AMA Pro Flat Track Set to Return to The Copper State for Arizona Mile in Phoenix on Saturday, May 14

AMA Pro Flat Track announced this week the official information about the upcoming Arizona Mile in Phoenix on Saturday, May 14, which saw tickets go on sale yesterday for what will be the series first return to The Copper State since the 2012 season. In what is being called a 'twilight race' the event will see heat races starting at 3 PM MT. The event will be held at long standing horse track facility Turf Paradise.

Arizona has hosted several events in the last several seasons dating back to the 2010 racing year, which saw two mile events held in Prescott (Joe Kopp/May winner, Jake Johnson/October winner) and Tucson hosting a half-mile event in October 2012 (Stevie Bonsey), but this will be the first return to the Phoenix area in 30 years in the days of the Camel Pro Series.

In the shot above, riders roar off the line in heat race #2 during round 11 of the 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines series at the Springfield Mile II on September 6.

Bryan Smith on the #42 Crosley Brands/Howerton Motorsports/Villa-Esparza-backed Kawasaki EX650 gets the jump on fellow contestants Brandon Robinson on the #44 Latus Motorsports/Castrol/Triumph America-sponsored Triumph Bonneville, Dominic Collindres on the #66Y Babe DeMay Racing/Memphis Shades/Motorcycle-Superstore-sponsored Yamaha FZ07 and Mikey Martin on the #91 Weirbach Racing/Racing Unlimited/Spectro Oils-backed Kawasaki.

With just 19 days until the season gets set to kick off at Daytona Beach in the annual short track doubleheader event, it's getting close to go time for the teams, riders and sponsors in The Rolling Thunder Show to hit the track and wow all of those on hand, and the return of racing to Arizona in May should make for another great event on the series calendar this year.

You can check out all of the particulars below thanks to the press release from AMA Pro Racing.

AMA Pro Flat Track set to return to Phoenix area with the Arizona Mile at Turf Paradise on May 14

Bubba Shobert completed the AMA Pro Flat Track "Grand Slam" when the series last visited the area in 1986

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 18, 2016) - AMA Pro Flat Track will be making a return to the Phoenix area for the first time in 30 years with the Law Tigers Arizona Mile, scheduled as round four of the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track season on Saturday, May 14 at Turf Paradise in Scottsdale, Ariz. "Arizona is a spectacular motorcycle market and a great place to put on events," said race promoter Chris Morgan. "We recognize the value of Arizona, the enthusiasm of the motorcycle market and how much of a perfect market it is for an AMA Pro Flat Track event." The Arizona Mile will be the first race in the area since 1986, when motorcycle racing legend Bubba Shobert won a half-mile event in Phoenix aboard the Honda RS750. With that victory, Shobert completed the "Grand Slam" of winning a Mile, Half-Mile, Short Track, Tourist Trophy and Road Racing main event. Looking to add to the sport's history in the state, the stars of AMA Pro Flat Track will be geared up for Turf Paradise as the first mile event of the season. "Arizona is a great part of the country to have a race," said Factory Harley-Davidson rider Brad Baker. "The weather will be nice and there is just a neat vibe overall. Since it will be the first mile race of the season, it will show who really did their homework over the offseason to prepare. You can always count on Bryan Smith, Jared Mees and Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. to perform well, and I know that I'm prepared to be up there with all of them." The race, being presented locally by Buddy-Stubbs Harley-Davidson, will be an "afternoon twilight event," meaning that the gates will open at noon and the race will start at 3:00 p.m. In addition to the AMA Pro Flat Track action on the race track, there will be a variety of family-friendly entertainment including stunt performances and a vendor area. "For years, the Law Tigers have proudly sponsored the AMA Pro Flat Track finals in Pomona," said Ari Levenbaum, the Vice President of Marketing for the Law Tigers Motorcycle Lawyers. "With the loss of the Pomona venue last year, the promoters and I were eager to continue our partnership and tradition of putting on Flat Track races. As riders and racing enthusiasts ourselves, we felt that it was important to find another venue that both the Flat Track racers and fans would enjoy. Bringing a race to Arizona, home to Turf Paradise and the Arizona Law Tigers, just made sense. We love supporting the racing element of motorcycling and are committed to seeing the sport grow and flourish." For more information and to purchase tickets for the Law Tiger's Arizona Mile, please visit http://www.ArizonaMile.com. Tickets will be available for purchase starting Friday, Feb. 19, 2016. Next Up: The 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track season will once again kick off with a doubleheader at the DAYTONA Flat Track during Daytona's Bike Week festivities. The twin short track races will take place at the "World Center of Racing" on Thursday and Friday, March 10 & 11. For additional information and to purchase tickets, please visit http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/Events/2016/DAYTONA-Flat-Track/DAYTONA-Flat-Track.aspx. How to Watch:   FansChoice.tv is the official home for live streaming coverage of AMA Pro Flat Track events. The site also provides coverage of IMSA's development and single-make series, and NASCAR's touring and weekly series. Catch all the action at http://www.FansChoice.tv. About AMA Pro Flat Track:   AMA Pro Flat Track is the world's premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track, please visit www.amaproracing.com/ft/, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or live stream the on-track action on FansChoice.tv.  About AMA Pro Racing: 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