American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 237 April 2019 | Page 6
AFT Series Again Secures Widespread
Industry Support for 2019
<<< Continues from page 64
Founded in 1984 by International Six
Day Trial (ISDT) gold medalist Chris
Carter, Motion Pro is deeply rooted in
the racing community. Commenting
on their return, Jon Mullins, Motion
Pro Race Manager, said: "We couldn't
be happier to continue as the Official
Tools, Cables and Controls of
American Flat Track in 2019 and
continue to showcase our
commitment to flat track racing in the
United States. As AFT riders and teams
raise the bar of competition each year,
Motion Pro has been working tirelessly
to develop and refine its products to
match their needs."
Concord, Ohio based Cometic Gasket
returns as the Official Gasket of AFT,
with founder and CEO Bob Gorman
commenting: "Cometic Gasket is a
time-tested brand and a staple in
American Flat Track racing. Our
company is rooted in powersports and
it's been incredibly gratifying to watch
AFT flourish as the sport grows in
popularity, viewership and
attendance. It's exciting to be aligned
with a sport that continues to move
the needle in the right direction."
Fellow Ohio business Wiseco returns
as the Official Piston for the 2019
season. "Wiseco is proud to be a
continued supporter of the American
Flat Track series," said Wiseco Director
of Powersports Scott Highland. "We
love the sport of motorcycle racing at
Wiseco, so helping to promote one of
the most exciting and historic racing
properties is an honor. As the original
American-made performance racing
piston, AFT is in our DNA. We're
thrilled to be the Official Piston and to
work closely with the racers and
officials of this incredible American
tradition."
Wiseco sister company Rekluse
returns as the Official Clutch. "We are
proud to return as the Official Clutch
of American Flat Track," said Sean
Brown, President of Rekluse. "The
massive growth of the Series over the
last few years has been a pleasure to
witness and be a part of. The feedback
we get from the racers - in both the
AFT Singles and AFT Twins classes - in
this demanding discipline is an
invaluable tool for us to further
improve our technology."
Noted Swedish suspension
manufacturer Öhlins is continuing its
National Cycle's backing for AFT has
run deep, having sponsored Jared
Mees for many years; Sales Director
Ann Willey seen here. This year the
company is sponsoring AFT as the
Series' official windshield
AFT partnership for 2019, with Doug
Shaw, Racing Manager of Öhlins USA,
saying that "Öhlins is all about
hardcore racing, and American Flat
Track is the peak of that mountain. For
the fourth consecutive year, we have
been pushing hard to step up our
game in the support and service of the
AFT paddock, and those efforts have
really paid off. Because AFT is such a
major series to us, we are absolutely
pumped for the start of the 2019
season."
This year sees Full Spectrum Power
supporting AFT as the Official Battery
brand, No Ramp are the Official Trailer
partner, and E3 are again the Official
Spark Plug. Cycle Gear is back as the
Official Retailer, Arai as the Official
Helmet and Dainese is Official Safety
Partner.
AFT and Russ Brown Motorcycle
AFT official brake pad sponsor SBS
has always offered brake pads
sintered brake pads formulations
specifically for Harley-Davidsons,
and last year saw them add Indian
Motorcycle Scout and Big Twin
model applications
Attorneys have announced an
enhanced partnership agreement for
the 2019 season. In addition to
remaining the Official Attorneys of AFT,
they are also now the first Presenting
Sponsor of the AFT Singles class.
AFT has confirmed its NBCSN
broadcast schedule for the 2019
season, maintaining its valuable
weekend afternoon programming
slots within two weeks of each event.
Telecasts reached 41% more viewers
in 2018 than in its first year; this spike
in viewership delivered a record-
breaking total of more than two
million viewers tuning in during prime
weekend programming slots.
Briar Bauman gives Indian Victory
at Daytona Season Opener
Briar Bauman (No. 14 Indian
Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance
FTR750) kicked off his 2019 AFT Twins
presented by Vance & Hines
championship campaign in front of
AFT's largest crowd at the Daytona
International Speedway with a
statement victory in the season
opener, the third annual Daytona TT
presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle
Attorneys.
Bauman went handlebar-to-
handlebar with brother Bronson
Bauman (No. 37 Indian
Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance
FTR750) on the opening lap of the 25-
lap Main Event under the lights at
Daytona International Speedway to
secure the lead. Once established,
Bauman systematically stretched out
an imposing advantage at the front,
winning ahead of TT legend Henry
Wiles (No. 17 Bandit Industries/DPC
6
Racing/Wilco Racing Indian FTR750)
with a 5.149-second margin of victory.
Bauman’s win brings the Daytona TT
win streak of reigning Grand National
Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian
Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance
FTR750) to a halt at two. Mees crashed
twice in the Semi and then retired with
a mechanical issue in the Main race
while running fifth.
Jake Johnson (No. 5 Estenson
Racing/Monster Energy Yamaha MT-
07 DT) gave Yamaha’s new flat track
machine a podium debut by finishing
in third behind Bauman and Wiles.
Meanwhile, Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20
Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track
Team XG750R Rev X) registered the
'hero ride' of the evening, finishing an
eventual fourth. Bronson Bauman
rounded out the top five.
In the Roof Systems AFT Singles
presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - APRIL 2019
Attorneys, Jesse Janisch (No. 132 Roof
Systems Dallas TX/Öhlins Yamaha
YZ450F) added yet another blowout
TT victory to his burgeoning résumé
with a wire-to-wire win, taking the
checkered flag with a comfortable
2.577 seconds to spare.
Dalton Gauthier (No. 122 D&D
Cycles/FlatTrack.com KTM 450 SX-F)
was second, with defending class
champ Dan Bromley (No. 1 Red Bull
KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) third.
Long-time AFT Twins competitor Mikey
Rush (No. 15 RMR Honda, Red Riders
Rewards Honda CRF450R) was fourth
with up-and-coming Australian Max
Whale (No. 18 Weirbach Racing
Kawasaki KX450F) fifth.
Next up is the Atlanta Short Track
presented by Cycle Gear at the Dixie
Speedway in Woodstock, Ga., on
Saturday, March 23; followed by the
Texas Half-Mile at the Texas Motor
Photo by: Scott
Hunter/American Flat Track
Speedway, Fort Worth on April 20, the
Wild Horse TT at the Wild Horse Pass
Motorsports Park, Chandler, AZ., April
27, So-Cal Half-Mile at Perris Auto
Speedway, Perris CA., May 11 and the
legendary Sacramento Mile at Cal
Expo, Sacramento, CA., May 11 before
the first of two visits to the Illinois State
Fairgrounds this season for the
Springfield Mile I on May 26.
www.AMDchampionship.com