AFT Rallies to Inaugural Laconia Short Track
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 11, 2019) – Already established as a featured attraction during both Daytona Bike Week and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, American Flat Track adds another of the largest, most historic two-wheeled events to its calendar. The inaugural running of the Laconia Short Track presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys takes place this weekend during the famous Laconia Motorcycle Week on Saturday, June 15, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Currently celebrating its 96th anniversary, Laconia Bike Week is the world’s oldest motorcycle rally and draws an attendance of more than a quarter of a million people annually. The Laconia Short Track is an exciting addition to an already jam-packed week, featuring an all-new 0.25-mile circuit known simply as “The Flat Track” at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The pressure-cooker confines of Short Track racing should only crank up the tension as defending AFT Twins presented by Vance & Hines Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) targets the points advantage of current leader Briar Bauman (No. 14 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750).
The Indian Wrecking Crew teammates appear destined for a season-long struggle for supremacy with Bauman now six for six in 2019 podium appearances and Mees tapping back into the dominant form that saw him collect 20 victories and two championships over the previous two seasons.
Just behind those two are an impressive number of premier-class superstars boasting the requisite talent and speed to prevent this season from transforming into a two-rider race, however.
Third-ranked Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Kennedy Racing/Armbruster Racing Indian FTR750) has already scooped a pair of wins in 2019, including the season’s first stop at a Short Track in Atlanta.
Henry Wiles (No. 17 Bandit Industries/DPC Racing/Wilco Racing Indian FTR750), meanwhile, can claim sole possession of American Flat Track’s career ST wins record with a victory in Saturday’s Main Event. He currently sits tied atop the all-time leaderboard alongside the legendary Chris Carr with nine wins apiece.
While the recent success of rivals Jesse Janisch (No. 132 Roof Systems Dallas TX/Öhlins Yamaha YZ450F) and Mikey Rush (No. 15 RMR Honda/Red Riders Rewards Honda CRF450R) may have relegated Dalton Gauthier (No. 122 D&D Cycles/Gobert Smash Husqvarna FC450) to third in the 2019 Roof Systems AFT Singles presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys championship order, the Pennsylvania native could be primed to strike back this weekend.
The “Comeback Kid” is a threat to win anywhere the Roof Systems AFT Singles class lines up, but he’s a particularly effective Short Track ace. Gautier boasts Short Track wins in three different seasons (Daytona I, 2016, Atlanta ST 2017 and 2019), and could potentially reclaim the title lead with a similarly strong outing this weekend.
The Laconia Short Track will provide plenty of entertainment value off the track as well. Bad Medicine — a versatile cover band with a strong ‘80s rock vibe — will keep things rolling, while the Fan Zone will feature dedicated motorcycle parking, numerous vendors and a selection of food and drink options courtesy of the local food truck food court present on-site.
VIP Packages include exclusive access to a private VIP grandstand seating area with food and beverage provided. VIP tickets to this premiere Laconia Motorcycle Week event are selling fast, so get yours today. General admission tickets start at just $35 and kids 12 and under are free. All tickets for the Laconia Short Track are on sale now at tickets.americanflattrack.com. Advance tickets start at $35 and kids 12 and under are free.
For fans watching remotely, FansChoice.tv will offer live coverage of the Laconia Short Track beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET/8:30 a.m. PT. Gates open at 12:00 p.m. ET/9:00 a.m. PT. Opening Ceremonies are scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m PT, followed by the Open Paddock/Rider Autograph Session at 4:45 p.m. ET/1:45 p.m. PT. The Main Event program is slated to kick off at 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT
Be sure to catch the feature broadcast of the Laconia Short Track presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys on NBCSN with flag-to-flag coverage of both Main Events, enhanced by exclusive features and cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage. The broadcast will debut on Sunday, June 23, at 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT and will re-air on Tuesday, June 25, at 4:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. PT.
For more information on American Flat Track visit www.americanflattrack.com.
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How to Watch:
NBCSN and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track. For the 2019 season, NBCSN’s coverage of AFT moves to highly-coveted, weekend afternoon programming slots within two weeks of each event. The complete schedule for AFT on NBCSN can be viewed at http://www.americanflattrack.com/events-nbcsn/. FansChoice.tv remains a cornerstone of AFT’s digital strategy, providing live streaming coverage of every event on AFT’s live page while previous events and exclusive features are available on AFT’s VOD page.
About American Flat Track:
American Flat Track is the world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. For more information on American Flat Track, please visit http://www.americanflattrack.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, check us out on Instagram, live stream the events at FansChoice.tv and catch all the American Flat Track racing action on NBCSN.