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pionship to Springfield was his archnemesis, 1st Impressions Husqvarna's Chase Saathoff, who beat Drane in Peoria two years ago and was absent from last year's blowout due to injury. The prospect of another heated flurry of haymakers at the front fizzled out almost im - mediately. Drane slotted his Es- tenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F into the lead off the line, while Saathoff got shuffled behind the returning ace Max Whale, aboard the Australian Road Ser- vices/Heaton Plant & Pipeline KTM, who fought his way into second, and then promptly lost the position with a bobble. "It definitely showed that I came off the couch," Whale said after spending the season back home in Australia. "I think I ran over my tongue with like four minutes to go. I just kept look - ing at the clock, and it was just going slower and slower. But it was so fun. I tried to get the holeshot, but Tom [Drane] got me out of the gate. My goal was to just try and hang on to the back of him as much as I could. Chase [Saathoff] went past, but he made a mistake, and I just tried to stay there." Clutch issues and Whale's own Peoria mastery kept Saathoff stuck in third for the remainder, while Drane raced off to lock down the number one plate yet again. "It feels amazing," Drane said. "To grab another title was awe - some. I just had to go out and put my head down. I'm definitely proud of my whole team. They gave me a great bike all sea- son. I wouldn't have been able to do it without any of them. The bike's been awesome, and we've won so many races. There are still two to go, so hopefully we can try to add some more. I don't know what to say, but huge thanks to all my family and everyone that's supported me the whole way through my career." Tarren Santero (Roof Sys - tems/Texas Utility Studies/ Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R) held off a rotating cast of challengers for fourth, while OTB Racing's Bradon Pfanders ultimately worked his way into fifth. ROUND 14 / AUGUST 22, 2026 PEORIA MC RACE PARK / PEORIA, ILLINOIS FLAT TRACK I AMA PROGRESSIVE AMERICAN FLAT TRACK P84 Max Whale, the Australian star who stepped back from racing for a while, showed up at the Peoria TT and proved he still has speed by finishing second.