Editorial: On a Mission
Prior to the Atlanta Super TT, it was pointed out that circumstances hinted toward a potentially historic occurrence. That prediction came true when Estenson Racing swept all three Progressive American Flat Track Main Events at Yamaha’s home round, the Yamaha Atlanta Super TT.
But as rare as it was -- and never before had a manufacturer swept all three classes at an event -- we could be looking at something similar this weekend.
This weekend’s Mission Foods Texas Half-Mile presented by Roof Systems is the home round for, you guessed it, Mission Foods and Roof Systems of Dallas, Texas. And the two Dallas-Fort Worth-based entities are united in backing the most powerful independent racing effort on the grid, Mission Roof Systems Racing.
Like Estenson Racing and Yamaha in Atlanta, Mission Roof Systems Racing comes loaded with riders whose histories and skill sets firmly place them among a small handful of pre-race favorites in all three classes.
While a single-make sweep is an impossibility for Mission Roof Systems (it backs riders aboard Indians, Harley-Davidsons, Yamahas, Hondas, and KTMs), a second consecutive single team sweep is not beyond its reach this weekend in Fort Worth.
Brandon Robinson headlines the squad’s three-headed monster in Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle, although Jarod Vanderkooi and Brandon Price both appear capable of snaring their maiden premier-class victories on any given weekend.
Robinson finished third and fourth in the most recent two stops at Texas Motor Speedway, and it can be argued that he’s even more competitive now than he was then.
Briar Bauman and Jared Mees are earmarked as favorites “1” and “1a” entering any given race weekend and for good reason. That said, while the two combined to win 24 of 29 races from the start of the 2019 season up through last year’s Atlanta Short Track, they’re just one for their last six. Robinson, meanwhile, has taken half of the wins over that span.
Meanwhile, in AFT Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines, Mission Roof Systems is represented by the class’ two highest ranked returning riders, the 2020 championship runner-up Cory Texter and third-ranked Ben Lowe.
Texter currently leads in the points in his quest to reclaim the AFT Production Twins throne, an achievement he originally kickstarted in dominating fashion at Texas Motor Speedway two years ago.
And as was the case for Estenson Racing and Yamaha in Atlanta, the AFT Singles victory might be the most challenging to secure in order to thread that three-race needle.
That doesn’t mean Mission Roof Systems doesn’t have a compelling argument there too, however. Morgen Mischler earned the first, and to date, only victory of his Progressive AFT career at Texas Motor Speedway in 2018 and then backed it up with a strong fourth-place run at the venue in 2019.
While Mischler is still seeking his second-career Progressive AFT Main Event win, he’s been extremely impressive on multiple occasions since. That was particularly true late last season when he pushed class champion Dallas Daniels to the brink in three consecutive last-lap shootouts for victory.
Mischler is flanked by three-time AFT Singles race winner and Texas Motor Speedway top-five finisher Kevin Stollings and ascending rookie Billy Ross.
Eight riders, five makes, and three victories -- their mission, should they choose to accept it.