a lot of confusion, but it turned out to be a good main event. Ta.”

Bauman also showed competitive pace throughout the day, but was unable to make it in time for the main event. He spent the race battling with the second group and came home in fifth place, just behind Rackley Racing's Davis Fisher.

Max Whale at the 2024 Texas Half Mile — **LaTooth Motors Harley-Davidson's Max Whale continued to impress as a rookie with a 7th place finish.**

Fairway Ford's Jarrod Vanderkooy was sixth, and impressive rookie Max Whale was seventh on his Latus Motors Harley-Davidson XG750. The rest of the top 10 was made up of OTBR's Brandon Price, Moto Anatomy X Royal Enfield's Johnny Lewis and GOMR's other newcomer Declan Bender.

Although noteworthy, Robinson's victory in Texas is not a geographically isolated event. A quarter of the way through the 2024 season, the Pennsylvania native, winless in 2023, has a series-leading two wins and a perfect podium record to lead the Grand National Championship. I'm proud.

Maintaining that position will be a tough task, especially with two TT races looming on the schedule, but Robinson has no intention of giving up just yet. All gasoline, no brakes.

Chase Surthoff (88) at the 2024 AFT Texas Half Mile — **It may have taken a little longer than expected, but Chase Surthoff, 88, finally got his first singles win.**

AFT singles

The flat track community has been predicting Chase Surthoff to be the eventual (multi-time) winner of the progressive AFT race since his amateur days, even before he was named the 2021 Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Award winner.

There is no doubt that Saathoff himself had been dreaming of that first victory for much longer. It slowly turned into a recurring nightmare. After narrowly missing out on a long-awaited first victory many times, the JPG Motorsports pilots earned six runner-up finishes out of 12 podiums, the majority of which were podium finishes. On the near miss variety show.

However, no matter how long he dreamed of it, it is unlikely that Saathoff ever imagined that it would ultimately come true in this way.

Cody Kopp at the 2024 Texas Half Mile — **Two-time champion Cody Kopp took second place on his Rick Ware Racing KTM.**

Despite nearly losing the race several times, Saathoff controlled the race from start to finish, thanks to slippery and windy conditions that resulted in three red flags.

But the Illinois native ran strong to the end and was the deserving winner when the race was finally declared over with one minute remaining.

Whether it happened the way he wanted it to or not, Saathoff is now the winner of the Parts Unlimited AFT single race. And with the hurdle of a first win removed, he can turn his attention to quickly adding to that with more traditional wins.

Tom Drain (59) and Cody Kopp at the 2024 AFT Texas Half Mile — **Tom Drain (59) and Cody Kopp battled for second place. Kopp evaded Drain and gained position.**

Two-time defending champion Cody Kopp placed second on his Rick Ware Racing KTM, with Estenson Racing Yamaha-backed rival Tom Drain third.

The final red flag came after an incident between Evan Renshaw, a highly touted newcomer who replaced Surthoff in America's Honda-backed Turner team, and Aidan Ruth-Evans of FRA Trust Advisors, competing for a top-five position. .

Trent Lowe at the 2024 Texas Half Mile — **Turner Honda’s Trent Lowe scores a solid 4th place points**

This moved brothers Trent (Turner Honda) and Jared (Big R, Little Debbie Racing) Lowe into fourth and fifth respectively.

Kopp continues to lead in the quest for a championship three-peat, with 92 points to Saathoff's 75 and Drain's 69.CN