Cycle News Staff | February 17, 2023
Indian Motorcycle has announced its 2023 MotoAmerica and American Flat Track Factory teams. Reigning champions Tyler O’Hara and Jared Mees return along with KOTB and SHNC factory rider Jeremy McWilliams. Additionally, the company is also announcing more than $405,000 in combined privateer contingency in AFT, King of the Baggers and Super Hooligan classes.
Indian Motorcycle and S&S will pit a two-man factory race team of Tyler O’Hara and Jeremy McWilliams who will take on double duty in the 2023 King of the Baggers and Super Hooligan classes.
Photos Courtesy of Indian Motorcycle
The following is a press release from AFT, sent on behalf of Indian Motorcycle…
Minneapolis, MN (FEBRUARY 16, 2023) – 2022 was a historic year for Indian Motorcycle Racing, capturing an unprecedented triple crown with championships across three different racing classes, including MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers (KOTB), Super Hooligan National Championship (SHNC) and Progressive Insurance American Flat Track Mission SuperTwins classes. Now America’s First Motorcycle Company enters the 2023 racing season intent on defending its triple crown and raising the bar yet again with its factory racing program.
Running three number-one plates, Indian Motorcycle Racing welcomes back reigning champions Tyler O’Hara and Jared Mees, along with KOTB and SHNC factory rider Jeremy McWilliams. The company has also announced more than $405,000 in combined privateer contingency for KOTB, SHNC and AFT.
Founded by racers who developed America’s first motorized bicycles, fueled by a desire to go faster and win races, Indian Motorcycle has been racing, and winning, for 122 years. From founder Oscar Hedstrom’s endurance racing dominance at the turn of the century, to O.C. Godfrey winning the first Mountain Circuit race at the famed Isle of Man in 1911, to Burt Munro’s land speed records or the Wrecking Crew’s domination in flat track in the 1950s and, more recently, it’s six consecutive AFT Championships from 2017-2022, the list of history-making racing milestones is unparalleled. Now the innovative American motorcycle company prepares to defend a triple crown.
2023 Indian Challenger Race Bike
“Racing and an overriding spirit of competition has been a driving force for Indian Motorcycle for more than a century, and that competitive fire continues to drive us forward to this day,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology and Service for Indian Motorcycle.“We’re incredibly proud of the success we had in 2022 with three different championships, but it’s only going to get tougher in 2023, with our competition gunning for us more than ever. But that challenge is what motivates us and pushes us to get better every day, and we’re chomping at the bit to go racing in 2023.”
MotoAmerica KOTB & SHNC
For 2023, Indian Motorcycle and S&S will pit a two-man factory race team that will take on double duty across the King of the Baggers and Super Hooligan classes. Proudly running the No. 1 plate in both classes, dual-threat champion Tyler O’Hara enters his fourth year aboard the Indian Challenger and his second year piloting an Indian FTR. Pitting alongside O’Hara in both classes is veteran MotoGP racer Jeremy McWilliams [pictured below], whose technical knowledge and extensive experience at racing’s highest levels proved invaluable to the team’s success in 2022.
In the 2022 Mission King of the Baggers class, the team’s success was driven by O’Hara’s versatility, the expertise of the S&S crew, and the consistency and reliability of the Indian Challenger. Through seven rounds aboard his Indian Challenger, O’Hara captured five podiums, including a Daytona win, and two fourth-place finishes.
With the number-one plate and an expanded 14-round KOTB series, O’Hara will be the man to beat. But the competition will be tougher than ever, as Harley-Davidson continues to increase its significant investment in the series, adding even more bikes and riders to the King of the Baggers grid for 2023.
“The odds were definitely against us in 2022,” said Tyler O’Hara [pictured above]. “And that’s what made climbing that mountain and ending up on top all the more special to our entire Indian Motorcycle-S&S team. We grinded week in and week out to rise to that challenge and in the end, we got the job done. But now we start over and the climb begins again. This team is truly a family, and we could not be more motivated to defend the championship and successfully rise to the challenge again in 2023.”
In addition to its factory efforts, Indian Motorcycle is offering up to $83,000 in KOTB privateer contingency and up to $41,000 in SHNC Contingency.
2023 Indian Motorcycle KOTB Privateer Contingency
• Championship: $20,000
• 1st: $3000
• 2nd: $1000
• 3rd: $500
2023 Indian Motorcycle SHNC Privateer Contingency
• Championship: $5,000
• 1St: $3000
• 2nd: $1000
• 3rd: $500
AFT Mission SuperTwins
Piloting the Indian FTR750 for his seventh-consecutive year, reigning Progressive Insurance Mission SuperTwins Champion Jared Mees enters 2023 with eight AFT Grand National Championships to his name – just one shy of the historic record of nine held by Scottie Parker. A record that many have assumed would never be matched or broken, Mees is looking to do just that as he chases his ninth.
In the 2023 AFT season, reigning AFT SuperTwins Champion Jared Mees will chase Scottie Parker’s record of nine Grand National Championships.
As Mees chases history, he’ll rely on his trusted team led by Crew Chief Kenny Tolbert, Assistant Mechanic Bubba Bently and Suspension Technician Jimmy Wood. Mees will also receive support from Rogers Racing, SDI Racing, Drag Specialties, Twigg Cycles, Mission Foods, Monster Energy, Bell Helmets, Service Pro, Öhlins Suspension, Klotz Oil, Klock Werkssm, RK Chain, Corbin, Seats, Engine Ice, RMR Construction, Motion Pro, VP Racing, Vertex Pistons, Pro Plates and DBI Motorsports.
In addition to its AFT factory efforts around Mees, Indian Motorcycle is offering the sport’s most robust privateer contingency, equating to more than $280,000.
2023 Indian Motorcycle AFT Privateer Contingency:
• Championship: $25,000
• 1st: $7,500
• 2nd: $2,500
• 3rd: $1,500
• 4th: $1,000
• 5th: $750
• 6th: $350
• 7th: $250
• 8th: $150
• 9th: $125
• 10th: $100
Indian Motorcycle factory race efforts are presented by Progressive Insurance, Mission Foods and Medallia, with additional support from Indian Motorcycle Motor Oil, S&S, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties, Performance Finance and J&P Cycles.
KOTB, SHNC and AFT seasons begin March 9 at the Daytona International Speedway.
