American Flat Track: Interview with Ryan Wells – Movin’ On Up

Growing up in a small town in Upstate New York, Ryan Wells has long dreamt of winning a championship and making it into the premier class of the American Flat Track series. Well, Wells checked off the first item on that list last year and was crowned the 2016 GNC2 Champion. In 2017 he's checking the second item off his list, moving up to the newly restructured all-twins class (AFT Twins) with the BriggsAuto race team for a shot at the ultimate prize – the Grand National Championship.

“My original plan, when I went pro in 2012 (then the Pro Singles class, later named GNC2), my dad and I thought that I’d be going expert (GNC1) my following year in 2013,” Wells explained. “So it dragged on a little bit longer than we had wanted, but I wouldn't go back and change anything that happened and how I experienced the professional class thus far. So to finally go into the twins class in 2017 I’m just beyond excited. Especially to be with a good team that’s proven and to have a great tuner – Johnny Goad. I just couldn’t be happier for this to be my rookie year.”

Wells nearly made that move last season, but an opportunity with Parkinson Brothers Racing was too good to turn down. It was the right move as everything clicked into place for Wells. He won five races and went on to secure his first professional title two rounds early in front of his home crowd at the Central New York Half-Mile. It was a dream season for Wells, but more importantly it was also a year of growth.

“I think maybe not even just so much the riding aspect of it, but the whole behind the scenes end of it… with preparation, and just everything that it takes” he explained. “The on the track part of it is only a quarter of the battle to be at the top of the sport racing motorcycles, in my opinion. And I got to learn that living in Michigan and hanging out with Bryan (Smith). So I’m glad that I stayed back for a year in a class that I was comfortable in before getting thrown in with the best of the sport.”

You also can’t put a price tag on taking care of unfinished business – a championship that Wells came just short of a few times.

“If I went expert last year like I wanted to I could’ve convinced myself that I wouldn't have been bothered by it and all that stuff,” he started. “But the amount of times that I came so close to winning a championship, it feels good to finish that off and get that completed before moving on to the next step.”

Part of his move to the Parkinson Brothers squad last year also meant the move to Michigan when the team invited him to come live with his bike builder Gordon Schopieray.

“Like I said I wouldn't take back last year for anything,” he said. “There were no negatives to last year. Staying down a year I’m super glad that it happened and glad that I was able to build a relationship with the whole Parkinson Brothers team and be able to move to Michigan because I think moving to Michigan last year was one of the better things that could have happened to me, with my training and all that stuff. So last year was one of the most beneficial years I’ve had for sure.”

The 2017 season is a big year for Wells, and a big year for the series as well. The series' rebranding and class restructuring has turned heads, more important Indian Motorcycles. As such one of the oldest rivalries has been reborn: Indian vs. Harley-Davidson. That revival has helped bring about some unprecedented growth in a series that has been long on entertainment but short on money.

“I think that out of any year for it to be someone’s rookie year, I think this year is the best for me,” Wells explained. “You’ve got all the rules changing and everybody’s going to be riding twins at every round this year, but then you look deeper into it, and look at the top six guys that are all going to be on new motorcycles for themselves. So you’ve got Bryan, Jared and Brad on the Indian, which yeah the Indian’s are going to be good, but it’s still a new motorcycle. And then the factory Harley team on the XGs, which is going to be new for them as well. I just think for me being a rookie it definitely gives me a little bit more confidence that I can come into the season and get some decent results.”

There are a lot of unknowns going into the new year, for everyone and Wells himself. He’s in a new class, with new rules, with a new team… Although it is early days yet, what are his expectations for himself in 2017?

“I don't know really,” Wells said. “I just want to get in there and do as well as I can. That’s always been what I’ve ever done. I obviously want to be making the main events and I want to be consistently in the top 10 right off the bat. I don't think that’s unrealistic at all.”