As eye-opening as the built-to-the-hilt V-twin Baggers set to compete in the Drag Specialties King of the Baggers are, the list of riders set to do battle on them at the iconic WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is equally as stout. And a fight it promises to be on Saturday afternoon, October 24, as the Baggers will debut on the opening day of racing in the MotoAmerica GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Speedfest at Monterey.
The teams, who have gone all-in on the concept of showing off their wares in a race like none before it, aren’t just pulling guys off the street to race their steeds. One only has to look at the #77 Feuling Parts Harley-Davidson entry to see that’s not the case. Stop rubbing your eyes… that is former AMA Superbike Champion and multi-time World Superbike race winner Ben Bostrom’s name. Yes, the Ben Bostrom.
And how about the #50 entry from Performance Machine? That would be 2013 AMA Superbike Champion and current MotoAmerica Superbike racer Josh Herrin. What about that Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson? Yes, that’s Hayden Gillim, who last year came very close to earning the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship.
The rest of the 13-rider field? Well, there’s not a slouch in the bunch.
The SlyFox Harley-Davidson will be ridden by former AMA and MotoAmerica racer Cory West; another former MotoAmerica racer, Tyler O’Hara, will be riding the S&S Indian Challenger; and Josh Chisum, on the Barnett Clutches Harley, is another who has raced in MotoAmerica previously.
Current MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and Superbike racer Travis Wyman will throw his leg over the Trask Performance Harley-Davidson with Michael Woolaway, a highly regarded bike builder and Pikes Peak racer, doing likewise on the Saddlemen Harley-Davidson Road Glide. Eric Stahl will take to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on the Alloy Art MFG Co. Harley Road King with Tony Sollima riding The Speed Merchant’s Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard.
Arlen Ness is set to field a Harley-Davidson with noted stunt rider and the son of former 500cc World Motocross Champion Logan Lackey handling the riding chores. A second Indian entry has been fielded by Roland Sands Design and will feature flat tracker/road racer Frankie Garcia.
You may also have heard of Michael Barnes, the veteran hired gun who has been a race winner in nearly all forms of AMA road racing over the years. The Floridian will ride a Bassani Xhaust Harley-Davidson Road King.
So, there you have it. Thirteen top-notch riders on some of trickest motorcycles the world has seen attacking the iconic WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
The eight-lap Drag Specialties King of the Baggers race is scheduled for 4:45 p.m. (Pacific) on Saturday afternoon, October 24, on the Monterey Peninsula. The race will air live on MotoAmerica Live+, the live streaming and on-demand service from MotoAmerica, and on Harley-Davidson TV. Additionally, the final practice session for the Baggers will air live on MotoAmerica’s Facebook page at 4:40 p.m. (Pacific) on Friday.
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