IN
THE
WIND
P28
KAINZ KILLED IN SANTA ROSA CRASH
F
lat track racer Charlotte Kainz, of
Greenfield, Wisconsin, passed
away, September 25, just five days
after her 20th birthday.
Kainz was competing in the Santa
Rosa Mile at the Sonoma County
Fairgrounds and was involved in a
multi-rider crash in a GNC2 heat
race. Kainz was transported to Santa
Rosa Memorial Hospital, but suc-
cumbed to her injuries.
At least one of the other riders was
badly injured in the incident. CN
Charlotte Kainz passed away from injuries
suffered in a fall while competing in the
GNC2 class at the Santa Rosa Mile.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
MITCH
FRIEDMAN
INDIAN ANNOUNCES 2017 WRECKING CREW
I
ndian Motorcycle announced its team for the
newly named 2017 American Flat Track (AFT)
Championship on the brand new FTR750, and it's
a big one. Indian announced Jared Mees will be
partnered by brand new 2016 Champion Bryan
Smith and their long-time rival Brad Baker in what
will become a formidable team for next season.
Dubbed the Wrecking Crew, the team will attempt
to replicate the dominance of the original Wreck-
ing Crew of the 1940s and '50s that included
Ernie Beckman, Bill Tuman and Bobby Hill.
"Indian Motorcycle has a DNA in motorcycle
racing. We will continue that push towards excel-
lence on the street and in competition with the
introduction of the Indian Scout FTR750," said
Gary Gray, Product Director for Indian Motorcycle.
"AMA Pro Flat Track racing is highly competitive
and we leaned on a global team for this factory
effort and have engaged some of the best riders
to exhibit our commitment to this legendary sport.
That said, we are entering the series to do one
thing—win."
Former AMA Grand National Champion Joe
Kopp made a one-off return to the track at Santa
Rosa over the weekend on the number-three In-
dian Motorcycle FTR750, finishing seventh place
in the final.
"Our team worked hard and had a pretty confi-
dent feeling coming into the weekend," says Reid
Wilson, Director of Marketing for Indian Motorcy-
cle. "Our goal was to make the main event, a great
achievement for a 100 percent new motorcycle
racing a highly competitive GNC1 class. Joe was
outstanding on the motorcycle and taking a strong
win in the Dash for Cash was an epic first AMA
checkered flag for Indian Motorcycle since the
early 1950's. With our performance this weekend,
and the announcement of the new riders, we are
showing our commitment to both the sport and
the history and future of Indian Motorcycle." CN
