RED BULL KTM’S KODY KOPP FINISHES OUT AMERICAN FLAT TRACK SEASON WITH TWO PODIUMS
Spherical 15 – American Flat Observe Championship
BARBERVILLE, Fla. – Topped the 2022 AFT Singles Champion at Spherical 15, Pink Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing’s Kody Kopp capped off the season with robust performances on the Volusia Half-Mile doubleheader finale in Barberville, Florida. Kopp captured the win on the penultimate spherical on Friday, following it up with a second-place end on the season finale on Saturday. His teammate, Max Whale, scored a pair of top-five finishes on the weekend.
Ranging from the entrance row of the grid in Semi 1, Kopp acquired off to a fourth place begin. He tried to problem for a podium spot, however remained within the place all through the period of the race, ending fourth. He additionally led all 4 laps of the Sprint for Money, taking the win. When it got here time for the Principal Occasion, Kopp lined up on the second row and the 17-year-old shortly charged his means as much as second. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than he overtook the lead place and he dominated the remainder of the race aboard his KTM 450 SX-F, main the remainder of the 24 laps.
Within the finale on Saturday, Kopp acquired off to a second place begin in Semi 2. He then dropped to 3rd for a bit earlier than regaining the place earlier than the checkered flag waved. Kopp began within the entrance row of the grid within the Principal Occasion and powered his means into second instantly. He then overtook the chief and led till the ultimate lap, regardless of two crimson flags and restarts. Kopp was put to the take a look at on the second restart however he held robust for a podium consequence within the final race of the season with a second-place end.
Kody Kopp: “With a championship already wrapped up, it was simpler to push to my max restrict once more and end the season on a excessive notice. We didn’t begin out the most effective with qualifying both days nevertheless it was superior to finish that missing-the-podium-streak that we’d had going for 3 months and it was good to win my seventh nationwide of the yr on Friday. A double-podium is not any higher option to finish this yr. Simply need to give it as much as my workforce! These guys put in a heck of an effort all yr lengthy, and it’s superior to carry them their first championship – and me too. I’m simply tremendous excited to run that primary subsequent yr.”
Whale had an incredible begin to the penultimate spherical, capturing third in qualifying – simply .088 seconds behind the highest qualifier. In Semi 1, he acquired off to a 3rd place begin and shortly moved into second inside a few laps. He then rode a gentle race to complete second. Whale additionally competed within the Sprint for Money, scoring third. Within the AFT Singles Principal Occasion, he positioned himself fifth off of the beginning. Regardless of difficult his rivals a number of occasions, he wasn’t in a position to acquire a place on the half-mile monitor. When the checkers flew, he was in fifth.
On Saturday, Whale shortly settled into second place in Semi 2. He held the spot for almost all of the race, however finally completed simply behind his teammate, rounding out the rostrum. Whale acquired off to a fifth place begin within the Principal Occasion. The monitor proved tough to move on, and he remained within the spot for the whole thing of the race.
Max Whale: “The final two rounds of the AFT sequence had been good. We had had a few good periods in qualifying and observe however actually struggled as soon as the evening got here. Night time one, I acquired fifth and I needed to actually combat for it. Then evening two, I confirmed some actually good tempo early on within the day. I had a reasonably good semi; ended up third battling with Kody [Kopp] for second. Within the Principal Occasion, we had a secondary begin and ended up with one other fifth once more. Tremendous exhausting monitor to move, however we had been proper there with the leaders. Thanks very a lot for the good season.”
Spherical 16 & 17 Outcomes – Volusia Half-Mile Doubleheader Finale
AFT Singles Principal Occasion (Spherical 16)
1. Kody Kopp, Pink Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing
2. Trent Lowe, Honda
3. Dalton Gauthier, Honda
OTHER
5. Max Whale, Pink Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing
8. James Ott, KTM
12. Hunter Bauer, KTM
14. Damon Ream, KTM
15. Logan McGrane, KTM
AFT Singles Principal Occasion (Spherical 17)
1. Dalton Gauthier, Honda
2. Kody Kopp, Pink Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing
3. Morgan Mischler, Honda
OTHER
5. Max Whale, Pink Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing
6. James Ott, KTM
16. Hunter Bauer, KTM
17. Logan McGrane, KTM
2022 AFT Singles Level Standings
1. Kody Kopp, 318 factors
2. Dalton Gauthier, 255
3. Morgen Mischler, 250
OTHER
5. Max Whale, 234
8. James Ott, 135
10. Hunter Bauer, 101
14. Travis Petton IV, 65
23. Damon Ream, 23
26. Logan McGrane, 19
Extra, from a press launch issued by Harley-Davidson:
HARLEY-DAVIDSON RIDER JESSE JANISCH WINS PRODUCTION TWINS FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP
Seventh Win of the Season Seals American Flat Observe Title at Volusia Double Header
MILWAUKEE, WI (October 17, 2022) – Vance & Hines Racing workforce rider Jesse Janisch raced a Harley-Davidson® XG750R motorbike to the Mission Manufacturing Twins offered by Vance & Hines nationwide championship within the last weekend of competitors on the 2022 Progressive American Flat Observe sequence. Racing on the Volusia Speedway Park half-mile in Barberville, Fla., Janisch gained his seventh race of the season on Friday to take a 21-point benefit into the season finale on Saturday evening. His eighth-place end in that last race secured the championship.
Harley-Davidson additionally gained the Mission Manufacturing Twins producer’s championship, as Harley-mounted racers scored 365 factors on the season, beating Yamaha riders by 10 factors. Janisch led the category with seven wins and added six different podium finishes on the season. Billy Ross (Roof Programs Racing) and Michael Rush (Hellipower Racing/Las Vegas Harley-Davidson) every gained a Mission Manufacturing Twins race on their Harley-Davidson XG750R bikes.
“I’m so pleased to win this title for Vance & Hines and Harley-Davidson,” stated Janisch. “Vance & Hines have labored so exhausting in flat monitor, and my Harley-Davidson was quick proper off the truck for the primary race. I don’t assume we even began making changes to the bike till mid-season. That’s a credit score to my mechanic Josh Sutter, crew chief Steve Polk and workforce supervisor Craig Koontz.”
Janisch battled Mission Manufacturing Twins defending champion Cory Texter for a lot of the season, and Janisch held a 9-point lead earlier than the ultimate two races at Volusia Speedway. His win on Saturday and a Sixth-place end by Texter aboard his Yamaha meant that Janisch solely needed to end fifteenth or higher within the final race to safe the title. Texter gained the ultimate race, however Janisch wrapped up the championship with 320 factors, 7 factors forward of Texter.
“Whenever you work for Vance & Hines there’s an expectation that you’ll win races and championships. There aren’t any excuses. I began this season with that mindset,” stated Janisch. “There are some tracks on this sequence which might be powerful for me, and I all the time tried to remain within the factors. The West Coast swing, with wins at Fortress Rock and Sacramento, was the energy of our season.”
Janisch began racing at age 4 at native tracks in central Wisconsin and have become an AMA Professional rider in 2003 at age 16. He has raced in nearly each self-discipline within the sport, and in 2018 and 2019 completed top-10 in factors within the American Flat Observe singles class. Final season, nevertheless, the 35-year-old racer from Palm Coast, Fla., was with out a trip till he was referred to as by Vance & Hines to exchange injured rider Dalton Gauthier for the ultimate six races of the season. Janisch scored 5 top-four finishes, together with a win at Charlotte, outcomes that earned him a full-time seat at Vance & Hines for 2022, and he took that trip all the way in which to a championship.
Extra, from a press launch issued by Indian Motorbike:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING WINS SIXTH CONSECUTIVE AMERICAN FLAT TRACK MANUFACTURER’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Indian Motorbike Wrecking Crew End 2022 Season 1-2 as Jared Mees Wins Eighth Profession Championship
Briar Bauman Makes Spectacular Fourth-to-Second Bounce in Last Standings Following
Third & Second-Place Finishes at Volusia Half-Mile I & II, Respectively
Minneapolis, MN. (October 17, 2022) – Indian Motorbike Racing, offered by Progressive Motorbike Insurance coverage, secured its sixth consecutive American Flat Observe (AFT) Producer’s Championship, whereas its Wrecking Crew manufacturing facility rider, Jared Mees, took house his eighth profession Grand Nationwide Championship. Mees’ second and third-place finishes on the Volusia Half-Mile I & II finale had been greater than sufficient to cement his spot atop the leaderboard and retain the No.1 plate. In the meantime, teammate Briar Bauman’s double podium propelled him from fourth to second within the last standings – awarding the Indian Motorbike manufacturing facility workforce the highest two SuperTwins spots for the fourth yr in a row.
Whereas new 2022 rule adjustments had been carried out to limit efficiency of the Indian FTR750, the Indian Motorbike manufacturing facility workforce rose to the event and hit each curveball thrown its means. Mees credit his workforce for an exceptional job all yr, as they didn’t have a single a mechanical failure. Mees completed with three wins and 9 further podiums. Bauman, who was on a hunt to retake the No.1 plate from Mees, was aggressive all yr till a P16 at Cedar Lake Quick Observe II dropped him again within the leaderboard standings. Whereas a shot on the championship could have been out of attain, Bauman’s fierce aggressive nature led him to a 3rd and second-place end, respectively, and firmly planted him second total for the second yr in a row.
“This yr introduced new challenges not like every other. Our Producer’s Championship and Mees’ title are a testomony to the workforce’s resiliency and exhausting work,” stated Gary Grey, Vice President Racing, Service & Expertise. “And, after all, a private congratulations to Jared on his eighth championship. Once we returned to the game in 2017 and Jared joined the Wrecking Crew, he shared his profession aim with us, so to be sitting right here, six years later, and him only one title shy, is really superb.”
Having gained 4 of the final six SuperTwins championships aboard the Indian FTR750, Mees is now only one shy from his private profession aim to achieve Scottie Parker’s file of 9 championships. Mees has greater than 60 profession wins and a number of information.
A particular because of Indian Motorbike Racing’s sponsors, together with Progressive Insurance coverage, S&S®, Indian Motorbike Oil, Mission Meals, Bell Helmets, Drag Specialties and Components Limitless. For extra info on Indian Motorbike Racing, go to IndianMotorcycle.com and observe alongside on Fb, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorbike is America’s First Motorbike Firm®. Based in 1901, Indian Motorbike has gained the hearts of motorcyclists all over the world and earned distinction as one in every of America’s most legendary and iconic manufacturers by means of unequalled racing dominance, engineering prowess and numerous improvements and business firsts. Immediately that heritage and keenness is reignited underneath new model stewardship. To study extra, please go to www.indianmotorcycle.com.
