VOLUME 59 ISSUE 7 FEBRUARY 15, 2022 P91
fort that would refire the fabled
all-American rivalry must have
seemed like a match made in
heaven. Indian and its purpose-
built racebike were happily wel-
comed back into the sport when
it rejoined full-time in 2017. The
all-production future could wait.
Four years and many millions
of dollars later, Harley-Davidson
pulled the plug on its factory ef-
fort based around its production-
derived (and ultimately winless)
XG750R as Indian routed all
comers.
NOW WHAT?
The plan to take the sport to the
next level hinged on increased
manufacturer support, not less.
With Harley-Davidson gone and
the Yamaha-supported Estenson
Racing effort teetering, things
started to look a bit desperate
near the end of the '21 season.
From AFT's perspective,
something had to be done to
spark renewed manufacturer
involvement. And the most direct
way to do that was by somehow
leveling the playing field so that
street bike-derived racers from
as many brands as possible
could compete and win.
In fact, the old racing adage,
"Win on Sunday, Sell on Mon-
day," was first borne out on two
wheels with the introduction of
the production-based Class C
racing way back in 1933. Class
C would not only save motor-
cycle racing in the United States
from an eerily similar crisis in the
wake of the Great Depression, it
would also eventually evolve into
what's known as Progressive
American Flat Track today.
"My job in this seat is to get
as many eyeballs on the sport
as I can," said Crouch. "The way
to develop a solid foundation
for a fanbase is to start with the
enthusiasts, so it all starts with
the motorcycle manufacturers
and their customers. The more
brands we have on the race-
track, the more their customers
are going to be interested in the
sport. And then those core fans
tell their friends and families, and
they help you build your army.
But the manufacturers have to
believe that they have a realistic
opportunity to win, otherwise
they aren't going to promote
their brand's involvement or
bring their customers to the
sport."
And with increased manufac-
turer support, the expectation
is that a trickledown effect will
make the sport more rewarding
for stakeholders of just about
every type.
A more vibrant racing series
packed with big rigs and unpre-
dictable racing is obviously more
attractive to fans, especially if
their brand is represented. And
that part is important. For (prime)
example, Harley's decades of
championship triumphs intro-
duced legions of the brand's
hardcore enthusiasts to the sport.
But that connection has
nearly been severed, with only
Latus Motors Harley-Davidson
still around to fly the flag in the
premier class and generally near
the back of the pack. How many
of those fans are true converts
versus those who will slowly
turn away if H-D is no longer a
legitimate force for a prolonged
stint of time?
Additionally, with an influx of
greater manufacturer support,
teams, riders and tuners have
more potentially winning options
Smith finished out his racing
career aboard the FTR.
