BY CHRIS MARTIN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM LESTER
F
ive races in, the 2026 Grand
National Championship ap-
pears to have taken shape. This
is now an active three-rider war, with
the trio of contenders claiming near
-
ly equal odds to ultimately wrest the
crown away from the others.
Despite giving his title rivals a
head start with a disappointing Day
-
tona double-opener and a decent yet
uninspiring ride in Georgia, two-time
Mission AFT SuperTwins Champion
Briar Bauman has established him-
self as a genuine threat for the num-
ber one plate with a twin showcase
of superiority in his native state.
The Rick Ware Racing star an-
nounced his arrival as a contender
in last week's Memphis Shades Ven-
tura Short Track and then underlined
the strength of his candidacy with a
second demonstration of domina-
tion in the Cresco CAT Rentals Silver
Dollar Short Track.
At Silver Dollar Speedway, Bau-
man powered past points leader
Kody Kopp and reigning SuperTwins
Champion Dallas Daniels in a single
exaggerated maneuver less than 30
seconds into the main event.
VOLUME ISSUE MAY , P89
