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What To Know About The 2025 American Flat Track Season Opener At Daytona

News, notes, and all the storylines you’ll need to know before this week’s 2025 American Flat Track season-opener at the Flat Track at Daytona

We are now just days away from the opening of a new era of the Grand National Championship. The 2025 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, will kick off under the lights of the Flat Track at Daytona International Speedway with the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I & II on Thursday, March 6, and Friday, March 7, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

6, and Friday, March 7, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

While much is new, the tradition of the season-opening Daytona Bike Week doubleheader endures, as the event remains a centerpiece attraction for the 84th annual Daytona Bike Week and the 500,000 motorcycle enthusiasts it attracts annually to the area.

This season will see the world’s greatest motorcycle dirt track racers vie for the throne vacated by the retirement of ten-time Grand National Champion Jared Mees. And they’ll do so under revised rules of engagement, as Progressive AFT’s premier Mission AFT SuperTwins class moves forward with all-production based regulations, prompting significant change up and down the grid.

From Hunter to Hunted 

The exit of Mees shifts the target firmly over to his former chief rival, Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), who has been saddled with the burdened of odds-on favorite status even without the honor of carrying the #1 plate.

For what it’s worth, Daniels himself isn’t a big fan of the many predictions in his favor. Earlier this offseason he said, “I don’t like hearing, ‘Oh, you’re the favorite. You’re definitely going to win next year… Your bike is the best bike. Blah, blah. blah.’ That’s not true. The guys I’m racing against are really good, and they’re going to have good bikes. I think it’s a great time for flat track. It’s a deep field, and it’s going to be an exciting year. We’ve got to do our job and show up ready.”

But whether he wants it or not, the opposition views him as the primary obstacle standing in their way, and all will be doing their very best to take down the presumed heir apparent.

He’s not entirely unfamiliar with the role, having successfully defended his title in AFT Singles presented by KICKER competition back in 2021. But a quest for the Grand National Championship is on a different level altogether in terms of profile and pressure, particularly when it represents an attempt to complete a life-long goal for himself – one that would also mark the first ever premier-class title for Estenson Racing and the first for Yamaha in more than 50 years.

Whatever level of pressure there may be, don’t feel sorry for Daniels. Pity the opposition.

He’s the favorite for a reason… several in fact. Beyond his remarkable natural skills, he comes into the 2025 season comfortable in the fact that he’s supported by a championship-caliber team and crew and armed with a championship-caliber racebike in a season otherwise defined by mass transition.

Consider this: Among last year’s top 15 championship finishers, only Daniels and seventh-ranked Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction/OTBR Yamaha MT-07) return with the same bike and team combination from a season ago.

And don’t expect Daniels to allow any potential title challengers the luxury of easing into their new surroundings. He opens the ‘25 season with an active and already historic podium streak – one that survived even a lightning quick return to action just weeks after suffering a broken leg, numerous bruises and contusions, fluid in his lungs, and a separated shoulder in a practice crash that ultimately sunk his bid for the 2024 Grand National Championship.

He expects to hit the dirt in midseason form this week. If he does, a double podium in Daytona would see him reset the reunification era (post-2009) record for consecutive podiums.