Indian Challenger secures 10 race wins and 24 podiums as Hayden Gillim and Troy Herfoss lead dominant factory campaign Indian Motorcycle Racing has closed out a record-breaking 2026 Mission King of the Baggers (KOTB) season at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

The result capped the first season of Indian Motorcycle’s partnership with Vance & Hines Motorsports and followed Hayden Gillim securing the championship at Circuit of the Americas two weeks earlier.

Across the 14-race season, the Indian factory team claimed 10 race victories and 24 podium finishes, while an Indian Challenger appeared on the podium in every race. Gillim led the charge with a record eight individual victories, while Troy Herfoss added two wins to the team’s tally.

The program also established a new manufacturer record with a six-race winning streak and secured six of the seven available pole positions. Indian Challenger machinery also set five new track records during the campaign at Road Atlanta, Road America, Mid-Ohio, Circuit of the Americas and New Jersey.

Herfoss Leads Indian 1-2-3

The New Jersey finale provided an appropriate conclusion to Indian’s dominant season, with 2024 KOTB champion Troy Herfoss producing one of the rides of the weekend in Race 1. Starting from the back of the field, Herfoss charged through to claim his second victory of the season aboard the Indian Challenger. Newly crowned champion Gillim followed Herfoss home in second, while Tyler O’Hara completed the podium in third to deliver a clean sweep for Indian Challenger machinery.

Gillim then added another podium to his championship campaign in Race 2, bringing the No. 69 Indian home in third to close out a remarkable first season with the factory team.

Gillim Rewrites the Record Books

Gillim’s championship-winning campaign was the standout individual performance of the season. His eight victories established a new record for the most wins by a rider in a single KOTB season, forming the majority of Indian’s 10 race wins. The factory team also finished every race with at least one Indian Challenger on the podium, ultimately recording 24 podiums across the 14-race championship.

Indian’s six-race winning streak further underlined the dominance of the new package, while five circuit records were established throughout the year. The championship was also the fourth KOTB title for Indian Motorcycle, joining Tyler O’Hara’s 2020 and 2022 championships and Herfoss’ 2024 crown.

Vance & Hines Partnership Delivers

The 2026 season represented the first year of Indian Motorcycle’s new factory partnership with Vance & Hines Motorsports. The collaboration brought Vance & Hines’ decades of racing experience and development expertise together with Indian Motorcycle’s PowerPlus platform, resulting in a purpose-built Indian Challenger race package.

At the centre of the machine is the liquid-cooled PowerPlus 112 engine, which provided the foundation for the race bike’s development throughout the season. Indian Motorcycle CEO Mike Kennedy said the team’s performance exceeded expectations, particularly considering the program had only completed a single testing session before the opening round at Daytona International Speedway.

“When you consider that we entered Daytona back in March with only a single testing session under our belt, it’s pretty amazing to think about what we were able to accomplish.”

Kennedy said the season demonstrated the performance of the Indian Challenger and the broader PowerPlus platform, while highlighting the effectiveness of the partnership with Vance & Hines Motorsports.

Gillim and Herfoss Confirmed for 2027

Indian Motorcycle Racing has already turned its attention to next season, confirming both Gillim and Herfoss will return for the 2027 KOTB championship. The manufacturer will therefore retain its championship-winning rider pairing as it attempts to become the first manufacturer to win back-to-back King of the Baggers championships.

“This season was incredible, and we’re proud of everything this team accomplished, but our work doesn’t stop here,” Kennedy said. “We’re already focused on what comes next, with a clear goal of becoming the first manufacturer to win back-to-back King of the Baggers championships.”

Kennedy added that Gillim and Herfoss had demonstrated what they could achieve aboard the Indian Challenger and that the continued development work with Vance & Hines would form the foundation of the 2027 campaign.

With Gillim and Herfoss both returning, Indian Motorcycle will enter 2027 with its championship-winning rider line-up intact and the proven Vance & Hines-developed Challenger package as it attempts to extend its KOTB dominance and make history with consecutive championships.

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