The Indian Challenger has become the true ‘King of the Baggers’ by acquiring two podium places at the inaugural Drag Specialties King of the Baggers invitational at Laguna Seca Raceway. Facing a field of 11 Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the S&S Cycle Indian Challenger, piloted by highly decorated motorcycle racing Champion Tyler O’Hara, captured the win, while veteran rider Frankie Garcia put his Roland Sands Design Indian Challenger on the box with a third-place finish. Claiming two out of three podium positions, the Indian Challenger dramatically showcased its superiority on one of road racing’s most iconic and technical tracks.
The historic race played out in truly dramatic fashion. Barely, 24-hours after an accident where Frankie Garcia “looped” his 272 kg machine during qualifying, the rider rebounded taking the holeshot. But it was O’Hara who immediately established a commanding lead through the first three laps.
With five laps remaining, an off-track mishap sent O’Hara back to third and Garcia to second, allowing veteran rider Hayden Gillim to take the lead. From there, O’Hara began a patient, methodical comeback, working his way past Garcia and dramatically passing Gillim while diving into the famed “Corkscrew” during the penultimate lap. O’Hara held strong for the final lap winning the inaugural race by 1.9 seconds and earning the title “King of the Baggers.
Commenting on the phenomenal race, Reid Wilson, Vice President for Indian Motorcycle, said, “Watching 13 baggers carving through Laguna Seca’s famed “Corkscrew” was a special moment in motorcycle racing. That said, watching the new Indian Challenger defeat 11 highly-modified Harley Davidsons was a monumental achievement and dramatic validation for the work our product designers and engineers have put into developing the Indian Challenger.”
