INDIAN MOTORCYCLE DOMINATES DAYTONA, KICKING OFF 2022 RACE SEASON IN DRAMATIC FASHION WITH WINS AT KING OF THE BAGGERS & AMERICAN FLAT TRACK SEASON OPENERS

Indian Challengers Go Un-Challenged at Round 2 of King of the Baggers with Podium Sweep Led by Jeremy McWilliams, While Tyler O’Hara Goes Last to First for Dramatic Win in Round 1 –

Finishes Weekend with Early Points Lead for the Series

Indian Motorcycle Flat Track Wrecking Crew Rider Briar Bauman Secures 20th Career Win at Volusia Half-Mile

Minneapolis, MN. – Indian Motorcycle Racing dominated Bike Week in Daytona Beach and kicked off its 2022 race season in dramatic fashion. With factory teams competing in flat track and bagger racing, Indian Motorcycle captured two wins and four of six podium spots at the King of the Baggers opening double-header at Daytona International Speedway, along with a victory at the 2022 American Flat Track season opener at the Volusia Half Mile.

Intent on reclaiming the title of King of the Baggers for its Indian Challenger, Round 2 saw an all-Challenger podium sweep led by new factory rider, Jeremy McWilliams, with Tyler O’Hara and Bobby Fong taking 2nd and 3rd respectively. In Round 1, it was all about inaugural King of the Baggers Champion O’Hara who put the Indian Challenger on top of the box with a dramatic last-to-first victory. O’Hara finished 1st and 2nd in the opening rounds to take an early lead in the 2022 series points race. Meanwhile, the opening round of the 2022 American Flat Track season saw Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew rider Briar Bauman deliver a masterful performance on his Indian Motorcycle FTR750 to take the win at the Volusia Half-Mile.

“This weekend was a dramatic display of the incredible level of preparation, determination and skill that powers our teams and riders every time we line up on the grid,” said Gary Gray, Vice President Racing, Service & Technology for Indian Motorcycle. “Considering the stiff competition and unique challenges we’re facing in both flat track and bagger racing this season, we’re certainly happy to get off to such a positive start, but we know full well that this is merely the beginning. There’s a lot more racing ahead of us, and we expect every race weekend to be a dogfight to the finish.”

KING OF THE BAGGERS

Opening weekend of MotoAmerica’s King of the Baggers was nothing short of exhilarating.

In his third year piloting the Mission® Foods S&S® Indian Challenger, O’Hare overcame considerable obstacles in Round 1 to capture his third bagger racing victory. Thanks to a penalty imposed during post-qualifying inspections, O’Hara was forced to start the race at the back of the grid in 13th position. Seemingly unphased by the misfortune, O’Hara literally catapulted off the start, launching his way past more than half the field before entering turn one. From there, he smoothly made his way into third, where he ran for the majority of the race until perfectly timing an incredible move in the final lap, drafting out of the chicane to slingshot his Indian Challenger into first place and take the checkered flag.

“We took a lot of motivation from the disappointing outcome in 2021 and poured it into intensive off-season testing and preparation with the S&S team to ensure we came back strong in 2022, and this weekend was a testament to the dedication, expertise and commitment of our entire team,” said O’Hara. “We’re confident we have the best bike in the paddock, and we intend to prove that again in 2022. We’re off to a good start; but our competition is fierce, and our work has only just begun.”

Powered by its Round 1 victory, Indian Motorcycle Racing took its success to an even higher level in Round 2 with an all-out Indian Challenger podium sweep. After just missing the podium in his Round 1 bagger racing debut, veteran road racer and newest Indian Motorcycle factory rider Jeremy McWilliams battled head-to-head with fellow Mission® Foods S&S® Indian Challenger teammate, O’Hara, ultimately edging him out by mere .025 seconds to capture his first King of the Baggers win and first career win at Daytona.

But O’Hara wasn’t the only threat in this race, while leading into the final lap, McWilliams went high, leaving the door open for Indian Motorcycle privateer Bobby Fong, piloting Steve Delorenzi’s S&S-built RSD Indian Challenger. Fong took full advantage and led most of the final lap, and it wasn’t until the final sprint when McWilliams, along with O’Hara, drafted Fong and made a last-minute pass. While both McWilliams and O’Hara were able to slingshot past Fong, it was McWilliams who was able hold off O’Hara and cross the finish line by slightly less than a bike length.

Sponsors for Indian Motorcycle Racing’s King of the Bagger efforts include Mission® Foods, S&S®, Medallia, Drag Specialties and Parts Unlimited.

AMERICAN FLAT TRACK

After weather postponed, and ultimately cancelled, round one of the 2022 American Flat Track season, riders took to the track and kicked off the season at the Volusia Half-Mile II. In spite of significant off-season rule changes that impose restrictions specifically on the Indian FTR750, flat track Wrecking Crew rider Briar Bauman put on a technical clinic to capture the win, making a bold statement regarding his intention to claim his second Grand National Championship in 2022.

Having placed second in Semi 2 and earning a spot on the front row for the Main, Bauman jumped out to an early lead and never looked back – capturing his first win of the season and his 20th of his career. Bauman’s factory teammates, including reigning champion Jared Mees and the Wrecking Crew’s newest rider Shayna Texter-Bauman finished fifth and 13th respectively.

Sponsors for Indian Motorcycle Racing’s American Flat Track efforts include Progressive Insurance, S&S®, Indian Motorcycle Oil, Bell Helmets, Drag Specialties and Parts Unlimited.

The 2022 King of the Baggers season continues April 22-24, in the Braselton, GA, at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. American Flat Track continues March 19 for the Texas Half-Mile at Texas Motor Speedway in Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX.

For more information on Indian Motorcycle Racing, visit IndianMotorcycle.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®

Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.

More, from a press release issued by Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing:

Rodio Warhorse HSBK Racing Debuts at Daytona

Coming out of the gate strong on their Aprilia RS 660 machines in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup round at Daytona International Speedway, Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing led the way with first and third fastest times in the first practice session. Anthony Mazziotto recorded a best time of 1:59.830 with teammate Gus Rodio dropping a 2:00.199 best on a drying track that was green from sustained rain. More rain on Thursday resulted in the first qualifying session being scratched, however, track activity resumed on Friday morning with the second qualifying session where Mazziotto managed eleventh position followed by Rodio in fifteenth.

In race one, intense close racing among the top seven riders saw Mazziotto run as high as second position, ultimately finishing third by only 0.124 seconds. Rodio was able to advance from the fifth row of the grid to finish seventh.

Race two on Saturday was reduced to six laps, and then to a five lap restart but produced even more extremely close racing with the top eight riders ultimately separated by only 0.634 seconds. Mazziotto ran as high as third but came across the finish line in fifth, missing the podium by 0.021 seconds.

Anthony Mazziotto – Coming into Daytona was very exciting, I’ve never ridden on any banking before and riding half of the track wide open creates some really intense racing. Things went fairly well despite making contact with the wall on the banking in the first race. I managed to recover myself and bring home a third place result as well as a fifth place in Saturday’s race two. I have solid third place championship points going into round two and I’m happy with my position, especially because I have experience at the rest of the tracks we will visit. Thanks to the whole Rodio family and crew for the help throughout the weekend and Bobby at Warhorse HSBK for building a solid motorcycle to ride this season. See you all at the next one!

Gus Rodio – It was definitely a tough weekend all around for us, but I’ll be taking away the positives and moving forward. We got two top-ten finishes and are leaving Daytona eighth in the championship. I’m going to do my work at home and be ready for Atlanta.
Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing will continue at the next round at Road Atlanta April 22-24 in Braselton, Georgia.

More, from a press release issued by N2 Racing:

Blake Davis Wins Debut Twins Cup at Daytona!

Media, PA – March 2022 – Blake Davis takes his first MotoAmerica win on his debut performance in Twins Cup Race 1 on a Dunlop equipped N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7 with the support of Westby Racing. The weekend was filled with difficult weather conditions, a constantly changing schedule, and first race weekend technical difficulties, but the N2 Racing team persevered to achieve some excellent results.

The N2/Bobblehead team worked closely with Westby Racing to build the Yamaha YZF-R7 for fifteen-year-old Blake Davis. Though the team had worked closely to develop the Yamaha R3 in previous seasons, they collectively pulled out all stops to build Blake’s Yamaha YZF-R7 to compete in the very strong Twins Cup rider lineup.

Going into the weekend, Blake had little time on either the Yamaha R7 or Daytona and he had to work extra hard to learn the two quickly. According to Blake, “In the beginning, I didn’t have the pace and worked to find the best race line and I tended to run a little deep in some corners. About halfway through the race, I started putting it all together and worked hard to stay with the top 4 or 5 riders.”

The race had a few big moments, one of which was rider Anthony Mazziotto making contact with the wall and bouncing back into the lead pack. Blake adds, “When Anthony had his big moment, it disrupted the group and I took advantage of that moment. I had to work very hard to stay upfront with a few exchanges for lead before those final laps.”

In the off-season, Blake spent time training with Yamaha Champions Riding School’s Chris Peris and Kyle Wyman at the Inde Motorsports Ranch in Willcox, AZ. Blake adds, “I really worked on carrying my brakes longer into the corner, tactics I learned from Chris and Kyle during my training with them.”

N2/Bobblehead Crew Chief, Shiloh Salopek comments, “We had our share of technical issues dealing with tuning and data before the race, but Blake showed all of us what he and the Yamaha R7 are capable of.”

The win for Blake was a very emotional win for both the N2/Bobblehead and Westby teams. After the victory circle celebration and the dust had settled, Shiloh states, “This was one of the best days of my life.”

Chris Peris competed in the Daytona 200 aboard the N2 Racing/Bobblehead Moto Yamaha YZF-R6. Peris is no stranger to endurance racing and is a multi-time N2/WERA National Endurance champion. The team executed near-flawless pit stops with Chris showing some of his fastest laps towards the end of the race. Despite some gearing issues, Chris achieved a solid 11th place finish for the Daytona 200 race.

Kevin Olmedo, the N2/Bobblehead rider for the MotoAmerica Supersport class started running top 5 lap times but suffered a few mechanical issues that resulted in 2 additional pit stops costing Olmedo and the team precious time. Despite the extra stops, Kevin was able to finish in 18th position after the 200-mile race.

N2 – Ride, Race, Learn:

Founded in 2014, N2’s mission is to build a sustainable motorcycle community through safe, structured motorcycle track days, advanced rider training programs based on Yamaha Champions Riding School teaching methods, with a strong affinity for motorcycle road racing. N2 successfully resurrected Motorcycle Endurance Racing in America partnering with WERA Roadracing and creating the N2/WERA National Endurance Series by Dunlop. N2 is a premier participant in the MotoAmerica Pro Racing Series with a multi-rider team competing in several classes. N2 is also a major contributor to the Roadracing World Action Fund through fundraising efforts and support from its large member base.

N2 Racing is proudly sponsored by: Dunlop Motorcycle Tire, Yamaha Motor Corporation USA, Dainese, BobbleHeadMoto, Karnes Performance, Trading Paint, GB Racing, Westby Racing, Attack Performance, Robem Engineering, SBS Brakes, Puig, Eazi Grip, ProBolt, and Yamaha Champions Riding School.

More, from a press release issued by Hayden Schultz Racing:

Hayden Schultz and Cycle Tech Kick Off MotoAmerica Twins Cup Campaign with Daytona Victory

The Cycle Tech team came to Daytona with high hopes after a promising winter developing their Yamaha YZF-R7 machines. Their hard work would be rewarded with the teams first MotoAmerica victory after Hayden Schultz crossed the line first in Race 2.

Hayden Schultz would show promising pace from the opening practice session as the 2022 MotoAmerica season kicked off on the high banks of Daytona. The team would only get two shortened sessions to set up the bike before gridding up for race 1. After qualifying 5th on the grid, Hayden would go on to lead laps in race 1. While a potential podium or victory looked to be possible, a crash on lap 6 would derail hopes for a maiden victory on Friday

Heavy rains on Saturday morning would result in a rescheduled race 2 to start at nearly 6:00pm. The long wait would prove worth it. Schultz would utilize his experience and a strong Yamaha power plant to take the lead coming off of the banking and lead to the checkered flag. The victory at Daytona would be the first for Hayden and the Cycle Tech team.

Hayden Schultz: 

“I’m so happy to get redemption after the incident in race 1. I knew from practice 1 that we had a strong bike and had a great shot at coming away with a win. My team is incredible and Gene Burcham, Ron “Dink” Glidden, and Gary Jeffries have spent countless hours preparing for the season. They did such a great job preparing our Yamaha R7 and making sure we had the power to be competitive. I made a mistake that cost us a shot at the win in race 1. When race 2 came around I knew I needed to just make it to the final lap so I could use the draft and power of the Cycle Tech Yamaha R7. My plan was to come out of the final chicane in 4th and it worked out perfectly. I’m thrilled to get my first MotoAmerica win and I’m determined to keep this momentum going further into the season.”

The Cycle Tech Yamaha team is supported by: Yamaha, Vance & Hines, Glidden Racing, 1833-CJ-KNOWS Accident and Injury Law, aRacer USA, Ohlins USA, Blud Lubricants, Dreyer Motorsports, Full Spectrum Power, Sunstar, DP Brakes, Speigler Performance Parts, Magura, Dymag Wheels, Just 1 Helmets, RS Taichi, Robem Engineering, Dogwood Residential, Attack Performance.

More, from a press release issued by KTM North America:

RED BULL KTM’S KODY KOPP RACES TO A CAREER-FIRST VICTORY IN AFT SINGLES CLASS
TEAMMATE MAX WHALE FINISHES RUNNER-UP AT VOLUSIA HALF-MILE SEASON OPENER

Round 1 – American Flat Track Championship

BARBERVILLE, Fla. – Seventeen-year-old Kody Kopp made a statement debut with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team on Friday as he delivered a career-first AFT Singles victory at Round 1 of the 2022 American Flat Track Championship. As his closest competitor in the Main Event, teammate Max Whale put up a hard fight to finish only 2.6 seconds behind, giving Red Bull KTM an impressive 1-2 podium sweep at the highly-anticipated Volusia Half-Mile.

With rainstorms blowing through the area all week, Thursday and Friday’s season-opening double-header was eventually condensed into one round, taking place later on Friday evening. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team was able to put in two solid sessions on-track during Wednesday’s test day but track conditions were wildly different at the start of Friday’s racing. For Kopp, the conditions didn’t seem to make a difference as he topped the final qualifying session and carried great momentum into Semi 2. Charging his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION into the lead early on, the young rider never looked back as he raced his way to a 3.5 second victory in the semi.

In the Main Event, it was once again Kopp who commanded the early lead and he fought off early pressure from his teammate, Whale, through the first five laps. The Red Bull KTM duo worked their way to a sizeable gap over the rest of the field until a red flag came out, causing a pause in the action. Kopp and Whale returned to battle for a few laps after the re-start but Kopp wedged another gap late in the race to come away with an impressive flag-to-flag victory at Round 1.

Kody Kopp: “What an amazing start to the season! I just want to thank the whole Red Bull KTM Team for allowing me to get my first professional win. They’ve been working their butts off this entire off-season and it really showed at this first round. I feel really comfortable on the bike lately, these conditions really suited my style and I was able to get some decent starts, work my way to the front and put in my laps. I just want to thank everyone – my family, every sponsor and all that people who go unnoticed, it wouldn’t happen without you guys!”

Entering his sophomore season with the team, Max Whale posted a great Main Event result at Round 1. With track conditions changing immensely throughout the day, the Australian rider struggled earlier in the day but he quickly adapted himself and the bike, making big strides from the start of qualifying.

Finishing third in Semi 1, Whale placed his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION on the second row for the Main Event and he quickly charged into second behind his teammate. Whale pressured Kopp early on as they created a battle of their own out front and the multi-time championship contender used the re-start as an opportunity to reset his charge on the leader. In a fighting attempt at the win, Whale maintained a solid pace to finish only 2.6 seconds behind Kopp for second-place.

Max Whale: “It was a good start to the season. I’m super pumped from where we started the day – 16th in the first qualifying – and we didn’t stop working all day. We made improvements to the bike and then I made improvements to my riding style and that made a big difference for me. Hats off to my teammate Kody, he rode awesome. I’m super happy with how myself and the team worked all night and I’m ready for Round 2 in Texas!”

Next Race: Texas Half-Mile – Fort Worth, Texas – March 19, 2021

Round 1 Results – Volusia Half-Mile
 
AFT Singles Main Event 

1. Kody Kopp, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

2. Max Whale, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

3. Dalton Gauthier, Honda

OTHER

10. Tanner Dean, KTM

13. James Ott, KTM

14. Ryan Wells, KTM

AFT Singles Point Standings (After Round 1)

1. Kody Kopp, 25 points

2. Max Whale, 20

3. Dalton Gauthier, 17

OTHER

10. Tanner Dean, 9

13. James Ott, 6

14. Ryan Wells, 5

More, from a press release issued by Royal Enfield North America:

JOHNNY LEWIS KICKS OFF FULL-SEASON ASSAULT ON AFT PRODUCTION TWINS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Top-five for Lewis while Build. Train. Race. action begins with BTR Select at Volusia Half Mile

Milwaukee, WI – Inclement Florida weather during Daytona Bike Week delayed the start of the 2022 American Flat Track National Championship, but it didn’t stop the season from commencing for Royal Enfield’s Build. Train. Race. program and the Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield crew. Johnny Lewis, aiming for a full-season assault on the AFT Production Twins championship, carded a solid fifth-place finish at the Volusia Half-Mile while the BTR women gave a preview of the 2022 action to come.

After a landmark year in 2021, where Johnny Lewis and the Moto Anatomy X team took on selected rounds of the American Flat Track Championship aboard the Royal Enfield Twins FT motorcycle, even celebrating a historic win at Lima Half Mile, the crew is ready to take on the full Production Twins class season in 2022.

“With the progress made on the Twins FT, and with the dedicated team behind the Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield program, we’re ready to go all in,” said Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead – Royal Enfield Americas. “We’ll continue to learn and progress as we go and we’re all looking forward to another great season.”

Despite some setbacks during the 10-lap Mission Production Twins Main Event at Volusia Speedway Park, Lewis utilized his experience on the track to manage his way to a solid finish. What looked like a possible podium eventually gave way to a fifth-place on the night, a respectable start to the new season.

“That was a rough main event to manage,” Lewis said. “But we have our eye on the long game and we’re happy to be starting the championship with some points. We’re really looking forward to the next round, the Texas Half Mile this weekend. Everything is bigger in Texas, and I want the biggest trophy I can get.”

The official BTR Flat Track season has yet to commence, as many of the newcomers to the program are still in the Build and Train portions of the program. The Volusia Half-Mile served as a “BTR Select” prequel to the season, offering the ladies of BTR Flat Track returning from the previous season, and any racers ready to compete ahead of schedule, the opportunity to get on the track.

Return riders Jillian Deschenes, Jaycee Jones, Lanakila MacNaughton, Malary Lee, Erin Ferris, Nean Kiskela and Gabrielle Hughes were joined by newcomer Alex Bumpus McDonald for BTR Select at the Volusia Half Mile.

The 2022 season appears to have picked up right where it left off, with Jillian Deschenes and Jaycee Jones dueling for the win. Jones managed to turn the quickest lap time in the main event, but it was Deschenes who led when it mattered—at the checkered flag. The race also saw a surprise performance from Lanakila MacNaughton, who kept the lead duo in sight en route to a strong podium finish.

“It’s great to see the BTR women on the track again,” Poland commented. “It’s going to be even more exciting when we see the full field out there for the first official round, which will take place at the I-70 Half Mile in Missouri, April 23. We can’t wait to see what happens when we throw all this new talent in the mix; it’s going to be an amazing season for Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race.”

About Royal Enfield

The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the midsize motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic motorcycles. With its manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield has been able to grow its production rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. Royal Enfield is a leading player in the global middleweight motorcycle market.

Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is developing a growing network of more than 140 dealers in North America, including the contiguous U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. RENA currently offers the all-new Meteor 350, Himalayan and the 650 Twins (INT 650 and Continental GT 650) motorcycles, along with a range of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories and apparel.

For more information on Royal Enfield North America, visit www.RoyalEnfield.com/us/en/, www.Instagram.com/RoyalEnfield_NA, www.Facebook.com/RoyalEnfieldNorthAmerica.

TOBC TRIUMPH WINS 80th DAYTONA 200

– Triumph Street Triple RS wins Daytona 200 on first attempt

– Brandon Paasch defends title to win second consecutive Daytona 200

– Triumph Street Triple RS sets fastest lap

– Danny Eslick has most overtakes of the race

The TOBC – Triumph racing team, supported by FreedomRoad Financing, powers
Brandon Paasch to win the 80th Daytona 200.

Coming off its first season of competition in the 2021 British Supersport
Championship, the Triumph Street Triple RS wins its American debut at the World
Center of Racing. The winning motorcycle was ridden by defending champion
Brandon Paasch, who used his experience gained in the 2021 season with the
Triumph Street Triple RS and his past success at the 200 to make the most of the
765 triple’s power around Daytona’s banking.

Paasch started P4 and made it a Triumph 1 – 2 across the stripe first time around,
and confidently keeping with the lead pack for the duration of the race. The Triumph
765 triple engine didn’t break a sweat as it endured the 57 lap, 200 mile, race to keep
Paasch in the sweet spot. Coming out of the final pit-stop Paasch found himself in
fourth, and a couple seconds outside of the lead pack. To catch-up with the front
three, putting himself in position for the win, Paasch set the fastest lap of the race at
1:49:959. On the final turn of the final lap, Paasch who was patiently waiting for his
opportunity, twisted the throttle and trusted the draft and the triple Triumph engine
to power him to the win by 0.007 of a second at the chequers.

Danny Eslick, who started P8, left the grid with a terrific start, and led the race by
the end of the first lap. From there Eslick ran with the lead pack until the red flag.
Mid-race, as a result of fighting the high-winds and spending a good amount of the
race without the benefit of a draft, Eslick lost ground and his race-lead as he drifted
into the pits on fumes. Coming out of the pit, Eslick was able to re-gain significant
ground, ending the race with a 6th place finish.

Jeremy Appleton – Global Racing Manager, Triumph Motorcycles: “The Street Triple RS proved its performance and reliability credentials with the win today. The unique nature of Daytona, with its long, high-speed banking and tight in-field showed our bike’s speed and handling abilities in Brandon’s capable hands. He had the race pace, race craft and great maturity today and this win was richly deserved. Danny also showed his class throughout the race and would, undoubtedly, have been right there at the end had the windy conditions running without a draft not slowed him on pit road. On top of the performance from Brandon and Danny, the preparation, ability, and professionalism of the TOBC racing team cannot be over-stated. The effort and attention to detail that Michelle and her whole crew put into the build-up and execution of the race is a great example of single-minded dedication to winning. With the support of FreedomRoad Financial and all the team partners, Triumph is celebrating the biggest race win for the Street Triple RS to date.

Michelle Lindsay – TOBC racing owner: “After the 2018 season, I wasn’t sure we’d be back at the top of the podium again. To win the Daytona 200 on our first race with
Triumph is more than I could have ever asked for. I’m proud of Brandon and Danny
for their performances today, and very thankful for Triumph Motorcycles and
FreedomRoad Financial for helping us even get back on the grid, Boulder Motorsports
for helping to build a winning motorcycle. I’m also extremely proud to have such an
amazing group of individuals working in my team. Their dedication and work ethic
towards getting the 765 on the podium are unparalleled. This win is truly a team
effort, and we couldn’t have brought this great crew back together if it wasn’t for the
support from our key sponsors Politus & Matovina P.A. Attorneys, Palm Beach Police
and Fire Foundation, Jay Geeker Studios, Pirelli, and K-Tech.”

Brandon Paasch – 2021 & 2022 Daytona 200 Winner: “We did it!!! It’s unbelievably surreal to be a 2-time Daytona 200 winner, but I can’t say this race didn’t play out exactly as I imagined it. After last year’s win, I knew I had a winning strategy, and after a full season on the Street Triple RS, I had complete confidence in the bike and in the preparation of the TOBC racing team, to execute it. I’m thankful for FreedomRoad Financial for helping to make this race effort possible, and for the continued support from the Classic Car Club of Manhattan, Evolve GT, and Luxe Star, and am looking forward to celebrating with the team.”

Danny Eslick – 4-time Daytona 200 Winner: “Today was tough. A couple things didn’t go my way, which kept me off the podium. Thanks to Triumph, FreedomRoad
Financial, and TOBC racing, all of the right elements were here for the win. The bike
and the team have all the right pieces for success. I’ll just have to wait a year to snag
my 5th win.”

More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA, LLC:

TOP FIVE FOR SUZUKI’S ESCALANTE IN HIS FIRST DAYTONA 200 

BREA, Calif., March 13, 2022 — Richie Escalante registered a top-five effort for Suzuki and Team Hammer in Saturday’s 80th running of the legendary Daytona 200. Aboard his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R600, Escalante opened the 2022 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship season in encouraging fashion.

Escalante led the race at times and carded a solid fifth. Fellow Team Hammer pilot Geoff May earned eighth with a strong and steady performance over the 200 miles. Sam Lochoff showed potential for a good result before a long pit stop dashed his shot at victory before ultimately finishing a disappointing 19th.

The 57-lap event is a quest for both speed and endurance and this year’s running was no different. 2020 MotoAmerica Supersport champion Escalante demonstrated the poise to challenge for the win early in his first attempt at the Daytona 200, battling for the lead prior to, and after, an early-race red flag.

Measured, calm, and lightning-quick during his time at the front, Escalante’s form provided early optimism for a trophy-winning finish. He was joined in offering that hope by Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammate, Samuel Lochoff, as well as VisionWheel.com/Discount Tire/KWS Motorsports Suzuki’s Geoff May, the two running together near the lead pack.

Escalante lost touch with the front after the first round of pit stops and turned impressive lap times, but was unable to catch the lead pack again.

“I’m super happy to finish – that’s most important,” Escalante said. “It was my first time to work with the team over a full race weekend, and I was excited to work with my new crew.

“The race was not easy. I did my best. I made a couple of mistakes, and we had a couple of delays in the pit stops. After that, I was just looking for a rhythm lap by lap and to finish the race. I’m pleased to have had this experience… it’s a historic race, and I’m happy to have more time with the team. Now we’ll focus on the future, training, and racing in Superbike.”

Meanwhile, the cagey May kept his head down throughout the race and added an eighth-place result to the tally. May took on fuel only during his final pit stop as the veteran improved his position throughout the race.

The Daytona 200 is notorious for the obstacles and chaos it presents to its challengers, and those often-inevitable variables negatively impacted Sam Lochoff’s bid for a stellar result.

Just before the race, a Team Hammer crew member experienced a medical emergency. His transport to the medical center and subsequent absence contributed to confusion and a mechanical issue during Lochoff’s stop following his first stint.

“I was behind the front group quite a bit there but with four laps to go before the first pit stop, I started closing the gap,” said Lochoff. “Unfortunately, our eight-second pit stop turned into a three-minute delay. After I went back out, I rode faster than most of the riders in front of me but when you are two or three laps down in last place, it wasn’t ideal.”

Lochoff returned to the fray three laps back and last in the order, but the young South African continued charging. He was rewarded for his determination by breaking into the top 20, claiming 19th in the end.

“I came into the race anticipating a win or to get on the podium, so the result isn’t what I wanted but I was happy to finish the race, given the circumstances,” he continued. “The team worked hard, and I felt good about my pace.”

Escalante will be joined by Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammate Jake Lewis as they begin their MotoAmerica Superbike championship campaigns in earnest when the domestic series joins the global superstars of the MotoGP World Championship at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on April 8-10.

ABOUT TEAM HAMMER 

The 2022 season marks Team Hammer’s 42nd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 128 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 332 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.

ABOUT VISION WHEEL

Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.

ABOUT SUZUKI

Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.

More, from a press release issued by Robem Engineering Aprilia:

Robem Engineering riders score pole, two podium finishes in MotoAmerica Twins Cup competition at Daytona

Gloddy qualifies first in Twins Cup debut, Hobbs leaves Daytona at top of Twins Cup points standings
 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — They say first impressions are everything, and Robem Engineering Aprilia’s two full-time riders for the 2022 season — Teagg Hobbs and Ben Gloddy — had stellar debuts with their new team March 10-12 at the MotoAmerica season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

Gloddy — who finished runner up in the 2021 MotoAmerica Junior Cup — claimed the class’ first-ever pole position at the historic Daytona track in his first weekend racing in Twins Cup. Hobbs scored a hard-fought second-place finish in the first Twins Cup race of 2022 and ended the event in first place in the Twins Cup points standings.

Hobbs also narrowly missed out on a second podium of the weekend but finished 0.01 second behind the team’s third rider — Aprilia test rider Tomasso Marcon — for third place in Saturday’s Race 2.

All three of the team’s riders were near the top of the time sheets aboard their Aprilia RS 660s in Thursday practice — the first time Twins Cup machines took to Daytona’s 3.56-mile road course. Marcon led the trio, finishing the session in fourth place with a lap time of 2:00.476. Hobbs was fifth fastest — less than a tenth of a second off Marcon’s time — and Gloddy was 10th.

When qualifying wrapped up on Friday morning, it was Gloddy who’d secured the first MotoAmerica Twins Cup pole position at Daytona International Speedway with a 1:59.015. Marcon qualified in second, about a quarter of a second off Gloddy’s time. Hobbs finished qualifying in seventh, giving the team three riders within the first three rows of the starting grid.

Later Friday, the first Twins Cup race at Daytona saw Robem score a podium and come a few corners shy of having three riders in the top 10 or better. Gloddy took the holeshot, and — in a wild race that saw many lead changes among a large group at the front — all three Robem riders led the field at some point during the race. On the last lap, all three bikes were running in the top five, but a mistake by Marcon while navigating the backstraight chicane unfortunately caused Marcon and Gloddy to crash out. Hobbs — who was running in second as the frontrunners entered the chicane — narrowly missed out on the win and put a Robem Engineering Aprilia on the first Twins Cup podium at Daytona.

A rainstorm Saturday morning postponed the day’s Twins Cup race until after the Daytona 200, and Gloddy nabbed his second holeshot of the weekend on the initial start. Gloddy and Marcon were running first and fourth as the field entered the backstraight chicane on Lap 1, but a series of crashes at the chicane caused the race to be stopped. On the restart, Gloddy was again leading the field into Turn 1, and Hobbs and Marcon were running in second and third at the end of Lap 1. That pair also led the field over the line on Lap 2 and were part of an eight-rider pack vying for the lead in the closing laps. As the pack approached the finish line, the Marcon and Hobbs had a couple riders draft past them but held on to secure third- and fourth-place finishes. Gloddy fell back from the leading group in the early laps but managed to finish in seventh.

The Robem Engineering Aprilia team has a six-week break before the next MotoAmerica Twins Cup round, which takes place April 22-24 at the Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Ga.

Teagg Hobbs / No. 79

“The weekend in Daytona as a whole was great. Working with the Robem team was awesome and we quickly established a good rapport. The Aprilia RS 660 is a new bike for me, but the team had my bike dialed in quickly. I think I’m going to really enjoy racing the Aprilia this year. The unpredictable weather made for a rough start to the weekend, but things came together pretty easily once we got out on track. I knew Race 1 would probably come down to the last lap, and I came up a little short of the win when I made my move for the lead on the run to the checkers. The shortened Race 2 was a little more of the same, as I got pinched out of the draft as the leaders were coming to the finish line. I was hoping for better results but am happy I’m leaving Daytona with the championship points lead. This was a great first outing with the team and I’m looking forward to continuing my championship hunt at Road Atlanta.”

Ben Gloddy / No. 72

“It was a good weekend overall. We only got half the on-track sessions we were supposed to due to the weather, and I was doing my best to learn the track quickly. I struggled a bit in the first session but got a good draft at the end of qualifying to get pole position. Race 1 went well until the last lap, but I was feeling pretty good for Race 2 despite the crash. I had a good warm-up session on Saturday but got shuffled back a little bit at the end of the race thanks to the draft. But it was great running with the frontrunners in my first Twins Cup race.”

Tommaso Marcon / No. 70

“Daytona was great! It was amazing getting to race at the Speed Capital of the World, and it was a pleasure getting to race in the United States again. The track was super fun, and the banking was amazing. I’d never rode anything like that. I apologized to Ben about the ending of Race 1 but am happy about my result in Race 2. We struggled a little bit with the engine, but we will work very hard to be faster next time out. I’m hoping to be back later this year for the rounds at New Jersey and Barber and want to thank Robem Engineering and my crew who came with me to Daytona.”

Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2022 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, BK Corse, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Synchrony, Velocity Calibrations, Bitubo Suspension, Dunlop, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, Sprint Filter, DID, Magura USA, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants, Millennium Technologies, Motovation USA and SC-Project.

More, from a press release issued by Pure Attitude Racing:

Speed deficit costs Pure Attitude Racing at Daytona International Speedway

The Pure Attitude Racing team kickstarted their 2022 MotoAmerica season in Daytona this past weekend, securing a double top-twenty finish despite their limitations of competing with an underpowered machine due to essential parts not being delivered on time.

Despite the clear power deficit, it was decided that the team would still compete at the iconic Daytona International Speedway in Florida to give riders Trevor Standish and Liam MacDonald valuable seat time ahead of the team’s home race at Road Atlanta in April.

Both riders rode a solid weekend providing feedback that should enable them to race with the front group from Round 2 onwards, the team leaving Daytona more than satisfied with their efforts.

Trevor Standish: “I was running by myself for the whole of qualifying, but I didn’t want to pull in as I knew we needed data and as many laps as possible. I improved my time over what I had achieved in FP1 but knew it would be a tough weekend, races wise. I got boxed in a bit at the start of Race 1 but at the flag finished inside the top twenty, which given the circumstances I’m happy with. Race 2 was a five-lap sprint, and I was able to make a better start but just like in Race 1 I was unable to do anything more as the bike was just too slow, for the reasons we all knew before coming to Daytona. The positive thing is the bike handles great. I know we have a lot more potential in the bike and in myself and I am excited to show our true pace when we move to Atlanta.”

Liam MacDonald: “I wasn’t overly stoked with Race 1, there are things I wish I had done differently but it was impossible with the speed deficit we had. I was trying so hard to make up the time in the corners but would lose it all on the banks. I rode the last couple of laps in a smart way, and just tried to learn as much as I could. I was really frustrated before the race started and thought that the number of laps we were given because of the rain delays was a bit of joke. Overall though I am happy with how I rode, and how the team and I were able to improve my feeling during the weekend which enabled me to finish inside the top twenty even though we were losing over 15mph – which is a straight-line speed disadvantage that nobody would have been able to overcome. Leaving Daytona, I feel a lot better with how I am riding compared to last year and I am confident then we get our full spec engines for Round 2 that I will be able to achieve some good results.”

More, from a press release issued by Ducati:

Shelina Moreda Seals Top 10 at Daytona

Round One of the 2022 Super Hooligans National Championship Sees Moreda in Eighth Place.

Sunnyvale, Calif. – In what was her first experience with the Ducati Hypermotard 950 SP in Super Hooligan competition, Shelina Moreda put in a brilliant ride at Daytona for the opening round of the 2022 Super Hooligan National Championship.

Despite the second race of the weekend being canceled due to the persistent rain, Moreda qualified the Nowaskey Extreme Performance She’z Racing Ducati Hypermotard 950 SP in eighth place and raced to the same position in Saturday’s Race One.

The result sees Moreda in eighth heading into round two at Road Atlanta on April 22-24.

MotoAmerica RSD Super Hooligan National Championship—Daytona Race One

P1 – Andy DiBrino (KTM)

P2 – Cory West (Ind)

P3 – Tyler O’Hara (Ind)

P4 – Nate Kern (Ind)

P5 – Patricia Fernandez (Ind)

P8 – Shelina Moreda (Duc)

Shelina Moreda (Nowaskey Extreme Performance She’z Racing – Ducati #93): “What a weekend!” Shelina enthused. “Even though the second race was cancelled I feel like I got to know the Ducati Hypermotard 950 SP really quickly and managed to put it to work quite well. I was nervous taking that bike on the banking because we had pretty limited testing, but it handled the demands of this track really well. We had to make a few aero adjustments over the course of the weekend, which is to be expected for such a high-speed course, and then I was able to drop the lap times pretty quickly for the race. This is a unique place for any motorcycle, so to see how well the Hypermotard did was really encouraging. I had a blast on it and am really looking forward to the next race.”