Two years ago this week, at the midpoint between the 2016 and 2017 American Flat Track seasons, 25-year-old Brandon Robinson was feeling on top of the world – or at least a couple steps from it.

The Pennsylvania native had just scored his second 3rd-overall season finish in professional flat track racing’s most prestigious division aboard the Kennedy Racing XR750, and seemed poised to finally have a solid shot at the Grand National title – especially as he was about to sign a contract for 2017 with the vaunted Harley-Davidson factory team, then about to officially launch its next-generation racer – the XG750R – to replace the aging but still competitive XR.

Of course, the story is well known from there. Harley-Davidson’s production-based XG wasn’t quite ready for prime-time competition, even in the highly capable hands of Vance & Hines Racing, and Indian Motorcycle made things even more difficult with its race-only Scout FTR750, which proceeded to snatch the top three spots in that season’s AFT Twins presented by Vance & Hines championship beneath factory riders Jared Mees, Bryan Smith and Brad Baker. It happened again in 2018, with FTRs – available to the public and now more common than ever in the paddock – grabbing 17 of 18 wins as well as the top nine positions in the season’s final tally.

Robinson managed a very credible seventh overall on the XG in 2017, with three fifth-place finishes and nine in the top-ten. But it was a far cry from his one-win, three-podium and ten top-10s performance in 2016. Things went from bad to worse in 2018, with Robinson badly breaking five bones in his foot halfway through the season at the Lima Half-Mile when he hit a fence post exiting turn two. He returned for the second Springfield Mile (too soon, as his foot was not completely healed) but it was too little and too late to salvage much, and he ended up 14^th for the season.

BRob at Williams Grove, where he finished 10th, his right foot still not healed after the broken-bones injury at Lima in June. Photos by Scott Hunter.

For Robinson, who’d finished the season in the top 10 five straight times between 2013 and 2017, the sudden downturn was both shocking and unsettling. Still, he displayed maturity beyond his years, hunkering down and working with teammates as hard as he could to help develop the new-generation Harley and try to keep the team and the motorcycle in the conversation. There were flashes of positives on Team H-D last year, notably his fourth-place finish at Texas (right on Chad Cose’s rear wheel at the flag), Sammy Halbert’s third at Buffalo Chip and Jarod Vanderkooi’s third at Dixie, and throughout Robinson proved to be a pro through and through, knowing full well that racing fortunes can swing from bad to good as quickly as they can go sour.

With last week’s announcement of his move back to Kennedy Racing and riding Indian FTR750 motorcycles for the 2019 season, Robinson is very much counting on that reversal of fortune. He’ll be with a crew he knows and trusts, and one he’s had success with in the past, and he’ll be aboard what’s without doubt the best motorcycle in the paddock. Still, he knows getting back to the front won’t be easy. The past two years did a number on his confidence, and there have been times over the past two years he’s found himself doubting his ability, and wondering if he can still compete at the highest level.

We caught up with Robinson as he was driving solo from Pennsylvania to Florida for his annual winter training trek, where he planned to hang with friends and fellow racers Jarod Vandekooi and Cory Texter for a couple months leading up to the 2019 Daytona opener.

The best part of the open-pit autograph session...

First off, how’s that foot doing? Looking back, the injury seems more serious than you let on at the time.

Yeah, it was worse than anyone knew. Heck, it was worse than even I knew at the time. I broke five bones in my right foot, and badly traumatized the toe joints, so the pain was pretty bad. It’s typically a six-month recovery for that sort of injury, and right now it’s been about six months. So it definitely wasn’t right when I came back at Springfield in September. But hey, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

How exactly did it happen?

It was my fault, rider error. I was pushing too hard, riding over my head a little, trying to overcompensate to keep pace. I always enjoy racing at Lima, and figured I’d just let ’er rip a little. I saw it coming, and said, ‘I’m not gonna hit that fence.’ And then it was, “Oh $%@!, I just hit that fence.’ But it’s almost back to 100% now, and now can pretty much prepare for the season as I normally would.

What’s your training scenario looking like these days?

Training? What is that, exactly? [Laughs] Recently it's been a few days a week in the gym alternating between strength training and high-intensity interval training, depending on the week. I do a lot of cycling, as well. It's great for cardio and endurance, plus I just really enjoy it. And obviously, riding motorcycles, flat track and motocross. I’m heading to Florida right now for some warmer weather so I can train properly. I’ll be staying and training with [Jarod] Vanderkooi and [Cory] Texter, which is likely gonna be a little wild.

The last two years have been difficult ones for Robinson, but he feels hopeful as he looks forward to 2019.

So, how’s your head these days? You spent two years with the factory Harley-Davidson team, and things obviously didn’t go as expected. But you worked hard and seemed to maintain a positive attitude. 

Well, yeah, the last couple years certainly didn’t go according to plan. You know, you work your whole life to get to the position I was in, a ride on the Harley-Davidson factory team. That’s every young flat tracker’s dream, right? It’s where everyone wants to be, the best spot in our type of racing, and it was just unfortunate that it didn't turn out the way anyone expected. There were definitely moments I started to doubt my abilities, and that affected my confidence on the motorcycle. I had to take a long hard look in the mirror and just tell myself I was doing the best with what I had. I had to continue to work hard and keep faith that things would eventually work themselves out. That's all I could really do.

In your mind, what’s the issue with the XG?

You know, Harley-Davidson committed itself to developing a production-based flat track bike, and honestly, the program has come a long way since the initial effort even if the results don't show it. The guys there worked their butts off. It’s a very committed group. When you ride the XG, say, during testing, you think, ‘Man, this bike is good. It doesn't do anything stupid, it’s fast, and works really well.’ It wasn't until race day that we realized how far off we were. In reality, though, everyone not on an Indian was pretty far off. I'm not sure I can pinpoint exactly what the problem is. All I know is that’s it’s tough to take a street bike engine and modify it enough to keep up with a purpose-built flat track bike.

Robinson says that, despite the lack of on-track results, the Harley-Davidson/Vance & Hines factory team made plenty of strides with the XG750R racer. Problem is, it wasn't quite enough to keep pace with the functionally superb Indian Scout FTR750.

What did you learn during the last two years?

For the most part, my years with Harley-Davidson and Vance & Hines were very positive. I was able to work with two amazing companies that are first class and always took care of me as a person. [The Harley-Davidson factory team] was the place I worked so hard to get to during my career, and when I originally signed I was naturally very excited. The only downfall was our lack of results. From that I learned how to carry myself as a person and a rider during a difficult time, to never give up no matter how hard it got, and to learn patience… a lot of that! [Laughs] I definitely learned a lot about the politics of the sport and how to maneuver in that arena. Overall, it was really nice being a part of such a professional atmosphere.

Tell us about your Kennedy Racing team.

I’m really excited about this, as the team – Kennedy Racing, owned by Jerry Kennedy – will be very similar to the one I was on when I had one of my best years, in 2016. Jerry is great guy and will do whatever it takes to give us the best chance to win. Brent Armbruster is back in my corner as my crew chief. I've worked with him pretty much for the past four years. We've been through a lot together and it's great having a guy like him in my corner wrenching for me. He's someone I have a lot of trust and faith in, and I know he is always busting his ass for me. This crew works well together, and has the same goals and mindset.

Robinson had a stellar season in 2016 with the Kennedy Racing crew, posting ten top-10 finishes, gaining three podiums and snagging a win at the Lima, OH Half-Mile.

So your confidence going into 2019 is high?

It is. Last year was tough. It beat me down. Going to the races and knowing I really didn’t have a shot to win. Things are different now, like in 2016. Jerry’s not the type of guy to go racing and not put himself or us in a position to win. There’s a good bond there. We went through a lot in that one year, got Jerry his first Twins win. Everyone was pretty excited. We’re looking forward to competing for wins and maybe even a championship in 2019. Getting comfy on the new bike will be a hurdle. But others have done it. I haven’t ridden the Indian yet, but I’m looking forward to it and getting the bike set up the way I want.

Tell us about the FTR from your vantage point.

It’s no secret… the FTR is an awesome motorcycle. It’s basically dominated flat track racing the past two years. The factory did a great job developing a purpose-built race bike, and competing against it has been very tough, very challenging. It’s amazing how well the bike gets through and off the corners.

BRob and his XG750R, sandwiched between the Indian FTR750s of Henry Wiles (17) and reigning AFT Twins champ Jared Mees (1) at Springfield. He's excited to throw a leg over the FTR for the first time in pre-season testing.

Do you remember your first ride on a twin-cylinder racer?

Man, my first ride on a twin… yes. I got to ride an XR750 on my personal practice track that we used to have in the front yard of my parent’s place. I remember being mad nervous that first time, but a couple laps into it I was damn near dragging the bars. It was an amazing feeling! That track was pretty cool. My dad, he always went above and beyond with stuff like that, always did the best he could for me, gave me the best chance to succeed. The track was an eighth mile, with lights, a water truck, the whole shebang! We’d have ride nights and 15 or 20 friends would show up. It was pretty cool.

Talk about your motorcycling roots.

I don't have a crazy family history in flat track racing like some do. My dad didn't start racing until he was out of his parents’ house, and well, I was born just a couple years later. He was a quad guy and mainly raced hare scrambles until he showed up on the wrong day to a flat track race. The rest, as people say, is history. My first bike was a Yamaha PW50. I started riding when I was three and competed in my first race at four years old at an indoor venue in Harrisburg, PA. I got lapped, I’m pretty sure. I think I got my first win halfway through the season on a short track in Shippensburg, PA.

What race are you most and least looking forward to this year?

Honestly, I think I'm most looking forward to a fresh start again. I’m just ready to prove myself once again. I feel like I've been pretty irrelevant in the sport the past couple years and I'm determined to change that. My faves? Gotta be the Springfield Miles and the Lima Half-Mile. I’d say I’m my happiest on pretty much any mile track.

Who do you respect most out there? Who’s going to be tough that we’re NOT thinking about?

I’ve got a ton of respect for all my fellow competitors and their talents. Someone not really on the radar? I wouldn't be surprised if PJ Jacobson rips off a win. He hasn't raced AFT in a while, but his talent is undeniable. Otherwise, you'll see a lot of Mees, Smith, Bauman, Carver, Vanderkooi, Halbert, Beach, Johnson, Fisher, and others up front.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not racing?

Man, racing is pretty much life! But cycling is my main passion outside of racing. Road or mountain biking. I love both and just love being outside and on two wheels.

What’s great about the dirt track community?

I like how we all come together in a time of need. There have been some tragedies over the past couple years and it's amazing to see how everyone comes together to help the riders and the families when they need it.

Your craziest racing moment?

Yeah, easy, my Indy Mile crash back in my rookie year, in 2009. I flew out of the ballpark that night, up and over the fence, and landed on the road outside the track. It’s something that hasn't been done by anyone else that I'm aware of! [Laughs] So I've got that claim to fame, I guess.

Thanks for the time, and good luck this season!

Thank you!