Indian Motorcycle – making its return to major competition after a 64-year hiatus – will sponsor six American Flat Track events in addition to partnering with the NBCSN television and FansChoice.tv broadcasts of all 18 races on the expanded 2017 schedule.
The Minnesota-based manufacturer will be the presenting sponsor of the Atlanta Short Track at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Ga. on March 25; the Law Tigers Arizona Mile in Phoenix on May 13; the OKC Mile in Oklahoma City on June 17; the Buffalo Chip TT in Sturgis, S.D. on August 6; the Lone Star Half-Mile at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas on Sept. 23; and the American Flat Track Finals at SoCal Fair in Perris, Calif. on Oct. 7. At each of these events, Indian Motorcycle will host a dedicated fan area for bike owners and enthusiasts of all ages. Attendees will have an opportunity to take dealer rides and enter to win a new Indian Scout at the end of the season.
Indian Motorcycle will also be an integral partner on the one-hour, tape-delayed NBCSN broadcasts, which begin in July and continue for 18 consecutive weeks. All AFT events are streamed live on FansChoice.tv.
“The American Flat Track series will be richer for the addition of Indian Motorcycle in this eagerly-awaited 2017 season,” said Michael Lock, CEO of American Flat Track. “The sight and sound of these incredible big-twin race bikes doing battle with competitor machines from all across the globe is something race fans have been looking forward to all winter. Indian’s support for our sport is very welcome and a testament to the renewed interest in Pro Flat Track.”
Indian Motorcycle grabbed headlines with last fall’s announcement of its return to racing, along with the acquisition of three of the sport’s top riders who will each pilot the high-performance, V-twin Indian Scout FTR750: Bryan Smith (defending Grand National Champion), Jared Mees (three-time Grand National Champion) and Brad Baker (2013 Grand National Champion). The trio will be called the Indian “Wrecking Crew,” bringing back memories of the Indian trio of Bobby Hill, Bill Tuman and Ernie Beckman, who dominated competition in the post-World War II era.
“Since its dominance in flat track dating back to the early 1900s, racing has been a core part of Indian’s DNA,” said Reid Wilson, Marketing Director for Indian Motorcycle. “It’s an exciting return to the sport we all know and love, and we’re proud to be sponsoring these premier events.”
For more information: indianmotorcycle.com/en-us.
American Flat Track will kick off the 2017 season during Daytona’s Bike Week festivities on Thursday, March 16 with the all-new DAYTONA TT, built inside the tri-oval at Daytona International Speedway. The DAYTONA TT will mark the dawning of a new era for America’s most historic form of motorcycle racing, and the “World Center of Racing” will serve as the first battleground for the great American war between Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycles in 2017. Tickets for the DAYTONA TT are now on sale and can be purchased at daytonainternationalspeedway.com.
How to Watch
NBCSN and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track events. All 18 rounds, from the season-opening DAYTONA TT to the American Flat Track Finals in Southern California, will air in one-hour, tape-delayed telecasts on Thursday nights throughout the summer and fall on NBCSN, while FansChoice.tv provides live streaming coverage of American Flat Track events. FansChoice.tv also provides coverage of IMSA’s development and single-make series, and NASCAR’s touring and weekly series. Catch all the action at nbcsports.com and FansChoice.tv.
Article courtesy Motorcycle & Powersports News.
