Racing Takes Center Stage at Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota
- Aug 18, 2017
This year’s Sturgis Rally featured RSD Super Hooligan, American Flat Track, AMA Supermoto, street drags, and vintage racing. Rally crowds enthusiastically celebrated the heightened focus on speed and competition. The estimated 376,000 rally attendees were treated to some form of high-octane racing on virtually every day of the rally. RSD Super Hooligan Racing
The racing action did not disappoint the enthusiastic fans that lined the challenging TT-style dirt track. In the end, the elder statesmen of the Super Hooligan series, Joe Kopp and Brad Spencer, finished first and second in the Main. The competition was made even more exciting with the fact that two custom built Indian Scout Sixty motorcycles were given away after the racing action. One of the Indians was built by good friend of K&N and series organizer, Roland Sands, and the other by Carey Hart of RCH Racing. American Flat Track
K&N-sponsored rider Brad Baker was excited about the race as he looked over the track before the event. “This is going to be a challenging track – no doubt about it,” Baker told K&N. “It’ll be tough to pass, so a good start will be especially important.” Pointing to the track’s hairpin, Baker said, “That turn...that’s going to make for some excitement.” He was prophetic as the ultra-tight turn was the scene of several spectacular crashes and lots of traded paint.
In the end, Briar Bauman raced his Ninja 650 to the win, with Indian’s Jared Mees finishing second. The podium was rounded out with Harley-Davidson’s Jake Johnson who finished third. Making the most of his Herculean qualifying effort, Halbert fought through the field from his last position start to finish an impressive 4th. Buffalo Chip Street Drags
Wheelies, fishtails, and burning rubber delighted the fans that lined the strip and crowded the elevated viewing areas. Harley baggers, vintage Japanese standards, and other street bikes in a rainbow of styles fought for rally bragging rights. AMA Supermoto The hybrid form of motorcycle racing that combines dirt and street racing rounded out the entertaining Moto Stampede at the Buffalo Chip. It was impressive how the grounds crew at the Chip carried out the metamorphosis of the amphitheater to accommodate the various track configurations.
Spirit of Sturgis Vintage Races With a noble mission to keep the history of Black Hills racing alive, the Spirit of Sturgis Vintage Motorcycle Festival graced the historic downtown Sturgis park. The Sturgis Half Mile paid homage to the antique board track racers from the 1920s, hand shift racers from the 1930s - 1950s, and the vintage big twins from the '60s and '70s. The uber-enthusiastic event organizer and vintage racer, Brittney Olsen, is the driving force in keeping the event alive and thriving.
The main event of the Spirit of Sturgis was kicked off with a few fast and fun laps by a vintage board track racer, followed by Patrick Simmons of the Doobie Brothers delivering a rousing rendition of the National Anthem. The final event gave the gathered race fans a rumbling, shaking, and thoroughly entertaining glimpse into what racing looked like in the early years of the Sturgis Rally. K&N is proud to be a vital part of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and the resurgence of the vibrant Black Hills race scene. | |||||||
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