2019 AFT Singles Champion Dalton Gauthier is widely regarded as one of the most naturally talented riders to arrive in the sport in some time. The Pennsylvanian proved to be a podium finisher during his rookie GNC2 campaign in 2015 and then finished as the class runner-up the following season. He also became the first and only rider in Progressive American Flat Track history to win on a BMW with a stunning performance in which he charged from a back-row start to victory at the 2016 Arizona Mile. However, despite his immense ability, his career was temporarily derailed in 2017. After opening the season in crushing form with three straight AFT Singles race wins, a random drug test erased the third victory and led to a suspension that grew into something of an extended sabbatical from racing. Gauthier finally elected to return to the sport shortly before the start of the 2019 season. Riding with the pressure off and limited expectations, he picked right up where he left off. He claimed four wins, nine podiums, and ultimately the ‘19 AFT Singles championship. And he did so despite swapping between three different makes of machinery in AFT Singles competition while also pulling double duty in the Mission Production Twins class. There Gauthier made history as well, taking the Harley-Davidson XG750R to its first-ever AFT race win – and then gave it a second victory for good measure. Gauthier transitioned to the sport’s highest level in 2020 on a works Harley-Davidson, scoring seven top tens in the process. He then battled for the Mission Production Twins championship aboard a Vance & Hines H-D XG750R in ‘21, reeling in two wins and five podiums before an injury sidelined him for the season’s final six races. Gauthier returned to the AFT Singles class in 2022 as a member of the powerful American Honda-backed Turning Racing outfit. There he once again proved to be among the class’ elite, earning three wins en route to a championship runner-up finish. Despite the impressive campaign, Gauthier chose to switch to an independent KTM effort in ‘23 and still fought his way to the front, logging five podiums on the year, including an early-season victory at the Arizona Super TT. He opened his ‘24 campaign in similar fashion, claiming podiums in three of the season’s opening five races. However, he was then drafted in to substitute for the factory Royal Enfield Mission AFT SuperTwins effort. There Gauthier claimed the bike’s first-ever premier-class podium in his first attempt, earning himself a ride with the squad for the remainder of the season. Gauthier will now revert his attention to attaining a second career AFT Singles crown in 2025.