VOL. 54 ISSUE 6 FEBRUARY 14, 2017 P83
"One thing we've learned in not being
absent for 50 years, but having been in
the business and racing for a hundred
years, is that racing is a lot better off for
everybody—fans, dealers, racers, the
sport—the more competitors you have out
on the track," Beck said. "So it's a good
thing that they're coming. We're excited to
beat them just like we'll be excited to beat
the other guys who are coming too."
On the other hand, with all due respect
to Harley, it never left. So while it's easy for
attention to be drawn to all the newness in
the sport, it's worth remembering that the
brand has been a stalwart of the sport. Es-
pecially during the hard times when Harley-
Davidson was the last remaining factory
effort in flat track, the last real manufacturer
support in the sport full stop. In addition
to keeping the sport from slipping into a
Pro/Am event, Harley also helped raise
the sport's profile by bringing it to the X
Games, an investment that paid off.
Now that American Flat Track heads
into a golden era—with more factory sup-
port than it's seen in a long time, a much-
improved TV package and a whole lot of
excitement surrounding the sport—Harley-
Davidson is happy with its investment in
flat track. But that doesn't mean it plans
on resting on its laurels anytime soon. The
folks in Milwaukee want to continue to
lead the way as flat track's biggest fan and
advocate.
"To us flat track is the oldest, most
authentic, awesome American form of
racing that we've had a lot of success and
experience in," Beck said. "So it makes
sense to get our dealers enthused about
it, get our Hog Clubs enthused about it,
get our riders enthused about it and riding
and racing. So we're putting a lot more
into activating the races in the next year.
Predominantly in the U.S., the initial kind
of view is to prove that we can not only
draw a much more enthusiastic base of
Harley folks back into the sport, but that
the coolest thing to do on a Saturday night
in America is go to the races and burn gas
and oil and get a little dirty."
Harley-Davidson's not the only one
excited about the direction and prospects
of the sport. Longtime partner, Vance &
Hines Chairman Terry Vance, was ener-
gized to take Harley up on its offer of taking
the helm of its effort in American Flat Track.
The drag racer-turned successful aftermar-
ket parts entrepreneur with partner Byron
(Right) Harley-Davidson
and Vance & Hines have
had a long-standing
relationship, but for the
first time Terry Vance
(right) will run the
team's factory effort.
(Left) Harley-Davidson
will field a three-man
team in 2017: Jake
Johnson (pictured),
Kenny Coolbeth and
Brandon Johnson.
