15.08.2021
Rounds 9 and 10 - American Flat Track Championship
WEEDSPORT, N.Y. – The American Flat Track Championship delivered another intense double-header weekend with the New York Short Track taking place back-to-back nights for rounds 9 and 10 of the series. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo of Max Whale and Shayna Texter-Bauman battled through adversity all weekend long but both multi-time AFT Singles Class winners are optimistic on their direction heading into the final stretch of the series.
Entering the race weekend as the AFT Singles Championship points leader, Max Whale was prepared to keep his momentum rolling in New York. He struggled to piece it all together on day one, finishing sixth in Semi 1 and claiming an uncharacteristic eighth-place finish in the evening’s Main Event. Texter-Bauman qualified into the first Main Event by way of a seventh-place finish in the semi and she battled from a fourth-row start to finish 16th on the night.
With a fresh start on day two, Whale bounced back with a solid third in the semi and he transferred into the Main Event with ease. He got off to a 10th place start in the main and quickly passed his way up to fifth, holding on for a top-five finish on the second day of racing. The Aussie now sits only two points back in the championship standings with plenty of racing left to go in 2021.
Whale: “Tough weekend at New York Short track. I struggled on day one, I just couldn’t figure it out. That was probably our biggest struggle all year. On day two, we qualified better and had a better semi, which was good. I had a really bad start in the Main Event, I was in 10th on the first lap and ended up making my way back to fifth. I wasn’t far off a podium spot, so that was a good positive, and I’m just happy we figured it out and made some changes to move forward.”
It was a tough night two for Texter-Bauman, who was on-track to battle for a spot into the Main Event through Semi 1. However, she got pushed off the race track on the opening lap and wasn’t able to make up time in the short eight-lap race, therefore missing the transfer by only two positions. After 10 rounds, Shayna sits ninth overall in the AFT Singles Championship point standings.
Texter-Bauman: “On night one, I felt pretty good to start the day and we just continued to chase the track as the conditions got a lot drier and slick. I ended the night 16th and felt like we had learned a little bit in the Main so we were pretty encouraged going into night two. I felt good and felt like we had a good bike for the semi and we got off the line and got kind of shuffled going into turn one by a guy behind me and kind of pushed me off the race track. The track was really dry and slippery and that little bit of time that I gave up by getting pushed off the track was enough to allow a couple people to go up underneath me and the track was really hard to make up time and pass on so unfortunately, I wasn’t able to qualify for the Main Event. Overall positives from the weekend, we were able to make some improvement to the motorcycle and it was working well, and I felt like we definitely had speed to be in it come Main Event but unfortunately the eight-lap semi cost us the rest of the night.”
KTM-mounted rider Morgen Mischler earned his first AFT Singles Main Event victory of the season on night two, backing up a solid third-place podium finish on the first night. Mischler sits third overall in the championship standings with an impressive season thus far.
Next Race: Peoria TT – Peoria, Illinois – August 21, 2021
AFT Singles Main Event – New York Short Track I
1. Dallas Daniels, Yamaha
2. Trevor Brunner, Honda
3. Morgen Mischler, KTM
OTHER KTM
8. Max Whale – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
16. Shayna Texter-Bauman – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
17. Damon Ream, KTM
AFT Singles Main Event – New York Short Track II
1. Morgen Mischler, KTM
2. Brandon Kitchen, Husqvarna
3. Dallas Daniels, Yamaha
OTHER KTM
5. Max Whale – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
14. Damon Ream, KTM
16. Hunter Bauer, KTM
AFT Singles Point Standings (After 10 Rounds)
1. Dallas Daniels, 178 points
2. Max Whale – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 176
3. Morgen Mischler, 150
OTHER KTM
9. Shayna Texter-Bauman – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 94