DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Sammy Halbert will race a Martin Trucking Yamaha MT-07 for the Daytona Short Track I & II season opener and other select rounds of the upcoming Progressive American Flat Track championship, including the Sturgis and Castle Rock TTs.
The union pairs Martin Trucking owner C.D. Martin, a genuine flat track enthusiast and former racer, with the highly decorated Halbert, who boasts an overall AMA Pro Flat Track Championship, a Grand National Singles Championship, and an X Games gold medal among his many racing accomplishments.
Sam McDonald is building the race bikes out of his shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. McDonald came up as a dirt tracker himself before embarking upon a highly successful road racing career, where he claimed the 1982 AMA 250 Grand Prix title before taking runner-up honors in the 1984 AMA Superbike Championship.
Sammy’s little brother, Andy, will also be at the track to help the team. Together, they’ll look to rekindle the magic they had working together in 2011 when they dominated the Daytona Short Track doubleheader, winning both Main Events and Dash-for-Cash races.
“I was so excited to see the Daytona Short Track back on the schedule this year,” said Halbert. “I always feel right at home on this track. I knew that I wanted to be on a Yamaha in this chassis this year. After riding the Harley and Indian the last four years, getting on this bike feels like a minibike – it’s so much smaller and I can actually touch the ground. I like the rules package for this bike and being able to run a heavy wheel again.”
“I’m thrilled to partner with Sammy Halbert and Sam McDonald,” said Martin. “We’re ready to shake things up and have fun doing it.”