Now embarking upon his fifth AFT Singles season, Chase Saathoff has made good on the type, developing from can’t miss prospect to perennial title contender. The Hillsboro, Illinois, native was a dominant force on the amateur scene, a fact punctuated when he was named the 2021 Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Award Winner. The hugely talented Saathoff was snapped up by the powerful American Honda-backed Turner Racing operation, who helped him follow through on his ambitions to establish himself as a front runner in the pro ranks from the start. Carrying in similar levels of hype as Dallas Daniels and Kody Kopp, Saathoff made a similarly seamless transition to Progressive AFT competition in 2022. He earned two podiums and six top-fives en route to a seventh-place AFT Singles championship ranking in his debut attempt. Saathoff took a big leap forward in his sophomore campaign, garnering six runner-ups among nine podium finishes and 12 top fives en route to fourth in the points. Improbably, he entered the 2024 campaign still seeking a maiden Progressive AFT win. Continuing his association with Bryan Bigelow at JPG Motorsports Honda, Saathoff not only got his victory at the Texas Half-Mile, he also added DuQuoin Mile and Peoria TT wins to his name before the season was out. Still aligned with Bigelow but represented by the championship-winning RWR team in 2025, Saathoff added three more wins and ten additional podiums despite seeing his title hopes dashed due to injury. Saathoff is motivated to finally secure the #1 plate in 2026. He’ll do so representing the 1st Impressions Race Team, a move that sees him back on Husqvarnas after campaigning them throughout his glittering amateur career.