The Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Racing Team will add former champions Ricky Howerton and Bryan Smith to its effort on the 2020 American Flat Track (AFT) SuperTwins series. Howerton will lead the team as crew chief, responsible for all technical aspects of tuning and set-up of the Harley-Davidson XG750R competition motorcycles prepared by partner Vance & Hines Motorsports. Smith, the 2016 AMA Grand National flat track champion, brings veteran leadership to a talented team of riders including Jared Vanderkooi and Dalton Gauthier.
The 2014 GNC2 Twins champion, Jarod Vanderkooi (VAN-der-koy) won his first pro event on the Springfield Mile. He moved up to the top Grand National Twins class in 2015 and was named Rookie of the Year after scoring four top-10 finishes. In 2019, Vanderkooi raced his Harley-Davidson Factory XG750R to sixth place in AFT Twins points with 13 top-10 results. Vanderkooi is 22 years old and lives in Mt. Gilead, Ohio.
“Flat track motorcycle racing is the original American motorsport and Harley-Davidson and its factory teams have been part of this exciting competition since its inception more than a century ago,” said Jon Bekefy, GM of Brand Marketing for Harley-Davidson. “Our expanded factory team effort in AFT Super Twins complements our increased support for the AFT Production Twins class, with race-ready XG750R motorcycles for sale to independent teams and a $250,000 cash contingency program.”
The XG750R competition motorcycle is available for purchase for $35,999 and deliveries will begin immediately. Supply is limited and priority will be given to dealership teams. For details and ordering information, please contact Vance & Hines at xg750r@vanceandhines.com.
The Harley Factory Flat Track Team expects to elevate its performance during the 2020 season.
“We are excited to have Ricky Howerton joining the Harley-Davidson Factory Team,” said Terry Vance, owner of Vance & Hines Motorsports. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and championship experience to an effort that already includes the tuning talent of Byron Hines and engineering resources at the Harley-Davidson Product Development Center. With our trio of great riders, I think we’ll be bringing a formidable team to the track in 2020.”
Crew chief Howerton and rider Smith won the 2016 AMA Grand National flat track championship for the Howerton/Crosley team.
“I think the Harley-Davidson Factory Team has all the ingredients in place to field bikes that can win every weekend, and the resources are there,” said Howerton. “We’ll have everything and anything we need to move the program forward.”
“We don’t plan to make many significant changes to the race bikes for the coming season,” said Vance. “We are focused on improving power delivery and grip, especially on slick track surfaces. Ricky Howerton and Bryan Smith bring years of set-up experience to the team that will be valuable in that regard.”
The Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Team will compete on the entire 18-event AFT SuperTwins schedule in 2020. The series kicks off on March 14 with the Daytona TT at Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.
