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