The roar of engines and the smell of dirt have defined American flat track racing for decades. Now, there is a new element mixing into that atmosphere — craft spirits from the hills of East Tennessee.
Progressive American Flat Track, the premier dirt track motorcycle racing series in North America and one of the longest-running championships in all of motorsports, recently locked in a multi-year deal with Sugarlands Distilling Company. Under the agreement, Sugarlands becomes the Official Moonshine of the series, while its newer label, Broken Antler Flavored Whiskey, picks up the title of Official Whiskey. It is a pairing that, on paper, makes a whole lot of sense — two brands rooted in grit, tradition, and a loyal following that does not apologize for loving what it loves.
The partnership is set to kick off with the 2026 season, and Sugarlands is not easing into things quietly. The Gatlinburg-based distillery will take a lead role in the festivities surrounding the season opener, which is slated for Daytona International Speedway on March 5 and 6 with the Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I & II. That opening weekend is one of the biggest dates on the calendar for flat track fans, and Sugarlands plans to be right in the middle of it.
A Kick-Off Party Worth Showing Up For
One of the centerpiece activations of the deal is the Sugarlands American Flat Track Kick-Off Party Presented by Giuseppe's Steel City Pizza and Jostens. This event is being positioned as the main gathering point for fans, riders, and industry insiders before the first green flag waves. Think of it as the unofficial start to the season — a place where the racing community comes together to catch up, talk shop, and get fired up for what is ahead.
The party will feature specialty cocktails made with Sugarlands Shine and Broken Antler Flavored Whiskey, crafted specifically for the occasion. Exact details about the event location and specific fan activities are expected to roll out in the weeks leading up to the opener, but the early word suggests it will be a significant draw.
Beyond the kick-off party, Sugarlands will also serve as the presenting sponsor of the Mission Foods Award Party, further anchoring the distillery's presence in the culture and ceremony of the sport.
On the Ground at Atlanta and Peoria
Sugarlands is not just slapping its name on a banner and calling it a day. The company plans to activate at two major rounds during the 2026 season — March 21 in Atlanta and August 22 in Peoria. At both events, the distillery will set up interactive fan experiences designed to bring a taste of the Smoky Mountains straight to the racetrack. The idea is to let fans experience the brand the way visitors do when they walk through the doors of the Gatlinburg distillery, which pulls in over one million visitors every single year and has been voted the top craft spirits distillery tasting room in America by USA TODAY 10Best three years running, from 2023 through 2025.
Adding star power to those two rounds, Mark and Digger — familiar faces to anyone who has ever watched the hit television show Moonshiners — will serve as Grand Marshals at both Atlanta and Peoria. The duo will also be available for meet-and-greet sessions with fans, which should make those stops especially popular for anyone who follows the moonshining world as closely as they follow the racing.
Why This Partnership Works
On the surface, moonshine and motorcycle racing might seem like an odd couple. But spend five minutes at a flat track event and it becomes obvious why these two worlds fit together. Flat track racing is not a polished, corporate motorsport. It is raw, physical, and deeply connected to its roots. Riders slide sideways through turns on dirt ovals at terrifying speeds, inches apart, with nothing but skill and nerve keeping them upright. The fan base reflects that same authenticity — passionate, knowledgeable, and fiercely loyal.
Sugarlands carries a similar DNA. The distillery was founded in 2014 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a town that sits at the doorstep of the Great Smoky Mountains and has deep historical ties to moonshine culture. It remains family-owned, and while the operation has grown considerably over the past decade, it has kept that independent, craft-first mentality.
Patrick Sullivan, the chief commercial officer at Sugarlands, summed it up pretty directly when the deal was announced.
"American Flat Track is built on passion, authenticity and community, creating a natural alignment with who we are as a brand," Sullivan said. "We're excited to tap into the culture surrounding the sport and bring our award-winning moonshines and new Broken Antler Flavored Whiskey to the track in a fun, engaging way throughout the 2026 season and beyond."
That word — authenticity — keeps coming up. It is the thread connecting both brands. Neither one is trying to be something it is not.
The Sugarlands Portfolio
For those unfamiliar with the distillery's lineup, Sugarlands has built a house of brands that covers a lot of ground. The flagship Sugarlands Shine offerings and Sugarlands Sippin' Cream have been staples for years. High Rock Vodka, launched in 2022 in collaboration with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife Amy Earnhardt, brought the company into the vodka space with a product that is distilled seven times and then triple-filtered using the Lincoln County Process — a technique made famous by Tennessee whiskeys that uses sugar maple charcoal to smooth out the finish. The Earnhardt connection alone gives Sugarlands serious credibility in the motorsports world, and this flat track deal feels like a natural extension of that relationship with racing culture.
Then there is Roaming Man Whiskey, which has quietly become one of the more decorated craft whiskeys in the country. It has earned four Double Gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition over the past five years — in 2021, 2023, and two in 2025 — and was named Best Whiskey at the 2019 American Craft Spirits Association Awards. That is not a shelf full of participation trophies. Those are legitimate, hard-to-earn distinctions in the spirits industry.
The newest addition, Broken Antler Flavored Whiskey, is being positioned as a bold but approachable entry point for whiskey drinkers. It is the brand that will get the most visibility through this flat track partnership, sharing the spotlight with Sugarlands Shine at events and activations throughout the season.
More Than Marketing
It is also worth noting what Sugarlands does outside of selling bottles. The company has donated nearly one million dollars to nonprofits across the country through its giveback program, MoonShare. That kind of community investment is not something every spirits brand prioritizes, and it adds another layer to why the flat track partnership feels genuine rather than purely transactional. Both organizations value community — the racing series has built its identity around the tight-knit culture of its fans and competitors, and Sugarlands has put real money behind the idea that success should be shared.
The 2026 Season Ahead
The 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season is shaping up to be one of the more anticipated campaigns in recent memory, and the Sugarlands partnership adds another reason to pay attention. The season opens at Daytona in early March, rolls through Atlanta later that month, and continues through the summer with the Peoria round in August serving as another major milestone on the calendar.
Every race during the season will be available to watch live on FloRacing, and the American Flat Track online store will have the latest Grand National Championship gear for fans looking to rep the series.
AMA Pro Racing, which sanctions the series from its headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida, continues to position flat track as one of the most compelling live motorsports experiences available. Adding a partner like Sugarlands — one with deep roots in American tradition, a connection to motorsports through the Earnhardt family, and a product lineup that has won over both casual drinkers and serious spirits judges — only strengthens that pitch.
For fans of the sport and fans of good whiskey alike, the 2026 season just got a lot more interesting. And if the kick-off party cocktails are anywhere near as good as the racing promises to be, it is going to be a memorable year at the track.
