Saddlemen Pan America ST Racers Dominate Daytona Super Hooligans
Saddlemen Race Development riders James Rispoli, Jake Lewis, and Cory West rode race-prepared Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 ST motorcycles to sweep both podiums in the opening rounds of the 2026 MotoAmerica Mission Foods Super Hooligan National Championship brought to you by Roland Sands Design.
In a March 6-7 double-header of racing at Daytona International Speedway defending Super Hooligan, champion Rispoli won the opening round on Friday, and Lewis won on Saturday, each prevailing in classic Daytona last-lap drafting battles to win by fractions of a second. West finished second in both races.
Meanwhile, Harley-Davidson x DynoJet Factory Race Team rider Kyle Wyman opened his title defense of the MotoAmerica Mission Foods King of the Baggers championship with a pair of third-place finishes on a race-prepared Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycle.
In the Daytona Short Track, Latus Motors Racing rider Kody Kopp opened the season in historic fashion, riding a Harley-Davidson XG750R motorcycle to a pair of Mission Foods AFT SuperTwins victories to become the first rider to win their debut race in the premier flat track class.
The Saddlemen Super Hooligan 'sweep' saw Rispoli top qualifying with a best lap of 1:52.991 around the 3.56-mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway road course to take the pole for a Friday race that saw 35 bikes on the grid representing nine different motorcycle brands.
Throughout the race seven or more bikes battled in a pack that saw multiple lead changes on each lap. On the final lap, Rispoli led through the infield section and onto the high-banked oval but backed off to let Ducati rider Gus Rodio take the lead out of the chicane and onto the final banked oval section.
In the final drafting chase to the finish line, Rispoli held off Saddlemen Race Development teammates Cory West and Jake Lewis by a combined 0.020 seconds, with fourth place going to Saddlemen Race Development rider Travis Wyman on a modified Harley-Davidson FXR Big Twin motorcycle. Rodio finished fifth with only 0.314 seconds separating the top ten riders at the finish.
In Race 2 on Saturday March 7, West and Lewis each took a turn leading an official lap in another close-fought battle that included the Saddlemen Race Development squad, Yamaha riders Robertino Pietri and Andy DiBrino and Rodio. Once again Rispoli led the field through the infield on the final lap, but it was Pietri who led as the pack exited the chicane.
At the finish Lewis prevailed in a tight pack of drafting riders, besting West by 0.012 seconds with Rispoli just 0.063 seconds behind in third place.
After two of 10 rounds in the 2026 Mission Foods Super Hooligan Championship, Lewis and Rispoli are tied with 41 points, followed by West with 40 points and Wyman with 23 points.
Next up for the Super Hooligan Championship class will be the resumes May 15-17 at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama on May 15-17.
