August 30, 2025 – Springfield, Illinois — Estenson Racing left the Illinois State Fairgrounds with two storylines that matter most: Dallas Daniels dragged his Mission AFT SuperTwins title hopes back within striking distance, and Tom Drane wrapped up the AFT Singles championship with authority.
SuperTwins: Daniels wins when it counts
The Mission Triple Challenge format (10, 15, and 20 laps with escalating points) turned Springfield Mile I into a pressure cooker. After a turbulent qualifying that sent several heavy hitters through the LCQ and sidelined others, Daniels kept his head and played the long game.
- Main Event 1 (10 laps): Daniels launched well, ran up front early, and banked a steady fourth as the lead pack shuffled.
- Main Event 2 (15 laps, double points): The pace spiked and the elbows came out. Daniels got mired in traffic and settled for seventh, while rival Briar Bauman surged to second—stretching the championship gap and setting up a must-deliver finale.
- Main Event 3 (20 laps, triple points): With the title picture on the line, Daniels was ruthless. He timed the draft perfectly in the closing laps, slicing to the front and hitting the stripe first by less than a tenth over Brandon Price, with James Ott and Declan Bender just behind. Bauman, who had led late, was shuffled to fifth in the final dash.
The result swung the standings dramatically: Bauman’s lead shrank to just two points (280–278) with only a few races left. Daniels summed it up with a nod to grit and execution—after a rough start to the day, the team refused to fold, and he nailed his final run through Turns 3–4 to seal a signature Springfield Mile victory.
Singles: Drane seals the #1 plate—two rounds early
Tom Drane delivered a champion’s performance from green to checkers, becoming the first non-American champion in any Progressive American Flat Track class and locking the AFT Singles title with two rounds to spare.
- Main Event 1: Holeshot, composure, win. Drane controlled the pace while a tight group gave chase.
- Main Event 2: A different kind of fight. Drane and Kage Tadman traded the lead repeatedly, with Chad Cose lurking. Drane reclaimed P1 on the final lap and held it to the line.
- Main Event 3 (red-flag restart, sprint to the finish): A swollen lead pack jostled to the end, but Drane always had an answer. He out-dragged Trevor Brunner by 0.017s to complete the sweep and clinch the championship.
It was Drane’s sixth win of the season, capping a year defined by speed and relentless consistency. Post-race, he credited the entire Estenson program and his family for the foundation behind the #1 plate—and he still has room to chase history with more wins before season’s end.
What’s next
The paddock resets overnight for Springfield Mile II on Sunday, August 31, the penultimate round. With Daniels only two points back and Drane already crowned, Estenson Racing rolls into Sunday with momentum—and plenty still to play for.