Polaris Slingshot SLR Joins Vehicle Lineup for January Race Of Champions Event in Miami

The 2017 Slingshot SLR will be put through its paces by some of the world’s greatest drivers for the Race Of Champions (ROC) event this Jan. 21 – 22 inside Marlins Park, in Miami, Fla., according to Polaris.

The Slingshot SLR is the most premium model in the three-wheel roadster’s lineup – featuring lightweight forged aluminum wheels, a 305mm-wide rear tire, Sparco cockpit components and a custom two-tone paint scheme. The vehicle is sure to impress both drivers and fans watching in Miami next month, with top drivers such as 4-time F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel at the helm.

This is the first time Slingshot has provided vehicles for the Race Of Champions.

“We are excited to be a featured vehicle in the upcoming ROC Miami race,” said Leigh Hauck, marketing manager of Slingshot. “The Race Of Champions brings together the best drivers in the world and we believe this is an incredible platform to display the performance story and capabilities of the Polaris Slingshot.”

The Race Of Champions is an annual contest that has been held for more than 25 years. It brings together top drivers from all major motorsports series – including Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar, Le Mans, MotoGP, Touring Cars, World Rally and action sports – setting them free to battle head-to-head in identical machinery.

ROC president Fredrik Johnsson said:

“To win the Race Of Champions, drivers need to prove themselves in a wide range of different vehicles to test their skills and versatility to the limit. At ROC Miami we will feature a mix of traditional vehicles and brand new vehicles that will be announced in lead up to the event. We are very excited to introduce this new high-performing Slingshot SLR to our stunning lineup of top machinery. It is the first time we’ve had a three-wheel roadster at the event and it will be fascinating to see how some of the world’s top drivers adapt to this unique racing challenge.”

The ROC event is run over two days: first is the Race Of Champions on Sat., Jan. 21, featuring a flat-out battle for individual glory. The ROC Nations Cup is held on Sun., Jan. 22 and is when drivers pair up in teams based on nationality to bid for the title of World’s Fastest Nation. In 2017, the USA will take on the rest of the world in a special contest in celebration of the host venue.

In recent years, ROC has visited the Stade de France in Paris (2004-2006), London’s Wembley Stadium (2007-2008), the “Bird’s Nest” Olympic Stadium in Beijing (2009), Düsseldorf’s Esprit Arena (2010-2011), the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok (2012), Bushy Park Barbados (2014) and London’s former Olympic Stadium (2015).

This year, the event is coming to the United States for the first time in history to soak up the heat of Miami. This year’s competitors include four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel; fellow F1 star Felipe Massa; “Mr. Le Mans” Tom Kristensen; Indianapolis 500 winners Juan Pablo Montoya, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan and Alexander Rossi; action sports greats Travis Pastrana and Scott Speed; NASCAR champion Kurt Busch; and double FIA World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg.

Even more big names will be announced in the run up to January’s event. For more information, visit www.raceofchampions.com.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.