The King Of The Baggers double-header finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park brought exciting bagger action to the track and gave rookie KOTB racer Troy Herfoss the opportunity to surpass Harley-Davidson factory rider Kyle Wyman in points and claim the championship.
Heading into Saturday’s race, Wyman was ahead of Indian’s Herfoss by only two points. But it was Revzilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson rider Rocco Landers who would claim the victory. Landers led from the start, then got shuffled into a pack of riders. By Lap 5, Herfoss and Landers opened a gap ahead of the pack and battled for the win, with Herfoss overtaking Landers for a moment on the last lap before Landers got it back. Landers crossed the line 0.182 second before Herfoss, with Wyman finishing 3rd.
During Sunday’s race, Herfoss held the front while Wyman and Landers battled behind him. By the end, Landers had passed Wyman to claim 2nd, 1.733 seconds behind Herfoss.
Herfoss, a three-time Australian Superbike Champion, finished his first year of KOTB racing with 358 points. Wyman finished 2nd in the standings with 347 points. Hayden Gillim, Rocco Landers, and Tyler O’Hara all had 224 points, followed by James Rispoli with 196 points.
Read Harley-Davidson press release below for more information.
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MILWAUKEE (September 29, 2024) – RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson rider Rocco Landers led every lap of the MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers race on Saturday to take his second win of the season in the final double-header weekend of the series at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Milville, N.J. Landers was also the top qualifier for the event and notched his eighth consecutive podium result with a second-place finish on Sunday. Harley-Davidson Factory Racing rider Kyle Wyman rode a race-prepared 2024 Road Glide motorcycle to third-place results on Saturday and Sunday and finished second in the King Of The Baggers championship.
“I always want to win these races so badly,” said Landers. “Today it was so much fun to battle with these guys. I want to give a huge shout-out to the Vance and Hines team for putting me on a great bike again today.”
Landers led from the start on Saturday on the 2.250-mile, 12-turn New Jersey Motorsports Park road course. Early in the race a tight pack of riders including Landers, Wyman, Harley-Davidson Factory Racing rider James Rispoli, and Factory Indian riders Troy Herfoss and Tyler O’Hara diced for position. On lap five Herfoss moved into second place, and he and Landers opened a gap on Wyman, Rispoli, and O’Hara. On the final lap Herfoss passed for the lead but was immediately overtaken by Landers, who led Herfoss by 0.182 seconds at the finish. Wyman was third, followed by O’Hara, and Rispoli.
On Sunday, it was Wyman getting the jump on the field at the start only to be passed by Herfoss mid-way through the first lap. Herfoss gradually opened a lead on Wyman and Landers, who battled all race. Landers passed Wyman on the last lap to claim second place. Herfoss crossed the finish line 1.733 seconds clear of Landers. Wyman was third.
“I will always fight to the end,” said Wyman, who came up 11 points short of winning the Mission King Of The Baggers championship. “Troy rode a great race and I just didn’t have the pace today. I’ve had so many great moments this season. It has been the pinnacle of my career to represent Harley-Davidson and go up against number 17. We’ll be back to challenge for the title next season.”
For the 18-race season, Wyman won six races and finished on the podium seven times. Rispoli finished on the podium four times in his first season with the Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Team.
“It’s been an amazing journey with the team,” said Rispoli following the Sunday race. “We really grew a lot this season and had some great results. I’m super proud, and super humble, to be part of this team making Harley-Davidson racing history. We have picked each other up when we were down. We put blood, sweat, and tears into this season and I’m looking forward to next year.”
After completing the 18-round 2024 MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers series, Herfoss scored 358 points to claim first place. Wyman finishes second with 347 points. RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson rider Hayden Gillim is third with 224 points, followed by Landers and O’Hara, also with 224 points. Rispoli is sixth with 196 points.
The Mission King Of The Baggers series features race-prepared American V-Twin touring motorcycles. Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Road Glide motorcycles are powered by modified Screamin’ Eagle Milwaukee-Eight 131 Performance Crate Engines. The team bikes also feature upgraded suspension components, including Screamin’ Eagle/Öhlins Remote Reservoir Rear Shocks, plus competition exhaust, race tires and lightweight bodywork.
Harley-Davidson Factory Racing is sponsored by Mission Foods, Rockford Fosgate, Brembo, Öhlins, Protolabs, SYN3 lubricants, and Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts and Accessories.
MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Race Results – New Jersey Motorsports Park Race 1
- Rocco Landers (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
- Troy Herfoss (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
- Kyle Wyman (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
- Tyler O’Hara (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
- James Rispoli (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
- Bobby Fong (Ind) SDI/Roland Sands Racing/Indian Motorcycle
- Jake Lewis (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
- Kyle Ohnsorg (Ind) RydFast Racing
- Cory West (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
- Travis Wyman (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Race Results – New Jersey Motorsports Park Race 2
- Troy Herfoss (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
- Rocco Landers (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
- Kyle Wyman (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
- Tyler O’Hara (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
- Hayden Gillim (H-D) RevZilla/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
- James Rispoli (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
- Bobby Fong (Ind) SDI/Roland Sands Racing/Indian Motorcycle
- Jake Lewis (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
- Kyle Ohnsorg (Ind) RydFast Racing
- Cory West (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
- Travis Wyman (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
