Fireworks Expected as Progressive AFT Heads to DuQuoin for Independence Day Weekend

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – July 3, 2024 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Ten rounds into the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the series at last prepares to do battle on a Mile racetrack – the Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, this Saturday, July 6.

The world’s elite motorcycle dirt trackers dicing it up on a Mile is widely recognized as one of the greatest spectacles in all of motorsport. A unique test of pace, courage, and strategy, Mile nationals are commonly decided by mere inches despite being waged at triple-digits speeds.

The DuQuoin Mile is considered special even inside its category. Known as the “Magic Mile,” DuQuoin has played host to a some of the most legendary and thrilling races in Grand National Championship history.

And this Independence Day weekend’s atmosphere is destined to be that much 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 during 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 resident Mile magician in Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750). The nine-time and reigning Mission AFT SuperTwins king has won an astonishing 17 of the most recent 24 premier-class Miles dating back over the previous five seasons.

That includes last year’s DuQuoin Mile, which saw Mees avenge his 2015 defeat to Bryan Smith in the closest race the series has ever seen, decided by an official 0.000 seconds. Last year’s contest was nearly as close, with Mees taking top honors over 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 in there for Estenson Racing Yamaha star Daniels, who comes in with a 21-point advantage, a perfect podium record on the season, and fresh off a dominant victory at the Lima Half-Mile. He fully understands that if he doesn’t play his cards just right this weekend, he could potentially see that hard-earned points lead eaten into and his podium streak snapped, even if he manages to finish just a fraction of a second behind the winner.

The Indian-mounted Mees and…