It can be awfully tempting for those in and around Progressive American Flat Track to lean in on the series’ storied history. The Grand National Championship has been waged continuously since 1954, and the series can trace its direct lineage decades further back than that to the Class C racing of the ’30s.

Over nearly a century of competition, the sport has generated a litany of legends, men, and machines who produced epic racing and rivalries along the way.

The accomplishments of reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champion Jared Mees only serve as a constant reminder of that history as he ascends ever higher in the record books with each successive victory and championship.

That tendency is only natural, and it’s admittedly a strength of the series, not a crutch. But 2022 feels as much like the transition to a new age as a celebration of its past and an appropriate time to look to the future even if sport’s history and legends remain ever-present.

As covered at length in the pages of Cycle News in recent weeks, AMA Pro Racing has introduced new technical limitations for the all-conquering Indian FTR750 for ’22 while laying the groundwork for a single twin-cylinder class in ’23. Those changes were made in hopes of leveling the playing field and ushering in an era of increased OEM participation at the top of the sport.

That’s not the only reason the season feels like the start of something new—there are also some exciting additions to the rider mix that has the potential to push the sport into the future.

But even with the rule changes and talent injection, this season is widely expected to be yet the latest edition in what’s becoming an all-time classic rivalry featuring arch nemeses Mees and Briar Bauman.

Fellow Indian Wrecking Crewman Bauman seemingly took the baton from Mees when he defeated him for the Grand National Championship in back-to-back attempts in ’19 and ’20, and then proceeded to build up a healthy points lead in ’21.

Mees came roaring back, however, and ultimately took back the crown at a chaotic finale that left Bauman on the ground and searching for answers.

Still just 26 years old, Bauman has arguably proven to be more than a match for Mees outside of one critical arena. Since their rivalry kicked off in earnest in ’19, Mees boasts 20 victories to Bauman’s 14. However, when ignoring the Miles, Bauman holds the advantage 12-8.

Mastery of the Miles is something that typically comes with experience, and it’s only in the last few seasons that the 35-year-old Mees has really cracked the code.

The fire burns deep in Bauman and he’s clearly not content to second- and third-place his way to titles. With another intense offseason of training and film study behind him, he should only come back stronger after losing the #1 plate—the same way Mees did before him.

While the newest episode in the ongoing Mees-Bauman wars is expected to take center stage in 2022, it’s not as if there’s a lack of potential race winners capable of mounting a serious challenge.

Mission Roof Systems’ Brandon Robinson has racked up multiple wins in three consecutive seasons while Estenson Racing Yamaha’s JD Beach has earned four himself over that same span.

Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Davis Fisher is the series’ most recent winner thanks to his stunning maiden victory in last year’s finale, and Latus Racing Harley-Davidson signed Bronson Bauman, who earned his first premier-class win back in 2019.

Meanwhile, Robinson’s teammate Jarod Vanderkooi and GOMR’s Brandon Price have demonstrated race-winning speed and ability on multiple occasions; it’s only a matter of time before each one finally gets across the stripe first.

There’s also the quasi-retired duo of Sammy Halbert and Jeffrey Carver Jr., to consider, neither of whom are slated to contest the full 18-round season but retain the ability to turn up and bank a win even while logging a partial schedule.

It’s fair to suggest there isn’t a rider in the Mission SuperTwins field who doesn’t hold legitimate podium aspirations. And that includes a pair of high-profile new additions to the field.

The two winningest riders in Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER history—Shayna Texter-Bauman and Dallas Daniels—have graduated to premier class duty for ’22.

Technically it’s a return to the class for Texter-Bauman, but this represents far and away her best opportunity to shine at the top of the sport. Now lining up alongside husband Briar in the works Indian Motorcycle outfit, Texter-Bauman has everything she needs to make an impression.

The hugely popular pilot’s blend of tactics, courage, stature, and equipment could make her a real threat on tracks that suit her style. And at tracks that work against her strengths, the smaller Mission SuperTwins field and the class’ lack of knockout rounds will minimize the impact of her bad days.

Daniels, meanwhile, has lived up the hype at every stage along the way. As an amateur, he became the first to win the Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Award in both flat track and road racing. And then almost immediately after turning pro, he became the first to win the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles title in back-to-back seasons.

Almost universally regarded as a future star (if not the future star) of the sport, that future starts now. Teamed with another hugely talented rider in the Beach, together they promise to help provide AMA Pro Racing’s updated rules a proper stress test, even taking Daniels’ status as a class rookie into account.

2022 will mark the final season of the Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines class before it merges into the premier class in 2023.

It’ll play an important role in preparing for that future as it’ll utilize what are slated to become next season’s premier class production-based regs—regs that will be proven on track via the Mission Production Twins Challenge, which will see the top four finishers in each main event slotted into that event’s Mission SuperTwins main event, as well.

During its existence, the class has transformed G&G Racing Yamaha’s Cory Texter from a popular journeyman racer into a two-time national championship-winning star.

He’ll enter his second class title defense as the title favorite, but the field has no shortage of top-caliber talent (which bodes well for the success of the Mission Production Twins Challenge as well).

Texter, DPC Racing/Voodoo Ranger Harley-Davidson’s Chad Cose, and Moto Anatomy X Royal Enfield’s Johnny Lewis are all premier-class podium finishers. KC36’s Kolby Carlile, who notched up three top-fives aboard a Yamaha in Mission SuperTwins duty a year ago, will pilot a Harley-Davidson of Las Vegas XG750R. And the class’ runaway champion of two years ago, James Rispoli, returns from premier-class duty as well to pilot a Wally Brown Racing-tuned KTM Duke 890 at select rounds, a development that could have significant ’23 implications.

Beyond them there are proven class race winners in Helipower Racing’s Ben Lowe and Schaeffer’s Motorsports’ KTM-mounted Ryan Varnes.

And don’t look past Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s Jesse Janisch, a formerly pigeonholed TT specialist who could very well emerge as a genuine title contender based on the form he displayed after being signed off the couch to serve as an injury sub a year ago.

The graduation of Daniels and Texter-Bauman means there’s a #1 plate and a whole lot of race wins there for the taking in 450cc competition this season.

Last season, the factory-backed teams increasingly asserted their dominance in the class and that’s a trend that figures to continue.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Max Whale not only enters the season as the early favorite because of back-to-back championship runner-ups but by virtue of his impressive trajectory. The Australian is well and truly at home with American-style racing these days, having improved from a top-five finisher as a rookie in 2018, to a podium finisher in 2019, to a race winner in 2020, to a class-leading five-race winner in 2021.

It wouldn’t come as a complete shock if Whale’s biggest challenge comes from under his own tent with KTM’s signing of Kody Kopp to replace Texter-Bauman. The son of 2000 Grand National Champion Joe Kopp, 17-year-old Kody entered the pro ranks last season with similar levels of hype that greeted the aforementioned Daniels in 2019. He lived up to them in a similar fashion as well, repeatedly showing front-running skills.

The American Honda-backed Turner Racing squad will bring a powerhouse three-rider lineup to the show featuring former class champ Dalton Gauthier, the always entertaining Morgen Mischler, and heralded rookie Chase Saathoff—the sport’s latest can’t miss prospect.

Trevor Brunner, who won a pair of races on a Turner Racing Honda a year ago, slots in at Estenson Racing Yamaha to take the seat vacated by reigning champion Daniels.

And Vance & Hines/Husqvarna’s Indy Mile-winning Brandon Kitchen is back for another go in ’22.

As one would expect considering the class’ annual depth, there’s plenty of talent to be found on independent and support efforts as well. Among the highest-profile are Mission Foods/Hudson Roofing Racing Trent Lowe, Waters Auto Body Racing’s Tanner Dean and Ryan Wells, and 1st Impressions Racing’s Michael Inderbitzin, who was signed to front the team’s four-rider fleet in ’22.

The 18-round 2022 Progressive American Flat Track season kicks off this week with the Mission Volusia Half-Mile doubleheader, on Thursday, March 10, and Friday, March 11, at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Florida.

For those watching from home, it’s important to note that new broadcast and streaming deals have been announced for 2022. All 18 races this season will premiere in one-hour telecasts on FS1 (the opening doubleheader will air back-to-back on Sunday, March 20, starting at 11:00 a.m. Eastern). The events will also livestream in their entirety on the series’ Facebook page. The livestream for each event will be free up until Opening Ceremonies, after which it’ll cost $3.99 if purchased 24 hours or more in advance, or $4.99 if purchased on the day of the event.

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