AFT DAYTONA DUNLOP TIRE TEST
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Feature
party for the upcoming season. Media
flocked to Daytona Beach's cheap hotels
and eagerly grabbed the first photos and
quotes of superstar riders who were mak-
ing their American debuts, or switching to
new colors, or brandishing a brand-new
model all decked out in carbon fiber black.
At its peak, the Daytona Tire Tests likely
garnered more hype and attention than just
about any individual round, as evidenced
by a series of 190-mph crashes suffered in
the quest for fast-lap honors.
While still in its infancy, AFT's Dunlop
Tire Test has the potential to fill a similar
void in the hearts of flat track fans desper-
ate for any ounce of information as they
await the new season.
Some small hints of that sort of drama
were there to be found at Volusia Speedway.
The primary drivers of intrigue were the riders
most heavily impacted by Harley-Davidson's
recent announcement that it was ending its
direct factory involvement in the sport.
H-D's exit paved the way for long-time
factory pilot Jarod Vanderkooi to throw a
leg over an Indian for the first time in public
since his one-off ride aboard an FTR750 at
the 2017 finale.
With all but the ink on paper, the hard-charging
Vanderkooi appears destined to join Jerry Stinchfield's
increasingly powerful racing operation on a JCS Racing/
HCRR Indian FTR750 in 2021. And if his performance at
the test was any indication, he also appears destined to
join the frontrunners on a more regular basis.
Vanderkooi posted the fastest lap of any rider on day
one and ended up fourth fastest overall at the conclusion
of the test (20.133).
(Left) Jarod Vanderkooi, who is still
officially part of the Vance & Hines/H-D
team, was allowed to spend the two-day
test aboard an Indian, the brand he is
expected to compete on next year.
