Cathedrals of speed, strategy, and show, the big Mile racetracks have held a special status in Progressive American Flat Track since the earliest days of the sport. And among them, the Mission Legendary Sacramento Mile powered by Law Tigers and Mission Springfield Mile have long stood as particularly iconic battlegrounds.

That significance has been further heightened in 2022, as the two historic events represent three of the final five races in a Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle title fight that sees its top four combatants all within the points difference of a single victory.

These next three races – kicked off this weekend at Cal Expo and then followed up in two weeks with a Labor Day weekend doubleheader at the Illinois State Fairgrounds – are destined to play a critical role in determining one of the most intriguing premier-class championships in recent memory.

In order to glean some additional insight on what to expect, we turned to defending Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines king Cory Texter (No. 1 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07). Not only one of the world’s elite dirt trackers, Texter is also among Progressive AFT’s most prominent voices by way of his Tank Slappin’ Podcast and YouTube channel.

Texter dominated the proceedings in Mission Production Twins action in Sacramento a year ago, sealing his second class crown in triumphant fashion on Saturday and then winning again on Sunday for good measure. And prior to becoming the Mission Production Twins power he is today, Texter enjoyed one of his finest days as a pro in Springfield, finishing on the premier-class podium in 2016.

That makes him a subject-matter expert of the highest order, and one generous enough to lend some observations despite his own focus on securing one final crown before he hangs up his helmet at the end of the 2022 campaign.

It’s no secret that the late-season arrival of the three Miles plays to the strengths of defending champion and current points leader Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750).

With 23 career Mile victories to his name, Mees is one of Progressive AFT’s all-time greats in the discipline. That tally places him in a tie with Ricky Graham for fifth all-time, and he’s got a shot to move ahead of both Bubba Shobert and Bryan Smith to claim sole possession of third before the year is out.

Mees’ Mile mastery is actually something of a recent revelation. Prior to joining Indian Motorcycle in 2017, he was already established as a sure-fire Hall of Famer with three Grand National Championships, two GNC1 Twins titles, a GNC1 Singles crown, and 2004 Rookie of the Year honors to his name.

But during the stretch that ran from his first partial season in 2003 to the end of 2016, Mees was primarily a Half-Mile ace, boasting just three Mile wins to his record. The past five+ seasons plus has been another story altogether, as he’s ripped off a stunning 20 wins in the series’ most recent 30 Miles.

When asked what has made Mees so incredibly successful on the Miles in recent years, Texter pointed out that, while Mees will one day be enshrined in the Hall of Fame himself, there’s an already-inducted Hall of Famer working in his corner to consider as well.

He said, “It’s a combination of a few different things. Experience never hurts on the Miles, and Mees is the most experienced guy in the sport right now. Also, it’s obvious to anyone that watches the sport how strong their bikes have been on the big tracks. Kenny Tolbert and Jimmy Wood are two of the best there is. They’ve had to overcome the new rules package this year to compete with the Estenson bikes but their steeds still seem by far the fastest of the FTR750s.”

Two-time Mission SuperTwins champion Briar Bauman (No. 3 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) is just six points behind Mees. Bauman is an outstanding all-around rider, but he’s only taken two Mile wins – both coming on a single weekend at the Indy Mile in 2020 – during his career.

In other words, he’s fighting against history to win a third title in ‘22, but he’s been close to edging Mees on the big tracks on numerous occasions. When asked if there was anything Bauman could do to scale that mountain, Texter again pointed to the sometimes overlooked team aspect of the sport.

“I don’t think it’s anything Briar can do necessarily but more so his team and whoever is doing the motors. We saw at the Red Mile how underpowered he was, and even last year, he seemed to be really down on power. In my opinion, and many others' probably, Briar is the most talented guy out there. He’s won Mile races before and is more than capable. If they can get the bike close, he’s gonna be a factor.”

While a broader look at recent outcomes seems to give Mees a sizeable advantage over the entire field, the single test case that was this year’s Mission Red Mile provided ample evidence that third- and fourth-ranked Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) could be forces to be reckoned with in Sacramento and Springfield.

Ultimately, the Estenson Racing duo left Lexington with a win for Daniels and a podium for Beach, but the Main Event results only tell a partial story. Buoyed both by the implementation of new rules and significant improvements to their race package, the Estenson Racing Yamahas have largely proven capable of going tire-to-tire with the factory Indians this season. That was most true at the Red Mile where Beach and Daniels teased the outright pace to go 1-2 before falling short of that potential in both Main Events after encountering various issues.

Daniels currently trails Mees by 21 points with Beach another three points back. But should they make good on that threat over the next three races, the complexion of this year’s title fight could be completely upended.

That said, the Red Mile is not the Sacramento Mile which is not the Springfield Mile. Each has its own idiosyncrasies. So what should we expect to see from them in the races ahead?

Texter said, “I expect more of the same from the Estenson bikes on the upcoming Miles. It’s noticeable how fast the bikes are on the Half-Miles, let alone the Miles. They’ve also done a really good job at figuring out ways to get the power to the ground efficiently. It’s been obvious the Indian is struggling this year with the new rules, but I don’t think it’s talked about how much better the Estenson bikes are this season.

“The three Mile tracks we’re racing at this year are substantially different in how you race them, so it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out.”