VOLUME ISSUE MARCH , P93
BY CHRIS MARTIN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTEN LASSEN
W
hat should be happy
hunting grounds as
Yamaha's home cir-
cuit, Senoia Raceway has long
proven something of a bogey
track for reigning Grand National
Champion Dallas Daniels.
It's not that Estenson Racing
Yamaha's Daniels had per
-
formed poorly in past visits to
Senoia; the opposite, in fact. In
three previous attempts, he'd
always battled for victory before
securing a podium finish to
leave Georgia with his champi
-
onship lead intact.
However, he hadn't yet won
there. And that's despite coming
in each time with the momen
-
tum of a victorious Daytona
opener on his side and a huge
contingent of Yamaha employ
-
ees on site to urge him on.
Those relative hardships
had also proven microcosmic
previews of the season ahead.
2023 and '24 saw Daniels go
head-to-head with Jared Mees
before Mees ultimately claimed
top honors. And while he at last
secured his maiden premier-
class title a year ago, the show
-
down at Senoia foreshadowed
the immense challenge present-
ed by Rick Ware Racing's Briar
Bauman and, to a lesser extent,
Mission Roof Systems' Brandon
Robinson, on their emergent
Harley-Davidson XG750Rs.
But 2026 would prove differ
-
ent, even in its lead-up. Rather
than arriving satisfied with recent
Daytona domination, Daniels was
hungry after twice being hum
-
Dallas Daniels (center),
Kody Kopp (left) and Briar
Bauman made up the Atlanta
Short Track podium.
DANIELS
Dallas Daniels has won
many races in his career,
but never the Senoia
Short Track. Until now.
