Daniels, Mees Continue Battle for Supremacy at Ventura Short Track

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – May 3, 2023 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Progressive American Flat Track will conclude its early-season run of four Short Tracks with the inaugural Ventura Short Track this Saturday, May 6, at Ventura Raceway in Ventura, California.

It’s somewhat unusual to have four Short Tracks throughout an entire campaign, let alone in the opening six races. The first three delivered huge thrills and significant developments for the 2023 Championship, and the same can be expected again this weekend.

Together with the Mission Dallas Half-Mile presented by Roof Systems, this year’s first four ovals have already begun to reshuffle the pecking order. Current Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle title leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and reigning premier-class champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) have earned two wins apiece and currently rank 1-2 in the standings.

Mees comes in with soaring confidence after having gotten the better of Daniels in their most recent two matchups. That said, rising star Daniels has shown no real weaknesses or made any major mistakes, allowing him to build up an early-season advantage with no finish worse than second. That’s a mighty high standard that promises to ratchet up the pressure on Mees (and everyone else) should he continue to perform at that level.

Two-time Champion Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke) expected a rollercoaster of a season when he originally committed to racing a developing platform in the KTM 890 Duke. And while he’s gotten that, he’s continued to be a factor, securing a pair of podiums and three top-five finishes in the bike’s earliest days. He should only get better as the season evolves and Bauman is better able to exploit the bike’s inherent strengths.

JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) is the season’s only winner other than Daniels and Mees. While that came in the TT discipline in which he stands as one of the sport’s all-time greats, Beach also won a pair of Short Tracks a season ago. He’s more than capable of doing the same this weekend, which would be the ideal way to rebound back after crashing out of podium contention in Dallas.

Independent Indians pilots Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway…