Harley Baggers on a Mission at Brainerd
RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson rider Hayden Gillim dominated the MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers double-header race weekend at Brainerd International Speedway in Brainerd, Minn. Aboard a race-prepared 2024 Road Glide motorcycle, the defending Mission King of the Baggers champion Gillim set a new track record to top qualifying, won the Mission King of the Baggers Challenge dash for cash sprint race, and both feature races on Saturday and Sunday.
Harley-Davidson Factory Racing rider James Rispoli bounced back from a crash on Saturday to finish third on Sunday and score his fourth podium finish of the season. Teammate Kyle Wyman finished in fourth place on Saturday and in eighth place on Sunday following a mechanical issue.
“A weekend like this is a payoff for all the work the Vance & Hines team has done since September,” said Gillim following the Sunday race. “It’s an awesome weekend after a rough one at Road America. The whole start of the season has been a little rough. Wearing the number one plate this season I thought it might be a little easier than it has been. I’m really happy for myself and the team and looking forward to Laguna.”
“I’m stoked to give my factory Harley-Davidson crew a podium today,” added Rispoli following the Sunday race. “It was greasy out there and I played the smart card to bring it home. I am bummed for Kyle and know he will rebound at Laguna Seca. Thank you everyone for your continued support.”
Gillim topped qualifying with a track-record lap of 1:34.717 on Saturday on the 2.5mile, 13-turn Brainerd International road course. Gillim won the Mission King of the Baggers Challenge sprint race by 1.342s over his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson teammate Rocco Landers. In the nine-lap Saturday race, Gillim set the pace from the start and opened a gap between him and a close fight between Factory Indian rider Tyler O’Hara, Rispoli and Wyman. Wyman got by O’Hara on the last lap to finish in fourth place, with Landers zapping Factory Indian’s Troy Herfoss in the last corner to take second place.
On Sunday, Gillim again led from the start and opened a lead that would stretch to 6.5s at the finish.. O’Hara, Herfoss, and Rispoli gave chase, with Herfoss crashing on lap five but able to pick up his bike and rejoin the race. Rispoli took third place behind O’Hara on the podium. Championship leader Herfoss finished seventh. After setting a record pace over the field in the Sunday morning warm-up session, Wyman suffered a clutch issue on the warm-up lap, but was able to complete the race in eighth place and claim eight valuable championship points.
“Today was a big shame after setting the track record on the morning warm up on used tires. We really made huge step with the bike overnight on Saturday. I felt like we had a bike that could win,” said Wyman. “To have a clutch issue right out of the gate was tough to swallow on the warm-up lap. I just rolled around and tried to score all the points I could score. But we’re still in really good shape for the championship. And I’m looking forward to Laguna Seca and the rest of the races.”
After 10 of 18 rounds in the 2024 MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series, Herfoss leads the championship with 205 points. Wyman is second with 192points, followed by O’Hara with 142points, Gillim with 135points, and Rispoli with 108points.
Harley-Davidson Factory Racing returns to action July 12-14 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, Calif. for the MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey.
MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Race Results – Brainerd Race 1
1. Hayden Gillim (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
2. Rocco Landers (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
3. Troy Herfoss (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
4. Kyle Wyman (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
5. Tyler O’Hara (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
6. Jake Lewis (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
7. Cory West (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
8. Max Flinders (Ind) Mad Monkey Motorsports
MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Race Results – Brainerd Race 2
1. Hayden Gillim (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
2. Tyler O’Hara (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
3. James Rispoli (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
4. Jake Lewis (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
5. Cory West (H-D) Saddleman/Harley-Davidson
6. Max Flinders (Ind) Mad Monkey Motorsports
7. Troy Herfoss (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
8. Kyle Wyman (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
Words and images by Harley-Davidson Press Office