Show summary Hide summary
In a dramatic season finale at the historic Springfield Mile, Davis Fisher delivered a last-lap upset to win the Caterpillar Springfield Mile II and cap the 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season. The Rackley Racing rider edged Tom Drane by a margin measured in thousandths of a second, handing Fisher his second career victory in the premier class.
Fisher outsprints Drane in photo finish
Davis Fisher — aboard the No. 67 Rackley Racing / Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke — battled wheel-to-wheel with wildcard Tom Drane through the race’s closing laps. The two exchanged the lead repeatedly over the back half of the Main, setting up a nail-biting final circuit.
MotoGP previews the Motul Grand Prix of Japan
Fisher edges Drane by 0.009 seconds to win Caterpillar Springfield Mile II finale
Fisher held Drane behind him entering Turn 3 on the last lap, a defensive move that proved decisive. At the checkered flag Fisher prevailed by just 0.009 seconds, a margin so small it required official timing to separate them.
Fisher called the win a long-awaited payoff for his team and supporters. He credited the Rackley crew and longtime sponsor Bob Lanphere, who had predicted Fisher would “win the Mile.” The result mirrors Fisher’s first AFT SuperTwins victory, taken at the 2021 Charlotte Half-Mile, but arrived this time on the season’s final day in Springfield, Illinois.
Podium, incidents and the title outcome
Trent Lowe, the 2025 Springfield winner, completed the podium in third on the No. 48 American Honda / Mission Foods Honda CB750 Hornet. Lowe finished just 0.057 seconds behind Drane, adding a second-day podium to his Saturday result.
The race unfolded without the three Grand National Championship protagonists occupying the top step. Champion Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07) and title rivals Briar Bauman (No. 3 Super.com/RWR/Rocket Doctor Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Kody Kopp (No. 12 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) influenced the running, but none reached the podium this time.
Bauman rode near the front of the lead group for much of the contest before an apparent mechanical issue forced him out with just over four minutes remaining. Daniels, who had dropped off the lead pack near mid-race and lost almost two seconds at one point, mounted a late recovery. He used the drafting battle up front to rejoin the fight and grabbed fourth on the final lap after slipping past Kopp.
Kopp’s fifth-place finish was sufficient to secure second overall in the Grand National Championship standings, concluding a strong rookie premier-class campaign. Daniels ended the season as champion with 309 points, followed by Kopp (274) and Bauman (270). Fisher rounded out the top five in the championship, placing fourth with 216 points; Lowe finished the year fifth with 178.
Top ten and notable returns
Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) rode to a solitary sixth, while Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades / Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) prevailed in a close all‑Yamaha tussle for seventh. Hunter Bauer (No. 24 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07) and Chad Cose (No. 49 PRO Roofing / Parker Racing Yamaha MT-07) followed.
Jeffrey Carver Jr., the series veteran nicknamed the “Wizard,” recorded a welcome top‑ten in his return to action at the Springfield Mile.
KICKER AFT Singles: dramatic red flag hands win to Saathoff
The KICKER AFT Singles Main Event delivered its most chaotic finish of the year. A pack of a dozen riders traded positions for nearly the full ten-minute race, and the closing laps saw the field compress into a frantic sprint to the line.
On the final lap Logan Eisenhard (No. 66 Mark Tepper Racing / Pags Powersports KTM 450 SX-F) became entangled with Jordan Beaulac (No. 156 Picotte Motosport / Dofralex GASGAS MC 450F), an incident that launched both riders into the air fence and prompted a red flag.
At the moment the race was stopped, Chase Saathoff (No. 88 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) had actually taken the white flag by a matter of inches. Official timing showed Saathoff narrowly ahead of Kage Tadman (No. 28 American Honda / Mission Foods CRF450R) by 0.038 seconds, with Tom Drane a thousandth further back at 0.039 seconds. Because Saathoff led when the lap counted, the victory was awarded to him.
Saathoff celebrated his second win of the season while acknowledging the unusual ending. “It still feels great to win,” he said, adding gratitude for his team and noting the result came “by a technicality.” Tadman was credited with second and Drane third.
Singles top finishers
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 JMC Motorsports / Fairway GMC KTM 450 SX-F) and Jared Lowe (No. 63 Big R Racing / Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R) completed the top five. Official results listed Walker Porter, Bradon Pfanders, Tarren Santero, Jett Katarzy and Kaleb Martin sixth through tenth, respectively.
Despite the setback in Springfield, Drane locked an outstanding KICKER AFT Singles season with a record nine wins and a championship total of 303 points. Saathoff finished the year on 257 points and Tadman on 226.
Broadcast and streaming information
Progressive American Flat Track’s live coverage is available via FloRacing, which carries the league’s events and offers access across common streaming platforms. For viewers of televised highlights, FOX Sports planned FS1 features on the Caterpillar Springfield events, airing the first Mile on Sunday, September 13, and the second Mile on Sunday, September 20.
For official series information and full results, American Flat Track maintains updates on its website.
