Estenson Racing’s Ryan Wells battled back to cross the line fourth at a tough-to-pass Buffalo Chip TT Sunday Night in Sturgis, South Dakota. His rookie teammate also overcame challenges to finish 12th in just his second race competing in a stacked American Flat Track AFT Singles class.
It was another roller coaster ride of a day for Wells. He won his Heat race in convincing fashion, but got caught up in a first-lap fray and got shuffled back to sixth. The purpose-built track at the legendary Buffalo Chip Campgrounds wasn’t easy to pass on, so he put himself at a disadvantage going into the Main Event with that sixth-place Semi finish. Even though he didn’t get the start he was hoping for in the Main, the 2016 AFT Singles champ put his head down and steadily worked his way through the pack to eventually take fourth place on the final lap.
Daniels had a tough day as a whole, but he was also undeterred. The 16-year-old finished sixth in his Heat race and eighth in the Semi. With no championship on the line, Daniels put everything he had into the Main Event. He got a good start going from 16th to 11th and worked his way into 8th by lap nine. Unfortunately, while trying to advance to another position, he found himself on the ground. Daniels was able to rejoin the race after the restart and once again worked his way from the back of the pack to finish 12th.
“It was definitely an up-and-down day. We won the Heat race, which was awesome. Then, I felt really good in the Semi, but a rider cut the dang track and pushed me up wide and a bunch of people got underneath me. We were on the back row for the Main Event and got a miserable first start. I think I was 15th on the first lap, so I was just picking people off until the very end. To climb back up from that far back and to finish fourth and pass two people on the last lap, it was just awesome. It was probably the best I’ve felt in a long time, especially with not getting the race win. It was a super-big confidence booster. TT’s aren’t my type of track, so I’m pumped for the Black Hills Half-Mile.”
Dallas Daniels – AFT Singles #163:
“The day started out really not so good. I got a bad start in the Heat and I finished sixth, which gave me a second-row start for the Semi. I was able to barely squeak in and get the last transfer to the Main Event. Before we went out for the Main, everybody just told me, ‘Go out, have fun, you’ve got nothing to lose.’ I’m not in the points, and I was on the third row. So I was like, ‘Whatever happens, happens.’ I got a really good start and I was up in 10th or so, and I made a couple passes and was running 8th. I tried to make a pass on the guy in front of me. Our bars got together, and I ended up falling. I was able to get back up, restart, and come back 12th. I’m pretty disappointed with it. Everybody else seems to be happy but me. I was pretty disappointed because I think I had the speed to be top-five for sure. It’s just a learning process for me. We’ll carry this confidence into Tuesday and hopefully do better.”
The Estenson Racing squad switches gears to the fast-clay Half-Mile at Black Hills Speedway, tomorrow, August 6, for the Black Hills Half-Mile.
Catch the Buffalo Chip TT on NBCSN, August 10, at 1:00 p.m. ET followed by the Black Hills Half-Mile at 2:00 p.m. ET.
For tickets and additional information about the event: http://www.americanflattrack.com/events/ .
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