TRIUMPH TIGERS TAKE 1ST AND 2ND AT THE INAUGURAL AFT ADVENTURETRACKERS RACE

Sammy Halbert Wins Inaugural AFT AdventureTrackers™ Race at Sturgis TT, with Iván Cervantes in 2nd Place, both on Tiger 1200 GT Pro Motorcycles

The very first Sturgis Rally, known as the Black Hills Classic, was held on August 14, 1938 with a race of 9 participants and a small audience. Fast forward to August 11th, 2024, where 9 racers once again lineup on the starting grid of a new race.

 In this race, Triumph Motorcycles has made history with Sammy Halbert (#69) clinching 1st place, and Iván Cervantes (#25) securing 2nd, at the inaugural AFT AdventureTrackers race. The new class took part in Round 13 of the Progressive American Flat Track Championship season, the Sturgis TT, which was held for the first time ever in the streets of downtown Sturgis, SD, and the last day of the annual rally. The AdventureTrackers race showcased the incredible capability of the Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Pro and Rally Pro motorcycles in near stock trim, as riders navigated a challenging TT course, blending road and dirt elements.

“Slammin’ Sammy” Halbert (#69), known for his aggressive racing style and consistency, delivered a stellar performance to take the top spot. An afternoon of steadily declining lap times in the practice and qualifying sessions earned Halbert the inside position on the front row for the race start. A solid holeshot allowed Sammy to fight for first from the opening lap. He raced a consistently fast race, securing the fastest lap at 0:28.679 and the race win.

"I’m stoked to take the win in the first ever Sturgis TT AFT AdventureTrackers race." said Sammy Halbert. "The Triumph Tiger 1200 was surprisingly easy to ride – especially in the dirt sections. No matter how hard I pushed it, the bike handled flawlessly. I’m proud to bring home this victory for the team at Triumph.”

Hot on Halbert's heels was the five-time World Enduro Champion, Iván Cervantes (#25), who demonstrated his renowned versatility and competitive spirit to cross the line in 2nd place. 

Cervantes remarked, “I was trying my best to learn the track and the bike during the practice sessions and worked to get better each lap while learning the other riders. It seemed that all the racers were very fast on the asphalt, and I believed my best option was to take advantage of the dirt section. After a bad start, I made a quick pass on turn two and held on to the end of the race. I want to thank Triumph and the amazing team very much for the confidence in me and for the invitation to participate in the AFT AdventureTrackers Race.”

Adam VanderVeen, Marketing Director at Triumph Motorcycles America, expressed his excitement about the race's outcome: "Sammy and Ivan’s results on the track are a true reflection of their talent. The AFT AdventureTrackers race has proven to be a fantastic platform to showcase the capability and versatility of modern adventure bikes. In the spirit of the race, Triumph made a point to leave the bikes as stock as possible. Seeing Sammy and Iván on the podium is a proud moment for Triumph, and it validates the performance and potential of our Tiger 1200 motorcycles.”

Rounding out the Triumph line-up was a Triumph dealer and race team manager Rob McClendon, current Super Hooligan National Championship racer Kole King, and two stunt performers, Ernie Vigil and Nick Brocha.

2024 AdventureTrackers Triumph Line-Up: 

• Sammy Halbert - #69: An experienced flat track racer with numerous accolades to his name including an AFT Grand National Champion and X Games Gold Medalist, Sammy Halbert is known for his aggressive racing style and consistency.
• Iván “TORITO” Cervantes - #25: A 5-time World Enduro Champion and Guinness World Record holder for the greatest distance on a motorcycle in 24 hours, Iván Cervantes brings a wealth of off-road racing experience and a fearless attitude to the track.
• Kole King - #80: Kole spent a lifetime racing different styles including flat track, dirt track, and holds an X Games bronze medal. King is currently racing the nationally in Super Hooligan National Championship on a Triumph Street Triple supported by Triumph Indianapolis.
• Robby-Bobby McLendon - #169: The accomplished American Flat Track racer is a regular in the motorcycle racing scene. As the race manager for D&D Certified Race Team, McLendon is a staple in the track scene known for his speed and agility. The racer from Triumph dealer D&D Cycles in Pensacola, FL, bring a youthful energy and passion for the sport to the grid.
• Ernie Vigil - #21: Renowned for his stunt riding prowess and dynamic on and off-road racing style, Ernie Vigil has a reputation for pushing the limits. With a background in both racing and extreme stunt performances.
• Nick ‘Apex’ Brocha - #777: A celebrated figure in the motorcycle stunt community, Nick Brocha combines technical skill with creative flair.

2024 AFT AdventureTrackers Race Results

• 1st Place: Sammy Halbert - (Triumph)
• 2nd Place: Iván “TORITO” Cervantes - (Triumph)
• 3rd Place: Danny Eslick – (Harley-Davidson)
• 4th Place: Rob McLendon – (Triumph)
• 5th Place: Kole King – (Triumph)
• 6th Place: Frankie Garcia – (Harley-Davidson)
• 7th Place: Dan Bromley – (Honda)
• 8th Place: Ernie Vigil – (Triumph)
• 9th Place: Nick “Apex” Brocha – (Triumph)

Fans can stream the full event replay on FloRacing or watch the action in a one-hour FOX broadcast Saturday, August 17 at 2pm ET. Additionally, the Sturgis TT pre-show will air on FS2 on the same day at 1pm ET, followed immediately by the main broadcast on FOX. For those who miss the initial airing, FS1 will re-air the complete two-hour pre-race and race package later that evening at 9pm ET.

For more information about the race and to stay updated on Triumph's performance, visit the Sturgis TT website.

More about the Tiger 1200 range of motorcycles on triumphmotorcycles.com

END

For more information, please contact:

Eric Van De Steeg, Public Relations Manager

eric.vandesteeg@triumphmotorcycles.com

Notes to Editors
ABOUT TRIUMPH RACING 

•     First established in 1902, Triumph Motorcycles has a glorious racing history, competing in and winning races in almost every class and field of motorcycle sporting achievement. From winning the second ever Isle of Man TT in 1908, through to 1960s road and track domination in Europe and America, right up to contemporary racing achievements with the Triumph triple powered 2014 and 2015 SuperSport titles and World SuperSport racing, Isle of Man SuperSport TT wins in 2014 and 2019, courtesy of Gary Johnson and Peter Hickman, plus an average speed of over 130mph 2023 by Peter Hickman on his Triumph STR765, and a thrilling last-lap victory at the legendary Daytona 200 by Brandon Paasch on the Street Triple 765 in 2022. 

•     Triumph’s racing legend continues as the exclusive engine supplier to the FIM Moto2™ World Championship since the start of the 2019 season. Triumph Motorcycles provides all the teams with race-tuned 765cc triples, each of which is based on the class-leading Street Triple RS powerplant. Redefining the class, Triumph broke record after record in the inaugural year, including the first ever +300km/h Moto2™ top speed. Reflecting these great successes, the wonderful feedback, and partnerships that Triumph have had with the riders and their teams, and the incredible response from Triumph fans across the world, Triumph and Dorna decided to extend the relationship in 2021 and again in 2023, signing a new contract for another five years of racing: 2025 – 2029.

•     In 2021 Triumph announced its forthcoming entry into the Motocross and Enduro worlds with the single-minded ambition and commitment to develop a championship winning team.

•     In 2022, the appointment of Team Principal Bobby Hewitt and Team Manager Stephen ‘Scuba’ Westfall was announced. The team will be located at a dedicated new state-of-the-art private race facility in the USA.

•     In 2023, Triumph announced its intention to compete in the 2024 MXGP/MX2 and SuperMotocross World Championships and confirmed the appointment of two top class riders to lead its race development testing. Clément Desalle joined as test rider for the Triumph Racing MXGP/MX2 Team, run by Thierry Chizat-Suzzoni, and Iván Tedesco joined as full-time test rider for the Triumph Racing US SuperMotocross World Championship Team, led by Bobby Hewitt.

•     In September 2023, Triumph’s new 250cc motocross bike was revealed in public for the first time, at the SuperMotocross World Championship Final at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in California.

•     In October 2023, Monster Energy was unveiled as the title sponsor of the MX2 team, named ‘Monster Energy Triumph Racing’ and the race bike was unveiled at the Motocross of Nations. In November the riders Mikkel Haarup and Camden McLellan were announced.

•     In January 2024, the Triumph Racing SuperMotocross team line-up was announced with Jalek Swoll and Evan Ferry racing the 250SX East Supercross series, while Joey Savatgy joins them for the Pro Motocross series later in the year.

•     In February 2024, Triumph Racing competed at its first ever Supercross event in Detroit in the 250SX East category with its new Triumph TF 250-X, while the Monster Energy Triumph Racing team competed in Spain as a pre-season warm-up for the MX2 World Championship.