Progressive American Flat Track is America’s Original Extreme Sport as well as the guardian of the Grand National Championship series, formally established in 1954 but with roots reaching back to motorcycling’s original speed demons of a century ago.

At its core, professional flat track racing is a hyper-competitive, adrenaline-fueled American motorcycle sport featuring custom-built and production-based motorcycles reaching top speeds of 140 mph on the straights and 90 mph in the corners, all piloted by world-class athletes.

Progressive American Flat Track is widely recognized as the most prestigious and competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing in the world. Much has changed over 100 years, but the sport remains perhaps motorsport’s purest test of man and machine.

Over the decades, many of the world’s best motorcycle racers have emerged from America’s dirt track venues – legends like original Indian Wrecking Crew members Bill Tuman, Bobby Hill, and Ernie Beckman during the 1950s, Gary Nixon and Dick Mann in the 1960s, Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, and Wayne Rainey during the ’70s and ’80s, and Nicky Hayden in the ’90s and 2000s. All were superb flat track racers – several of them Grand National Champions – and many used the skills they first developed on the dirt to revolutionize Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing and attain global superstardom.

Today’s series consists of five classes – Mission AFT SuperTwins, KICKER AFT Singles, AFT AdventureTrackers™, AFT StreetTrackers, and AFT ProSport 450.

The premier Mission AFT SuperTwins class consists of production-based twin-cylinder motorcycles (649 - 900cc), utilizing the latest in motorsport technology and piloted by an exclusive company of the fastest athletes on dirt.

The KICKER AFT Singles class consists of production-based 450cc off-road machines specially prepared for flat track competition.

AFT AdventureTrackers features near-stock Dual Adventure bikes piloted by riders from a diverse set of racing backgrounds.

2026 will be the debut season for both AFT StreetTrackers and AFT ProSport 450. 

As part of the sport's historic formula, competitors are required to master the skills of racing on four distinct types of race circuits, Mile, Half-Mile, Short Track, and TT (Tourist Trophy). Mile, Half-Mile and Short Track races are conducted on specially-prepared oval tracks, with either flat or banked surfaces, while TT circuits have both right and left hand turns plus a jump:

Mile

Generally located at state fairgrounds or horse racing facilities, Mile races often turn into barnburners with packs of riders drafting at speeds exceeding 140 mph, lap-after-lap to the finish line.

Half-Mile

Half-Miles have been the most common circuits on the schedule throughout the history of the sport. Many Half-Miles are purpose-built racetracks which play host to a wide variety of motorcycle and automobile dirt track racing organizations.

Short Track

Short Tracks feature quick laps and fierce battles, sometimes described as being like "a fist fight in a phone booth." Starts and aggression are often the critical factors that determine the results on a short track.

TT

TT circuits can be either purpose-built race courses or temporary in nature. Ultimately, they all require riders to master both right- and left-hand turns and negotiate a jump at least once per lap.

Professional flat track racing is currently experiencing a significant rebirth, much of which can be credited to changes instituted in 2017: a name change, a simpler class structure, and a significantly boosted media presence that has helped attract millions of new viewers. A continued refinement of the rules and structure have followed in recent years to further capitalize on the sport’s enormous potential.

And in some significant ways, 2025 marked the beginning of a new era for the Grand National Championship. The Mission AFT SuperTwins class moved to an all-production based ruleset just as an elite crop of contenders vied for the throne left vacant by the retirement of Jared Mees following the 2024 season that saw him secure a record-setting tenth premier-class crown in his final season of competition. Dallas Daniels and Briar Bauman went toe-to-toe all season long, with Dallas Daniels capturing his first ever Grand National Championship.

The 2026 battle for supremacy will open with five consecutive bar-banging Short Tracks, starting with the series’ traditional Daytona Beach double opener during the 85th annual Daytona Bike Week. The schedule makes one more stop in the southeast for the Atlanta Short Track before taking on the west coast swing at Ventura, CA and Chico, CA. 

Afterwards, the series transitions to a run back across the country to the first ever running of ThrottleFest. This four-day festival will feature concerts, racing of all types, contests and then see the headliner of Progressive AFT take center stage on May 16.

The campaign marches on to the return of Williams Grove Speedway in Pennsylvania, and then off to the Nashville Short Track for the series return to Tennessee. Marking the half-way point of the season, the Midwest will be the proving grounds for the run-up to the championships. Stops will includr a doubleheader in Lima, Ohio, and a high-speed showdown at the “Magic Mile” in DuQuoin, Illinois.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally will serve as a highlight of the schedule again in ‘26, and this time around feature the Jackpine Gypsies Super TT followed by the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track.

The season’s final stretch will feature its two most iconic events – the world-famous 79th Peoria TT and a doubleheader at the legendary Springfield Mile to crown a champion. 

The upcoming season will see the continuation of the Triple Challenge format that will be utilized at the Daytona Short Track II, Lima Half-Mile I, and Springfield Mile I, in which the overall winner and final points payout will be determined by three races of increasing distance and importance.

America’s oldest and purest form of motorcycle sport is back on the radar, making that thunderous noise we all love, and it’s certain to continue in 2026. The momentum created over the past nine years has Progressive American Flat Track well positioned to take the next step in its meteoric rise, spearheaded by the Mission AFT SuperTwins class.

Mission AFT SuperTwins

Mission AFT SuperTwins was engineered with the specific intent of building the profile of the stars of the sport, dramatically increasing visibility for teams and manufacturers and driving ROI for the sponsors that support their competition efforts. Successfully packaging the premier Progressive AFT class as the best flat track racing in the world and as a scalable national professional sports league allows all key stakeholders (teams, OEMs, riders, partners, broadcasters and fans) to enjoy the benefits.

The new ruleset in 2025 saw an instant impact, drawing a level playing field for all OEM's. The series saw the return of Harley-Davidson at the top of the leaderboard, winning nine races, the Manufactures Championship, and riders Briar Bauman and Brandon Robinson finishing the season standings in second and third overall. They only finished behind phenom Dallas Daniels, who took home six wins on his Yamaha before securing the Grand National Championship by a nail-biting six points.  

KICKER AFT Singles

The AFT Singles have a new sound in 2026, the KICKER AFT Singles as long time presenting sponsor KICKER Audio takes over as the entitlement sponsor. The class gives a spotlight on Progressive AFT’s next generation of stars. It’s also become a battleground for some of the sport’s more established stars as its importance to the manufacturers has increased over the years, further raising the bar for all involved. Last season, Tom Drane's was the model of consistency, only missing the podium once and racked up eight wins. He will have fierce competition in 2026, as Kage Tadman, Chase Saathoff, and Trevor Brunner all make team switches in a pursuit of grabbing the number one plate.

AFT AdventureTrackers

The AFT AdventureTrackers return for its third season with an expanded schedule in ’26. Building on the class’ successful launch, it will be featured at Daytona Short Track II, Atlanta Short Track, Silver Dollar Short Track, ThrottleFest, both Jackpine Gypsies events, along with the class finale at Peoria TT. The category’s basic ruleset centers on production-based race bikes that remain as close to street stock as is feasible, allowing these supremely versatile machines to showcase the inherent capabilities of the bikes when piloted by professional racers, all while minimizing costs.

AFT StreetTrackers

A professional production-based class allowing very minimal modifications for motorcycles in the Standard / Traditional category to include two, three and four cylinder models.

AFT ProSport 450

An entry level production-based class for riders 14-21 years of age who have never held a professional flat track racing license, allowing very minimal modifications for 450cc single-cylinder motorcycles.

The degree of machinery diversity in Progressive American Flat Track is astounding and bound to grow even greater in the coming years.

Boil it all down and you’re left with this single, undeniable fact: There really is nothing like Progressive American Flat Track. Anywhere.