This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of February 18, 2024

This week in US powersports racing.

JOHNNY GIRROIR AND ANGUS RIORDAN DELIVER IN BIG BUCK GNCC SEASON-OPENER

FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir has won the opening round of the 2024 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series in the XC1 Open Pro division, as Angus Riordan opened his XC2 250 Pro account with a class victory on debut with FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers at the Big Buck event in South Carolina.

Girroir led all six laps and remained composed under pressure to take home his second-career GNCC overall win onboard the KTM 350 XC-F. Building on experience gained last year, it’s been an impressive start to the year for Girroir, and that continued in Round 1 of the GNCC season.

Lining up alongside Girroir in select rounds of GNCC this year is Dante Oliveira while filling in for Ben Kelley, who started strongly to complete the opening lap in seventh position, before climbing to P6 soon afterward. He then settled into an eighth-place result, banking valuable knowledge in the tighter confines of XC competition and making the most of the experience.

Johnny Girroir: “I felt good right from the start. I kind of just maintained the gap at the front, I was hitting my marks from start to finish, didn’t make many mistakes and it was a good race. I learned a lot last year and have been working hard with the team, learning when to go fast and when to back it down, which paid off today. I feel fit and strong, had a really good off-season, so I’m excited to keep this going.”

Dante Oliveira: “Today was a decent start at Big Buck. I started off around fourth and got into the tighter stuff, pushed the front in the roots, and dropped back before I got to find a few more lines and was able to pick it up. It’s a different beast out here, but I’m in one piece, learned a lot, and had fun. We’ll keep building off this for the next one. I know what I need to work on and had a great time racing in GNCC again.”

FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers had all three riders on the podium in Round 1 at the Union venue, with Riordan edging his way to the first XC2 250 Pro win of 2024. He led four of the six laps, including the one that counted on his KTM 250 XC-F in a convincing performance.

Alongside Riordan on the XC2 250 Pro podium was teammate Grant Davis in third place, climbing as high as second position on lap two, and then going on to finish in P3 for the weekend. In addition, Brandy Richards’ third-place result in the WXC ranks was a welcome start to her campaign in the woods, providing a strong foundation to build upon in these early stages of the series.

Angus Riordan: “It was a good, fun race. I felt like I had to get some redemption from last year, so I’m really happy to win this one and start the season on top. I’ve been training with Kailub Russell, grinding it out in Florida and it’s paying off, so I’m looking forward to the next round now.”

Grant Davis: “It was a really solid to start the season on the podium, so hopefully we can keep this going and put ourselves in a position to be in the fight for the championship.”

Brandy Richards: “I got off to a great start and I just tried to stay smooth and consistent. On the second lap, I tried to pick it up, but the roots were slick out there and I went down. These girls were ripping and I had a good time – it was a great race!”

XC1 Open Pro Class Results
1. Johnny Girroir, KTM
2. Steward Baylor Jr, KAW
3. Grant Baylor, KAW
OTHER KTM
8. Dante Oliveira, KTM

XC2 250 Pro Class Results
1. Angus Riordan, KTM
2. Liam Draper, YAM
3. Grant Davis, KTM

WXC Class Results
1. Rachael Archer, KAW
2. Korie Steede, HQV
3. Brandy Richards, KTM

Upcoming Offroad Races – March 2024
3/4: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 2
3/4: National Grand Prix Championship – Round 2
3/11: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 3
3/17: West Hare Scrambles – Round 1
3/25: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 4
3/25: U.S. Hard Enduro Series – Round 2

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING’S KORIE STEEDE LANDS PODIUM IN GNCC ROUND 1

A second-place finish in the WXC category marked a convincing start to the 2024 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series for new Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing recruit Korie Steede, with XC1 Open Pro Class teammates Trevor Bollinger and Craig DeLong showcasing their front-running capabilities at the Big Buck season-opener.

Steede managed to overcome sickness on her way to a podium result in Round 1 of the season on her Husqvarna Motorcycles FX 250, which hindered her preparation across the weekend but didn’t deny her a runner-up score to open the new GNCC season.

“Coming into today was pretty stressful for me after I picked up a virus on Friday,” Steede said. “I came in with an open mind, just to ride my dirt bike the best that I could today, and it definitely paid off in the race. I feel really good heading into Round 2, we had a good battle and I know the next one will be better for me.”

As for Bollinger, he recovered from a costly fall at the beginning of the XC1 Open Pro Class race and worked his way back into seventh position across the six-lap duration. It was a difficult day at the office on his Husqvarna Motorcycles FX 350, but one that saw him salvage important points in terms of the championship.

“I actually got off to a good start, but a couple of turns in I came together with somebody and that pretty much set the tone for my day,” Bollinger commented. “I felt good on the bike, it was working well, and once I moved forward luckily I was able to get pretty much the best finish I could with the guys I was around right there at the end. I’m happy I was able to get away with some points and we’ll keep building from here.”

Defending XC1 Open Pro Champion DeLong entered the new season with high expectations in debuting the number 1 plate on his Husqvarna Motorcycles FX 350, quickly establishing himself among the front-runners. DeLong sat well in podium contention until an unfortunate fall on the penultimate lap dropped him down the order, recording an 11th-place finish in class.

“I had a good day going, started around sixth and worked my way up to third, kind of back-and-forth there until the pit stop,” recalled DeLong. “We had a quick pit and I got back into third, but with two laps to go I was pressuring second and made a little mistake – I wasn’t riding over my head, but had a big crash. The bike took a big impact, so I did what I could for the last lap and a half, but my bike was twisted up and I fell right back. It was a frustrating day in the end to start my title defense the way that I did, but it was just one of those days.”

XC1 Open Pro Class Results
1. Johnny Girroir (KTM)
2. Steward Baylor Jr (Kawasaki)
3. Grant Baylor (Kawasaki)
…
7. Trevor Bollinger – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
11. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

WXC Class Results
1. Rachael Archer (Kawasaki)
2. Korie Steede – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
3. Brandy Richards (KTM)

Upcoming Offroad Races – March 2024
3/4: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 2
3/4: National Grand Prix Championship – Round 2
3/11: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 3
3/25: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 4
3/25: National Hare & Hound Series – Round 2
3/25: U.S. Hard Enduro Series – Round 2

VP Racing Fuels Big Buck: Motorcycle Race Report

UNION, S.C. (February 19, 2024) – On Sunday, February 18, 2024, the Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, concluded its season opener at the VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC in Union, South Carolina. The colder temperatures only made for more intense heated battles on the track throughout the course of the weekend. As the afternoon race got underway it was AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell jumping off the line first to grab the $250 Steel City Medical Center XC1 Open Pro Holeshot Award to start his day. However, it didn’t seem to take FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Jonathan Girroir long to make the pass for the lead as they made their way through the course on the opening lap.

Girroir would continue to hold the lead with Russell behind him in second for the first four laps of the race. Russell would unfortunately fall back to sixth as they came through the finish line with one lap remaining. Rocky Mountain Red Bear Steward Baylor had made the necessary moves coming from sixth place to third and then into second by the time the white flag was flying. Girroir was ahead by 25 seconds, but Baylor continued to push on as they came into the finish line it was Girroir earning his second career overall win with an 11 second lead over Baylor who earned second overall at the opening round in South Carolina. Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Grant Baylor had his work cut out for him as he started back in the 14 place position on the first lap. Grant put his head down and kept on pushing as the laps continued on, Grant would make the necessary moves to put himself in contention for a podium on the last lap. Grant would make the pass on Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jordan Ashburn for third on the last lap, and ultimately crossing the finish line to earn the last podium spot. After running inside the top five for the duration of the race, Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jordan Ashburn had found himself in third place during the last lap, however, G. Baylor would make the pass stick on Ashburn before coming into the finish line. Ashburn would hold on to finish out the day fourth overall.

Blud Lubricants/Scott Goggles/FXR’s Evan Smith put in a great ride at the opening round of the 2024 season as he battled back from a 13th place start to the day to having his career best finish of fifth overall and in the XC1 Open Pro class. AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell would have a good start to his day as he was running in second at the beginning, but would ultimately fall back to sixth in the XC1 class and eighth overall. Another rider having to battle back after a rough start to the day was Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Trevor Bollinger. As the race got underway, Bollinger would find himself back in tenth and then as far back as 14th on the second lap. However, Bollinger continued to push on and would make his way up to seventh in the XC1 class and tenth overall on the day. FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Dante Oliveira returned to race some GNCC events while teammate, Ben Kelley, is recovering from surgery due to a lingering injury. Oliveira would remain inside the top ten of the XC1 competitors for the duration of the race as he crossed the line eighth in class. Aboard his new ride, JS7 Sherco Racing’s Josh Strang had his work cut out of him as he did not get off to the start he hoped for. Strang would come through at the back of the pack on lap one, but would steadily make his way up to inside the top ten of the XC1 class by the conclusion of the race. Strang would finish ninth in XC1, and would come through just outside of the top ten overall with a 12th overall finishing position. Phoenix Racing Honda’s Michael Witkowski would round out the top ten XC1 class finishers after three-hours of racing, and would find himself 13th overall at the season opener.Unfortunately for the defending National Champion, Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Craig DeLong he would finish 11th in the XC1 class, and 14th overall on the day after running up in third for the first half of the race. DeLong would make a little mistake with two laps to go, ending in a significant crash which twisted up his bike. DeLong would try to push on but would fall back again before crossing the finish line.

The XC2 250 Pro was an exciting one to watch at round one as FMF KTM Factory Racing Landers’ Angus Riordan and defending champion, AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper, went back-and-forth for the majority of the race. Draper would come from behind to make the pass on Riordan, but as the checkered flag flew it would be Riordan coming through just 2.2 seconds ahead of Draper to earn the win at round one. FMF KTM Factory Racing Landers’ Grant Davis would hold on to finish third in the class, and land himself on the podium. Team Enduro Engineering’s Josh Toth and XC2 rookie, Bells Electric Race Team’s Toby Cleveland would round out the top five finishers in the XC2 250 Pro class. Devore/KTM/FXR/SRS Suspension’s Dakoda Devore would come through to earn the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class win at round one in South Carolina. Devore would have to work his way up to first after running back in third on the opening lap. Halls Cycles/Walker Builders LLC/O’Neal’s Jhak Walker is the one Devore would need to pass as he held the lead position for the first three laps of the race. Walker would remain second as he crossed the finish line at the end of the race. Destructo Racing/Dixie Fuel/Prescription Tune Suspension’s Dustin Simpson had a consistent race in the FMF XC3 class at round one, cruising into land the last spot on the podium with a third in the class.

Earning the Top Amateur honor was Jason Tino, who came through in the 18th overall finishing position, and also crossed the finish line first in the 250 A class. Nicholas DeFeo came through 21st overall and took second on the Top Amateur Podium as he also scored second in 250 A. Gavin Simon rounded out the Top Amateur Podium as he came through in 23rd overall and third in the 250 A class. In the 10 am race it was the WXC racers taking off first with FMF KTM Factory Racing Landers’ Brandy Richards earning herself the first $100 Kanati Performance Tires WXC Holeshot Award. Richards would continue to lead the race for the opening lap before Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Rachael Archer made the pass stick on Richards. Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Korie Steede would follow Archer, making the pass for second on Richards and look to battle for the win.

As the race continued on, Archer would continue to hold the lead while Steede and Richards continued to push on behind her. Archer would come through to earn the first WXC bike win of the season, while Steede and Richards held on to round out the top three WXC podium. Cade Henderson of Sportsman A (12-24) class would come through first overall in the race. Due to the number of riders, the bike amateur race is split into two separate races on Sunday, and in the 8 am morning race it would be Cayden Johnson coming through to earn the overall win and 250 C Schoolboy (14-17) class win. Logan Renninger would come through second overall and to take second in the 250 C Schoolboy class as well. Maddox Moretz would round out the top three overall finishers, while earning himself a 4-Stroke C Lites class win. Austin Franklin would come through to earn the Warrior class win in the 8 am race, while Evan Yoest and Matt Modic rounded out the class podium.

The AMSOIL Moto Hero was awarded to Paul Burfeind from Ghent, New York during the 8 am race on Sunday. Paul was racing in the Warrior Class, and finished nineteenth in his class at the conclusion of the race. Paul is a Cold War Veteran, who was a sergeant in Germany. He was also part of the nuclear missile transportation and setup during the war with Russia. Paul received an AMSOIL Moto Hero plaque, a $250 AMSOIL Shopping Spree, a $500 Kanati Tires production gift certificate, some Fasst Company swag gift items along with a commemorative American Flag from Columbia Sign and Co. as well as a $200 certificate to their online store. GNC Racing thanks you for your service Paul. With the modified scheduled at Big Buck, the Bike Youth race took place at 4 p.m. on Saturday, and saw the defending Youth Overall Champion, Caleb Wood earn the overall and YXC1 Super Mini Sr. (14-15) class win. Brayden Baisley would contest for the win also, as he and Wood battled back and forth for a couple of the laps. However, Baisley would hold on and cross the finish line second overall and in the YXC1 class. Brody Amos had a consistent race at Big Buck as he held third for the majority of the race, crossing the line with the final overall and YXC1 podium position.After making the switch late last year to the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. (12-13), Travis Lentz would battle through to earn the class win with an over a 30 second lead. Hayden Dupuis would battle with Lentz at one point in the race, but would be unable to hold him off. Dupuis would finish second in the class, followed by Colby Goodman rounding out the YXC2 podium.

Colton McQuarrie would come through to take home the 85 Big Wheel (11-15) class win, while Ace Tokar earned the 85 (12-13) class win. In the 85 (11) class it would be Deegan Caplinger capturing the class win, as Gage Lane earned the 85 (7-10) class win. Hunter Jones would come through to take the 65 (10-11) class win, Brinn Buly would earn the 65 (9) class win and in the 65 (7-8) class it would be Kane Morrison earning the win. The Girls Super Mini (12-16) class saw Madison Kazmir come through to take the class win at round one, and in the Girls 85 (7-13) it was Sahara Robinson taking home the win. Vaida Lavergne earned the Girls 65 (7-11) class win and Riley Bauer would take part in the Trail Rider (7-15) class, earning the win. The second round of the 2024 Progressive GNCC Racing Series will take place on March 2 and 3, 2024 in Palatka Florida with the Moose Racing Wild Boar GNCC at Hog Waller Mud Bog and ATV Park. ATVs and Micros race on Saturday and Motorcycles take to the course on Sunday. For more information on the Moose Racing Wild Boar GNCC, click HERE. To purchase online admission tickets for the event, visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/gnccracing.Catch GNCC Pro ATV and Motorcycle Racing free via RacerTV.com all season long. Pro ATV Racing starts Saturday’s at 2pm ET, with the exception of Big Buck, Snowshoe and Ironman events where they will start at 1pm ET. GNCC Pro Motorcycle Racing will begin at 1pm ET on Sunday’s. Later in the year GNCC Racing will premiere on MAVTV with event highlight episodes.For more information on the GNCC series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084. Join the conversation on the series Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to always hashtag #GNCC.Facebook: @gnccracingInstagram: @gncc_racingTwitter: @gnccracingYouTube: @racertv

VP Racing Fuels Big Buck Results and Points Standings
Union, South Carolina
Round 1 of 13
Sunday, February 18, 2024XC1 Pro Event Results:Jonathan Girroir (KTM)Steward Baylor (KAW)Grant Baylor (KAW)Jordan Ashburn (GAS)Evan Smith (HQV)Ricky Russell (YAM)Trevor Bollinger (HQV)Dante Oliveira (KTM)Josh Strang (SHR)Michael Witkowski (HON)*Overall National Championship Standings:Jonathan Girroir (30)Steward Baylor (25)Grant Baylor (21)Jordan Ashburn (18)Evan Smith (16)Angus Riordan (15)Liam Draper (14)Ricky Russell (13)Grant Davis (12)Trevor Bollinger (11)*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2024 National Champion.XC2 250 Pro Event Results:Angus Riordan (KTM)Liam Draper (YAM)Grant Davis (KAW)Joshua Toth (HON)Toby Cleveland (HQV)Thad Duvall (KAW)Jonathan Johnson (BET)Jesse Ansley (KAW)Brody Johnson (HON)Ruy Barbosa (HON)XC2 250 Pro Series Standings:Angus Riordan (30)Liam Draper (25)Grant Davis (21)Joshua Toth (18)Toby Cleveland (16)Thad Duvall (15)Jonathan Johnson (14)Jesse Ansley (13)Brody Johnson (12)Ruy Barbosa (11)

Harley-Davidson Factory Race Team Launches for 2024 MotoAmerica

The Harley-Davidson® Factory Race Team today launches its 2024 season with an exciting video featuring team riders Kyle Wyman and James Rispoli aboard new race-prepared 2024 Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® motorcycles based on the all-new touring platform for the MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers road racing series. The video, with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the team, dials up the fun and irreverence of the King of the Baggers series, and will debut today on the Harley-Davidson YouTube Channel and other social channels.

An exciting special round was recently added to the 2024 Mission King Of The Baggers Championship by appearing during the third round of the FIM MotoGP World Championship at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, April 12-13. This two-race appearance during the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas weekend will mark the first time an international audience will see the thundering King Of The Baggers bikes in competition. In addition to the two points-paying races on Saturday, April 13, there will be a three-lap Mission Challenge on Friday afternoon with the six fastest qualifiers battling for a $5000 winner-take-all purse. This special round expands the 2024 Mission King Of The Baggers schedule to 18 total races.

Wyman and Rispoli will compete aboard race-prepared 2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide® motorcycles powered by modified Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engines. These motorcycles are based on the all-new 2024 Road Glide model, including the sleek new next-generation sharknose fairing design. Many of the race motorcycle body panels are formed with the same lightweight forged carbon fiber material featured on the 2024 CVO™ Road Glide® ST model. The team bikes also feature upgraded suspension components, including Screamin’ Eagle/Öhlins Remote Reservoir Rear Shocks, and competition Screamin’ Eagle exhaust, along with upgraded Brembo® Racing braking systems, Marchesini® wheels, and premium Harley-Davidson racing components produced by Protolabs®. The team motorcycles will appear in all-new livery featuring the classic Legendary Racing Orange color long associated with Harley-Davidson Factory Team racing bikes.

Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle team rider Kyle Wyman — Kyle Wyman

Wyman returns for a fourth season with the Harley-Davidson Factory Race Team. He won seven races during the 2023 King of the Baggers season and finished third in the season championship. Wyman is the most winning racer in MotoAmerica King of the Baggers history, with 12 total race wins in the 24 events since the start of the series in the 2021 season, plus the 2021 season championship to his credit. Wyman won the Daytona 200 in 2019.

Rispoli joins the team for the 2024 season after placing second in King of the Baggers series points in 2023 riding for the Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson team. In 2023, Rispoli won two races, and scored five second place finishes and three third place finishes. Rispoli began racing Harley-Davidson motorcycles as a teenager and earned the nickname “Hogspoli” after winning the 2020 American Flat Track Production Twins championship aboard a Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R. He also won back-to-back AMA Pro Racing Supersport championships in 2011-2012.

Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle team rider James Rispoli — James Rispoli

For the 2024 season, the Harley-Davidson® Factory Race Team is sponsored by Mission® Foods, Rockford Fosgate®, Brembo®, Öhlins®, Protolabs®, SYN3® lubricants, and Screamin’ Eagle® Performance Parts and Accessories.

The MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers series offers exciting competition between American V-Twin touring motorcycles prepared for competition and equipped with a fairing/windscreen and saddlebags. The 2024 series has expanded to 18 races over nine double-header weekends held in conjunction with the MotoAmerica Superbike Series. The series opens on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, March 7-9. To experience all the King Of The Baggers action in 2024, check out the 2024 MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Season Schedule.

2024 MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Season Schedule

(Two races each weekend)

March 7-9: Daytona International Raceway – Daytona Beach, Fla.
April 12-13: Circuit of The Americas – Austin, Texas (Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas)
April 19-21: Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta – Braselton, Ga.
May 31-June 2: Road America – Elkhart Lake, Wis.
June 14-16: Brainerd International Raceway – Brainerd, Minn.
July 12-14: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca – Monterey, Calif.
August 16-18: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – Lexington, Ohio
September 13-15: Circuit of the Americas – Austin, Texas
September 27-29: New Jersey Motorsports Park – Millville, N.J.

Sammy Halbert Set to Race Daytona Short Track with Dodge Bros. Racing

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 20, 2024) – Veteran Mission SuperTwins ace Sammy Halbert will contest the season-opening Daytona Short Track I & II, along with other select rounds of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track championship, aboard a Dodge Bros. Racing/Castrol Harley-Davidson XR750.

The union pairs championship-winning team owners Tony and Andy Dodge with the highly decorated Halbert, who boasts an overall AMA Pro Flat Track Championship, a Grand National Singles Championship, and an X Games gold medal, among his many racing accomplishments.

Dodge Bros. Racing is well known for its immaculately prepared and beautiful Harley-Davidson XR750s. Teaming with Halbert provides a unique opportunity to see one of the sport’s top riders compete aboard history’s most iconic flat track bike in what could potentially prove to be its last, best chance to battle up front in Grand National Championship competition.

Halbert who runs the number 69 in honor of his late brother Jethro, is the winningest rider of the Daytona Short Track with four wins to his credit. Along with the double Daytona opener, Halbert is already committed to racing at the Silver Dollar Short Track in Chico, California, and the Ventura Short Track, in Ventura, California.

“At this point in my career, I’m racing very select events and having fun with it,” said Halbert. “The opportunity to race the Dodge Bros. XRs makes perfect sense for me. It’s the bike that I had the most success on in my career, and I’m excited to give the old girl another ride at the big dance.”

Tony Dodge said, “We’re really looking forward to going racing with Sammy on the XR750. It’s always a great time working with him. We’ve got the bikes looking brand new and we’re ready to represent for all the Harley-Davidson XR750 fans out there.”

Sammy Halbert’s racing efforts are supported by the following partners: Castrol, Cardo Systems, Martin Trucking, 6D Helmets, Kibblewhite, Penske, Shimano, Pro Plates, Mika, Enerlon, Saddlemen, RSRK10-J2Motorsports, Regina Chain, Boswell’s Harley-Davidson, Oakley, CTI, MS, Fly Racing, Lightshoe, Motion Pro, Access Media Lab, Hathaway Racing, Fredericktown Cycles

Royal Enfield North America Named Official OEM Partner of Progressive AFT, Title Sponsor for DAYTONA Opener

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 21, 2024) – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is proud to confirm that its expansive partnership with Royal Enfield North America (RENA) will continue for a fifth consecutive year in 2024, and that the manufacturer will also serve as the title sponsor of the season-opening Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA.

The world’s oldest global motorcycle brand in continuous production, Royal Enfield has proven to be an ideal Official OEM Partner of America’s Original Extreme Sport since making its splashy debut in the paddock in 2020. Over that time, Royal Enfield has made a wide embrace of the sport, both developing its Twins FT racebike into a legitimate force at the sport’s highest level while fostering the growth of motorcycle dirt track racing in North America at a grassroots level.

After proving itself a race winner in the now retired Mission Production Twins category, Royal Enfield stepped up to full-time duty in the premier Mission SuperTwins class in 2023. Despite the heightened level of difficulty that comes with competing against the fastest and most accomplished competitors and equipment in the world, Royal Enfield managed to score double-digit top-ten finishes, including a pair of top fives.

The bike’s front-running potential was demonstrated most convincingly by the brand’s lead rider, Johnny Lewis, who took the Twins FT to victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge at last year’s Orange County Half-Mile over the Grand National Championship’s title contenders. Lewis will again spearhead Royal Enfield’s effort in 2024 as its exhaustive developmental program continues to reap greater rewards year after year.

The 2024 campaign will open at Daytona International Speedway in doubleheader fashion on March 7 and 8 with the additional highlight of the marque standing as the event’s title sponsor. Along with competing at the same short track venue at which Lewis earned the brand’s its first-ever Progressive AFT victory in 2020, Royal Enfield will be spotlighted in Daytona in a significant way via an impressive vendor display and demo rides that will be offered throughout the entirety of Daytona Bike Week.

Additionally, Royal Enfield will showcase its enormously successful and popular Build. Train. Race. (BTR) program on both days at the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA, along with other select Progressive AFT rounds in the season ahead. Since its introduction, BTR has injected new talent and excitement into the series as highlights, celebrates, and encourages the involvement of women in flat track racing. The program invites both experienced and beginner racers to race-prep customized Royal Enfield INT650s, hone their riding skills, and then compete at Progressive AFT national events.

“We’re looking forward to continuing our relationship with Progressive American Flat Track through the 2024 season,” said Adrian Sellers, Royal Enfield Head – Custom & Motorsport. “Royal Enfield is a 123-year old brand with so much yet to offer in North American moto racing. We’ve seen tremendous growth in the past year, introducing several all-new models and continuing our groundbreaking programs that open doors to new riders and racers. We look forward to sharing another milestone year with Progressive AFT and its fans.”

The 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season will open with the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, March 7 and Friday, March 8.

To purchase DAYTONA Short Track I tickets, visit: https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/daytona-short-track-i-86846.

To purchase DAYTONA Short Track II tickets, visit: https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/daytona-short-track-ii-86992.

And to save $10 by purchasing Thursday and Friday tickets together via the Multi-Day Discount for the DAYTONA Short Track I & II, visit: https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/daytona-short-track-i-and-ii-86845.

For more information on Royal Enfield North America visit https://www.royalenfield.com/us/en/home/.

For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

Progressive AFT series merchandise is available via the official merchandise store at https://aftmerch.com/

67 Entries From 13 Countries Set For The 82nd Running Of The Daytona 200

MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road race series, is proud to announce that the March 9 running of the Daytona 200 at Daytona International Speedway has attracted 67 entries for the 82^nd edition of the legendary race.

240222 The 82nd running of the Daytona 200

The 82nd running of the Daytona 200 has attracted 67 entries with nearly half of those coming from countries outside the United States. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Although it’s affectionately called “The Great American Motorcycle Race,” this year’s Daytona 200 should more accurately be referred to as “The Great Global Motorcycle Race.”

For the 82nd running of the Daytona 200, which takes place March 7 through 9 on the 3.51-mile, 12-turn road course at Daytona International Speedway, a full 28 riders – nearly half of the 67 riders on the entry list – are from countries outside the United States.

The list of nations represented reads like a global competition akin to the Olympic Games, and the level of talent includes three past Daytona 200 winners (Josh Herrin, Brandon Paasch, and Danny Eslick), the 2023 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion (Xavi Forés), the two-time FIM World Endurance Championship-winning team of riders (Niccolò Canepa, Marvin Fritz, and Karel Hanika), a 13-time Isle of Man TT winner and all-time lap record holder (Peter Hickman), a four-time AMA Superbike Champion (Josh Hayes), a three-time Canadian Superbike Champion (Ben Young), and a two-time British Superstock 1000 Champion (Richard Cooper), just to name a few.

Here’s the rundown of the 13 countries represented:

Australia
Brazil
Canada
Colombia
Czech Republic
Germany
Guyana
Mexico
Portugal
Spain
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States

“We are really pleased with the number of entries for this year’s Daytona 200, and also with the amount of foreign riders who are coming to race,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “It shows how popular the Daytona 200 is as one of the biggest races in the world. We’re excited to start our 10th year of MotoAmerica, this year at Daytona, and we wish all our riders the best of luck. It’s going to be a lot of fun to watch.”

For the 2024 Daytona 200 Entry List, click HERE

Additional menu