AMA Pro Road Racing Announces Purse Structure for Daytona

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Jamie James on the #2 Vance & Hines Yamaha leads Scott Russell on the #17 Muzzy Kawasaki, Freddie Spencer on the #19 Two Brothers Racing Honda and Thomas Stevens on the #1 Muzzy Kawasaki going into turn one at Road America in June of 1992. In what was one of THE classic AMA Superbike Championship races in the early '90s, James held off Russell and Spencer at the line after 16 fast and furious laps, with Stevens just a short distance behind.
All but Spencer in this group held claim to an AMA Superbike Championship. James, the '89 Champ while riding for Team Yoshimura Suzuki, Russell winning his championship later in the year after this shot was taken, and Stevens being the defending '91 AMA Superbike Champion from the previous year while riding for the Vance & Hines Yamaha team while a team mate to Jamie. Spencer, however, probably holds the heaviest of laurels when it comes to championships, winning his first 500CC World Championship in '83 while riding for Team Honda, and then repeating again in '85 and bagging the 250CC World Championship that year as well.

Road racing in the AMA Series has changed dramatically in the 19 seasons since this shot was taken. In the last few years, the series has seen many changes due to the global economic climate and the turnover of racing ownership to the Daytona Motorsports Group. Still putting the series back together again after the damages created by the Roger E era of '08-'09 and the economic disasters felt around the world the last few years, most riders are racing for lower purses and less up-front money (if any at all) to ride these 190+ HP machines. The days of six-figure salaries and bonuses are long gone, and a rider has to work even harder today to score personal sponsors to help line his (or her) pockets.

The 2011 AMA Superbike Championship kicks off next Thursday, March 10 when bikes hit the track for their first practice session at 1015 EST. Round one races kick off on Friday, March 11 at 1630 EST and Saturday, March 12 at 1115 EST. Both races will be shown tape delayed on Speed TV (DirecTV Channel 607) on Saturday, March 12 at 2300 EST, and the Daytona 200 will be shown live on Speed TV on Saturday from 1300-1530 EST. You can check out the link to AMA Pro Road Racing's event link after the press release below to also access the week's schedule.
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AMA Pro Racing Announces $235K Purse for Daytona 200 Round

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (March 4, 2011) - Traditionally the richest round on the AMA Pro Road Racing schedule, this year's Daytona 200 season-kickoff event is no exception. A total of $235,500 will be up for grabs when the series returns to Daytona International Speedway, the purse spread throughout the AMA Pro National Guard Superbike, Daytona SportBike, Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport, and Vance & Hines XR1200 classes. The 70th running of the legendary Daytona 200, which reverts to its traditional Saturday-afternoon start this year, will offer a bristling field of Daytona SportBike riders 57 laps to fight for a $20,000 winner's purse. The event's second- and third-place finishers will claim $15,000 and $10,000, respectively, with the remaining $64,500 paying down through 20th position. Each of the two 15-lap AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike races will award a $51,000 purse, for a double-header total of $102,000. SuperBike race-winners will take home $10,000 per victory, with the remaining $41,000 paying through 15th position. The Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport class---- for which Daytona serves as a combination East/West Division event---- will vie for a total of $7,000 per 10-lap race, each winner claiming a $1,500 purse and the remaining prize money paying through tenth position. The Vance & Hines XR1200 class, making its inaugural appearance at Daytona International Speedway and boasting the largest field the division's seen yet, will race for $10,000 in prize money. The first big V-twin to tear across the line will take home $3,750, with the remainder paying through tenth position. The stakes are high for AMA Pro's road race stars, and fans who emerge from Daytona International Speedway's tunnels into the legendary infield for the March 12 event will experience a full slate of pit-stops, autograph sessions, fan walks, vendors and exhibitors, live entertainment, and more. For ticket and event information, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com; for complete AMA Pro Racing information, visit www.amaproracing.com. For a detailed breakdown of the purse payouts listed above, please consult Competition Bulletin #2011-06.

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 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can follow the action from Daytona here via the AMA Pro Road Racing site. Once the bikes hit the track for first practice at the World Center of Speed on Thursday, March 11 at 1015 EST for the first AMA Superbike practice, the AMA will also have a link posted for Live Timing and Scoring: http://amaproracing.com/rr/events/event.cfm?year=2011&eid=2011011105 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------