The much-anticipated Drag Specialties King of the Baggers event highlights the return of MotoAmerica roadracing to Laguna Seca this weekend. Sandbaggers and cherry pickers like Ben Bostrom and Josh Herrin will take the track Saturday afternoon, October 24, as the Baggers highlight the opening day of racing in the MotoAmerica GEICO Motorcycle Superbike Speedfest at Monterey.
The teams have gone all-in on the concept and are recruiting some top flight talent to pilot their Baggers. Former AMA Superbike Champ and multi-time World Superbike race winner Ben Bostrom will be hustling the #77 Feuling Parts Harley-Davidson entry through the familiar corkscrew, while the #50 Performance Machine entry will be ridden by 2013 AMA Superbike Champion and current MotoAmerica Superbike racer Josh Herrin.
Hayden Gillim, who last year came very close to earning the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship, is on the Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson entry, while the SlyFox Harley will see former AMA and MotoAmerica racer Cory West in the saddle. Another former MotoAmerica contender, Tyler O’Hara, will be riding the S&S Indian Challenger; and Josh Chisum, on the Barnett Clutches Harley, is another who has raced in MotoAmerica previously.
Current MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and Superbike racer Travis Wyman is set to tackle the Trask Performance Harley-Davidson and Michael Woolaway, a highly regarded bike builder and Pikes Peak racer, doing likewise on the Saddlemen Road Glide. Eric Stahl will take to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on the Alloy Art MFG Co. Road King with Tony Sollima riding The Speed Merchant’s Electra Glide Standard.
Arlen Ness is set to field a Harley with noted stunt rider and the son of former 500cc World Motocross Champion Logan Lackey handling the riding chores. A second Indian entry has been fielded by Roland Sands Design and will feature flat tracker/road racer Frankie Garcia. You may also have heard of Michael Barnes, the veteran hired gun who has been a race winner in nearly all forms of AMA road racing over the years. The Floridian will ride a Bassani Xhaust Road King.
The eight-lap Drag Specialties King of the Baggers race is scheduled for 4:45 p.m. (Pacific) on Saturday afternoon, October 24, on the Monterey Peninsula. The race will air live on MotoAmerica Live+, the live streaming and on-demand service from MotoAmerica, and on Harley-Davidson TV. Additionally, the final practice session for the Baggers will air live on MotoAmerica’s Facebook page at 4:40 p.m. (Pacific) on Friday.