Win Marks Briar Bauman’s Third of the Season and Closes Championship Chase to 8-points

Jarod Vanderkooi Continues to Impress with Back-to-Back Second-Place Finishes

Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Progressive Motorcycle Insurance, had another outstanding night of racing at the Port Royal Half-Mile in Port Royal, Pennsylvania, with Briar Bauman riding unchallenged throughout the 26-lap Mission SuperTwins Main Event to claim his second consecutive victory. In another FTR750 podium sweep, Bauman was joined by privateer Jarod Vanderkooi in second and current points leader, Jared Mees, taking third.

In the main event, Bauman was swift off the starting line, getting the hole shot and an immediate lead over Mees, running close behind in second. Despite early attempts by Mees to overtake him, Bauman remained unphased, opening up a gap on Mees and the rest of the field. Bauman led wire-to-wire, ultimately taking the checkered flag for his third win of the season. Meanwhile, Mees was entangled in a heated battle with Vanderkooi for second. With less than a minute and two-laps remaining, Vanderkooi made a bold move, taking the higher outside line to pass Mees and secure his second-place spot on the podium.

“Tonight was another incredible night of racing and a testament to the talent and grit of our riders. Considering the restrictions that have recently been imposed on the FTR750, it’s all the more gratifying to sweep the podium for the second consecutive weekend,” said Gary Gray, Vice President Racing, Service & Technology for Indian Motorcycle. “Briar’s [Bauman] incredible will has been on display at these past two events, and as a result, he’s back in the hunt as the battle for the championship tightens. It’s looking to be an absolute dogfight over the remainder of the season.”

Mees continues to lead the championship with 173 points, while Bauman now sits solidly in second place trailing by a mere eight points.

In addition to the incredible racing action, the night was filled with emotion for Bauman and the entire paddock, following the tragic loss of a fellow racer, Ryan Varnes, at the recent New York Short Track. Bauman paid tribute to Varnes throughout his winning night, memorializing Varnes’ by donning his number 68 and including Varnes’ girlfriend, Jennifer Hoshauer, with him on his victory lap.

The 2022 AFT season will continue on Saturday, July 30 at the Peoria TT in Peoria, IL.

Sponsors for Indian Motorcycle Racing’s American Flat Track efforts include Progressive Insurance, S&S^®, Indian Motorcycle Oil, Mission Foods, Bell Helmets, Drag Specialties and Parts Unlimited.

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ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE^®
Indian Motorcycle is America’s first motorcycle company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivalled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion are reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.eu

INDIAN and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE are registered trademarks of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC. Always wear a helmet, protective clothing and eyewear and insist your passenger does the same. Ride within the limits of the law and your own abilities. Read, understand, and follow your owner’s manual. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Riding a motorbike is a thrilling experience, but it is also vital that you know how to ride safely as you are a vulnerable road user and motorcycle accidents can be incredibly dangerous. This post will look at a few of the best ways to stay safe while on the roads.

Wear a Helmet & Protective Clothing   

Obviously, wearing a helmet is one of the most important steps to take. Not only is wearing a helmet a legal requirement in this country, but you will also find that it provides essential protection for your head if you were to come off the bike. In addition to a helmet, you should also wear other protective clothing such as leathers, goggles and motorcycle boots.

Keep Your Bike in Good Condition 

As much as you love riding your motorbike, there might come a time when, for whatever reason, you can’t. Be it the weather, an injury, illness, a family occasion, or anything else, it can become rather boring very quickly if you were hoping to use your bike and then realize you can’t. So what can you do instead? Having a backup plan for when you can’t ride makes sense; it means you’ll never be bored, and you’ll always be able to keep yourself occupied when required. So here are some ideas of things you can do.

Learn How To Maintain Your Motorbike

Owning a bike means more than just knowing how to ride it, or at least, it should. If you own a powerful machine like a motorbike, it’s wise to know how to maintain it. Any small problem can mean you’re not able to ride it when you would like to (perhaps adding to your initial problem of having to find something else to do), and you’ll have to pay a mechanic to fix the issue, which can be even more problematic.

If you spend your non-riding time learning how to maintain your motorbike, you can make minor repairs yourself and get back on the road much sooner, saving yourself money in the process. Of course, sometimes an expert is needed, so bear that in mind, but for small things that should be an easy fix once you know how to do it, DIY is best and will give you a great sense of satisfaction.

Reorganize Your Garage

If you’ve been telling yourself – and others – that you’ll reorganize your garage soon, why not do it when you can’t ride? It might feel like a big job, but the truth is, once you get started, and you work methodically, you can get it cleared and tidy in no time. Of course, the first task is to throw out anything you no longer need. Once you’ve done that, you’ll have more space to play with, and you can start categorizing the items that are left, arranging them however you want them. Often it can be useful to invest in storage boxes or large tool chests with drawers to help keep things safe, and don’t forget the walls – shelving is always useful.

Play Online Games  

Can’t ride? Then search online for some games to play. Playing online games will take your mind off not being about to get outside, and they are also a great way to relax if you’re feeling stressed or unwell for any reason. There are thousands of games to choose from, including motorcycle simulators. There are also adventure games, casino games such as sports games, and puzzles. No matter what you enjoy, there will be a game or genre of the game available to try.

What’s great about online games is that you can still play even when you can go out and about on your bike again. Of course, not while riding, that would not be safe, but when you need a break from the road, the games on your phone can be ideal entertainment.

article supplied

• 80,000 attendees over the three days with participants from 84 countries and over 6 million impressions on social media for an event that involved fans from all over the world
• The record-breaking parade of motorbikes coloured the Misano circuit and the entire Riviera Romagnola
• Pecco Bagnaia triumphs in the Lenovo Race of Champions on the Panigale V4 S in special livery after having also set the fastest lap in 1m35.886s
• Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO: "World Ducati Week celebrates the deepest soul of Ducati: we don't sell motorcycles, but we design experiences and emotions for our fans"

Misano Adriatico/Borgo Panigale, Italy, 25 July 2022 - The eleventh edition of the World Ducati Week, which after a four-year absence returned to bring together Ducatisti and fans of the world of two wheels for three days of passion, fun and unforgettable experiences at Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, has officially come to an end.

The passion for the brand and the desire to be present at the great Ducati gathering attracted many fans to Misano who, despite the difficulties in moving around and travelling that still characterize today's scenario, as well as the pandemic and the extraordinarily hot temperatures of this period, crowded the paddock reaching 80,000 visitors over the three days.
The participants came from 84 countries, demonstrating the global dimension of Ducati and the appeal that the brand has on motorcyclists all over the world.

The main protagonists of the three days were the 235 Ducati Official Clubs present at the event, which animated the area of ​​the International Village dedicated to them together with all the Ducati subsidiaries.

The success of World Ducati Week was also digital: in the three days of the event, over 6 million impressions were generated on Ducati's social media channels.

"At World Ducati Week we can experience the celebration of Ducati's deepest soul: we do not merely sell motorcycles but we design experiences and emotions with bikes at the centre for our fans - declared Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO -  We all wanted to go back to being together with the Ducatisti and they arrived in massive numbers, as usual, from all over the world, even though we are still in the presence of travel restrictions and therefore we were not able to welcome anyone from China for example. Once again we were able to touch the great passion for Ducati and the desire to meet again, the happiness of the Ducatisti to be with us in Misano, the courtesy and kindness of everyone. The big parade on Friday, the crazy Lenovo Race of Champions, the Rustida on the pit straight, the greetings of the riders at the Misano stadium, the musical evenings, a fireworks show in time with the music that really impressed and excited me are just some of the moments that will remain in the memory of each person who came to this 2022 edition. I want to thank all the participants but also all the staff made up mainly of Ducati employees who, as usual, were present in great strength and worked hard to make this incredible experience possible. Thanks also to all of Ducati Corse and in particular to the riders, the heroes of the WDW, who, as usual, were available and close to all the fans, and who gave us a unique show in the world like the Lenovo Race of Champions.”

The most keenly awaited moment was certainly the Lenovo Race of Champions starring 21 Ducati riders competing in the MotoGP, Superbike and Supersport championships, who fought it out on standard Panigale V4 S and Panigale V2 bikes, equipped only with slick tyres and racing exhausts. A unique show that only Ducati can offer its fans, which saw Pecco Bagnaia triumph after also setting the fastest lap in 1m35.886s, only 2 and a half seconds more than the time from this year's Superbike pole position at Misano. Federico Caricasulo instead took the victory in the Panigale V2 category.

Many fans followed the race from the Misano stands, giving rise to some extraordinary cheering. They were joined by tens of thousands of spectators who connected from home to the live streaming on the Ducati website. But not only that: as many as 9 international televisions and online streaming services broadcast the race live in their schedule, making the Lenovo Race of Champions a truly international event. In Italy, the race was broadcast on the Sky Sport MotoGP channel with the commentary of Guido Meda and Mauro Sanchini and the contribution of Sandro Donato Grosso from the starting grid.

The autographed motorcycles of the Lenovo Race of Champions, unique pieces in racing configuration, characterized by the riders' liveries and the triple clamp bearing a lasered logo of the rider's name, will be on sale online for a selection of Ducati’s best and most enthusiastic customers globally, who will be able to access a timed online sale, before the possibility of purchase is open to everyone. The e-commerce site dedicated to this special project was created in collaboration with Drop E-business & love, one of the leading operators in the supply of e-business services.

Enormous success also for FantaWDW, which allowed the fans to have fun creating their own team of riders on which to make a prediction of victory for the Lenovo Race of Champions. In all, there were more than 18,000 accesses to the web-app in the three days.

The parade of Ducatisti on Friday evening will remain as one of the most memorable moments of this eleventh edition of the WDW. The biggest parade ever saw a massive number of bikes that first filled the circuit and then paraded along the coast before arriving in Riccione, where the Scrambler Beach Party was held to the music of Benny Benassi. At the head of the ‘Big Red Snake’ was Claudio Domenicali with MotoGP and Superbike riders, the authorities and Ducati management.

On Saturday evening, however, the pit straight of the Misano circuit was transformed to welcome the Rustida typical BBQ, this year enriched by a special recipe created by Chef Riccardo Monco of the three-star Michelin restaurant Enoteca Pinchiorri. Immediately after, on the large stage set up for the occasion in the Santamonica Municipal Stadium in Misano, all the riders who took part in the WDW greeted the fans, excitedly telling how they experienced the Lenovo Race of Champions and what it means for them to be true Ducatisti. The evening ended with a DJ set from Meduza and an incredible fireworks display to the sound of music that left everyone amazed.

Ducati is pleased to confirm that part of the contribution requested from participants for the use of the gear and helmet deposit inside the paddock will be donated to the Casa delle Donne of Bologna, a women's association and an anti-violence centre committed to combating all forms of gender-based violence, promoting activities related to cultural change, awareness raising and prevention of the phenomenon of violence against women and children.

Here are the numbers of World Ducati Week 2022:
- 5,805 laps of the track covered in total by motorcycles and cars over the three days
- 51,000 photos taken by staff photographers and 60 hours of video footage
- 84 nations represented by the participants
- 235 Ducati Official Clubs present
- 30 the number of world titles of the past and current riders who took part in the WDW
- 15 Panigale V4 S and 6 Panigale V2 made in special livery
- 33 minutes the time it took the snake of Ducati motorcycles to exit the Misano World Circuit "Marco         Simoncelli" to form the motorcycle parade for Riccione
- 1,244 experiences lived by Ducatisti in three days on the track, off-road and on the road
- 600 simulator tests on the Panigale V4 R and Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary
- 4,320 leathers tested with virtual try-on
- 45 Ducati Talks spread out over 5 stages
- 102 “mechanics graduates” participants at Monta Smonta
- 1 wedding celebrated by Paolo Ciabatti and 1 wedding vows made at WDW2022
- 22 hours of music between DJ sets and live shows in the paddock and at evening events
- 548 Ducati workers actively participated in the event
- 9 international television and online streaming services broadcast the Lenovo Race of Champions live on their schedule
- 56 are the Ducati directors and managers from Borgo Panigale and Ducati subsidiaries around the world who served and cooked during the Rustida (typical BBQ)

The digital numbers of World Ducati Week 2022:
- 552,000 page views on the Ducati website page dedicated to WDW since the opening of ticket sales
- Over 6 million impressions on Ducati social media
- Over 18,000 accesses to the FantaWDW web-app in the three days of the event
- More than 150,000 viewers connected to the live-streaming of the Lenovo Race of Champions on Ducati's YouTube channel and MotoGP Facebook page

Indian Motorcycle UK has bolstered its presence in the north of England, with the opening of a new dedicated dealer, Indian Motorcycle Sheffield; bringing America’s first motorcycle brand to Yorkshire, with full sales and after sales facilities.

With the official launch event taking place at the weekend (July 16), Indian Motorcycle Sheffield welcomed over 300 guests and customers to the launch event, where visitors were able to see the new facility as well as the Indian Motorcycle range alongside the brand’s vast clothing and accessory line-up.

Indian Motorcycle UK’s, Andy Simpson, commented,  “This is an exciting time for Indian Motorcycle in the UK. Our range of models is expanding, we have a growing customer base and we’re able to bring experienced and respected partners into our dealer network to support key areas such as South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire.

“Operated by the hugely experienced SMC Bikes team, Indian Motorcycle Sheffield is not only great news for those keen to join the Indian Motorcycle family, but an important boost for existing owners, as we strive to make their ownership experience both simpler and better. With Frank Hayes and the SMC team representing Indian Motorcycle, we are extremely confident that we have the very best representation in this important area.”

Having been in the industry for over 20 years, SMC bikes bring exceptional experience to the Indian Motorcycle dealer network. Managing Director, Frank Hayes commented, “Motorcycles have been my passion from a very early age, and since setting up in business I have had the privilege to work in an industry I love. Indian Motorcycle Sheffield is a very exciting new chapter for us and one that’s been a dream of mine for a long time now. We look forward to welcoming new and existing fans of the brand, while making friends for many years to come.”

Indian Motorcycle Sheffield can be found at  SMC Bikes, Sheffield Rd, Chesterfield, S41 9EH

www.indianmotorcycle-sheffield.co.uk