RSD's Bobby Fong Wins KOTB at Brainerd on the Indian Challenger
In a sensational turn of events at the penultimate round of the 2022 King Of The Baggers season so far (Brainerd International Raceway, Minnesota, July 31), Indian Motorcycle Racing, presented by Mission Foods, captured two King Of The Baggers podium positions.
Privateer Bobby Fong, piloting Steve Delorenzi's Sacramento Mile S&S-built RSD Indian Challenger, secured his first-career King Of The Baggers win, while Tyler O'Hara of the Mission Foods/S&S Cycle/Indian Challenger Team took third - sandwiching H-D Screamin' Eagle's Travis Wyman in second.
The sixth King Of The Baggers event of the season was nothing short of dramatic, as a red-flag restart rescheduled the event to end of the day and shortened it to five laps. Though during competition, rain on turn 3-4 ultimately caused race officials to call the race after just three laps.
Despite starting from the back row, Fong fought hard during the first lap to reach second. Without hesitation, Fong then made an aggressive move as he dove inside and stood up O'Hara to make the pass and capture the lead and secure his first-ever King Of The Baggers win.
"Congrats to Bobby and RSD on their first win. It was a well-deserved victory as the RSD race team works extremely hard to ensure those Indian Challengers are dialed-in and ready for competition," said Gary Gray, Vice President Racing, Service & Technology.
"This has been a fun, neck-and-neck battle throughout the entire season. With one race remaining, it's all on the line, and we couldn't be any more excited to head to New Jersey and give it all we got."
The result left Harley's Travis Wyman and his brother Kyle in first and third spots respectively in the Championship standings, with Indian's Tyler O'Hara in second and teammate Jeremy 'Jezza' McWilliams in fourth. The Brainerd result lifted Bobby Fong and the RSD/Indian team into fifth with one race to go.
That final race will see the season conclude at the Millville, New Jersey Motorsports Park, September 9-11.
www.IndianMotorcycle.com
Scott Briody
Prior to the King Of The Baggers race, on Friday July 29, MotoAmerica racer Scott Briody passed away following a single-motorcycle crash. "Our condolences go out to Scott Briody's friends and family, his team, and everyone in the MotoAmerica paddock," said Gray.