Indian Motorcycle brings RSD SuperHooligan Races at Red Bull Day in the Dirt

Day In The Dirt is an annual grand prix style motocross event put on by Fasthouse and has come to be known as the fastest party on two wheels. An equal mixture of racing and hanging out with some of the fastest racers, industry folks, and Hollywood stunt and film community. Bringing all of these worlds together makes for a very interesting 3-day event, that happens on Thanksgiving holiday weekend every year at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, CA. It is probably the second largest event that goes on out there behind the AMA Pro outdoor national. With a full spectrum of racing classes throughout the weekend, everyone has a chance to compete. From Beginners to Pros, Kids to Vets, multiple team races, adult minibike racing, basically everything you can think of. These races pack the house with 5,000-6,000 people, making for some great energy.

Daily schedule of DITD races run from 8AM to 2PM then on Saturday Hell On Wheels M/C also holds some Run What Ya’ Brung TT races that start after the main races are done and race into the night. This is where the really rowdy fun-havers come in. Most of these guys are not as worried about winning as they are about just having a damn good time riding whatever they have, rocking retro gear, hanging out with friends and getting style for the camera and just sharing fun on two wheels with a bunch of other like-minded people. You’ll see everything on the track from ATC’s to day-of Craigslist buys, as well as pristine-condition fully restored vintage race bikes.

This year, RSD got in the mix to add SuperHooligan TT and flat track races to this already great event. In addition to the existing TT course, the track crew also carved out an 1/8^th mile oval short track and set up lights so we could run as late as we needed after the TT races ended. There were a bunch of new faces of guys that finished up building Hooligan bikes and everyone was excited to put on a show for all the fans. Since the DITD races ended at 2 o’clock, all those people heard bikes running at our track and started coming over to check out the bikes and see what was happening. Everybody was getting revved up and set for an awesome Saturday afternoon full of racing but, just as the TT races got started, the skies turned to grey then opened up and a downpour of rain commenced. The TT track turned into a bowl of soupy mud and the newly groomed short track was now a lake.

While all the spectators ducked for cover under any overhang they could find, all the racers started gearing up. Rain is rare out here in California so racing motorcycles in it is even rarer. All the riders were super excited to go play in the mud like little kids. With the flat track under water, the event turned into TT only racing on the Scrambles style motocross track. No big jumps but, left and right turns and a couple of elevation changes thrown in. These big, heavy Hooligan bikes could handle this track no problem but, it was not a flat track like everyone is used to riding them on. The mud and continuous downpour of rain, combined with not-so-knobby flat track tires, on a different type of track than usual, was destined to make for some exciting racing to watch.

It was anybody’s day to win and would come down to who could make the least amount of mistakes and, more than anything, keep it on two wheels. What is usually a loud roar of a pack of V-twin engines revving wide open and guys rushing bar to bar into the first turn, the start of the first Hooligan mud TT was a bit different. Everybody dumped their clutches when the flag dropped but the first to turn one was the guy that had the best throttle control and was able to turn wheel spin into traction. Bikes were sideways, mud was flying and you could tell everyone was having to work to keep their bikes going where they wanted them to. One thing was for sure and that was that everyone was soaked, muddy and having a blast. We had some talented riders piloting our Indian Motorcycles Scout Sixty Hooligan bikes but the main event was just as squirrely. The podium went to the three guys that were able to keep their bikes underneath them. RSD x Indian team rider Jordan Graham finished 3^rd, Unknown Industries rider Holden Pruitt snagged 2^nd and See Motorcycles racer Andy Dibrino down all the way from Portland took home the WIN.

Thanks to everyone for coming out and partying with us in the mud. We were especially stoked to get a bunch of different moto rippers a chance to throw their leg over our Indian Scouts before the rain started, so they could see what Hooligan Racing is all about. Hell On Wheels M/C will be throwing another flat track race in January to make up for the rain-out, so everybody can come out and slide. Stay tuned for more details soon.