In a year that has seen one rain delay (Springfield Mile I), one rain cancellation (Lima) and one event cancellation (Grays Harbor) in the early part of the season, the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship show has already seen it's share of ups and downs with only four events total in the bag as of mid-July.
But with the schedule ready to pick up with round 5 of the season at the Sacramento Mile on July 27, from there on out the rest of the season should be going strong and in full throttle as the stars and teams of The Rolling Thunder Show hit their stride, with nine events left on the schedule between the end of July and mid-October.
One of those events that everyone always looks forward to is the Labor Day Weekend running of the Springfield Mile, and this year's event will not only provide fans with a doubleheader of Expert mile racing, but will also see the debut of the new Pro Basic Twins Class that was announced several months ago.
The class, announced as a bigger stepping stone for the Pro-level riders now currently competing on 450-Singles machines, will see the use of Twins Series-based engines as raced by the Experts in the greatest racing show on two wheels in the world, and should give the 'junior' riders and future stars of the sport a stronger feeder system in order to get used to racing at speed on the half-mile and mile tracks.
Although the class will debut on August 31 and September 1 at Springfield, it will make it's 'official' debut during the 2014 season when it officially takes over for the 450-based machines on a full-time basis, but the Labor Day preview of the class will give fans, teams and riders a glimpse of what is to come in what is fast becoming the very near future.
In the shot above, riders get ready to head out for practice session number 2 at the Springfield Mile I on May 29, 2011, in round 7 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season.
Seen in this shot (L-R) are Kenny Coolbeth on the #2 Factory Harley-Davidson XR750, Jared Mees on the #9 Rogers Lake Racing XR, Chris Carr on the #4 American Motorcyclist Assoc. XR750, Willie McCoy on the #59 H-D of Wausau XR, Johnny Lewis on the #10 Scott Powersports Kawasaki, Mick Kirkness on the #87 Yeager Cycles Suzuki, Rob Pearson on the #27 American H-D XR, Steve Bonsey on the #80 Dodge Brothers Racing XR, and Brandon Robinson on the #44 Action Motorsports XR750.
Also of note in the shot are Mees' then-tuner and master wrench, Brent Armbruster (walking towards camera-and now the head wrench for Henry Wiles and the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Ducati team) and Will Fulford of The Fast and Dirty.com getting some shots to add to his and wife Yve Assad's wonderful line of work in promoting AMA Pro Flat Track (kneeling, right with backpack.)
You can check out AMA Pro Flat Track's official press release below on what will be another historic weekend in Springfield over the Labor Day Holiday with the roll-out of the new Pro Basic Twins Class, in addition to the other great racing you've come to love and expect at the cathedral of speed at the Illinois State Fairgrounds mile oval.
AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Community Prepping for Basic Twins Races set for August 31-September 1, 2013 at Springfield Mile
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 17, 2013) - Earlier this year, AMA Pro Racing announced the launch of a new class that will provide AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles riders with a transition to the Grand National Expert level. The new class, titled Basic Twins, already has a growing number of AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles riders committed to compete in the event which is scheduled to take place during the Springfield Mile doubleheader on August 31-Septemper 1, 2013.
The Basic Twins class has been designed specifically for Pro Singles riders that have the aspiration of one day competing at the Grand National Expert level. This stepping stone division will provide a way for the Pro Singles riders to get a feel for the powerful twin-cylinder motorcycles at the professional level without the added pressure of competing against the already proven Grand National Experts.
Darryl Baer, a chassis builder for several competitors at the Grand National Expert level, has been approached by multiple riders and teams in regards to building frames for their Basic Twins motorcycles. "When the AMA Pro Racing press release came out announcing the arrival of the Basic Twins class, I immediately started receiving large amounts of phone calls from riders at the Pro Singles level requesting that I build their frames," said Baer. "Aside from the racers themselves, there are multiple people that have called me - they don't even know what rider they're putting on them yet but they're building the Basic Twins bikes and are excited about the new class."
Shawn Baer on the #32 Baer Racing Products Kawasaki, Mikey Rush on the #32 Ron Wood Racing BMW, Dan Ingram on the #31J TCR XR750, Matt Weidman on the #20 GCR/White's XR750 and Doug Lawrence on the #73 R&J Racing XR battle during semi race #1 at the Springfield Mile I in May 2012. AMA Pro Flat Track is gearing up for the debut of the new Pro-level Basic Twins Class that will make it's debut at the Illinois State Fairgrounds doubleheader weekend on August 31 & September 1 over the Labor Day Holiday. AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.
The Basic Twins class will also provide an opportunity for top-tier teams and sponsors to see firsthand how well the rising stars compete on twin-cylinder machinery. In order to promote the growth of the new class, Harley-Davidson has agreed to provide a $2,000 purse for the race weekend with $500 going to each of the winners.
The same engines approved for competition in the Grand National Expert Twins class will be eligible in the Basic Twins class, but with varying levels of modification required in order for them to fit within a reduced performance envelope. The complete Basic Twin rules package can be found at http://amaproracing.cdn.racersites.com/assets/AMAP-FT-Tech-Bulletin-2013_04.pdf.
"The Basic Twins class is going to be a breakthrough for our series, there's no question about it," said Dan Johnsen, Director of AMA Pro Flat Track. "There is so much talent at the Pro Singles level and I believe that once they get this opportunity, there's going to be no stopping them. There are already several riders that have bikes currently being built and are getting excited for the race at Springfield. We plan on scheduling four to six Basic Twins races in 2014 with even more to follow in 2015. I know I speak on behalf of the entire AMA Pro Flat Track community when I say that we are excited about getting this series off the ground."
A notable rider who has already committed to competing in the inaugural Basic Twins race at Springfield is Jason Isennock. The 26-year-old, who recently claimed victory at the Hagerstown Half-Mile, has a motorcycle being built for the Basic Twins race. "I'm super excited about this and think AMA Pro Racing is making a good call," said Isennock. "My (Basic Twins) bikes aren't quite built yet for it but they're on the way and we'll have them running for the Springfield events. I think it's a great idea for the Pro Singles to be able to get comfortable with the twin-cylinder motorcycles without competing against the Grand National Experts. I really think this is a great thing for the (J&P Cycles) Pro Singles."
The Basic Twins races will take place on August 31, 2013 in Springfield, Illinois and again on September 1 for Round 10 and 11 of the AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles schedule.
About AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles:
AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles is a national motorcycle racing series in North America and is considered one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the Series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing in the world. The 2013 schedule consists of rounds on the country's finest flat track courses. For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles, please visit www.amaproracing.com/ft.
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.
For additional information contact:
AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com
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