No Half Measures as Progressive AFT Stars Ready for Dallas Half-Mile

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – April 19, 2023 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – The 2023 Progressive American Flat Track season resumes with this weekend’s high-profile Mission Dallas Half-Mile presented by Roof Systems at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas on Saturday, April 22.

Progressive AFT’s annual trek to the Dallas-Fort Worth area always carries heightened significance due to its status as the home event for some of the series’ strongest allies, partners, and teams, including Mission Foods, Roof Systems of Dallas, TX, and Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda.

And this year, the stop always represents the first of five Half-Miles that will play such a critical role in determining the Championship. It couldn’t have come at a better time for reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750), who enters the weekend third in the points after a late crash at the Arizona Super TT cost him a potential podium.

Mees ranks as one of the greatest Half-Milers in the history of the sport. His 33 career victories – including two of his three wins last season – put him just two off the all-time mark currently held by the legendary Scott Parker.

That said, Mees’ Half-Mile supremacy has been challenged as of late by Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke). The two-time Mission SuperTwins champion earned a pair of HM wins of his own a year ago and also happened to double in runaway fashion the last time Progressive AFT visited Devil’s Bowl Speedway back in 2020.

The Dallas Half-Mile will be an important test for the Estenson Racing Yamaha duo of Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), who currently rank 1-2 in the points.

The pair have combined for nine wins since the start of the ‘22 season, yet none have come on Half-Miles. Daniels does have an impressive track record at this venue, however, scoring both wins in ‘20 en route to the first of two support class titles earned prior to his graduation to the ranks of the premier class.

Like Mees and Bauman, Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) scooped two Half-Mile wins last season. He’ll be motivated to score a strong performance as he defends his team’s and sponsors’ home turf, especially in the wake of twin outings hindered by practice crashes.

Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian…