AFT Loses Its Champions: Mees Retires, Kopp Heads to MotoRainey
Rule Changes and Departures Signal a Turning Point for American Flat Track
by Dean Adams
Sunday, December 15, 2024
In what is probably the most under-publicized retirement in recent memory, American Flat Track's Jared Mees won't be racing in 2025 (probably). Mees, who has dominated AFT racing for nearly a decade, retired after the final race of the 2024 season.
For 2025, AFT has introduced a production rule for the SuperTwins class, rendering the Indian FTR ineligible for competition. This significant change prompted Mees to step away from racing.
Additionally, Kody Kopp, the highly successful—and notably very tall—son of rider Joe Kopp, has also left AFT after securing three championships in the AFT Singles class.
Kopp is set to join the newly formed Kenny Roberts/Arney Wick MotoAmerica Talent Cup team in 2025. This move, combined with the departure of both reigning number-one plate holders, marks a major turning point for the Jim France-owned American Flat Track series. Alongside the implementation of a new rules package, these developments herald a transformative era for the historic championship—the original and oldest form of motorcycle racing in the United States—as it enters the 2025 season.
Mees' race promotion arm continues to manage several AFT rounds.
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