Day Two in Sturgis – Fighting for Every Inch
Day two in Sturgis meant another night under the lights at the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track, and for us, it was all about finding consistency and pushing both bikes to their limits.
AFT Singles – Learning, Adjusting, and Charging Forward – Gauthier Battles Through Singles & Adventure Trackers
Day Two at the Jackpine Gypsies Short Track II saw Dalton Gauthier back in action in both the AFT Singles class on his KTM 450 SX-F and the AdventureTrackers class aboard the Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro. After a grueling Day One that included a podium on the Triumph, Gauthier returned determined to build momentum and collect valuable points toward the championship.
AFT Singles – Steady Progress and a Strong Main
In Singles Practice 1, Gauthier came out swinging with a 13.334, placing him 6th overall. The early pace was strong, but qualifying brought more challenges. In Qualifying 1, he landed 11th with a 13.787 before regrouping in Qualifying 2 to improve to 8th at 13.853.
That effort placed him into Heat 2, where he secured 4th with a 13.351 lap and earned a 6th-place starting spot for the Main Event.
The Singles Main Event stretched six minutes plus two laps, with Gauthier battling for every position. He consistently found speed in traffic and laid down a fastest lap of 13.466 before taking the checkered flag in 7th place. The result was worth 11 championship points, a solid haul that keeps him in the hunt.
AdventureTrackers – Fighting with a Stock Triumph
In the AdventureTrackers class, Gauthier again lined up on Triumph’s Tiger 900 GT Pro. Practice 1 showed strong promise as he clocked a 14.258 and finished 4th. But as the sun dropped, the machine began to lose pace. In Qualifying 1, he ran a 14.560 for 7th, nearly matched that in Qualifying 2 with a 14.782 for 7th again, and carried that consistency into Heat 1 with a 14.675.
The Main Event brought slight improvement, as Gauthier found extra pace with a 14.487 lap, ultimately finishing 7th overall against a field of 10 riders.
What makes the performance notable is the condition of the motorcycle itself. The Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro was essentially straight off the street—no setup for rider height or weight, no electronic suspension tuning, and no custom modifications. With no mechanic or electronics engineer on hand, Gauthier and teammate Brandon Paasch relied heavily on the First Impressions Race Team, who stepped in to help strip the bikes for tech inspection. Kickstands, mirrors, headlights, and brackets were cut off the day before with a sawzall to get the machines race-ready.
Given the circumstances, a 7th-place finish against purpose-built competition was an impressive showing, underscoring both the strength of Triumph’s platform and the determination of the riders.
Looking Ahead – Eyes on the TT
With two demanding short track nights now complete, Gauthier and the Triumph team will take two days to regroup while organizers build the course for Friday’s Super TT. Featuring jumps, right-handers, and elevation changes, the TT will provide a brand-new test for riders and machines alike.
Day Two was a grind, but also a testament to Gauthier’s adaptability. With points gained in Singles and valuable experience collected on the Triumph, the focus now turns to bringing the fight to the TT.
