Harley-Davidson Factory Rider Kyle Wyman Snags Double Daytona Victories to Open 2024 King of the Baggers Race Season
Cory West Tops All-Harley Podium in Saturday’s Super Hooligan Race
MILWAUKEE (March 9, 2024) – Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing rider Kyle Wyman scored a Daytona double by winning the first two MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers races of the 2024 season at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing rider James Rispoli finished in third place in both races. Wyman and Rispoli were aboard the team’s new race-prepared 2024 Road Glide® motorcycles.
Team Saddlemen rider Cory West rode a race-prepared Harley-Davidson® Pan America® 1250 Special motorcycle to victory and topped an all-Harley podium in the Mission Super Hooligan race on Saturday. Team Saddlemen rider Jake Lewis finished second, and Gator Harley/KWR rider Cody Wyman was third completing the sweep. West also finished in third place in the Super Hooligan race on Friday and leads the series points after two of 10 scheduled rounds.
The first King of the Baggers race on Friday saw a thundering pack of 17 bagger race motorcycles topping 185 mph on the high-banked oval portion of the 3.52-mile Daytona International Speedway road course. Wyman and Rispoli were part of a four-bike group that battled for the lead for the entire race and started the last of six laps separated by less than one second. Wyman had been quick through the backstraight chicane all race and on the last lap got a strong drive out of the final corner to pass Factory Indian rider Troy Herfoss for the lead heading onto the last section of the oval. Wyman had enough momentum to hold off Herfoss and Rispoli across the finish line with a 0.018 second advantage over Herfoss and 0.137 second over Rispoli. Defending King of the Baggers series champion Hayden Gillim finished fourth on the RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Road Glide, 0.837 seconds behind Wyman.
“On that last lap we were just about parked, but I refused to pass to lead the race until the moment it counted,” said Wyman. “I saw a window coming out of the chicane and was just able to hold them off for the win.”
The second King of the Baggers race on Saturday saw Wyman, Rispoli, Herfoss, Gillim, and Factory Indian rider Tyler O’Hara break away from the pack early in the race and swap positions on each lap. On the final lap, Herfoss gapped Wyman on the back stretch but braked late and over-shot the entry to the chicane, giving Wyman an opportunity to pounce. Wyman again got a strong drive onto the last section of the high-bank oval and was able to out-run Herfoss to the finish by 0.137 seconds. Rispoli finished 1.518 seconds back in third place.
“I was in survival mode on the last lap,” said Wyman. “I lost my quick-shifter and I was going to be happy to finish second, but Herfoss gave me a chance and we made it work. Hats off to my entire Harley-Davidson crew for all their hard work this weekend.”
“What an unreal weekend,” said Rispoli. “There was so much nervousness before the races. So, it was a massive relief to get two podiums in my first weekend with the Factory Harley-Davidson team. I am so stoked for the entire team, and I know we will be a force for the future rounds.”
After 2 of 18 rounds in the 2024 MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series Kyle Wyman leads with 50 points. Herfoss is second with 40 points, followed by Rispoli with 32 points and Gillim with 24 points.
Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing returns to action at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas, April 12-13 at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.
The Mission King of the Baggers series features race-prepared American V-Twin touring motorcycles. Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing Road Glide® motorcycles are powered by modified Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engines. The team bikes also feature upgraded suspension components, including Screamin’ Eagle/Öhlins Remote Reservoir Rear Shocks, plus competition exhaust, race tires and lightweight bodywork.
Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing is sponsored by Mission® Foods, Rockford Fosgate®, Brembo®, Öhlins®, Protolabs®, SYN3® lubricants, and Screamin’ Eagle® Performance Parts and Accessories.
MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Race Results – Daytona International Speedway Race 1
1. Kyle Wyman (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
2. Troy Herfoss (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
3. James Rispoli (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
4. Hayden Gillim (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
5. Rocco Landers (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
6. Kyle Ohnsorg (Ind) RydFast Racing
7. Bobby Fong (Ind) SDI/Roland Sands Racing
8. Travis Wyman (H-D) Saddleman/Harley-Davidson
9. Max Flinders (Ind) Mad Monkey Motorsports
10. Tyler O’Hara (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Race Results – Daytona International Speedway Race 2
1. Kyle Wyman (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
2. Troy Herfoss (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
3. James Rispoli (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
4. Tyler O’Hara (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
5. Hayden Gillim (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
6. Kyle Ohnsorg (Ind) RydFast Racing
7. Jake Lewis (H-D) Saddleman/Harley-Davidson
8. Cory West (H-D) Saddleman/Harley-Davidson
9. Travis Wyman (H-D) Saddleman/Harley-Davidson
10. Rocco Landers (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
11. Max Flinders (Ind) Mad Monkey Motorsports
12. Jesse Janisch (H-D) Suburban Motors H-D/Slyfox/Trask Performance
13. Zachary Schumacher (H-D) Nowaskey Extreme Performance
14. Gunnar Ouellette (H-D) Trask Performance
15. Ruben Xaus (H-D) Feuling Parts
