The legendary American brand is hunting for a three-peat in 2023
Racing has always been a big part of motorcycling culture. Whether in the dirt or on the track, the thrill of competition and speed is in the DNA of riders and moto brands alike. Indian Motorcycle has a long and storied history of full throttle racing, and their pedigree has fueled countless wins and championships over the past 122 years.
From founder Oscar Hedstrom’s endurance racing dominance at the turn of the 20th century, to O.C. Godfrey’s winning the first Mountain Circuit at the Isle of Man TT in 1911, Burt “The World’s Fastest Indian” Munro’s land speed records at Bonneville, the Indian Wrecking Crew’s firm grip on flat track racing in the ‘50s, to six consecutive AFT championships from 2017-22, its safe to say Indian Motorcycle is well acquainted with racing and winning.
Did we mention Ed Kretz, first Daytona 200 winner? He took the trophy on an Indian Sport Scout.
Last year Indian Motorcycle Racing snagged a “triple crown” of sorts, claiming the American Flat Track championship in the Super Twins class (again), winning the MotoAmerica King of the Baggers class, and the Super Hooligan National Championship. Now they are working hard to defend their titles in all three series, with a big target on their back in each.
Running three No. 1 plates this season, Indian will put KOTB and SHNC defending champ Tyler O’Hara back in both respective saddles again, Jared Mees will race to keep his AFT title, and former MotoGP racer Jeremy McWilliams will return in both the KOTB and SHNC series as O’Hara’s teammate.
Jeremy McWilliams and Tyler O’Hara, with their 2023 KOTB and SHNC bikes. Photo by Indian Motorcycle.
“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,” stated 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.”
The brutal Indian Challenger, ready to battle in the 2023 MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series.
Indian Motorcycle Racing is teaming up again with S&S Racing to pit their two-man team in the King of the Baggers and Super Hooligan classes, running their vaunted Challenger and FTR machines respectively under O’Hara and McWilliams. The MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series will be tougher than ever in 2023, with the series doubling its total rounds to 14, and rival Harley-Davidson fielding more teams and competitors on the starting grids. In the Super Hooligan National Championship, the series expands to 8 race rounds, with 750cc bikes ranging from Harley-Davidson, KTM, BMW and Ducati as well as a few race-spec electrics all chasing the Indian machines.
O’Hara and McWilliams, ready to fight to keep the 2023 title firmly in Indian’s hands. Photo by Indian Motorcycle.
“The odds were definitely against us in 2022, 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,” said O’Hara. “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 championships and successfully rise to the challenge again in 2023.”
Jared Mees at last year’s Volusia Half-Mile. Photo by Indian Motorcycle.
In American Flat Track, Jared Mees returns for a seventh consecutive year astride his Indian FTR750. With eight total AFT Grand Championships under his belt, Mees has his sights set on current championship record holder Scottie Parker, who holds nine titles. It’s a record many felt would likely never be matched, much less exceeded, yet Mees stands on the brink of breaking it this season. Flat Track immortality is within his grasp, with the entire field vowing to prevent him.
Mees and company at the AFT season finale, 2022. Photo by Indian Motorcycle.
Indian Motorcycle Racing is gearing up to defend their “triple crown”, and we can already tell it’s going to be a wild year of racing in all classes. All three series converge to kick it off March 6 down at Daytona International Speedway. Sparks will fly and rubber will burn. For more info on the KOTB and SHNC series, visit MotoAmerica.com. For more on the AFT series, visit AmericanFlatTrack.com.
For more info on everything Indian is up to, and their 2023 model lineup, visit them here:
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