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Mar 06
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H-D Factory Team Set to Open King of the Baggers at Daytona

By General Posts


HARLEY-DAVIDSON FACTORY TEAM SET TO OPEN 2023 MOTOAMERICA KING OF THE BAGGERS SEASON AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

Factory Team Riders, Kyle Wyman and Travis Wyman, Ready to Chase a Championship

MILWAUKEE (March 6, 2023) – The Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory racing team is prepared to open the 2023 racing season March 9-11 at Daytona International Speedway, site of the first two rounds of the MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers roadracing series. Kyle Wyman and his brother Travis Wyman return to ride the team’s race-prepared Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® motorcycles powered by modified Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engines. The Harley-Davidson factory team will leave nothing on the track as they fight to bring the championship title back to Milwaukee.

“In our 120th Anniversary year, we’re coming at it bigger and better than ever before, as we compete to win the championship and bring back the #1 plate to Milwaukee where it belongs,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO, Harley-Davidson. “Our Screamin’ Eagle factory racing team is ready for the season – and with Kyle and Travis on the track, I’m excited for what is set to be a great season of racing for our community of racers and fans alike.”

The 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 2023 season will see the King of the Baggers series expanded from seven to 14 races over seven double-header weekends held in conjunction with the MotoAmerica Superbike Series.

A fan feature for the 2023 season is the Harley-Davidson® 120th Anniversary VIP Ticket Package. Offered as a three-day or one-day package, these special VIP passes include admission with fan zone and paddock access, all the MotoAmerica races including the Mission King of the Baggers practice sessions, qualifying and racing action. Each pass also includes access to premium parking reserved for Harley-Davidson motorcycles on all three days of the race weekend, and participation in Harley-Davidson parade laps around the track on Friday and Saturday.

For the 2023 season, the Harley-Davidson factory team will be sporting custom designed livery, honoring Harley-Davidson’s 120th anniversary aboard their race-modified Road Glide motorcycles, Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engine. The team bikes also feature upgraded suspension components, including Screamin’ Eagle/Öhlins Remote Reservoir Rear Shocks, plus competition exhaust, race tires and lightweight bodywork.

Harley-Davidson invites you to kick off the 2023 MotoAmerica King of the Baggers season with some adrenaline pumping action. Today, Harley-Davidson is premiering ‘Push the Limit,’ a film that shares the story of defending champion Kyle Wyman, teammate Travis Wyman and the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle race team’s 2022 championship pursuit. Check it out on Harley-Davidson’s YouTube channel.

The Wyman Brothers
Travis Wyman, the owner of Travis Wyman Racing based in Las Vegas, finished second in points during the 2022 King of the Baggers season, with one race win (Road America) and three second-place finishes. The 31-year-old racer returns for his second full season with the Harley-Davidson factory team.

“I am excited about my second season on the factory H-D team and ready for the expanded schedule this year,” said Travis. “My consistent finishes last year put me in contention for the title going into the last round. With the two-race format, if Saturday does not go well, you get another shot on Sunday rather than waiting for the next race weekend. As other teams get these bikes figured out, I expect the level of competition to be tougher this season. Our Harley team is going to need to be on its game at every race.”

Kyle Wyman, 33, won three 2022 King of the Baggers races (Atlanta, Monterey and New Jersey) and had two other podium appearances to finish third in season points. Wyman began racing professionally in flat track aboard a Harley-Davidson® XR750 and formed Kyle Wyman Racing at the age of 21 to compete at the highest level of professional road racing in the United States. Kyle Wyman is the 2019 Daytona 200 winner. He was King of the Baggers champion in 2021, riding for the Harley-Davidson factory team.

“It will be an honor to represent the Harley-Davidson brand during this 120th Anniversary season,” said Kyle Wyman. “It is incredible to be a part of the enduring history of Harley-Davidson. I’ve spent much of the off season working with the team to further develop our Road Glide race bikes, and I have a lot of confidence going into 2023. We will continue to see lap records fall this season, and everyone on the grid will be quicker.”

Available Support
In addition to competing in the series, the H-D Screamin’ Eagle team continues to work directly with MotoAmerica to promote the series by supporting all Harley-Davison competitors. Select performance products developed for the 2022 factory team bikes are available to all qualified racers. Teams should reach out directly to their local Harley-Davidson® dealership for availability and pricing.

Top squads expected to run Harley-Davidson® bikes at the front of the field include the four-rider Team Saddlemen effort with returning veteran racers Cory West and Patricia Fernandez-West along with Frankie Garcia and class newcomer Jake Lewis, all competing on race-modified Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® motorcycles, prepared with the assistance of Hoban Brothers Racing. The Vance & Hines Racing team returns to the King of the Baggers series with proven series front runners James Rispoli and Hayden Gillim, also campaigning race-prepared Road Glide motorcycles.

MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers Contingency
Harley-Davidson will offer more than $185,000 in cash contingency for qualified Harley-Davidson racers competing in the Mission King of the Baggers series, with a contingency payout from first to 10th place in all 14 races and a $35,000 series championship bonus. Terms and conditions apply; please see www.MotoAmerica.com for full details, eligibility requirements and deadlines.

About the Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engine:
The Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight 131 is a powerful street-compliant performance engine offered by Harley-Davidson. Built from the bottom up in Milwaukee, this 131-cubic-inch (2147cc) Screamin’ Eagle® crate engine delivers 131 ft-lb of torque to the rear wheel, and may be installed in 2017-later Harley-Davidson Touring models.

2023 Mission King of the Baggers Schedule
(Two full races each weekend)

  • March 9-11: Daytona International Raceway – Daytona Beach, Fla.
  • April 21-23: Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta – Braselton, Ga.
  • June 2-4: Road America – Elkhart Lake, Wis.
  • July 7-9: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca – Monterey, Calif.
  • July 28-30: Brainerd International Raceway – Brainerd, Minn.
  • September 8-10: Circuit of the Americas – Austin, Texas
  • September 22-24: New Jersey Motorsports Park – Millville, N.J.

Harley-Davidson stands for the timeless pursuit of adventure and freedom for the soul. Go to H-D.com to learn more about the complete line of 2023 Harley-Davidson® Grand American Touring, Sport, Adventure Touring, Cruiser and Trike motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Certified™ pre-owned motorcycles, Harley-Davidson® Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories, Harley-Davidson® MotorClothes® apparel and gear, and Harley-Davidson Financial Services.

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Apr 26
Love0

Kyle Wyman Charges to Road Atlanta King of the Baggers Victory

By General Posts

KYLE WYMAN CHARGES TO ROAD ATLANTA KING OF THE BAGGERS VICTORY ON FACTORY HARLEY-DAVIDSON ROAD GLIDE MOTORCYCLE
Jesse Janisch Dominates Production Twins on Harley-Davidson XG750R at Odessa Half-Mile

MILWAUKEE, WI (April 24, 2022) – Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory rider Kyle Wyman scored a hard-fought win in the MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers race at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. on Sunday. The defending series champion passed for the lead on lap three and pulled away for the win aboard a race-prepared Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® motorcycle. James Rispoli finished second on the Vance & Hines Racing Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycle.

“This win definitely feels good,” said Wyman following the race. “I’m so happy to do it for everyone on the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle team. They deserve it so much. They have been working day and night since Daytona to get us here and made some significant improvements to the bike that allowed me to be much more aggressive on the track today. Winning today and having James finish second has really helped us in the points chase.”

Wyman topped the field in King of the Baggers qualifying on Saturday, posting a best lap of 1:31.87, lowering the class lap record on the 2.55-mile Road Atlanta road course by 4.5 seconds. Later on Saturday, Wyman crashed during the King of the Baggers Challenge sprint race to determine pole position for the eight-lap feature, and was set to start in sixth position on the second row for Sunday’s main event.

On Sunday Wyman jumped out to third place on the opening lap and trailed pole sitter Bobby Fong and Rispoli. Fong crashed his Indian motorcycle on lap two and was out of the race. Wyman passed Rispoli for the lead on lap three and then gradually pulled away, opening a gap of 0.66 seconds by lap five and 1.24 seconds by lap seven.

Wyman crossed the finish line 1.86 seconds ahead of Rispoli, averaging more than 100 mph per lap. Tyler O’Hara was third on an Indian, 3.49 seconds behind Wyman. Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory team rider Travis Wyman finished in sixth place.

The Mission King of the Baggers series features race-prepared American V-Twin touring motorcycles. Harley-Davidson® Factory Team Road Glide® motorcycles are powered by race modified Screamin’ Eagle® Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engines.

After three of seven rounds on the 2022 Mission King of the Baggers series, Kyle Wyman moves from sixth to third place in the series standings, tied with his brother Travis Wyman at 41 points, 20 points out of first place. The Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory team returns to the track June 3-5 at the MotoAmerica Superbikes Weekend at Road America raceway in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

JANISCH STORMS TO PRODUCTION TWINS WIN ON ODESSA HALF-MILE

Vance & Hines Racing team rider Jesse Janisch rode a Harley-Davidson XG750R motorcycle to a dominating win in the Mission Production Twins main at the inaugural Progressive American Flat Track series I-70 Half-Mile on April 23 in Odessa, Missouri. Janisch started on the front row after qualifying second for the event. The semi-final rounds were cancelled due to approaching weather.

Janisch stormed into the lead at the start of the main and was never challenged, building a gap of 9.43 seconds by the end of the 22-lap race. For the 35-year-old racer from Beaver Dam, Wis., the win was sweet redemption for a disappointing 14th-place finish at the Texas Half-Mile on March 19.

After three of 17 events on the 2022 Progressive American Flat Track series Production Twins schedule Janisch is in third place with 47 points, 13 points out of first place.

The Progressive American Flat Track series is back in action for a double-header race weekend May 28-29 on the Red Mile in Lexington, Ky.

About Harley-Davidson: Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Since 1903, Harley-Davidson has defined motorcycle culture with an expanding range of leading-edge, distinctive and customizable motorcycles in addition to riding experiences and exceptional motorcycle accessories, riding gear and apparel.
Learn more at www.harley-davidson.com

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Sep 18
Love1

Daytona 200 with Triumph & Ducati plus King of the Baggers

By General Posts

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

At the 80th Daytona 200 Race – King of the Baggers Goes Oval Racing Next Year, Daytona 200 to Allow Triumph and Ducati.

When one hears the word Daytona, the first thing that comes to mind is the insane racing that goes on there, especially the Daytona 500 event dedicated to cars. But the same name can easily be associated with an equally grueling endurance race for motorcycles.

They call it Daytona 200, and it has been around in some form or another ever since 1937. Next year in March, when the upcoming event is scheduled, people attending will be celebrating the 80th edition of the race. On their end, organizers will do so with new rules and bagger racing as a side dish for the first time ever.

Bagger racing on sanctioned, iconic tracks has not been around for all that long. Or maybe it has, but it only got traction after back in 2020 Harley-Davidsons and Indians went at each other’s throats in a single high-adrenaline race, called King of the Baggers, at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Then, 2021 came with King of the Baggers as a three-race series (eventually won by Harley’s Kyle Wyman), and we also got the Bagger Racing League’s Drag Specialties Battle of the Baggers for the first time.

Next year in Daytona, most of the bikes that were raced this year, and hopefully, even more, will line up on the starting grid once more. It is there where the next season of King of the Baggers kicks off, marking the first time ever when such motorcycles have been raced “on the high banks of a Superspeedway with speeds expected to exceed 160 mph.”

So far, the organizers of the series, MotoAmerica, did not provide any info on how the race will shape up, so we have no idea how many tri-oval laps riders will have to do before being declared winners.

As said, this year’s three-race series winner is Kyle Wyman, who rode a Road Glide to victory, defeating last year’s single-race series winner, Indian Challenger rider Tyler O’Hara. It’s unclear at this point how the roster for the 2022 season will shape up, and the total number of races is kept under wraps as well.

The opening salvo of the King of the Baggers will, of course, not be part of the Daytona 200 main event, but there are things to discuss here as well, the most important of them all being the fact more motorcycles are now allowed in.

This is due to rule changes that “take into consideration several performance-related items that establish benchmarks for balancing a wide variety of middleweight performance machines.”

Based on the 2022 World Supersport Technical rules, the modifications should allow incredible two-wheelers like the Triumph 765, Ducati Panigale V2, and MV Agusta F3 to be fielded in the race, joining the existing Yamaha YZF-R6, Suzuki GSX-R600, and Kawasaki ZX-6R.

Daytona 200 will continue to be an open tire event, meaning each of the teams will be able to choose whatever tire manufacturer they like for the competition.

Back in March this year, the winner of the Daytona 200 was Brandon Paasch, who rode his Suzuki motorcycle to the win in 57 laps, completed in a little over two hours. The fastest lap of the race was actually the last one, and it went to Paasch in 1:49.752. That was enough to put him ahead runner-up Sean Dylan Kelly and his Kawasaki by just 0.30 seconds.

The 2021 Daytona 200 takes place on the weekend of March 10-12. The event is not part of the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship, meaning riders from around the world can take part.

At the time of writing, there is no info on the price for tickets or available packages.

PRESS RELEASE:

16 SEPTEMBER 2021
MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike and North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, is thrilled to announce that it will partner with Daytona International Speedway to host one of the world’s most prestigious races – the DAYTONA 200 – during the weekend of March 10-12, 2022, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The 2022 DAYTONA 200, set for the green flag on Saturday, March 12, will be the 80th running of the event that began on the Daytona Beach shoreline in 1937 before moving to the World Center of Racing in 1961.

The DAYTONA 200 will feature new rules based off the proposed 2022 World Supersport Technical rules, which take into consideration several performance related items that establish benchmarks for balancing a wide variety of middleweight performance machines. These new rules open the door to motorcycles such as the Triumph 765, Ducati Panigale V2, MV Agusta F3 and others to compete alongside the current Yamaha YZF-R6, Suzuki GSX-R600 and Kawasaki ZX-6R. The DAYTONA 200 will also continue to run as an “open tire” event, allowing multiple tire manufacturers to join the competition.

The DAYTONA 200 will not be included as part of the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship, leaving the opportunity open for the best riders from around the world to compete for the minimum $175,000 in purse and contingency that will be offered.

In addition to the DAYTONA 200, the MotoAmerica weekend at Daytona International Speedway will be the opening round of the 2022 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship, marking the first time Baggers will race on the high banks of a Superspeedway with speeds expected to exceed 160 mph, and also the first round of the Twins Cup Championship.

“The DAYTONA 200 is known worldwide to be one of the most exciting motorcycle races in the world,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey, who won the DAYTONA 200 in 1987. “We are proud to work with Daytona International Speedway, the AMA and FIM North America organizations to continue to enhance the prominence of the DAYTONA 200. With the new DAYTONA 200 rules in place, we are hopeful that this will open the door to more manufacturers and teams joining us in March. It’ll be a great way to start off the 2022 season. And, wow, Baggers on the high banks! What a spectacle that will be. Obviously, this is MotoAmerica’s first trip to Daytona, and it’s my first trip back to the Speedway since 2008. I’m looking forward to what is going to be a really cool weekend.”

“The tradition of the DAYTONA 200 is unprecedented, and we are thrilled to work with such a reputable group in MotoAmerica to continue the tradition,” said Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher. “Racing two-wheel style has been a staple in Daytona for many years, first on the beach before moving to Bill France Sr.’s incredible creation of the 31-degree banking of Daytona International Speedway and Infield Road Course. There’s nothing like the excitement that the DAYTONA 200 provides, including close finishes that have become the norm.”

“The AMA is pleased that the DAYTONA 200 will now be run and managed by our AMA/FIM North America partner MotoAmerica for 2022,” said AMA President and CEO, and FIM North America President, Rob Dingman. “This has been one of our goals since 2015 when we established our partnership with MotoAmerica and facilitated the return of professional road racing sanctioning rights to the AMA.”

Earlier this year, Brandon Paasch, at only 19 years old, used an old, veteran move common to Daytona, to capture the 2021 DAYTONA 200 in breathtaking fashion. After running second for most of the last portion of the race, Paasch, utilizing the draft, reeled in leader Sean Dylan Kelly and calculated a perfect slingshot move at the entrance of the tri-oval as the duo came to the checkered flag, winning by just .031 of a second, and taking home the traditional Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watch.

Nine World Champions, including seven 500cc/MotoGP World Champions – six Americans (Kenny Roberts, Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz and Nicky Hayden) and one Italian (Giacomo Agostini) – have won the Daytona 200.

The winningest riders in the Daytona 200 are former World and AMA Superbike Champion Scott Russell (1992, ’94, ’95, ’97 and ’98) and 1995 AMA Superbike Champion Miguel Duhamel (’91, ’96, ’99, 2003, 2005). The pair have each won five Daytona 200s.

More information on the 2022 DAYTONA 200 will be announced soon, including additional support classes, final rules, entry instructions, broadcast coverage and ticket opportunities.

The iconic Daytona International Speedway will be the site of a host of motorsports events in 2022, beginning with the Rolex 24 in January, the DAYTONA 500 and Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth in February, along with the 81st Annual Bike Week At DAYTONA in March, featuring the Monster Energy AMA Supercross and DAYTONA 200.

Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest speedway news. For information on all events, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.