Milwaukee, Wis (Friday, June 11, 2021) — The ladies of BUILD TRAIN RACE (BTR) made their highly anticipated debut during the American Flat Track (AFT) Chicago Half-Mile at the Dirt Oval at Route 66 Speedway, joining Moto Anatomy Royal Enfield rider Johnny Lewis during the Saturday race. Jillian Deschenes, BTR veteran, captured first place in the BTR exhibition race besting eight other participants in the BTR opener. Throughout the day Lewis showed speed and battled his way to an eighth-place finish in Production Twins on Saturday night.
The Royal Enfield BTR program expanded this year to include a total of nine participants, including two veterans of the 2020 program, Jillian Deschenes and Lana MacNaughton. The ladies are joined by Sarah Dixon, Jaycee Jones, Malary Lee, Gabrielle Hughes, Erin Ferris, Bridgette LeBer and Nean Kiskela. Jones and Dixon joined Deschenes on the podium finishing second and third respectively. All seven newcomers were tasked with building Royal Enfield INT 650 motorcycles in preparation for the races.
“The ladies of BUILD TRAIN RACE picked up right where they left off last season,” said Breeann Poland, Marketing and Communications Lead – Americas. “It was exciting to see all the new builds out on track and the newcomers mixing it up on the track. Jillian Deschenes continues to show how fast she is, but Jaycee Jones, Sarah Dixon and the other ladies will make things interesting the rest of the season. It was also a strong showing for Johnny Lewis and the Moto Anatomy x Royal Enfield team finishing in eighth place. Overall, it was a great weekend for all the Royal Enfield racers. We’re looking forward to the rest of the AFT season with the BTR ladies and Moto Anatomy x Royal Enfield.”
The AFT Chicago Half-Mile was the first time the ladies were able to shake down their INT 650 builds, as weather canceled the AMA District 17 Chicago Half-Mile on Friday evening. The first round of practice allowed the ladies to dial in their motorcycles and adjust their gearing to suit the track. The ladies competed in a semi to set the field for the main. After starting from the back of the field, Jones worked herself up to second while Deschenes took the lead. Deschenes and Jones battled back and forth but the favorite coming into 2021, Deschenes fought Jones off for the win.
In AFT Production Twins, Lewis showed speed all afternoon and battled at the front during his semi. After intermission, the track conditions changed rapidly, and the team revised the Twins FT setup searching for traction heading into the main. “We’ve made lots of progress over the last few months,” said Moto Anatomy x Royal Enfield rider Johnny Lewis. “Even looking back to the season opener in Volusia, the Twins FT has come a long way in terms of performance. We’re finding ways to develop the bike further every time out and that has always been our goal.”
Lewis will race again at the Lima Half-Mile on June 26 as the team continues the development of the Twins FT. As for the BTR flat track racers, the ladies will compete again on July 24 at the Port Royale Half
Half-Mile in New York.
About Royal Enfield
The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the mid-size motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic motorcycles. With its manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield has been able to grow its production rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. Royal Enfield is a leading player in the global middleweight motorcycle market.
The Moto Anatomy x Royal Enfield team is supported by Harris Performance, SENA, Spectro Oils, Beringer Brakes, Solid Performance, EVS, ODI, Just 1, Tucker, Saddlemen, S&S Cycle, Team Lawant, Quayle Construction and Goon Glass and Rubber.
Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is developing a growing network of more than 125 dealers in North America, including the contiguous U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. RENA currently offers the all-new Meteor 350, Himalayan and the 650 Twins (INT 650 and Continental GT 650) motorcycles, along with a range of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories and apparel.
