Thousands expected in Milwaukee for a weekend including indoor flat track race, curated invitational show, Harley-Davidson Museum Pre-Party and Lakefront Ice Riding
Milwaukee, Wis. (Jan. 18, 2017) – The Mama Tried Motorcycle Show, presented by Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, announced today that it will hold its fourth annual exhibition Feb. 17-19 in Milwaukee, bringing thousands to the city in the dead of winter. The show will feature a full weekend of events, including the second annual Flat Out Friday indoor flat track motorcycle race, the Mama Tried Motorcycle Invitational with a special pre-party hosted by the Harley-Davidson Museum, and Slippery Sunday, an ice-riding competition on the Milwaukee Lakefront.
Flat Out Friday, will kick off the weekend at 7:00 p.m. Feb. 17 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. More than 220 racers will compete in 11 classes ranging from amateur and professional to vintage, youth and hooligan. Racing on a flat track oval covered in Dr. Pepper syrup for traction, registered riders include flat track pro racer Jerad Mees, Hooligan riders Carey Hart and Mark “Rusty Butcher” Atkins and Milwaukee native Loyal Prach in the youth class. Special highlights will include an honor ride by the Milwaukee Police Department and Milwaukee-area veterans and the Charlotte Kainz Memorial Pro Race.
Immediately following Flat Out Friday, the Harley-Davidson Museum will host a Mama Tried pre-party featuring live music and refreshments. There will be a shuttle service to and from the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
The Mama Tried Invitational main event will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Feb. 18 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 19 at the Lindsay Building on South Second Street. The event showcases more than 150 motorcycles in a gallery-style setting, focused primarily on submissions from the Midwest. This year’s builder list features builds from Michael Lange, Scott T-Bone Jones, Louie Lauters, Keino Sasaki and Chase Stopnik.
The Slippery Sunday ice-riding competition will conclude the weekend. It will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 19 at McKinley Marina on Milwaukee’s Lakefront, pending weather and ice conditions.
The show and weekend of events are the brainchild of Scott Johnson of Fuel Café and Mojofuco Restaurants, Warren Heir of JRS Custom Fabrication and Jeremy Prach of Prach Promotions LLC embodying their cumulative lifelong experiences racing and riding in the Wisconsin motorcycle scene.
“When we started looking, we found so many great Midwestern bikes and builders that never get showcased,” explains Johnson. “Each of the last three years, we’ve been blown away by the level of enthusiasm to participate in, and to attend, a show in the dead of winter. We are especially excited for our second year of Flat Out Friday in Milwaukee, which previously hadn’t hosted an indoor race since 1980.”
“We’re really trying to bring together all types of motorcyclists and enthusiasts to reveal the tremendous cross-pollination of riding in Wisconsin,” Heir continued. “It’s amazing to see the excitement from people of all walks of life for this show and for the Flat Out Friday races.”
Last year, more than 9,000 attended the two-day show and more than 7,200 started the weekend off at last year’s Flat Out Friday, which was held at the UWM Panther Arena. This year’s event, held at the larger BMO Harris Bradley Center, is anticipated to bring in crowds of 10,000.
2017 Schedule of Events
Flat Out Friday
Friday, Feb. 19
7:00 p.m. – races begin
BMO Harris Bradley Center
$10-$35 tickets in advance
Harley-Davidson Museum Pre-Party
Friday, Feb. 19
9 p.m.
Harley-Davidson Museum
Mama Tried Motorcycle Invitational
Saturday, Feb. 18
10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 19
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Lindsay Building
$10 Adult tickets. Children 12 and under are free
Slippery Sunday
Sunday, Feb. 19
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
McKinley Marina Milwaukee Lakefront
1750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive
About Mama Tried
Mama Tried Motorcycle Show, presented by Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, is an indoor invitational founded for one reason: to connect motorcycles, builders, fans and riders in the heart of the Midwest and beyond. Keeping the fire stoked all winter long, Mama Tried showcases more than 150 motorcycles from builders of all types – flat-tracker, hill climber, chopper and bar hopper. Since its inception in 2014, Mama Tried has expanded to include “Flat Out Friday,” an indoor, flat track motorcycle race on a Dr. Pepper-coated surface featuring 11 classes of competitors. The weekend now also includes “Slippery Sunday,” an ice racing competition hosted on Milwaukee’s Lakefront and the Harley-Davidson Museum Pre-Party, a concert and celebration highlighting Milwaukee-area bands
