– Briar Bauman’s (No. 3 RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors Harley-Davidson XG750R) 2025 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, has quickly transformed from a feel-good story to an epic tale of domination as he stormed to a third consecutive convincing Mission AFT SuperTwins victory in Saturday’s night’s Silver Dollar Short Track.
That said, even amidst the transformation of the Harley-Davidson XG750R from a winless racebike to a week-in, week-out powerhouse, the feel-good story behind it remains; Bauman and wife, Shayna Texter-Bauman, made the announcement that they are expecting their first child earlier this morning at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California.
That news didn’t inspire any of his rivals to take it easy on him in the evening, however, as title contender Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and the emerging James Ott (No. 19 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07) took the early initiative in the premier-class Main.
Those two waged a contest of contrasting lines and styles aboard their respective Yamahas, with Daniels locked down low and Ott railing up high as they shook free from the pack. Ott’s bolder approach eventually gave him the upper hand, as he assumed the lead some three minutes into the eight-minute and two-lap affair.
Daniels’ subsequent experiments with a higher line only resulted in him getting swallowed up by a charging Bauman, who would also go on to overwhelm Ott less than a minute later.
Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke) was the next to power up the outside of Daniels. The Estenson Racing star regrouped and responded, and their fight saw them track Ott back down and flow past him to turn their scrap into one for second.
Fisher seemed relatively safe in that position late, but one last charge from Daniels made it interesting – to the tune of a 0.061-second differential at the flag. Still, the Rackley Racing rider managed to hold on to earn his best result of the year after earlier finishing third at Daytona.
While Daniels upped his podium streak to 18, he also saw his championship deficit expand as Bauman powered on to stack a third successive victory on his pair of opening week seconds. As a result, the Rick Ware Racing pilot now leads by ten points (107-97) with five races down and 11 to go.
Asked to explain his seeming return to peak Grand National Champion form, Bauman said, “Getting back with Dave (Zanotti) and Michelle (Disalvo), and George Latus giving myself, Shayna, and Rick Ware Racing this opportunity… Look, I know how incredible Dallas is and all of these guys are. I spent the last two years on the downer a little bit; we had a couple wins, but there was no rhythm. It was hoping to finish the Main Events.
“I’m going to ride this high for a little while. It’s been a little bit of time, and I know what it feels like to not be in this position. I’m going to keep it going. I’m going to love it. And to announce that we’re having our first child this morning…. All the credit to my wife, she’s been going through lately. Thank you so much to my whole team for everything. I know I’m on a roll right now, and I’m not going to take it for granted, but I feel really good.”
The fast-starting Ott lost one additional position – that to fourth-place finisher Jarod VanDerKooi (No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke) – to close out the race’s top five. Ott narrowly avoided fading to sixth, with Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) just another 0.180 seconds in arrears at the stripe.
Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Suzuki GSX-8S) continued to demonstrate the promise of his developing Suzuki platform in seventh while Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), Logan McGrane (No. 14 Schaefer’s Motorsport KTM 790 Duke) and Nick Armstrong (No. 160 Competitive Racing Frames Yamaha MT-07) rounded out the top ten just behind.
Next Up:
The 2025 Progressive AFT season will resume on Saturday, June 7, with the inaugural Short Track at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri. Visit https://www.americanflattrack.com/events/2025/view/silver-dollar-short-track-2025 to secure your tickets today.
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage of the Silver Dollar Short Track, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, May 11, at 12:30 p.m. ET (9:30 a.m. PT).
For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.
