Victory Motorcycles is taking a bold step into the performance world and partners with Matt Smith to create NHRA Pro Stock Factory Effort. The Victory riding team will be World Champion Matt Smith and his wife.co-rider Angie.
Victory intends to compete at the pinnacle of the sport and anticipates a strong and professional effort with the skills and experience of Matt and Angie Smith.
“Victory is excited to enter the world of NHRA Pro Stock Drag Racing.” said Steve Menneto, VP Motorcycles for Polaris. “It is Victory’s intent to continue to test ourselves at the highest levels and the Victory Factory Racing Team is the perfect opportunity for us.
NHRA racing is an experience like no other, allowing racing fans to get close to the action and watch as the teams prep the bikes for the next run. Victory will host hospitality areas to allow Victory owners and dealers to feel the heat from these powerful machines. Both Matt and Angie are fan-friendly and enjoy sharing their experiences with their fans and increasing the enthusiasm for this exciting form of motorcycle racing. As Victory ambassadors, they will bring even more energy to Victory owners and strengthen their sense of pride while riding their Victory motorcycles to the races.
The NHRA Pro Stock season opens on March 13th at the Gator Nationals in Gainesville, FL. You can join the Victory Factory Racing at the drag strip for some high-speed racing that will make your head spin.
Freaking cool.
I absolutely love the lines on that bike.
I’m curious to know what they are going to use for an engine. Any spoilers to report?
Chris the NHRA, like Nascar, F1, or any other series has a very specific rulebook. In NHRA you have 2 choices, a 107″ inline four or a 160″ v-twin. Matt and Angie run the 160″ from S&S.
While no fan of the brand it’d be nice to see something other than the current ( two ) brands of bikes on the strip . But then again with the NHRA’s numbers [ TV & live ] and sponsors in a rapid free fall decline and on the verge of self destruction is this such a wise move both financially as well as marketing wise ?
Methinks not !
BobS
Who are the manufacturers [ Big names ] of the V Twin racing blocks and parts ?
BobS
Is it my understanding that most [ competative ] engines are billet and have no relationship to factory parts other than a decal or logo
Why doesn’t the NHRA have a V Twin class only ? Racing a 1753 cc engine against a 2621 cc engine appears to be a rule to appease the fan base.
Vance and Hines, and S&S are big players in pro stock engine manufacturing.As for classes and rules most leagues, circuits, whatever you want to call a sanctioning body…makes the rules so the product puts on a good show. It’s not about making the fastest motorcycle, it’s about putting on exciting races.
why put victory decals,if the engine is S&S,,,,,
I’m glad to see another player in NHRA Pro Stock motorcycle. Good on Victory for stepping up.
The engines in most Pro Stock motorcycle bear little resemblance to a street bike motor, other than the same number of cylinders and roughly the same layout. Most as BobS pointed out are either S&S or Vance and Hines. The V-Rods that were campaigned by Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec as well as the Buells campaigned by the Arana clan are those brands in name only, with little in common with their street counterparts other than a “few decals”.
motion it’s very similar to nascar. Chevy gives a bunch of money and engineering support to Jimmie Johnson to put stickers on his purpose built race car. It moderately resembles a Chevy and if they are part of a very good team they can help Jimmie go .25 mph faster than Carl Edwards “Ford”. It’s racing, not retail.
Factory racing teams ????
Everything old is new again !!!!
Interested in the engine specs
& is lloydz going to be involved ???
RE:
“… It’s racing, not retail ..”
And so it defeats the original purpose, “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.”
What was once an event geared to showcasing industry technology and cultivating brand loyalty has been co opted by the entertainment industry.
When everyone in NASCR is running the same body panels. and non-factory power plants, the focus becomes driver celebrity….. Not “stock car racing.”
I remember the first Indy 500 that featured “a musical tribute to Indianapolis” while the race was underway. That was the last time i ever watched an 500. What was one an exercise in engineering turned into a mass media event.
The lesson here is when any activity is unnaturally re-engineered to pander to an increasingly broader audience, its focus becomes revenue, not engineering technology….. its looses its “purpose.”
-nicker-
most of the above comments highlight the reason for spectator fall out and lack of interest in the sport. its not about the sport or the factory reputation anymore but just another marketing ploy. take it back to its roots.
Welcome another Buell or 2 to the track kids…cause more than likely thats what will be under all the new stickers & covers…it would take years & many millions to get a new motor setup approved by the NHRA sanctioning body, if ever… The current big boys will not be too eager to allow this engine/driveline into their midst…good luck Victory..
Should of been badged a Indian using the new scout as a chassis identification in my opinion and back to the Harley Indian wars from years ago, just sayin.
Victory racing using a pushrod engine? Surely not.
I like watching the current format with BIG Vtwins and smaller 4’s, which aren’t anything like their stock motors either by the way. BUT I like the AHDRA better but quit going because they discontinued the Vegas drags in Oct. I live in Hawaii and it was the most convenient. I would like to see NHRA make classes where you can go as big as you want and run as many gears as you want on gas or nitro but have to use only factory parts as your base. Strengthen with welding or whatever all you want but the cases, cylinders, trannys, heads have to be factory castings. Look at Joe Smith from the 50’s – 70’s running Shovelheads at 180mph. The class’s would need to be divided by no. of cylinders of course but I would enjoy that more.
Matt smith was racing with viper motorcycle company about a year ago? Was pretty high in the standings with them. Are they not racing any longer? That was a mean engine by Illmor!
John FYI the Suzuki platforms have to run a stock crankcase and the rest have full purpose built race engines the nhra should have a stock case rule for all manufacturers with whatever top end you wish to run Imo but with the vtwin based engine being able to run almost 5in bore and 4.25 in stroke there’s no advantage there at all lol