The day before I flew to Austin, Texas, I did what I always do to clear my head. I got on my 2026 Indian Roadmaster and rode the roads around Mount Rainier with a buddy, listening to the deep, throaty sound of the ARO exhaust I'd just installed. ARO stands for American Racing Operations, Indian's new performance brand, and the King of the Baggers race bikes run their own version of it. My mind kept drifting to the next morning, because Indian Motorcycle had invited me to Circuit of the Americas (COTA) for a Mission King of the Baggers race weekend with VIP, behind-the-scenes access to the factory Indian race team. (see video below)

Before we dive in, if you're working on your own bike, whether it's an Indian or a Harley-Davidson, check out the Law Abiding Biker Store at https://shop.lawabidingbiker.com. We carry exhaust, air intakes, tuners, and a ton of other parts and accessories that we actually ride with and install ourselves.

Why This Weekend Mattered

If you've been paying attention, Indian Motorcycle has had one of the wildest years in its 125-year history. In late 2025, Polaris announced it was spinning Indian off as an independent motorcycle company, selling a majority stake to the investment firm Carolwood LP. That deal closed in early 2026, and Mike Kennedy, a guy with more than 30 years in the motorcycle industry, took over as CEO.

Then came the shakeup on the racing side. Terry Vance, a true legend in this industry, moved his Vance & Hines operation from the Harley-Davidson camp over to run the factory Indian race team. Hayden Gillim and Rocco Landers, who both raced Harley-Davidsons in 2025, came with him. Troy Herfoss was the one holdover already on an Indian. And waiting for all of them was Harley-Davidson's Kyle Wyman, the 2025 champion, with the number one plate.

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Anybody who follows racing knows a brand-new team, new bikes, and new riders usually take months, sometimes a full season, to get dialed in. That's not what happened. I was at Daytona for the season opener, and Indian went one-two in both races. Gillim kept winning from there, and he rolled into COTA with the championship within reach.

Friday Night: Dinner With the Team

I landed in Austin to a scorcher of a forecast, with temps in the high 90s for Saturday and Sunday. Friday night was dinner overlooking Lake Travis with the factory race team, CEO Mike Kennedy, and Terry Vance, who was sitting right across the table from me. I didn't film the dinner, but I definitely got to pick their brains.

What surprised me was who else was there. Most of the guests were contest winners who had test ridden an Indian and got their names drawn for this exclusive weekend, along with a few Indian dealers who earned the trip based on the number of test rides they produced. It was a really fun mix of people.

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Saturday: Group Ride, Parade Lap, and Race 1

Saturday morning started at 80 degrees and muggy, with a big group ride from Austin to the track. I picked a chrome Indian Chieftain PowerPlus. Since I own a 2026 Roadmaster back home, it felt awfully familiar, same PowerPlus 112, minus the trunk and lowers. The demo bike had stock exhaust, and honestly, I missed my ARO mufflers. They sound fabulous, deep and throaty, but they settle down nicely when you're just touring. Props to Terry Vance and the team on that one.

Then came one of the highlights of my weekend: a parade lap around Circuit of the Americas. COTA is roughly 3.4 miles long with a mix of technical sections and wide-open straights. Watching it on TV is one thing, but riding it and seeing what the racers see is completely different. We hung toward the back to stay clear of the folks who seemed to think they were auditioning for a race contract. We even got a bonus second lap, and I scraped a floorboard or two. There was nothing about that experience that sucked.

On the Starting Grid and in the Indian Pit Tent

Race 1 didn't start until after 4 p.m., so we cooled off in the VIP room with some AC, cold water, and a whole lot of banana pudding. Then we got the call to hurry down to the starting grid, and I got right down with the racers and their bikes. It's intense down there. These guys are sitting in full leathers in brutal heat, trying to get their heads right while crews make last-minute changes.

For the race itself, I watched from inside the Indian pit lane tent with the crew. There are moments of excitement, but mostly it gets quiet and tense because a lot can happen in a few laps. Race 1 had plenty of drama, with bikes going down, including Kyle Wyman on the Harley-Davidson and Troy Herfoss. Hayden Gillim took over and brought it home for the win.

The View From the COTA Tower

After Race 1, I climbed the observation tower at COTA. It's the only place I found a breeze all weekend, and the glass floor looking straight down will absolutely mess with your brain. From up there, you really get a sense of how big this track is.

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Inside the Indian Factory Garage

I also got to walk around the Indian factory race bikes in the garage. I could spend days looking at every component: the heavy modifications, the lean angle they've built in, and the hundreds of pounds they've shaved off. You can't take it all in the first time around, so I made a second lap. I also chatted with Indian's social media manager, Jason Hayford, about what it's like working a race weekend.

Sunday: Race 2 and a Championship

Sunday's Race 2 was a battle. Bradley Smith on the factory Harley-Davidson took the win, but Hayden Gillim's second-place finish on the factory Indian gave him enough of a points lead that nobody could catch him, even with two races left in New Jersey. Gillim clinched the 2026 King of the Baggers championship right there at COTA, and I got to see the whole Indian team celebrate a season they had worked incredibly hard for.

That means Gillim will be rocking the number one plate next season. But you better believe Harley-Davidson will come out swinging. That's what makes this racing so great. These teams push each other to absolute excellence, and fans win because of it. If you ever get the chance to attend a King of the Baggers race, do it. You won't regret it.

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More From Law Abiding Biker

Want the story behind how this Indian and Vance & Hines partnership came together? Check out my exclusive interview with Indian CEO Mike Kennedy, where he talks about King of the Baggers, Terry Vance, and the launch of ARO: Indian Motorcycle CEO Mike Kennedy Calls Out Harley-Davidson — Exclusive Interview.

Shop the Law Abiding Biker Store

Whether you ride an Indian or a Harley-Davidson, check out the Law Abiding Biker Store at https://shop.lawabidingbiker.com. We're just a bootstrap company of bikers helping bikers, we appreciate every customer, and we'll definitely take care of you. We're not like the big corporate stores. We actually use, test, and install many of the products we carry in our store and then make helpful videos for the biker community.

Watch the Full Video

Come ride along with me for the parade lap, the starting grid, the Indian pit tent, and championship weekend at Circuit of the Americas.