adds Zaria Martens of Germantown, Wisconsin. “The BTR program is such an amazing opportunity for women racers. I’m so glad that I am able to be on the team this season.”
BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. Royal Enfield BTR Returns To AFT
W
hen we first spoke to Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead – Royal Enfield Americas, about her plan to introduce women to American Flat Track Racing with the innovative Build. Train. Race. Program, Dealernews said she was crazy. Now in its third year, Royal Enfield’s groundbreaking BTR is back at AFT and bigger than ever with 15 women leading the charge into 2020… and crazier still, Poland not only added a BTR Roadracing effort in 2021, she has doubled that series to 6 MotoAmerica races and 15 more women. The hook for dealers is the fact that all 30 of the “Builds” will be done in conjunction with a Royal Enfield dealer or local shop. “The Build. Train. Race. program fosters a class of women riders in building their own unique Royal Enfield race-ready motorcycles and provides guidance and training throughout an entire race season,” she explains. With a full field of 15 riders and a total of seven rounds in the 2022 Progressive American Flat Track season, Royal Enfield BTR will have a larger presence than ever in the classic American motorcycle racing circuit.
2022 BTR Flat Track Roster Jaycee Jones, 23, Fallbrook, California Lana MacNaughton, 32, Nampa, Idaho Gabrielle Hughes, 24, Akron, Ohio Nean Kiskela, 41, Portland, Oregon Jillian Deschenes, 33, Otsego, Minnesota Malary Lee, 31, Buda, Texas Erin Ferris, 31, Graham, Washington Anna Serena, 36, Miami Beach, Florida Stephanie Pietz, 35, Mesa, Arizona Kaiela Hobart, 28, Bremerton, Washington Zaria Martens, 18, Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin Alex Bumpus Mcdonald, 33, Murfreesboro, Tennessee Makenna Hiatt, 22, Camano Island, Washington Moriah Hummer, 35, Fort Collins, Colorado Mia Reese, 28, Woodstock, Illinois “I want to give more women more bikes to build and race,” says Royal Enfield’s Breeann Poland explaining how the BTR program is doubling up with flat track and roadracing in 2021. “Our dealers were super psyched about BTR last year, so the women selected to go racing will be located close to a participating dealer and that dealer can help them with shop space or tools and help guide the builds because I’m not going to be there to mentor so many new women. “It will also help get the dealers engaged... when we do identify the women with both flat track and roadracing, we will identify the dealers to work with those women.” We caught up with Bree at Royal Enfield’s Slide School last fall when she hinted at some of the big things coming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXA4Vyi2bmE
“Following our success of the last two seasons with the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. program, it only made sense to go even bigger for 2022,” claims Poland. “We continue to be overwhelmed by the support and enthusiasm from fans, sponsors and the entire American Flat Track paddock and we’re so excited to have an even larger presence this season.”
After a true Cinderella story debut, Royal Enfield expanded BTR into roadracing in 2021. “Participants had the opportunity to learn from world class racer Melissa Paris, which is not a chance many people get,” note Poland. “The ladies were also some of the first people in the world to race the Continental GT 650 platform last year.”
THE RIDERS “We have an incredible group of women and a full race schedule ahead — this is going to be a big year for Royal Enfield at American Flat Track.” Seven returning riders will be joined by eight new participants, growing the Royal Enfield BTR presence in the Progressive American Flat Track paddock to 15 racers over last season’s nine.
Build. Train. Race. participants each receive a Royal Enfield INT 650 motorcycle which they design and modify into their own unique race bike. This twin-cylinder classic-style motorcycle is an ideal platform for flat track racing. Crew Chief Erik Moldenhauer will work with the women, providing technical advice and support throughout the build and race portions of the program while Moto Anatomy X Royal Enfield racer Johnny Lewis will help provide on-track training.
Front runners Jillian Deschenes and Jaycee Jones return and will likely continue their battle for dominance. “I learned so much through the program that I apply to my daily life on and off the track,” said returning rider Jaycee Jones of Fallbrook, California. “I am beyond excited to be on the team again. It’s going to be a good year making new friendships and having more competition.” Lana MacNaughton, Gabrielle Hughes, Nean Kiskela, Malary Lee and Erin Ferris are also back and hungry for more in 2022, along with eight newcomers, “I can’t explain how stoked I am to be part of the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. team this year,”
56