AFT Singles presented by KICKER rider Evan Kelleher (31) races at Daytona I (Photo: American Flat Track/Tim Lester)

In an everyday context, the phrase, “spinning wheels” is more or less interchangeable with another popular expression: “stuck in the mud.” However – and perhaps paradoxically – when it comes to motorcycle flat track racing, spinning tires provide the means to move and do so in rapid fashion on dirt. 

As the Official Tire of Progressive American Flat Track, it’s Dunlop Motorcycle Tires’ duty to make that high-speed movement a reality. Ultimately, that’s where the job begins, and that’s where it ends, but that summation fails to acknowledge the immense scope of the partnership when it comes to all things in between. 

Dunlop has served in the capacity with the series for just over a decade, although it feels as if it has done so far longer than that. That may be in part due to the smooth transition it made into the role in 2014, taking the baton from then-parent company Goodyear Tires. But perhaps the bigger reason is down to just how integral the brand has made itself to the sport at large. 

More than simply a tire supplier, Dunlop ranks as one of the most vital strategic partners of Progressive AFT. That’s a duty it takes seriously, strengthening the sport as a whole, from the grassroots level all the way up to its pinnacle. 

Team Dunlop Flat Track Elite 

A prime example of that holistic philosophy is the Team Dunlop Flat Track Elite. The initiative sees Dunlop handpick a sampling of the nation’s most promising amateur dirt trackers to provide with exclusive benefits and support. Now in its fifth year, the program mirrors a near-two-decade-old effort that does the same for motocross, one that boasts the likes of Eli Tomac and Chase Sexton among its expansive and illustrious alumni. 

Team Dunlop Flat Track Elite is off to a strong start in replicating that success, helping to launch the careers of talents such as Chase Saathoff, Evan Renshaw, Billy Ross, Bradon Pfanders, and Hunter Bauer before they became household names at the Progressive AFT level. 

Mike Buckley, Dunlop’s VP of Sales & Marketing, explained, “The program is really designed to deliver the same benefits we do for Team Dunlop Elite MX. It provides support for a handful of top riders to help defer their costs and creates a venue for them to promote themselves – and more importantly, the sport – “all boats rise,” so to speak.  

“Basically, it gives more positive visibility to the sport with the ultimate goal of increasing participation.” 

Rob Fox, Dunlop’s Amateur Motocross/Flat Track Support Manager, detailed the selection process, explaining, “Our Elite program is reserved for the top eight or nine minibike riders in the country. There are many deciding factors that play into our decision-making process of our Elite riders.  

“Of course, results and exposure are a heavily weighted factor, but it’s not based on that entirely. We look at current Elite riders in the same classes and then include feedback from multiple sources, including industry insiders, media personnel, sponsors, team managers and other Dunlop managers.  

“Plus, (we consider) how the rider and the rider's family handle themselves, on and off the track. All of which make up our collaborative decision to decide who would represent the Dunlop brand in the best, most professional way.” 

While the association with up-and-coming stars is naturally beneficial to Dunlop, Fox backed up Buckley’s assertion that the overall health of the sport is a driving motivation.  

Fox said, “We aim to further expand our product offerings for mini-bike racers and enhance the exposure of the sport, all while drawing in new racers to the flat track segment. Dunlop benefits from having the Elite riders as ambassadors for the brand, supporting the ongoing innovation of mini-bike flat track racing products. But this presence also inspires aspiring flat track riders, providing them with role models to motivate their pursuit of excellence. 

“It brings me great satisfaction to witness alumni from Team Dunlop Elite successfully transition from our program to the professional ranks. A standout example of this is Chase Saathoff, who has excelled so far in his pro career.” 

As the top amateurs transition to the pro ranks, they naturally continue that connection with the brand in its role as sole tire supplier of Progressive AFT.

Team Dunlop Flat Track Elite (Photo: Addie Costan Photography) 

Post-War Development 

The lack of competitive pressure from other tire brands doesn’t mean developmental stagnation, however.  

In prior generations of both two- and four-wheeled motorsport, tire wars frequently raged across major championships. Inevitably, that competition incentivized securing victories over rival tire brands at all costs, whatever risks or ill-considered modifications were required to attain them. Long-time racing fans can easily point to any number of dramatic and dangerous tire failures that occasionally marred the era. 

And with tires playing such a pivotal role in on-track performance, they often tipped the balance of power – occasionally even more so than the pilot or machine they were under, undercutting the relatability of racing. 

As a result, the concept of selecting a sole tire supplier became de rigueur in the world’s major motorsports series all around the world over the past couple decades, transitioning from a controversial novelty to a welcomed standard practice over that span.  

The shift to control tires shifted tire suppliers from unintended power brokers to key enablers. 

Even removed from the trenches of the tire wars, Dunlop pledged to continue actively pushing the technology forward in motorcycle dirt track racing. The goal shifted along with the circumstances, placing an emphasis on developing tires that delivered superior feel and reliability in order to produce spectacular racing. Expanding the envelope of performance remained of great importance, albeit one approached in a more controlled, sane manner.  

Dunlop lived up to its promise with the introduction of the DT4 in 2020 – hailed at the time as the first wholesale redesign of a flat track tire in some four decades. 

Hunter Juico, Motorcycle Racing Tire Design Engineer at Dunlop, said, “The good thing about being partners with AFT is we have that communication. When the initial talks about the DT4 were happening, it was back in the time where (tire performance) could be somewhat dangerous for people. Racers would sometimes shave or groove and add their own weight to the inside of tires. There was a whole lot of secret tech that these guys would try and do throughout a race weekend.  

“AFT wanted something reliable. A big goal of it with us being spec tire was, ‘Let’s make a tire in accordance with what they want – we're not gonna allow grooving, we're not gonna allow any of their hidden sauce kind of deal.  

“‘Let's keep it safe, and let's keep it within the regulations, but also still performing really well. Not just in AFT, but, for example, Cory Texter has his throwdowns and (there are other ‘outlaw’ events), and even there in an open tire event, we're still performing well, right?  

“The benefit of our connection to the series is we can test with the best riders in the world – Briar Bauman, Brandon Robinson, Dallas Daniels, all those guys – and then we can apply that to everything we do. And the guys racing at the club level race the same tires we do at AFT.” 

Riders during practice at Daytona I in March 2025 (Photo: American Flat Track/Tim Lester)

The DT4 succeeded Dunlop’s DT3, which was originally introduced in 2015, a year after Dunlop became the series’ tire supplier. The DT3 was an evolution of the Goodyear Eagle DT2, which was first unveiled back in 1987, itself an evolution of Goodyear’s DT1, which was initially conceived as a roadracing rain tire back in the 1970s. 

The happy accident that the DT1/2/3 turned out to be such a fantastic platform as a dirt track tire meant it would not be easily replaced, especially in a sport that places unique demands on a tire. 

Buckley readily admitted the challenge. “Balancing the performance attributes that honor the heritage of the sport – traction and slide control – while managing resultant heat buildup that comes with the spinning to ensure durability and reliability (is not easy).” 

Juico elaborated on the difficulty involved in improving upon a proven success. He said, “I'd say the biggest challenge by far is making both a pattern and a compound that works all types of dirt. Getting the tire to drive forward on a wide range of surfaces is absolutely important.  

“That comes mostly from pattern development. You have to have a pattern that will bite, and if it matches with the compound, that'll give you the grip. Getting the right compound to match with the pattern for the application – whether that's at a Mile or at a Short Track, clay or cushion – that’s the challenge. 

“With the DT4, we wanted to provide more drive grip. When those guys are sliding around on the edge of the tire, the important thing for them is when they pick up the bike and try to go down the straight, that they have the drive grip in the center of the tire. We changed the pattern in the center specifically to give them that drive.  

“We also chose some different compounds as well. With that and the pattern, there was a big progression from the DT3 to the DT4 – bigger than what had come before. The DT4 definitely had the most substantial changes.” 

Five years in, Dunlop can now properly assess whether or not it delivered on the initial design goals. 

Buckley reflected, “Like all developments, you find out the real answers after you introduce the product and the ‘real world’ utilizes it. Then you find out the gaps between controlled test results and real-world experience, and DT4 is no different.  

“DT4 provided a step forward in performance on cushion tracks for sure. On clay tracks, we honestly did not see the advancement we expected, so we have introduced a countermeasure in compound for the 2025 season. The early indication is we have a positive-step change in performance on those surfaces.” 

Again, Juico seconded Buckley while also adding that in the challenge is an opportunity – one that serves as a prime example of how Dunlop is able to fulfil its role as a genuine partner by actively improving the quality of the racing through its developmental efforts.  

He said, “Achieving a little bit more performance on hard-packed surfaces is definitely still a challenge. The real benefit to compound changing is we can actually affect how the blue groove comes in. We can change the track conditions based on the compound we use to help the track become better faster for these guys. That's a big thing that we're working on, and that's why compound development has been a big focus of ours.” 

So with the successful launch of the DT4 and its continued development, will it be another four decades before the sport sees another total redesign in the tire department? 

Juico laughed and said, “Four decades? I don't know about that. But, you know, soil is still soil. There are obviously different kinds, but the application doesn't change a ton. So once you find something that's really good, it tends to work for a long period of time. 

“But I would definitely say we can achieve a higher level of performance than we already have, just by developing new compounds for both clay and cushion. Just because we have something good, that doesn't mean that we're completely satisfied with development. We have a wide variety of accessibility to raw materials that can really emphasize our input to compounds.  

“It's a unique opportunity for us. The DT4 pattern came a long way through its iteration and its history, and we can modify it still to make the tire even better just by changing compounds.” 

Mission AFT SuperTwins rider Briar Bauman (3) races at Daytona I in March 2025 (Photo: American Flat Track/Tim Lester)

Strategic Partners 

Interestingly, as hands-on as Dunlop is with the sport as a whole and via the continued development of the DT4, it is somewhat more hands-off at the racetrack – at least when compared to its role as the sole tire supplier in other major national championships. 

Buckley said, “This is a unique part of the AFT tire program. Unlike Supercross/Motocross and Roadracing, we are not required to supply fitting and onsite sales support; the AFT paddock is pretty self-sufficient in this way, so our associate presence is not the same as other series.  

Still, we maintain close contact with AFT officials and tech members to ensure tire performance is as expected, as well as key relationships with riders and team officials to ensure we have necessary data.” 

Asked to consider the big picture regarding a mammoth effort expended in a sport-wide relationship with Progressive American Flat Track and motorcycle dirt track racing, Buckley said it’s not really a question of why they do it, but rather why wouldn’t they? 

“We are a motorcycle motorsports brand. We strive to compete in all areas of motorcycle competition, and AFT is certainly not only one of the oldest but one of the premier venues to do this, to develop product, and to receive positive branding for Dunlop.” 

Spinning wheels? Certainly. Stuck in the mud? Absolutely not.