Indian gets the 2022 racing season off to a perfect start, taking the top step of the podium at both rounds of Daytona's King of the Baggers races and taking the win at the Volusia flat track round on the same weekend.

Winning Weekend For Indian

Indian Motorcycle Racing dominated Bike Week in Daytona Beach and kicked off its 2022 race season in dramatic fashion. With factory teams competing in flat track and bagger racing, Indian Motorcycle captured two wins and four of six podium spots at the King of the Baggers opening double-header at Daytona International Speedway, along with a victory at the 2022 American Flat Track season opener at the Volusia Half Mile.

In the first King of the Bagger's race, inaugural King of the Baggers champion Tyler O'Hara stood on the top step of the podium, after a dramatic last-to-first charge that thrilled the crowds. Race two was won by ex-Grand Prix star Jeremy McWilliams, with O'Hara second to take an early series points lead.

Thanks to a penalty imposed during post-qualifying inspections, O’Hara was forced to start race one at the back of the grid in 13th position. Completely un-fazed, O’Hara catapulted off the start, launching his way past more than half the field before entering turn one. From there, he made his way into third, until perfectly timing a move in the final lap, drafting out of the chicane to slingshot his Indian Challenger into first place and take the checkered flag.

“We took a lot of motivation from the disappointing outcome in 2021 and poured it into intensive off-season testing and preparation to ensure we came back strong in 2022, and this weekend was a testament to the dedication, expertise and commitment of our entire team,” said O’Hara. “We’re confident we have the best bike in the paddock, and we intend to prove that again in 2022. We’re off to a good start; but our competition is fierce, and our work has only just begun.”

If anyone thought round 1 was a fluke, then round two soon dispelled that notion. After just missing his debut podium (in his debut race) in round one, veteran road racer and newest Indian Motorcycle factory rider Jeremy McWilliams battled head-to-head with team mate O’Hara, ultimately edging him out by mere .025 seconds to capture his first King of the Baggers win and first career win at Daytona.

At one point, heading into the final lap, McWilliams went high on the banking, allowing privateer Bobby Fong on his Indian Challenger to take the lead. But, on the final sprint to the line, McWIlliams and O'Hara drafted past Fong, McWilliams holding off a strong O'Hara by a bike's length at the line.

While this was all happening, Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew rider Briar Bauman took his Indian FTR750 to overall glory at the Volusia Half-Mile dirt track in the first race of the 2022 flat-track racing season.

“This weekend was a dramatic display of the incredible level of preparation, determination and skill that powers our teams and riders every time we line up on the grid,” said Gary Gray, Vice President Racing, Service & Technology for Indian Motorcycle. “Considering the stiff competition and unique challenges we’re facing in both flat track and bagger racing this season, we’re certainly happy to get off to such a positive start, but we know full well that this is merely the beginning. There’s a lot more racing ahead of us, and we expect every race weekend to be a dogfight to the finish.”