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Archives: A Review of American Flat Track 2019 - Cycle News
While there is a lot of buzz currently with the recent growth of American Flat Track, Sumner also pointed out a few disturbing trends. In 2019 only 41 riders competed in AFT Twins nationals. That’s down from 73 riders in 2018. The maximum rider turnout at any AFT Twins national this year was 25. In 2018 the maximum rider turnout for a single event was 42. That stands in stark contrast to the heyday of the sport in the mid-1970s when it was not uncommon to have over 100 AFT Twins riders showing up to try to make a national.

American Flat Track also announced potential restructuring of who can participate in nationals starting in 2020, with AFT Twins being called SuperTwins. The new vision was met with almost universal disdain in the flat track community. The new structure would greatly restrict the potential participants in the series and also appeared to require quite high investment on the part of teams to even participate. Traditionalists decried the direction of the series as one that would exclude the man in a van with a plan, the low-dollar rider who would try to participate in the occasional national that came close to his or her home.

It remains to be seen how much of this new vision with actually be implemented, but one thing is certain, American Flat Track is moving towards a completely new business model, the likes which has never been seen in the 66-year history of the series.

 

[high plains rider]

yup... it's the NASCAR model... it sucks and I don't like it.. but in the end with factory racing teams the "man with the van" is done anyway... most of those types considered making a main the victory they were after... now the only "man with the van" that can compete better fork out 50K for a FTR... I bet they go to the new model... they are going live on NBCSN next year and they'll do something to have the "main 17" riders in the main event...

 

[Hatt]

As long as the racing it's self stays as exciting as it is currently, I have no opinion of what may go both ways.

 

[Joegopher]

The man with a van and a plan will still be able to race in the "Production Twins" series. I only use quotes because the only thing production about those bikes is the engine block.

When I first read about the changes I wasn't overly thrilled about the Super Twins category given that the numbers of riders was much lower week to week than in past years. Indian and the FTR750 can shoulder some of the blame for that. But who knows - it may improve competition and there is still a way for the upstart to get on a single for less than $10K and then work their way up to Prod. Twins and then Super Twins.

My comparison is more of the FIA model where the singles = F3, Production = F2 and the Super Twins = F1.

 

[high plains rider]

it should.... I just can't really believe that it's taking up to 3 years if not longer for HD to compete... they have the recourses, they have the money.... Yamaha with it's behind the scenes factory support might just move up quicker...

 

[IMARIDER]

it should.... I just can't really believe that it's taking up to 3 years if not longer for HD to compete... they have the recourses, they have the money.... Yamaha with it's behind the scenes factory support might just move up quicker...

I think we will see at least 13 Indians in the guaranteed field . It won’t be easy for other manufacturers to enter.


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[high plains rider]

I think we will see at least 13 Indians in the guaranteed field . It won’t be easy for other manufacturers to enter.


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but you will see two factory HD rides... if they can compete and put out a bike for the privateer's to buy... I don't think they are changing any rule on being able to switch brands mid-stream...

 

[Joegopher]

I think the only thing you can guarantee is that there will be 3 Indians from 2 different teams (1 Factory team and Jared Mees' team) and at least the Factory H-D team that will have two bikes. Likely Estenson, backed by Yamaha, will have two bikes as well. That makes 6 or 7. That gives space for 11 or 12 bikes to create teams and go for the Super Twin class. There will likely be more Indians in the field as long as they can come up with some form of sponsorship deal that the AFT will approve.

Read an interview the other day with the CEO of KTM and they are planning on getting in to the twins class in the 2021 season but he did not say if it was Production or Super.

 

[IMARIDER]

I think the only thing you can guarantee is that there will be 3 Indians from 2 different teams (1 Factory team and Jared Mees' team) and at least the Factory H-D team that will have two bikes. Likely Estenson, backed by Yamaha, will have two bikes as well. That makes 6 or 7. That gives space for 11 or 12 bikes to create teams and go for the Super Twin class. There will likely be more Indians in the field as long as they can come up with some form of sponsorship deal that the AFT will approve.

Read an interview the other day with the CEO of KTM and they are planning on getting in to the twins class in the 2021 season but he did not say if it was Production or Super.

The AFT just announced another Indian rider will be joining the Super Twins class


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[Joegopher]

Do you mind sharing where you read the announcement? It isn't on the AFT site or their twitter feed.

If I understand the rules correctly, there has to be some kind of team aspect to run Super Twins next year. I don't know if that means Jeffrey Carver is good since he is sponsored by Milwaukee Indian or not, but I think it might mean that if you have 50 little dollar sponsors, vs. 1 or 2 big sponsors with a team name, it might be a struggle getting one of the coveted 18 seats in AFT Super Twins.

 

[IMARIDER]

Do you mind sharing where you read the announcement? It isn't on the AFT site or their twitter feed.

If I understand the rules correctly, there has to be some kind of team aspect to run Super Twins next year. I don't know if that means Jeffrey Carver is good since he is sponsored by Milwaukee Indian or not, but I think it might mean that if you have 50 little dollar sponsors, vs. 1 or 2 big sponsors with a team name, it might be a struggle getting one of the coveted 18 seats in AFT Super Twins.

It was on an Instagram feed a short video so it's gone now. I commented on it but I didn't get a response
Update 1
There will be no privateers in the Super Twins class.
Update 2

Dan Bromley on Instagram: “Very happy to publicly announce that I have been given the opportunity to race the Super Twins class in 2020. I am grateful to have the…”

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[Joegopher]

It was on an Instagram feed a short video so it's gone now. I commented on it but I didn't get a response
Update 1
There will be no privateers in the Super Twins class.
Update 2

Dan Bromley on Instagram: “Very happy to publicly announce that I have been given the opportunity to race the Super Twins class in 2020. I am grateful to have the…”

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Interesting. He is showing a Roof Systems sponsorship for his Indian. They had Brandon Price on an Indian as primary sponsor and Daniel Carver as a secondary sponsor. Since the teams can only guarantee entry of two bikes, I wonder who will get left out?

I like Bromley and think he's a very good, consistent rider. Be interesting to see what he does on the twins!

 

[IMARIDER]

Interesting. He is showing a Roof Systems sponsorship for his Indian. They had Brandon Price on an Indian as primary sponsor and Daniel Carver as a secondary sponsor. Since the teams can only guarantee entry of two bikes, I wonder who will get left out?

I like Bromley and think he's a very good, consistent rider. Be interesting to see what he does on the twins!

Didn’t Brandon Price ride the last two races on a Harley ? I thought you could have up to 3 riders on a team !
Never mind that was Brandon Robinson
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[high plains rider]

I believe it is 3 per team....

 

[Joegopher]

Again, if I am reading the rules correctly, a team can have as many riders as they like, but can only get two of their bikes in to any given race. I read the new rules when they first came out a while ago and I could be wrong or just misinterpret them.

 

[Joegopher]

From the top of the 2020 Super Twins rules:

Teams may apply for AFT SuperTwins teams in one of three tiers: Partner, Pro and Wildcard: (a) Partner Teams: Partner Teams can field up to two (2) season-long entries and will be provided benefits, discounts and an array of Marketing, Communication and Broadcast services as detailed in Exhibit A. (b) Pro Teams: Pro Teams can field up to two (2) season-long entries and can select from the available Marketing, Communication and Broadcast offerings on an a la carte basis as detailed in Exhibit A. (c) Wildcard Teams: Wildcard Teams should identify the events they would like to enter in Exhibit B and apply for single-event entries by December 1, 2019. A maximum of fourteen (14) grid positions will be reserved for Partner Teams and Pro Teams fielding season-long entries. AFT will accept single-event pre-entries from up to four (4) Wildcard Teams for each event. If single-event entries remain unfilled for the eighteen (18) grid positions for any of the events on the 2020 American Flat Track event schedule, those unfilled positions will be offered to Partner and Pro Teams wishing to field an additional entry until all eighteen (18) grid positions are filled. The initial AFT SuperTwins Team application process will end on December 1, 2019. In order to participate in the AFT SuperTwins Class as a PARTNER TEAM, PRO TEAM or WILDCARD TEAM and to be eligible to share in any racing purse, posted awards and contingency programs distributed in connection with the AFT SuperTwins Class, the undersigned hereby agrees to the following:

 

[splitt]

This didn't come as a big surprise to me. I heard through an inside source back in August that Bromley was scheduled to do some "testing" on a FTR750.

The new rule changes though had me wondering how it was going to turn out.

 

[high plains rider]

the 3 was from leaks earlier in the year... you have the actual guide lines or rules as they are... so now what is Indian and Harley factory riders?... pro teams or Partner teams and who are they a partner with? seems pretty easy for a manufacturer to load up the entries... if they wanted too

 

[Joegopher]

I imagine the Indian and H-D factory teams will be Partner teams which is a continuation of the previous years where the manufacturer sponsors races, etc.

What I am curious about is with the Indian factory team of Bauman and Bauman likely set (hard to argue with season #1 and #3), I wonder if Jared Mees' team picks up an additional sponsor or more factory $$$ and fields another rider? It'll also be interesting to see what the H-D team does given they ended the season with 3 riders and Brandon Robinson has been their best rider on that bike. Sammy Halbert has looked disinterested in racing for quite a while so it wouldn't surprise me if he is odd man out.

 

[high plains rider]

Jared could add another bike I guess... he seems to be pretty resourceful about his future and he is getting up there in age... not now but I could see him as a team owner/manager in a couple of years... Sammy? his best years are slipping away and I don't think he likes the bike he's on.... no proof... just his attitude..