Rush, Daniels Make Gains in AFT Singles Title Chase with 1-2 Finish at Williams Grove

“The AFT Singles race was a great race for the team for a lot of reasons. To finish 1-2, we’re really happy about that, really proud. It showed the strength of the team and was one of the goals for this season. Mikey has been doing such a good job for the team. I felt like a win was right there. He just had some bad luck and some silly stuff that has kept him from winning before now. Dallas was fast all day. He got behind a little bit during the race, but regrouped and rode a very mature race. The result was also really good for us points-wise. Some of the guys close to us had a bad day, so we were able to close the gap. We get to come back tomorrow and hopefully do it all over again.  

“The Twins race, was definitely not what we were looking for. We tried a few different things but didn’t quite make the gains we had hoped to accomplish. Everyone is kind of putting their heads together right now to see what we can come up with for tomorrow. Hopefully, we can make some improvements and be a little stronger in race two.”

“We struggled a little bit earlier in the day, trying different things with the setup. We ended up making a suspension change for the Main Event, and I guess it paid off. I watched the race before ours and I saw that the top of the track was coming in. I just told myself before we took off that I would go to the top and see what happens. I started on the second row and ended up getting a great launch. I got up there, put in some smooth laps, and got by a few guys and took the lead. From there, I just kept trying to hit my marks. I couldn’t have done it without the team. It feels so great to get the win. I really wanted to do that for the guys. They work so hard during the week and over the winter. For me to get this opportunity with the Estenson Racing crew was a dream come true. It feels so great to finally get that win for them.”

“I was kind of struggling at the beginning of the year with these two-day races, so I was happy to be up on the front row and be on pole. I got off to a really good start. I knew the track was changing a little bit and the top would come in towards the end of the race. When the guys came by me, I was kind of surprised. It wasn’t the guys on the front row, Ryan (Wells) and Mikey, who were on the second row, and Morgen (Mischler), who was on the third row. On a track like this, you have got to be thinking the whole race and be able to adjust. I adjusted my line and tried to make a pass on Morgen going into three, and I ended up drifting up wide. I kind of lost everything I made up. I was looking at the clock, and I didn’t have much time so I started tracking him down and made a pass on him. I knew I didn’t have enough time to catch Mikey. I think if I would have been a little smarter at the beginning of the race, I could either have been with him or been out front, but it’s all good. I was happy to bring it home in second for our first 1-2. It’s awesome for the team. I think we made a statement tonight that we’re still a force to be reckoned with in this championship, both of us. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

“The track was a lot drier than I thought it would have been. So that definitely didn’t help us. We struggled in the Main. We tried some stuff, but it was just didn’t make the improvements we were hoping for. Luckily we have another day tomorrow. We’ll keep working and see what happens.”

“It was kind of a classic Williams Grove. It’s such a tight track on corner entry on exit, so there’s a different way that you have to approach it. You almost have to ride slower to go faster. We struggled a bit with the bike, but I’m happy with how I rode. I dug deep in the Main Event, and my laps were pretty consistent the whole way through. My fitness is really good, and at the end of the day, that’s all we can do. Just keep digging and working on getting the bike better. Eventually, we’ll have some success.”