Team Gauthier Season Finale at Eldon — Wrapping Up 2025
As the 2025 season comes to a close, Team Gauthier headed into the last race at Eldon, Missouri full of grit and ready to give it everything. Competing in both SuperTwins and Singles, we pushed hard, faced some serious challenges, and came away with a lot to build on for next year.
The track was Lake Ozark Speedway, just outside Eldon, Missouri. It’s a 1/3-mile high-banked dirt oval (1850 ft on the outside, 1450 ft on the inside), with a clay surface that demands precision and adaptability.
With corners banked around 12°, and front/back stretches at about 5°, riders need to balance speed and control, especially in changing conditions.
Eldon isn’t a forgiving track, but for those who bring persistence and adaptability, it’s a place where progress shows up lap by lap.
Race Recap — Singles KTM 450
- Practice 1 – Lost power due to a loose spark plug. The torque inconsistencies early on threw everything off.
- Practice 2 – 7th, with a lap at 18.004
- Qualifying 1 – 10th, at 17.921
- Qualifying 2 – 11th, at 17.732
- Heat 1 – 4th, best lap 17.559
- Main Event – 6th, best time 17.317 — just on the tail of longtime friend Chad Cose.
Between all the sessions, it was double duty — running back-to-back races, fatigue and everything else in play.
Huge thanks to Alan Rodenborn for supplying and wrenching on the Kawi 650, keeping us cool in his RV during the day, and all-around support. Also thanks to Morgan Mischler, who was wrenching on the KTM 450 even while mending a broken tibia. That kind of loyalty is everything.
Race Recap — SuperTwins (Kawasaki Ninja 650)
Sponsored by Racing Unlimited and Parts Bros, we hit the SuperTwins class with high hopes.
- Practice 1 – 15th, 18.352
- Practice 2 – 9th, 17.896
- Qualifying 1 – 13th, 17.797
- Qualifying 2 – 9th, 17.666
- Heat 1 – 6th, 17.572
Then came the Main Event, where things took a tough turn:
There was a major crash involving James Ott and Billy Ross. Dalton was headed down the straightaway behind several bikes when they suddenly split in front of him. He had no time to maneuver around a downed bike laying in the middle of the track. Dalton slammed into the bike head-on, launching over the handlebars, landing on his chest and chin (choosing not to brace with his hands this time due to prior double wrist injuries), and tumbled hundreds of feet down the straightaway. He ended up in the hay bales, airbag deployed, helmet broken. While crashing, his foot got caught between his and the other bike — intense pain followed. Moreover, his concern was for the other riders who were screaming in pain nearby.
As the ambulance attended those riders, Dalton managed to get up using one leg, limped to a golf cart, borrowed crutches from another racer, had a friend wrap the ankle and eventually made it back to Pensacola for further medical evaluation — to determine if ankle / leg is broken or just severely sprained.
It was deeply disappointing, especially after working toward a double top-ten podium. The crash cut the night short, but thankful that it could have been way worse.
Season Reflections & Gratitude
2025 has been a rough ride — as a privateer team, every race, every practice, every wrench turned required more resources, more hustle, more sacrifice. Injuries and last-minute changes were constant companions. But so was grit, perseverance, and the support of people who believe in us.
We wanted to finish with strong results at Eldon, and while we didn’t quite get the podiums we aimed for, I feel proud of what we did accomplish. Every lap, every session, helped sharpen what comes next.
Thank you to everyone who’s been in our corner this season — our supporters, our sponsors, our friends, and family. We’re actively planning for 2026, building up training, finding more partnerships, and aiming higher.
If you or anyone you know is interested in sponsoring or helping out in some way, please reach out to Team Dalton at [email protected]
Prayers and best wishes to the other riders involved in the crash — hope they heal up quickly.
We’re on the mend, motivated, and already looking forward to a full winter of training and a stronger ride in 2026.