At the Bulls Gap AMA Grand National Brian Phillips qualified the Bonneville Performance Racing Triumph in the Daytona Beach, Florida-based team’s first Grand National main.

Brian Phillips put the Performance Racing Triumph in the main at Bulls Gap last Saturday. (Larry Lawrence photo)

Only two riders have put Triumphs in a Grand National main in the last 25 years. Ohio’s Daniel Gedeon put his Triumph in a national several times in 2007 and once last year. Prior to Gedeon and Phillips the last time Triumphs were in a Grand National was in the 1983 Peoria TT with Gary Scott and Brad Hurst. Bill Gately, co-owner of the team (with his brothers Steve and Jim) gave Brian Phillips some extra incentive at Bulls Gap. “I told Brian I’d give him an extra $200 just to beat Bill Werner’s Kawasaki,” Gately laughed.

Phillips was the only non-Harely-Davidson rider in the field.

The Gately brothers have been around racing since the 1970s. Jim raced Triumph’s in AMA District 7 and his brothers helped.

“This is all us,” Bill Gatley said. “We’re self-funded. Triumph doesn’t give us a penny – they might if we can get up there around a podium.”