Drane makes it a double at Lima Half Mile II as Ba...

2025 American Flat Observe

Lima Half-Mile II

Photographs by Tim Lester, Kristen Lassen

AFT Singles – Lima Half-Mile II

Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) made it two for 2 on the Lima Half-Mile, including the Lima Half Mile II victory to his tally in a return to the shape many anticipated from the Australian racer for the season.

On Friday, Drane constructed upon the spectacular 2024 Lima efficiency that noticed him defeat Kody Kopp right here a yr in the past, operating sturdy all day and claiming two of the three Mission Triple Problem Foremost Occasions to safe the general victory.

He elevated his sport to yet one more degree on Saturday. Earlier than the race, chief rival Chase Saathoff stated he needed to get the holeshot to have a shot.

He completed that purpose however may nonetheless do nothing however watch as Drane shot by within the race’s third nook. The Estenson Racing pilot then proceeded to trip off into the space to the tune of a 5.419-second margin of victory.

Tom Drane

“That was a very good race. I simply put my head down from the very begin. I knew I had the tempo to do it. I simply needed to get a break and get away as quick as I may. I didn’t need to get into any battles. I needed to get out entrance, have my clear air, and draw back.”

Saathoff was compelled to show his consideration behind as an alternative of forward simply to carry down second. That proved a stout problem in itself with heralded rookie Walker Porter scrapping for second within the early going whereas clocking the quickest lap of the race.

Porter’s extra skilled teammate, Trevor Brunner, then took the baton and pressured Saathoff to the flag, ending simply 0.184 seconds behind in third.

Porter discovered himself caught up in a spirited three-way battle for fourth with fellow rookie sensation Kage Tadman and the rolling Aidan RoosEvans.

Two-time winner Tadman in the end claimed the spot, whereas Porter labored again previous RoosEvans to gather a debut weekend high 5.

Evan Renshaw fought his approach from the LCQ to seventh whereas Bradon Pfanders and couple extra rookies in Ryder Reese and Skylar Sentell supplied much more proof that the way forward for the game is shiny certainly by ending eighth by tenth, respectively.

On account of his big weekend, Drane now leads Saathoff by 16 factors (130-114). Brunner stays third at 98.

Singles Foremost Occasion Outcomes

AFT Singles Standings

AFT SuperTwins – Lima Half-Mile II

Briar Bauman instantly stole the initiative again from Mission AFT SuperTwins title rival Dallas Daniels within the tense rematch that was Saturday night’s Lima Half-Mile II, Spherical 7 of the 2025 Progressive American Flat Observe season, sanctioned by AMA Professional Racing.

Whereas the opening lap featured a four-wide cost down the Allen County Fairgrounds backstretch, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Bauman blasted away on the entrance. In the meantime, Daniels was headed in the wrong way, falling again to 3rd and searching incapable of matching the torrid tempo required to battle for victory.

Because the two-time Grand Nationwide Champion Bauman steadily constructed up a two-second-plus benefit in first, Daniels finally discovered his groove and labored his approach round Brandon Robinson to take management of second.

Daniels continued his cost ahead, selecting up a tenth right here and there on the chief, step by step lowering that hole till it was again underneath a second with a minute remaining on the clock.

Regardless of the Estenson Racing star additional ratcheting up the strain and shutting in almost to inside placing distance on the ultimate lap, Bauman stayed regular and streaked previous the checkered flag 0.383 seconds earlier than his rival.

Moreover taking the momentum again from Daniels, the victory additionally noticed Bauman full the outstanding feat of securing 4 Lima Half-Mile wins on 4 completely different makes of kit (Kawasaki, Indian, KTM, and Harley-Davidson).

Briar Bauman

“That was a battle. Effectively, it wasn’t a battle. I acquired clear air, and I didn’t actually need to do this tonight. I feel it was tougher to steer than it was to comply with within the second half of the race since you may see what the man in entrance of you was doing and possibly inch up a bit bit. Dallas did that fast. If he would have had just a few extra laps, he in all probability would have had me, however he didn’t. Man, I used to be going to win final evening – I do know I used to be – however the clutch went out. I used to be fairly bitter. I needed to win tonight actually dangerous, and the Rick Ware Racing/Components Plus/Latus Motors group did such job with this factor.”

What figured to be a lonely trip to 3rd proved something however for Robinson. Late within the race, he was hounded by the Declan Bender, who earlier escaped a battle with James Ott and Jarod VanDerKooi to offer Robinson matches for the ultimate spot on the rostrum.

Bender momentarily fought previous into third on a couple of event however couldn’t fairly make the move stick, having to just accept (a nonetheless extremely spectacular) fourth in what was a memorable debut weekend with On the Field Racing.

Ott carried on to fifth whereas VDK was dropped to seventh by Trent Lowe. Dan Bromley, Max Whale, and Davis Fisher accomplished the highest ten.

Bauman now leads Daniels 149-139 in what’s shaping as much as be a spectacular duel. Robinson is as soon as once more up third at 102, following a tough weekend for Fisher, who has dropped again to fourth at 93.

SuperTwins Foremost Occasion Outcomes

AFT SuperTwins Standings

Subsequent Up:

Progressive American Flat Observe will do battle at a high-speed Mile for the primary time this season with the Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile, on the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, subsequent Saturday, July 5.