Indian and V&H Dominate 2026 KOTB Season Openers with Back-to-Back 1-2 Finishes in Daytona Debut
Newly developed Vance & Hines Indian Challenger race bike demonstrates "power & precision" with FOTB Champions Hayden Gillim & Troy Herfoss each securing first-career wins at Daytona International Speedway
Indian Motorcycle opened MotoAmerica's 2026 King of the Baggers season "with authority as the J&P Cycles / Motul / Vance & Hines Factory Indian Motorcycle Racing team delivered back-to-back 1–2 finishes at Daytona International Speedway."
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| Haydin Gillim took the KOTB Race 1 win at Daytona. |
Piloting the brand-new Vance & Hines-built Indian Challenger, Wrecking Crew riders Hayden Gillim, Troy Herfoss and Rocco Landers "showcased the bike's power and precision in a dominant weekend performance."
Momentum began early as Gillim captured the Mission King of the Baggers Challenge and its $5,000 prize, setting the tone for an explosive Friday March 06 start to the 2026 race season. Gillim followed the Challenge win with a Race 1 victory, while Herfoss earned a hard-fought P2 finish.
In Saturday's Race 2, Herfoss "continued to demonstrate his championship pedigree, claiming a victory of his own. After a Race 1 mechanical issue, Landers rebounded to take the second step on the box. The pair of wins marked Gillim's and Herfoss' first-career victories at Daytona and highlighted the strength of the all-new Indian Motorcycle-Vance & Hines Factory Racing team."
Mike Kennedy, Indian Motorcycle CEO said "what an incredible performance from the entire Indian Motorcycle and Vance & Hines Race team.
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| Troy Herfoss made it an Indian Challenger Wrecking Crew double, taking the KOTB Race 2 win at Daytona |
"Dominating a race weekend with only two test days on a brand-new bike developed in just four months is a remarkable testament to the Indian Challenger's out-of-the-box performance, the race craft expertise of Vance & Hines, and the competitive fire of our three-rider Wrecking Crew."
He went on to say that "outright speed and horsepower are what define success when racing at the Daytona International Speedway, and the Indian Challenger proved its superiority all weekend long. Powered by the championship-winning PowerPlus engine, the bike delivered relentless acceleration and top-end speed that set it apart on the high banks of Daytona.
Whether slicing past the Harley-Davidson Road Glide on the straights or, in Gillim's case, building commanding gaps over the field, the Indian Challenger's performance left no question about its power advantage."
Race 1 saw Gillim deliver a commanding performance aboard his #69 Indian Challenger. After running third through much of the opening lap, Gillim used the draft to surge past Herfoss and Harley-Davidson rider Kyle Wyman before the end of Lap 1.
"From there, Gillim set a steady pace and quickly pulled away from the field. His dominant performance saw him maintain a lead of more than four seconds in the closing laps before ultimately taking the checkered flag by more than eight seconds. Behind him, Herfoss and Wyman traded passes throughout the race in a hard-fought battle for second.
"In the final laps, Herfoss made a decisive defensive move to shut the door on Wyman's drafting attempt, securing the runner-up position and showcasing the power and precision of the Vance & Hines Indian Challenger race bike."
The team's momentum carried into Race 2, where the Indian Wrecking Crew again found themselves at the center of the action in a tightly contested battle with Harley-Davidson factory riders.
"Gillim initially surged to the front and began building a gap early, while Herfoss and Wyman traded positions in an intense bar-to-bar fight for second. The battle tightened in the closing laps as mistakes and drafting opportunities reshuffled the order and a mechanical issue took Gillim out of the race.
"Despite briefly dropping positions after a mistake entering the horseshoe and overcoming a momentary false neutral, Herfoss fought his way back into contention as the race approached its final lap." Herfoss powered his #17 Indian Challenger into the lead to secure his first Daytona victory, while Landers used the draft in the closing moments to pass Wyman and put his #97 Indian Challenger second on the box."
The result capped a remarkable opening weekend for the J&P Cycles / Motul / Vance & Hines Factory Indian Motorcycle Racing Team, delivering a powerful statement in the sport's premier V-twin rivalry. Herfoss leads the Mission King of the Baggers standings with 45 points, while Gillim sits tied for second with 32 points heading into Road Atlanta, April 17-19.
Sponsors for the 2026 Indian Motorcycle-Vance & Hines Factory Race team includes J&P Cycles, Motul, Progressive Insurance, Drag Specialties and Performance Finance.
