Sons of Speed Inaugural Race
During Daytona Bike Week 2017, 20 daredevils influenced by board-track racing will grid up for the inaugural Sons of Speed race at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna, Fla.
Tickets are now on sale for the SOS race, set for Saturday, March 18, 2017. The Grand Prize for the winner is a brand new shovelhead motor donated by S&S Cycle.
“There has been so much enthusiasm from fans and potential participants since we first announced the concept,” said Billy Lane, renowned bike builder and founder of Sons of Speed. “Now the date’s set, tickets are selling fast, we have a full slate of riders and we can’t wait for March.”
Inspired by early 20th Century board-track racers, the Sons of Speed race hearkens back to a stripped down, wide-open approach to motorcycle riding. Held at New Smyrna Speedway’s half-mile, banked racetrack, the inaugural race will feature twenty riders in several different heats, and winners of the heats will advance to a championship round. Each racer will sit astride identical hand-built racing chassis holding pre-1925 1,000cc American V-Twin engines, and most racers will customize their machines by fabricating handlebars, exhaust, fenders, foot pegs and fuel/oil tanks.
People all over the world are calling it THE vintage race event for this year’s Daytona Bike Week. Patrons have three pre-sale ticket options for the Sons of Speed inaugural race:
- Special Early Bird–rate presale pricing for single-day tickets: $15 for adults, $5 for kids until March 18—these tickets get you in the gate JUST on the 15th (single-day tickets at the gate, if any are left, will be $20 per-person)
- $50 presale gets you VIP access and choice seating, allowing you to watch the practice session on the 17th and attend the race on the 18th (also includes a signed lanyard)
- $250 presale gets you all the VIP perks (VIP access, choice seating for practice session and race, signed lanyard), plus a 1-hour group tour of Billy’s shop
Check out the Sons of Speed Facebook Event Page for updates and breaking news.
The 20 racers and their motorcycles are: Billy (1912 Flying Merkel) and Warren (1920 Indian Powerplus) Lane; Rick Petko (1919 Indian Powerplus); Shelly Rossmeyer-Pepe (1915 Harley); Rick Marshall (1924 Harley); Matt Walksler (1921 Harley); Brittney Olsen (1923 Harley); Xavier Muriel (1913 P.E.M.); Matt Olsen (19?? Harley); Rhett Rotten (1916 Harley); Derrick Ames (1919 Harley); Bill Rodencal (1915 Harley); Brook James (19?? Harley); Paul Cox (1917 Indian Powerplus); Dan Toce (1914 Indian); Buzz Kanter (1915 Harley); Jim Wall (1928 Indian); Matt Harris (1924 Harley); Mel Stutz (1919 Harley); and Bruce Kannry (1912 Indian).
About Sons Of Speed
Sons Of Speed is a motorcycle race inspired by early twentieth-century board-track racing. Featuring stripped-down bikes with pre-1925 American V-Twin engines and a steeply banked racetrack, Sons Of Speed hearkens back to a wide-open, full-throttle, thrilling style of motorcycle racing. The inaugural Sons Of Speed race will take place in Florida at New Smyrna Speedway during Daytona Bike Week in March 2017. Co-founded by veteran motorcycle bike builder Billy Lane, the first Sons Of Speed race will feature twenty riders, builders, and enthusiasts, including Buzz Kanter (publisher, American Iron Magazine), Shelley Rossmeyer-Pepe (GM, Bruce Rossmeyer’s Harley-Davidson), vintage racer Brittney Olsen, Warren and Billy Lane, Rick Petko (of American Chopper fame and master mechanic at Orange County Choppers) and Matt Walksler (motorcyclist and Associate Director of Wheels Through Time).
