means every finisher save the
winner gains a point compared
to the previous payout.
TWO IS GREATER
THAN THREE
As described, while some attri-
tion was inevitable as the series
merged Mission Production
Twins into the Mission Super-
Twins class, the strength of the
premier class should be notice-
ably bolstered in depth, talent
and variety, as a result.
The same is true in the Parts
Unlimited AFT Singles class,
which will see the return of a
handful of riders, including two of
its all-time greats: Shayna Texter-
Bauman, who will represent the
all-new Rick Ware Racing team
aboard a KTM 450 SX-F, and
Bromley, who is set to do double-
duty aboard Yamahas on at least
a limited scale with HRP Racing.
The class' already ocean-deep
field is headlined by reigning
champion Kody Kopp, who is set
to brandish the number-one plate
for Red Bull KTM. The gifted
pilot's continued ascension only
becomes that much more in
-
triguing as KTM gains a foothold
in the premier class. That said,
Kopp's immediate focus needs
to be on retaining his title in the
face of the combined challenge
presented by the likes of the
returning champs: teammate
Max Whale; Turner Honda aces
Morgen Mischler, Trent Lowe and
Chase Saathoff; 2022 runner-
up Dalton Gauthier on the D&D
KTM; Estenson Racing Yamaha's
Trevor Brunner; and several other
potential title hunters.
CN
Production Twins competition,
walking away with yet another
dominant title a year ago.
Championship winner Janisch
also showed the XG750R good
enough to push the leading
Mission SuperTwins pilots hard
during his repeated Mission
Production Twins Challenge
forays, as did Bronson Bauman,
who guided the Latus Motors
XG750R to a runner-up finish in
last year's opener.
You can expect to see some
support-class XGs to step back
up to Mission SuperTwins duty
in '23, most notably one in the
hands of premier-class race
winner Mikey Rush, who was tri
-
umphant aboard the bike at last
year's Black Hills Half-Mile.
RACE-DAY REVAMP
Not all of the changes for 2023
are technical updates. This sea-
son's race-day flow will see the
return of Last Chance Qualifiers,
which, combined with a provi-
sional starter, create the poten-
tial for 19-rider main-event grids.
The points system has been
massaged to accommodate
this, paying down to 19th, which
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