Royal Enfield’s BUILD TRAIN RACE program participants will race for the first time at Atlanta Short Track at Dixie Speedway during the Progressive American Flat Track races this weekend. Road racer Melissa Paris, amateur flat tracker Jillian Deschenes, photographer Lana MacNaughton and New York motorcycle repair shop owner Kerry Sano will compete against one another in an eight lap Main.
BUILD TRAIN RACE was launched in late 2019 with the goal of involving women in a competitive flat track program. The program tasked four women with building four custom INT 650 motorcycles for flat track competition, then training with Moto Anatomy x Royal Enfield AFT racer Johnny Lewis in the lead up to competition. Originally, the women were set to race in several events this year, but due to COVID-19 the events were either rescheduled or canceled.
“It has been a long wait for these ladies to get on track,” said Breeann Poland, marketing lead for Royal Enfield Americas. “They’re ready to put their INT 650s and themselves to the test this weekend. We are thrilled that American Flat Track offered us the opportunity to show off these custom motorcycles, but to also give these ladies the opportunity to put their flat track skills to the test. They have all received training from Lewis and now it’s up to them to apply what they’ve learned in a racing environment.”
Lewis trained the three of participants in two sessions as part of his Royal Enfield Slide School By Moto Anatomy course, his proprietary flat track training program. Working with Lewis, each woman received one-on-one training to further their flat track skills. Sano, who is substitute riding Andrea Lothrop’s motorcycle, attended a Slide School with Lewis earlier this month. Unfortunately, Lothrop is still unable to travel from Canada to compete. The women will then take part in a practice session, qualifying and main during the Atlanta Short Track AFT both on Friday and Saturday.
Lewis will be on hand to support the women and provide coaching, but elected to sit out this round of AFT competition. The Moto Anatomy x Royal Enfield team continues the development of the Twins FT and decided to use this week to collaborate further with technical partners to progress the Royal Enfield motor package.
Stay tuned to Royal Enfield’s social channels to follow along with the BTR ladies throughout the weekend.
Link: Royal Enfield
