When Indian Motorcycle announced its return to the American Flat Track Championship in 2016, it caused quite a stir.
But as the brand’s VP of Racing, Gary Gray reminded us, it was simply reconnecting with its history – racing has been core to the Indian Motorcycle brand DNA since the company was founded in 1901. Jared Mees sent shock waves through the crowd when he rode the FTR750 to victory in its first race, at Daytona in 2017. Between them, the three official Indian Motorcycle riders – Mees, Bryan Smith and Brad Baker – dominated the race with 14 wins out of a possible 18. Jared Mees alone took 10 of these. The FTR revolutionized the landscape of American flat track racing.
Since then, the FTR has claimed eight consecutive championships, with Jared Mees securing six and Briar Bauman taking two. It boasts an unrivalled track record, having won 103 of the 137 races it has entered, and securing 300 total podiums.
"I’ve been fortunate enough to be on this journey with Indian Motorcycle since day one,” said Jared Mees. “Racing the FTR750 has been an incredible experience, as I’ve never experienced a bike like it in all my years competing. We’ve had immense success over the past eight years, and it’s a real honor to be a part of it."
Counting both the official Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew’s FTRs and the race-ready competition-client models, this incredible machine has been piloted by 45 riders over the past eight years. Indian Motorcycle commends each and every one of them for their dedication.
With new technical regulations being brought in by the AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) in 2025, Indian Motorcycle won’t be able to compete in the American Flat Track Championships with the FTR any longer. With a final flourish – a last and tenth title for Jared Mees – the FTR took its final curtain call this season, having remained undefeated since 2017.
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