(Dallas Daniels (32) and Briar Bauman (3) in Ventura this past Saturday; Photo: American Flat Track/Tim Lester)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 29, 2025) – An intriguing 2025 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, picks right back up this weekend with the second annual Silver Dollar Short Track at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California, on Saturday, May 3. 

Last year’s inaugural visit introduced the world’s greatest motorcycle dirt track racers to one of the West Coast’s most iconic auto racing dirt track facilities. A formative venue for a multitude of four-wheeled superstars, including the track’s current co-owners Kyle Larson and Brad Sweet (along with business partner Colby Copeland), Silver Dollar Speedway added another dimension to its proud history in 2024 by playing host to a triumphant performance from ten-time Grand National Champion Jared Mees. 

Daniels vs Bauman 

With Mees now retired, many predicted that Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) would assume the vacated Mission AFT SuperTwins throne. Many still do. 

However, after four rounds, the series doesn’t just feature a heated title fight, it also has a new championship leader. 

That honor, of course, belongs to Briar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors Harley-Davidson XG750R), who took the Harley-Davidson XG750R to its second-ever premier-class victory one race after delivering its first. 

Bauman took the two wins from the third and second row, respectively, a fact that will undoubtedly create at least a small amount of doubt for Daniels whenever he lines up for a Main Event, no matter how perfectly the day has transpired to that point. 

The flipside, however, is that Bauman needs to continue making strides on the Harley so as to avoid putting himself and the Rick Ware Racing team in the position where they are forced to make significant set-up gambles come race time.  

While their pre-race adjustments have paid off handsomely as of late, the most difficult aspect of defeating Daniels in a season-long championship battle is not beating him on any single given evening but somehow matching (and exceeding) his unrelenting excellence – a rare trait that has seen the Estenson Racing superstar collect 17 podiums in succession. 

Daniels may carry just an extra bit of motivation into this weekend as well; not only did he just lose the points lead, he also returns to a track where he came up just one corner short of beating Mees for victory. 

On the Fastrack 

While Daniels and Bauman have been a constant presence on the podium this season, they have been joined on the box by a different rider on each occasion. 

Jarod VanDerKooi (No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke) became the latest to make a podium appearance, joining Henry Wiles (No. 911 J&M Logging/Ray C’s Harley-Davidson Kawasaki Ninja 650), Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R), and Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke). 

In doing so, he also sidled up next to Robinson and Fisher in the points race, forming a powerful second group of contenders working hard to keep Bauman and Daniels in sight. 

Beyond just getting his campaign properly on track, the third-place finish represents a significant milestone for VDK and Fastrack Racing. One race after giving the squad its first-ever top five since being established as an independent race team following a long association with Latus Motors, VanDerKooi earned the squad’s first premier-class podium. 

It was also VanDerKooi’s first finish this season as the top KTM, as he finally got the better of Fisher, who has immediately taken to the Rackley Racing KTM 790 Duke. 

Who’s Next? 

Who might be the next rider to step up to the podium this season? There is no shortage of contenders in a young season that has already boasted an impressive depth of color in terms of bikes and riders making their presence felt near the front. 

Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Suzuki GSX-8S) has shown huge potential on the Suzuki this season – potential that has never been more obvious than it was this past weekend at Ventura Raceway. There Bromley won a heat race, won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and battled to a top-five result. A podium is not beyond his reach. 

Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) finally looked at home on the Royal Enfield, running in a podium position in the early going this past weekend before getting shuffled down just outside the top five. The race provided a much-needed confidence injection along with front-running experience that should continue to pay dividends moving forward. 

Meanwhile, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp) strung together his fourth top ten in four attempts, while James Ott (No. 19 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07) continues to look increasingly racey. 

One other name to track is Logan McGrane (No. 14 Schaefer’s Motorsport KTM 790 Duke), who not only earned his first-career Progressive American Flat Track top ten this past weekend but actually gave Bauman fits in their heat race and ran in third position for the opening four laps of the Main Event. 

Family Fun 

The incredible race action won’t be the only attraction for fans. Along with the Fan Party, complete with a Rider Q&A session, that directly precedes Opening Ceremonies, attendees can also expect a multitude of vendors, big screen viewing, designated motorcycle parking, and a variety of food and beverage options. 

Step Right Up… Get Your Tickets Here 

General Admission Grandstand tickets for the Silver Dollar Short Track are just $40 (kids 12 and under free) while Pit Grandstand tickets ($50, all ages), Reserved Grandstand tickets ($60, all ages), and Trackside Box tickets ($85, all ages) offer premium viewing experiences. And new for 2025, every level of ticket automatically includes paddock access. 

Also available for purchase is the Opening Ceremonies Trackside Fan Experience ($105), which includes reserved seating, a guided tour of the infield podium and start/finish line, photos opps included, and up-close viewing of Opening Ceremonies and a portion of the night’s race action. 

Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/silver-dollar-short-track-123441 to reserve your seats today. 

Gates will open for fans at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. 

How to Watch 

FloRacing 

For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2025. FloSports is available by visiting https://flosports.link/aft or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast. 

FS1 

FOX Sports coverage of the Silver Dollar Short Track, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, May 11, at 12:30 p.m. ET (9:30 a.m. PT). 

For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.