American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 225 April 2018 | Page 8

www.americanflattrack.com
RACE
NEWS
LATEST
Photos courtesy of American Flat Track
Partnered by Vance & Hines, the
Harley factory AFT Twins presented by
Vance & Hines race team for this
year’s 18-round series (plus ESPN’s
the Minneapolis based “X-Games)
“will combine veteran savvy with
youthful potential in a three-rider
effort” with returning rider Brandon
Robinson joined by seasoned pro
Sammy Halbert and rising star Jared
Vanderkooi. They will race all-new
XG750Rs powered by a race-
modified, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected
750cc Revolution X V-Twin engine (an
engine originally engineered for the
Street 750) and racing frame
developed in collaboration with Vance
& Hines Motorsports. The XG750R
flat tracker is not a production model.
Öhlins USA will continue its
partnership with the AFT series
for a third consecutive season in
2018 and again present the
“Öhlins Fastest Lap Award” to
worthy AFT Twins presented by
Vance & Hines competitors at all
18 rounds. The Swedish
suspension manufacturer
created its ILX36 rear shock
specifically to cater to the
unique demands of professional
Flat Track racing.
Sacramento, California based Motion
Pro will continue as the AFT series’
Official Cable, Tool and Control for
the 2018 racing season. Founded in
1984 by International Six Day Trial
(ISDT) gold medalist Chris Carter,
Motion Pro boasts unmatched racing
heritage and credentials, with the
product range to match. In addition
to its series sponsorship and backing
of a number of individual riders and
teams, in 2017 Motion Pro provided
product awards to the top 18
finishers in the AFT Singles class
following the finals last October.
V&H is to offer $25,700 in
contingency to AFT Singles
riders in 2018 and has partnered
with the series to engineer an
officially licensed AFT Singles
exhaust system. Designed and
built exclusively by Vance &
Hines at its Indianapolis, Indiana
racing facility, the powerful and
lightweight system is available
immediately for 2017-2018-spec
Honda CRF450Rs, with a version
for Yamaha’s YZ450F becoming
available at the end of February
2018. Additional fitments for
other models are planned for
the season.
Arai is the official helmet of the AFT
series and sponsor of the season
opening DAYTONA TT, where Arai
factory athlete and 3-times World
Grand Prix Champion Freddie Spencer
performed.
8
Rekluse returns as
AFT ‘Official Clutch’
American Flat Track and Rekluse have
reached an agreement expanding their
existing partnership for the 2018
season, naming Rekluse – “the industry
leader in clutch performance
technology” – as the ‘Official Clutch’ of
American Flat Track.
The Boise, Idaho based company
delivers unique and advanced products
for the motorcycle industry with a focus
on performance, engineering and
exceptional customer service.
“As a company rooted in racing,” said
Rekluse President Sean Brown, “we are
proud to continue our relationship with
American Flat Track and support such
great riders. The heavily modified nature
of the bikes drives our company to
continuously push clutch technology
innovation. We’re excited to see the
action unfold this year.”
Brown went on to say: “Rekluse
products are designed to give racers and
race teams a distinct advantage over the
competition in all forms of motorcycle
racing. The American-made products
played an integral role in the success of
several competitors in both the AFT
Twins presented by Vance &Hines and
AFT Singles classes, including defending
champs Jared Mees and Kolby Carlile.
“Through our new partnership with
American Flat Track, Rekluse has
established a leadership position in the
sport by offering a significant discount
on their technology to all active
competitors.
At select rounds on the 18-race
schedule, Rekluse will also provide
product education and trackside
support for the series. Fans attending
American Flat Track events will have the
opportunity to learn more about the
brand on race day by visiting the
company’s activation space.
www.rekluse.com
‘Official Motorcycle’ of AFT Twins
presented by Vance & Hines
American Flat Track and Harley-
Davidson Motor Company have
announced details of their 2018
sponsorship and enhancements to
their coordinated marketing efforts.
Through the strategic alliance, the
companies say they will “drive interest
in motorcycling through experiential
marketing activations around AFT at
track events, while continuing to
attract a new, younger demographic
through broadcast and digital media
initiatives.”
“Harley-Davidson’s commitment has
been a driving force in the resurgence
of American Flat Track,” said Michael
Lock, CEO of American Flat Track. “The
company’s promotion of the sport,
both on and off the track, and the huge
fan base they bring, has helped to
make American Flat Track the fastest-
growing series in professional
motorcycle racing.”
Harley-Davidson’s sponsorship of
eight rounds on the 2018 American
Flat Track calendar will “give the
Milwaukee-based manufacturer prime
opportunities to create experiences for
motorcyclists while introducing one of
the world’s fastest growing
motorsports to new fans. By working
closely with its passio