Winter Throwdown Vol. 8 Weekend Recap

A New Chapter Starts at Callahan Speedway

If there’s one way to kick off a new season and a new team chapter, it’s throwing ourselves straight into a premier winter event with a stacked field, a slick track, and a schedule that doesn’t slow down for anybody.

Winter Throwdown Vol. 8 at Callahan Speedway was our first official weekend out as a team, and we’re leaving Florida with exactly what we came for: momentum, data, and a whole lot of confidence in what we’re building together. This weekend wasn’t just about results (even though we’re proud of those). It was about chemistry, communication, and learning how to operate as one unit under real race pressure.

A Full Paddock, Two Programs, One Mission

This weekend was unique because we were running two programs at once:

  • Day Program: our amateur crew was rolling strong with Jada and JJ in the mix and James Parker racing right alongside them, while we also welcomed the Dead Good Race Team who flew in from England. Between lending out bikes, wrenching together under the Pro Roofing tents, and having several of those riders double up into the night program too, our paddock stayed busy from the first gate drop to the final checkered flag.
  • Night Program: As the sun went down and the night program fired up, Chad Cose took the track for Open Expert and Premier Expert, battling in the main groove as the surface got tighter and slicker and the intensity ramped up with every round.

Behind the scenes, it took a full family-style effort to keep everything moving, and that’s exactly what it felt like: a paddock packed with love, excitement, growth, learning, and people doing whatever it took to make the program better every single session.

The Vibe at Callahan: Blue-Grooved and Slick

Callahan Speedway delivered the classic winter throwdown challenge: a blue-grooved racing line and a slippery surface outside of it. If you were even a little off the groove, it could bite you. That meant the weekend was all about:

  • keeping the bike settled,
  • being smart with throttle control,
  • making the right setup adjustments,
  • and knowing when to push and when to protect.

The track demanded respect, and it rewarded precision. And honestly, that’s exactly the kind of weekend you want early in a season build.

Chad Cose: Building Speed, Fighting Through, Finishing on the Box

Chad came into the weekend with his 450 and limited time on the setup leading in, but we made gains fast. The goal was to learn, get comfortable, and build speed session by session. By the end of the weekend, it was clear: the pieces are there, and the program is already trending upward.

King of Throwdown: The Battles Everyone Felt

If Winter Throwdown is the weekend-long war, King of Throwdown is the sudden-death duel. It’s personal, it’s intense, and it brings out the best kind of competitive chaos.

Chad went into the program showing strong speed:

  • King of Throwdown Qualifying: 14.501 P7 / 14.638 P6
  • Super Pole: P4 (14.522)

And then the bracket delivered the matchup everyone was watching:

  • Chad Cose vs Dalton Gauthier

No fluff. No easy laps. Just a straight-up battle. That race had our paddock on its feet, and it’s the kind of moment that reminds you how much this sport is built on heart.

Dalton ultimately came out on top as Chad regrouped back at the Pro Roofing tents to reset, wrench, and get ready for the next two days of racing.

Day 1 Notes: Strong Early Speed

Day 1 gave us a great baseline, especially early:

  • Open Expert Qualifying (Day 1): P4 (14.292)
  • Open Expert Heat 1: P2
  • Open Expert Main: P11

And on the Premier side:

  • Premier Expert Qualifying (Day 1): P3 (14.297)

Day 1 also included a moment that reminds everyone why we do what we do with respect: sometimes it’s going great, and then it’s not. Chad’s Premier Expert Day 1 main was the race where he slid out. The win is in how you respond, how you learn, and how you show up the next night. Day 2 proved that.

Premier Expert (Day 2): Heat Win + Podium Finish

Day 2 was a statement for the night program.

  • Premier Expert Qualifying (Day 2): 14.166
  • Premier Expert Heat 3: P1 (Heat Win)
  • Premier Expert Main: P3
  • Premier Expert Main Best Lap: 14.460

Closing out the weekend with a Premier Expert podium is huge. Not just because a trophy looks nice, but because it validates the work happening behind the scenes. We made adjustments, fought through a few technical gremlins, and kept moving forward. That’s what race teams do.

Open Expert (Day 2): Speed + Bad Luck + Bounce Back Energy

Day 2 Open Expert showed the kind of night that tests a team: speed is there, but racing doesn’t always play fair.

  • Open Expert Qualifying (Day 2): 14.274
  • Open Expert Heat 2: P5
  • Open Expert LCQ 1: P8 (flat tire)

The LCQ result doesn’t tell the whole story. Chad got caught with a flat tire, and that’s the kind of thing that can derail a program fast if you let it. But the team didn’t spiral. We reset, focused on what we could control, and kept pushing forward.

International Riders, Bike Rentals, and a Paddock That Felt Like Family

One of the coolest parts of this weekend was seeing our paddock become more than “our team.” We were proud to support riders from the Dead Good Race Team who flew in from overseas (England), help them get what they needed to compete, and rent out bikes so they could be part of the show.

That’s what racing should feel like: community, opportunity, and a real welcome to the sport, no matter where you’re from.

And behind every lap turned, there was a ton of effort happening under the tent. Ashley (our mechanic) was locked in all weekend, and the day program was truly a family operation with Ashley’s husband John Kruppenbacker and their two kids running right alongside the action. Add in our riders, our crew, our families, and the friends who stopped by, and the paddock was overflowing in the best way.

Smooth Event, Strong Energy, Big Gratitude

We also have to give credit where it’s due: the event was well-run, and things moved smoothly. That matters more than people realize. When the program runs on time and the event is organized, it lets teams focus on racing, not scrambling.

And to everyone who has congratulated us on our announcement and supported the start of this journey: thank you. The messages, the comments, the encouragement in the pits, and the people who stopped by to say “we’re proud of you” means more than we can explain in a caption.

What’s Next: Full Focus on the Yamaha Twin + Daytona Prep

This weekend was an important step, but it’s not the whole story.

The 450 was the bike for this event but moving forward, our primary focus is clear:
the Yamaha twin is the main mission for the 2026 American Flat Track season.

Now the work shifts into:

  • testing,
  • putting real laps on the twin,
  • dialing in setup,
  • and building consistency before Daytona.

We’re taking what we learned at Callahan, applying it immediately, and leveling up.

Thank You, Sponsors and Supporters

None of this happens without the people who back it. To our sponsors: thank you for believing in the vision, supporting the program, and helping us build something that’s about more than a weekend result. To the families and friends who keep the lights on and the energy high: we see you.

And to the riders, teams, and fans who helped make this weekend feel like a true kickoff: thank you for being part of it.

We’re proud of this first outing. We’re even more excited about what comes next.

See you at the next one. 🏁