03.09.2023

KODY KOPP AND RED BULL KTM CLINCH SECOND-STRAIGHT AFT SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP WITH SPRINGFIELD MILE VICTORY

Round 17 – American Flat Track Championship
This press release has: 6 Images
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Kody Kopp has clinched a second-consecutive AFT Singles Championship with a round to spare, after charging to his eighth American Flat Track Main Event victory of the 2023 season on Saturday at the Springfield Mile double-header.

In what has been a dominant season onboard his KTM 450 SX-F, Kopp has raced to a total of eight race wins across the 17 rounds contested, with one more race to run in Springfield tomorrow. This year's title marks the Washington native's second crown in just three seasons since stepping up to the AFT Singles ranks, with the 18-year-old once again displaying his winning form by sealing the championship on top of the podium.

Requiring a 10th-place finish or better to secure the 2023 title, Kopp demonstrated true championship caliber as he posted the third-fastest qualifying time, before racing to P3 in his Heat Race. After starting the Main Event from the second row of the grid, the defending champion put any pressure of earning back-to-back titles out of his mind, slicing his way through the field and eventually edging his way into P1, which is where he would take the checkered flag by just 0.010s for his eighth win of the season and another AFT Singles Championship.

Kody Kopp: "We were in the hunt all day long here in Springfield! We entered with a new motor that the team back at the shop have been working on and I'd say that's the strongest Mile motor I've ever ridden with in my life. We put ourselves in a good position, I knew what was needed for the championship, although I wanted there to be no questions asked, so we ended up going out there and winning the thing. It feels amazing to match Dallas [Daniels] on total single season wins with eight, and then to also wrap up another championship. We'll charge for another win tomorrow, but we will soak this in first! A massive thank you to the team for giving me all the tools necessary all season long to get the job done."

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Max Whale endured a difficult day out in Springfield, with the Australian posting a P5 result in qualifying. After experiencing an unfortunate non-finish during his Heat Race, Whale qualified into the Main Event through the LCQ, which resulted in a poor starting position for the 18-lap affair.

Equipped with his KTM 450 SX-F, Whale put in an impressive charge through the pack, powering his way to ninth place by race's end, despite the one-lined nature of the circuit, and he maintains fifth-place in the 2023 season standings.

Max Whale: "I felt really good here in Springfield. The bike was awesome as soon as we hit the track and I was running up front in all sessions, before an issue in the Heat Race sent me to the LCQ. I fought from the back of the grid in the LCQ to second, and then in the Main Event I was way back with the grid position, but tried as hard as I could and managed to come back to ninth place. We've been trying all season long, so we'll line up and give it another shot tomorrow!"

Next Race: Springfield Mile II – Springfield, IL – September 3, 2023

Round 17 Results

AFT Singles Main Event
1. Kody Kopp, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
2. Tom Drane, Yamaha
3. Chase Saathoff, Honda
OTHER KTM
6. Declan Bender, KTM
9. Max Whale, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
11. Travis Petton IV, KTM
12. Dalton Gauthier, KTM
13. Shayna Texter-Bauman, KTM

2023 AFT Singles Point Standings
1. Kody Kopp, 333 points
2. Trevor Brunner, 289
3. Tom Drane, 285
OTHER KTM
5. Max Whale, 255
7. Dalton Gauthier, 243
11. Travis Petton IV, 106
15. Shayna Texter-Bauman, 76
19. Declan Bender, 52
20. Logan Eisenhard, 43
22. Tanner Dean, 27
26. Landen Smith, 15
27. Hayden Gillim, 14
28. Olin Kissler, 14
30. Clarke Morian V, 12

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Images (6)

KODY KOPP - RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING
5 472 x 3 648 © Tim Lester
KODY KOPP - RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING 02
4 869 x 3 246 © Tim Lester
KODY KOPP - RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING 03
5 022 x 3 348 © Tim Lester
KODY KOPP - RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING 04
5 048 x 3 365 © Tim Lester
KODY KOPP - RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING 05
3 000 x 2 000 © Tim Lester
MAX WHALE & KODY KOPP - RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING
3 000 x 2 000 © Tim Lester

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