DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Ten rounds into the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the series is finally preparing to do battle on a one-mile racetrack – the Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, this Saturday, July 6.

The world’s elite dirt bikes compete in the one-mile event, widely recognized as one of the greatest spectacles in all of motorsport. A unique test of pace, courage and strategy, national mile races are usually decided by inches, even when they are contested at triple-digit speeds.

The DuQuoin Mile is considered special, even within its class. Known as the “Magic Mile,” DuQuoin has hosted some of the most legendary and thrilling races in Grand National Championship history.

And the atmosphere this Independence Day weekend is set to be even more electric, as Saturday’s Progressive AFT event will conclude a full week of competition that will also crown this year’s amateur national champions at the 2024 Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship, sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association from June 30-July 6.

Progressive American Flat Track has its Mile wizard in Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750). The reigning king of the Mission AFT SuperTwins and a nine-time winner, Mees has won an impressive 17 of the premier class’s most recent 24 Miles over the past five seasons.

That includes last year’s DuQuoin Mile, which saw Mees exact revenge for his 2015 loss to Bryan Smith in the series’ closest race ever, decided by an official margin of 0.000 seconds. Last year’s race was nearly as close, with Mees taking the win ahead of Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) (0.033 seconds), Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) (0.097 seconds) and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) (0.160 seconds).

There’s a lesson here for Daniels, the Estenson Racing Yamaha star who comes into the race with a 21-point lead, a perfect podium record this season and coming off a commanding victory at the Lima Half-Mile. He understands that if he doesn’t play his cards right this weekend, he could potentially see his hard-earned lead shrink and his podium streak snapped, even if he manages to finish within a fraction of a second of the winner.

Indian riders Mees and Robinson will both be looking to make that possibility a reality, while Bauman will be motivated to showcase his KTM’s prodigious top speed after using it to such success in the 2023 season finale at Springfield, the last time the field lined up for a Mile.

If a true pack war is to take place, it will likely include some or all of the following top-class riders: Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Sody Ent/OTBR Yamaha MT-07), Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750), Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Transalp) and Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing Mission Foods KTM 790 Duke).

It will also be a premier stage for rookies Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing KTM 790 Duke) and Declan Bender (No. 70 GOMR/BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750) to continue proving their skills at the pinnacle of the sport.

AFT Singles Unlimited Spare Parts Presented by KICKER

As breathtaking as last year’s Mission AFT SuperTwins main event was, the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER race at the DuQuoin Mile was even tighter. Six drivers crossed the checkered flag within .262 seconds of victory, and even a tenth of a second behind the leader was too much for a driver hoping to finish on track.

The winner of the day was Tom Drane (#59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), who also won a few days ago in Ohio. With great skills and a featherweight, Drane immediately proved to be a monster on the Miles, a reputation he only hopes to improve this weekend.

That combination will present a real challenge for two-time defending class champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F). Kopp will no doubt be eager to start a new winning streak after having his three-race streak snapped last weekend. While most of Kopp’s victories have come on half-miles and short tracks, he has made it his mission to win a mile and accomplished that feat at last year’s Springfield Mile I. He will also be motivated by the fact that he left DuQuoin last year with only a fifth-place finish despite crossing the line just 0.106 seconds behind Drane.

Chase Saathoff (#88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) is another rider looking for revenge. He finished second to Drane by 0.011 seconds last year. Saathoff is on a roll, having earned four consecutive podiums and six top-three finishes in his last seven races. Despite his good form, his goal remains to turn more second- and third-place finishes into firsts.

The same can be said for fourth-place Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), who finished third at DuQuoin in 2023 and earned a win at last year’s Red Mile.

James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) continues to lead the next group, which includes fellow Californians Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/AM Ortega KTM 450 SX-F), Tarren Santero (No. 75 Vinson Construction/P&M Motorcycles Honda CRF450R) and Tyler Raggio (No. 55 Raggio Racing/Sluggo Racing KTM 450 SX-F), along with up-and-coming Pennsylvanians Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Hannum’s Harley-Davidson KTM 450 SX-F) and Evan Renshaw (No. 265 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R). However, if he continues his winning ways, Ott will find himself more likely to be considered a front-runner, having earned three top-five finishes in his last four races.

There will also be plenty to entertain spectators off the track, including numerous vendors, plenty of food and beverage options and ample motorcycle parking.

General admission tickets for the grandstand can be purchased for $30 (children 12 and under are free with a paid adult general grandstand ticket), while reserved grandstand tickets are $40 (all ages). The Pit Pass upgrade can be added to either option for $40 ($20 for children).

New for 2024: Opening Ceremonies On-Track Fan Experience ($150 for all ages). This ticket option includes reserved seating with pit pass access, a guided tour and photo opportunities at the indoor podium and start/finish line, an inside look at the opening ceremonies and qualifying races, and a trackside chat and photo opportunity with 2016 Grand National Champion Bryan Smith.

Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/trackenterprises/events/duquoin-mile-2024-80042 to reserve your spots today.

Doors will open for fans at 4:00 p.m. ET (1:00 p.m. PT) and opening ceremonies are scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT).

How to watch American Flat Track live

You can follow all of the weekend’s racing action live on FloRacing. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2024. FloSports is available by visiting https://flosports.link/aft or downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.

FOX Sports’ coverage of the Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile, featuring in-depth reporting and thrilling on-camera footage, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, July 14 at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT).

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

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Ten rounds into the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the series is finally preparing to do battle on a one-mile racetrack – the Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, this Saturday, July 6.

The world’s elite dirt bikes compete in the one-mile event, widely recognized as one of the greatest spectacles in all of motorsport. A unique test of pace, courage and strategy, national mile races are usually decided by inches, even when they are contested at triple-digit speeds.

The DuQuoin Mile is considered special, even within its class. Known as the “Magic Mile,” DuQuoin has hosted some of the most legendary and thrilling races in Grand National Championship history.

And the atmosphere this Independence Day weekend is set to be even more electric, as Saturday’s Progressive AFT event will conclude a full week of competition that will also crown this year’s amateur national champions at the 2024 Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship, sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association from June 30-July 6.

Progressive American Flat Track has its Mile wizard in Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750). The reigning king of the Mission AFT SuperTwins and a nine-time winner, Mees has won an impressive 17 of the premier class’s most recent 24 Miles over the past five seasons.

That includes last year’s DuQuoin Mile, which saw Mees exact revenge for his 2015 loss to Bryan Smith in the series’ closest race ever, decided by an official margin of 0.000 seconds. Last year’s race was nearly as close, with Mees taking the win ahead of Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) (0.033 seconds), Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) (0.097 seconds) and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) (0.160 seconds).

There’s a lesson here for Daniels, the Estenson Racing Yamaha star who comes into the race with a 21-point lead, a perfect podium record this season and coming off a commanding victory at the Lima Half-Mile. He understands that if he doesn’t play his cards right this weekend, he could potentially see his hard-earned lead shrink and his podium streak snapped, even if he manages to finish within a fraction of a second of the winner.

Indian riders Mees and Robinson will both be looking to make that possibility a reality, while Bauman will be motivated to showcase his KTM’s prodigious top speed after using it to such success in the 2023 season finale at Springfield, the last time the field lined up for a Mile.

If a true pack war is to take place, it will likely include some or all of the following top-class riders: Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Sody Ent/OTBR Yamaha MT-07), Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750), Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Transalp) and Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing Mission Foods KTM 790 Duke).

It will also be a premier stage for rookies Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing KTM 790 Duke) and Declan Bender (No. 70 GOMR/BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750) to continue proving their skills at the pinnacle of the sport.

AFT Singles Unlimited Spare Parts Presented by KICKER

As breathtaking as last year’s Mission AFT SuperTwins main event was, the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER race at the DuQuoin Mile was even tighter. Six drivers crossed the checkered flag within .262 seconds of victory, and even a tenth of a second behind the leader was too much for a driver hoping to finish on track.

The winner of the day was Tom Drane (#59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), who also won a few days ago in Ohio. With great skills and a featherweight, Drane immediately proved to be a monster on the Miles, a reputation he only hopes to improve this weekend.

That combination will present a real challenge for two-time defending class champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F). Kopp will no doubt be eager to start a new winning streak after having his three-race streak snapped last weekend. While most of Kopp’s victories have come on half-miles and short tracks, he has made it his mission to win a mile and accomplished that feat at last year’s Springfield Mile I. He will also be motivated by the fact that he left DuQuoin last year with only a fifth-place finish despite crossing the line just 0.106 seconds behind Drane.

Chase Saathoff (#88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) is another rider looking for revenge. He finished second to Drane by 0.011 seconds last year. Saathoff is on a roll, having earned four consecutive podiums and six top-three finishes in his last seven races. Despite his good form, his goal remains to turn more second- and third-place finishes into firsts.

The same can be said for fourth-place Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), who finished third at DuQuoin in 2023 and earned a win at last year’s Red Mile.

James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) continues to lead the next group, which includes fellow Californians Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/AM Ortega KTM 450 SX-F), Tarren Santero (No. 75 Vinson Construction/P&M Motorcycles Honda CRF450R) and Tyler Raggio (No. 55 Raggio Racing/Sluggo Racing KTM 450 SX-F), along with up-and-coming Pennsylvanians Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Hannum’s Harley-Davidson KTM 450 SX-F) and Evan Renshaw (No. 265 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R). However, if he continues his winning ways, Ott will find himself more likely to be considered a front-runner, having earned three top-five finishes in his last four races.

There will also be plenty to entertain spectators off the track, including numerous vendors, plenty of food and beverage options and ample motorcycle parking.

General admission tickets for the grandstand can be purchased for $30 (children 12 and under are free with a paid adult general grandstand ticket), while reserved grandstand tickets are $40 (all ages). The Pit Pass upgrade can be added to either option for $40 ($20 for children).

New for 2024: Opening Ceremonies On-Track Fan Experience ($150 for all ages). This ticket option includes reserved seating with pit pass access, a guided tour and photo opportunities at the indoor podium and start/finish line, an inside look at the opening ceremonies and qualifying races, and a trackside chat and photo opportunity with 2016 Grand National Champion Bryan Smith.

Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/trackenterprises/events/duquoin-mile-2024-80042 to reserve your spots today.

Doors will open for fans at 4:00 p.m. ET (1:00 p.m. PT) and opening ceremonies are scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT).

How to watch American Flat Track live

You can follow all of the weekend’s racing action live on FloRacing. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2024. FloSports is available by visiting https://flosports.link/aft or downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.

FOX Sports’ coverage of the Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile, featuring in-depth reporting and thrilling on-camera footage, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, July 14 at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT).

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