With the unique circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic, American Flat Track AFT Singles riders raced two events on the same night. Both Main Events combined with the qualifying Semi meant for a physically demanding 56 laps on Friday night on the Short Track at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Arena. Daniels day got off to a tough start, qualifying 12th and putting himself on the second row of the grid for both of his Semis. The fast kid from Illinois fought his way back for a good result in both qualifying races, crossing the line third and second.
Daniels got a decent start from the second row in Main Event 1 and passed a couple of riders to tuck behind his teammate on the second lap. He and Rush were running 1-2 before the red flag came out with just under four minutes left of the six-minute-plus-two-lap race. Daniels got a good jump after the staggered restart and was maintaining the runner-up position until a big moment on the exit of Turn 2. Although he quickly recovered he lost a couple of positions. Daniels kept knocking down the laps and was able to make the move to the front on the final lap, to score his third career win and his second in his home state of Illinois.
In the second Main Event, he got a decent start in fourth but the changing track made for a more difficult race and he was unable to pull off the same charge to front and found himself in sixth. Daniels was able to make another last-lap pass to finish fifth and move up into the second spot in the championship.
On the other side of the coin, Rush had a good qualifying in the top 10 and dominated both of his Semi races to put him in a good position for the points-paying races. In the first Main, Rush struck early taking over the lead at the start of the second lap. He put his head down and built a comfortable gap while the competition battled behind him. Unfortunately on lap 18, the Californian’s rear wheel went off track in turn two and he spun out of the lead. Rush recovered and rejoined the race, and was able to salvage some points with a 13th-place finish.
Starting from pole in the second Main, he once again went into the first turn in second and kept chasing after the leader. The veteran knocked down the laps in the runner-up spot but unfortunately for Rush, his leg got pulled back making for a long race. He did his best to hold off the competition, but it grew increasingly difficult in the final moments of the race and he crossed the line fourth.
The Estenson Racing AFT SuperTwins gets their turn today and tomorrow at the Springfield Mile I & II before the entire team heads east for next weekend’s Williams Grove Half-Mile doubleheader in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
