Wednesday, November 30, 2011

AMA Flat Track: Weirbach Racing Signs Aaron King for Expert Twins & Ryan Wells for Pro Singles 2012 Season






















Aaron King rolls out of the staging area for a qualifying session on the #40 Weirbach Racing/Toads Racing/General Engineering/Moose Racing-sponsored Suzuki SV650-based mount at round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series at the Springfield Mile II on September 4.  King was able to qualify in the 30th spot (out of the 48 riders that made the cut) on the Weirbach Racing machine, but finishes of 11th in his heat and 8th in his semi kept him out of the National main event at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.  But the Iowa team wasn't ready to let it go at that for their Iowa rider, thankfully.

The son of former AMA Grand National Championship competitor and former National #80 Rich King, Aaron was able to turn it around the next weekend at the Knoxville Half-Mile.  King qualified in the 23rd spot and then fought his way out of his semi with a 3rd place finish to put him in the show, where he rode the Weirbach Suzuki to a solid 10th place finish in his first main event in the Expert Twins Series class for the 2011 season, besting his previous best finish in a National Expert Twins Series event (12th place-Arizona Mile I in the 2010 season.)  King also made the main in three Singles Series events throughout the 2011 season, for an eventual 26th place ranking in the season-ending standings.

After riding for the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports team in the '09-'10 season on the team's Aprilias, the Waterloo resident rode an Aprilia early in the '11 season based out his and his father's Moose Racing shop in Iowa.  This will be a great move for Aaron as he obviously made some season-ending strides on the Weirbach machine, and with the duo of father-son Dick and Ted putting together a solid effort as far as good equipment is concerned, they should all be able to grow the SV-based Twins program to the next level for the 2012 season. 
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As the podium ceremonies come to a close after the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Championship Series round at the Springfield TT on May 30, 2011, two of the podium finisher's teams congratulate one another after the 16-lap event.  3rd-place finisher Hayden Gillim's #69C Thirty Four Racing/Bell Helmets/Teknic/Fly Racing/Alpinestars-sponsored Honda CRF450R and 2nd-place finisher Mikey Martin's #91Y Weirbach Racing/General Engineering/Barnett Clutches/Spectro-sponsored Honda are attended to by their respective team members as winner Mikey Avila can be seen departing the podium ceremonies in the background.

Mikey Martin went on to win the 2011 AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Championship at the end of the season while riding for the Iowa-based Weirbach Racing team.  Team owner and head wrench, Dick Weirbach (pictured above with Martin's machine) has been around flat track racing for decades, and between him and his son, Ted, have put together some solid equipment and results with a strong resume of riders over the years, including Martin, Mikey Labelle, Jesse Janisch, Henry Wiles and Sammy Halbert, to name just a few.

For the 2012 season, Weirbach Racing will be sponsoring riders Aaron King National #40 and up-and-coming former amateur racer, Ryan Wells.  After suffering through a transport fire just hours before the start of the Springfield Mile I on May 29, the team came back with a big bang and won the 2011 Pro Singles Championship, and still made time for riders Janisch and King to get some quality track time on the still-young Suzuki SV program.



Bravo and the best of luck to King, Wells and the Weirbach Racing team in the upcoming 2012 season, which still can't get here quick enough!  Read the official press release below to help you get through the long winter months ahead.
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 ---Press Release courtesy of Weirbach Racing---

For Immediate Release



November 28, 2011, Ottumwa, Iowa

Weirbach Racing announces the sponsorship/support of two young racers, 16 year old Ryan Wells from Albion, New York who will compete for the AMA Pro Singles Championship in 2012. In 2011 Ryan was one of the top amateurs in the country. New to the team this year is national number 40 Aaron King from Waterloo, Iowa. 
Aaron will compete in the Expert Grand National Series riding our Suzuki SV-750, which he rode for the first time to a season best 10th place finish at the Knoxville 1/2 mile National.  We will have a third rider from time to time on one of our Hondas and our new XR 750.

Dick Weirbach, a 40 year veteran of the flat track racing scene said:

"I am pleased to have these two fine young men to add to the list of names that have been part of Weirbach Racing. I know they have the talent to carry on the winning traditions of past riders, and conduct themselves in a way our sponsors will be proud to be associated with them on and off the race track.  Our goal for 2012 is to win the Pro Singles title and keep developing the SV into a strong competitive machine on the miles and half miles.”

Ted added -
“We are looking forward to another great year. Expectations are high coming off Mikey Martin’s championship run in Pro Singles Series and this year we are going to build off that momentum and raise the ante for 2012. Ryan Wells and Aaron King are both great representatives on and off the track. Be on the look out for information on the launch of our XR750 program as well. More to come on that topic as we get closer to the 2012 season.”

Ryan Wells made the following statement -
“ I would really like to thank Dick and Ted Weirbach and the teams sponsors for giving me the honor to ride for them in the 2012 AMA Pro Singles series. I am very confident joining this team, especially due to the fact of how many great and talented riders have shined before me.

Aaron King stated
“I'm very excited to be joining Weirbach Racing for the 2012 season. The SV has made big strides thoughout the end of the year and I'm looking forward to the challenge of making more main events. I need to thank Dick, Ted and all the teams sponsors for giving me this great opportunity.”

The team is preparing motorcycles for the season over the winter months, focusing on a successful 2012 season. They are always interested in new sponsors to be part of this growing team.

About Weirbach Racing
Weirbach Racing is run and owned by Dick and Ted Weirbach. Dick himself raced as a novice in the late 60’s and even owned a Bultaco motorcycle shop for eight years. He is currently retired and started sponsoring riders under his own program in 2000. In 2009, the inaugural year of the AMA Pro Singles Championship Weirbach's Racing James "the Rocket" Rispoli took second place overall setting a high water-mark. Then in 2011 Mikey Martin won the Pro Singles Title. The names of riders that have had the pleasure to work with Dick & Ted are notables such as Henry Wiles, Robbie Pearson, Sammy Halbert, Davey Durelle and more. Check their web site for more information at: 
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2012 Indy RedBull MotoGP Tickets Go On Sale December 1










As free practice session 3 takes place for the 4th Annual RedBull Indianapolis MotoGP round on August 27, the crowd makes their way around the Hulman Straightaway at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  The 5th Annual RedBull Indy MotoGP round will be held on August 17-19, 2012 and tickets go on sale on December 1.
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---Press Release courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway---


RED BULL INDIANAPOLIS GP TICKETS ON SALE THURSDAY, DEC. 1


Special savings available for fans who buy tickets, new incentives early


INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011 - Tickets for the 2012 Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP event, scheduled for Aug. 17-19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will go on sale Thursday, Dec. 1, and fans are encouraged to buy now at www.imstix.com to take advantage of special early pricing.

Reserved seat ticket prices for Race Day, Sunday, Aug. 19, are unchanged from 2011. Prices range from $70-$130 depending on location. Fans who purchase a Race Day reserved seat also can buy a Friday-Saturday general admission ticket for just $20 any time between Dec. 1 and Aug. 17, a great value.

"Indianapolis is my home race, and it's already circled on my calendar for 2012," said 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden, from Owensboro, Ky. "I really appreciate the support of the fans at IMS, and I hope to see you next August. Get your tickets today and take advantage of this very good offer."

Fan-friendly incentives available only for Race Day reserved seat ticket holders in 2012 include motorcycle track laps, three-day auto parking passes and VIP motorcycle parking near the IMS Hall of Fame Museum.

These amenities - track laps and VIP motorcycle parking are new for 2012 - will be sold through tiered pricing, so reserved seat customers who buy early will enjoy special savings. Prices for each of these products will be $10 from Dec. 1 through April 15. The cost will increase to $30 from April 16-Aug. 1 and to $40 from Aug. 2-19.

Four types of tickets will be available for general admission customers at the 2012 Red Bull Indianapolis GP: Friday, Saturday, Race Day and Three Day (Friday-Saturday-Sunday). Friday-Saturday general admission tickets are available only for Race Day reserved seat customers.

General admission tickets for Friday, Aug. 17 or Saturday, Aug. 18 cost $20 each from Dec. 1 through Race Day, Sunday, Aug. 19.

Three Day and Race Day general admission tickets will be sold through tiered pricing:


Dec. 1-April 15 // April 16-Aug. 1 // Aug. 2-Aug. 19

Three Day

$60 $70 $75

Race Day

$40 $50 $50

Orders for general admission and reserved seat tickets, track laps and parking can be made at www.imstix.com and through the IMS Ticket Office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday. For more information, call the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area.

Children 12 and under will receive free general admission to any IMS event in 2012 when accompanied by an adult general admission ticket holder.

Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.

Information on camping at IMS during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP is available at www.imstix.com.  Hotel package information can be found at visitindy.com/redbull.

The Red Bull Indianapolis GP will be the 11th of 18 events in the 2012 MotoGP World Championship, which opens April 15 with the Grand Prix of Qatar.

The fifth annual MotoGP race at IMS will take place one week earlier than in 2011. The event also will be the second half of a new American swing for the world's most prestigious motorcycle racing series.

The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix is scheduled for July 27-29 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif., followed by MotoGP's traditional summer break and then the Red Bull Indianapolis GP.

MotoGP fans will see new machinery in the premier class in 2012. Riders will compete on 1000cc prototype motorcycles, with more speed and power than the 800cc machines used since 2007.

There also will be three Americans on the MotoGP starting grid for the fifth consecutive year at IMS: 2006 World Champion Hayden, 2010 Rookie of the Year Ben Spies and Colin Edwards. Hayden and Spies each are two-time podium finishers in the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, and Spies won the pole for the 2010 race.

World Championship support classes Moto2 and the new Moto3 will return to IMS in 2012. Other support classes will be announced in the future.
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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Gene Romero's WCFTS to Kick Off 2012 Season at South Point Casino on January 13-14 in Las Vegas




















Former Triumph and Yamaha factory pilot Gene Romero is seen coming out of turn 4 at the Syracuse Mile during a qualifying session in September 1975 at round 16 of the AMA Grand National Championship Camel Pro Series held at the New York State Fairgrounds.  Romero was competing on his #3 C&J Frames-sponsored Yamaha in his first season as a privateer after having ridden for the Yamaha factory team in '73-'74.  Earlier in the season, Romero won the Daytona 200 while riding for the Yamaha factory team in the road racing part of the schedule, where he still had full factory support at the time. 

Romero competed in the AMA Grand National Championship for 16 years, finishing in the top-10 in points regularly from the '68 season well into the late '70s, while winning the 1970 AMA Grand National Championship as a member of the Triumph factory team.  Although his biggest win came in the '75 Daytona 200, won of his biggest wins from this old fan's standpoint was his Indy Mile win in August '74 aboard the Yamaha parallel XS650-based twin, which if memory serves me correctly, was the last win on a mile track for the XS-based mount.

Since retiring from riding, 'Burrito' as he was called, managed the Team Honda flat track assault on the AMA Grand National Championship in the early-mid '80s, and has been promoting flat track events on the west coast with his WCFTS for over a decade.  Teaming with AMA Pro Flat Track's Mike Kidd, Romero also helped promote the 2009 season-ending show at Pomona.
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Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series kicks off it's 2012 season at the South Point Casino in Las Vegas, NV. on January 13-14.  The series kicked off it's 2010-2011 seasons in Vegas with a slew of west coast riders attending, along with other AMA National caliber talent including Brad Baker, Sammy Halbert and Jimmy Wood.  WCFTS event flyer courtesy of Gene Romero's WCFTS.com.
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Press Release courtesy of Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series

THE 2012 WEST COAST FLAT TRACK SERIES OPENS AT

THE SOUTH POINT HOTEL CASINO IN LAS VEGAS

WITH THE 21st ANNUAL LAS VEGAS VINTAGE

MOTORCYCLE AUCTION


Race fans will be treated to the thrilling spectacle of handlebar-to-handlebar motorcycle racing action when Gene Romeros West Coast Flat Track Series thunders into the Events Center at Michael Gaughans South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., for the South Point Championship Indoor Concrete Short Track on January 13 and 14.


The opening rounds of Gene Romeros 2012 West Coast Flat Track Series tour, the event draws participants from 18 states vying for victory at the South Point Event Center. Spectators will witness breathtaking, pulse-pounding excitement as the competitors race within mere inches of each other at tremendous velocity on the arenas polished concrete surface, which is specially prepared to provide multiple G-force cornering speeds, showcasing the talent of some of the best flat track motorcycle racers in the country.

The event card will include four unique divisions: The K&N Filters Open Class, the Saddlemen Vintage Class, the Top Gun 450 class and the Classic Open Class all represent the high standard of competition and diversity at all West Coast Flat Series events, featuring racing motorcycles that reflect the past, present, and future of flat track motorcycle racing.

Adding to this spectacular weekend will be the 21st Annual Las Vegas Vintage Motorcycle Auction The Worlds Largest, produced by MidAmerica Auctions, Inc. The festivities begin Thursday, January 12, with a 6 p.m. dinner auction of 75 motorcycles, and continue Friday, January 13th, at 9 a.m., with 200 more motorcycles being offered. The auction resumes on Saturday, January 14, at 9 a.m., with 225 motorcycles scheduled to cross the block.

Providing an outstanding opportunity to bid on incredible machinery, plus view some of the most exciting racing action ever seen, the South Point Championship Indoor Concrete Short Track is definitely an event you wont want to miss.

Gates for the races open at 6:30 p.m. and racing begins at 7:30 p.m. each night. For more information on the race, visit www.WCFTS.com.  For special room rates click Entry Blank tab. Additional information on the auction can be found at www.MidAmericaAuctions.com.

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You can check out Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series here via their official site:

http://wcfts.com/

And you can read more about '70 AMA Grand National Champion Gene Romero here via the AMA Hall of Fame site:

http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=89&lpos=-820px&letter=R&txtFname=&rblFname=S&txtLname=&rblLname=S&discipline=0

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Friday, November 25, 2011

AMA Road Racing: Mid Ohio Back on the Schedule Making for 8 Confirmed Rounds for 2012 Season














Jamie James on the #2 Vance & Hines/Yamaha/Dunlop/Bel-Ray-sponsored YZF-750 OW01 leads the riders off the grid for the sighting lap just before the start of the AMA Superbike Championship Series Wiseco Superbike 100 at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in August '92.  James was judged to have jumped the start several minutes later in the main event of the Camel Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop, and was shown the meat ball flag by AMA Pro Road Racing officials, negating a roll-through penalty for the V&H teamster.

Unfortunately, several laps into the event, Larry Schwarzbach on the #64 like-sponsored V&H Yamaha (directly behind James) crashed hard coming out of the last turn onto the main straight and was critically injured, causing a red flag delay.  Schwarzbach had just earlier in the day won his very first AMA 600 Supersort Series event, and passed away just over two days laters.

As a result of the red flag delay and restart, James was able to work his way through the deep field and finished 4th on the day behind winner Doug Polen, runner-up Thomas Stevens and 3rd-placed rider Tom Kipp.

Others in this shot include Pascal Picotte on the #34 Fast By Ferracci/Ducati/Arai/Dunlop-sponsored Ducati 888 (in what I believe was his second year of racing in the U.S. in what would be a long career in AMA Superbike racing in the States, 7th-place finish), Scott Gray on the #18 self-sponsored (not listed) Kawasaki ZX-7R (6th-place finish), winner Polen on the #23 Ducati/Mechanica SPA/Dunlop/AGV-backed Ducati 888 (on a break from the WSBK schedule, in which he would win his 2nd World Superbike Championship at the end of the season), 2nd-place finisher Thomas Stevens on the #1 Kawasaki Motor Corp. USA/Muzzy/Bieffe/Nanki-sponsored ZX-7R (just behind Polen), Scott Russell on the #17 Kawasaki/Dunlop/SBS/Muzzy's-backed ZX-7R (DNF), and 3-Time World Champion Freddie Spencer on the #19 Two Brothers Racing/Honda Motor Co/Michelin/Arai-sponsored Honda RC30 (DNF).

Also seen in this shot: long-time AMA Superbike privateer (and '93 Mid Ohio winner) Dale Quarterley on the #32 Team Mirage/Valley Motorsports/Vanson/Bieffe-sponsored Kawasaki ZX-7R (partially obscured/just behind Gray's left elbow), who would round out the top-5 for the day, Canadian rider Jacques Quenette on the #39 D.L.G.L. Software/Action Accessories-sponsored Yamaha YZF750 (11th-place finish), and 3rd-place finisher Tom Kipp on the #16 American Honda/Camel/Commonwealth Racing/HRC-sponsored Honda RC30 (directly behind Russell in yellow leathers.)


Mid Ohio has been hosting a round of the AMA Pro Road Racing Series since the early '80s, and has historically been one of the best-attended events on the schedule, almost since their first year of hosting the event.  Located in Lexington, OH., the track is one of the most fan-friendly tracks on the schedule due to it's various viewing areas around the 2.5+ mile course. 

This is great news seeing the track return to the schedule for the 2012 season in what will be it's fourth decade in the series.
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AMA Pro Racing Confirms 2012 Date for Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course as Part of 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing Schedule


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (November 23, 2011) - AMA Pro Racing officials announced Wednesday the addition of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course to the list of renewals for the 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing calendar. The event is scheduled for the weekend of July 13 - 15, 2012 and will mark the 30th consecutive year that the series has raced at the 2.4-mile natural road course nestled in the scenic rolling hills of Lexington, Ohio.

In last year's contest, the Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki team dominated the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike weekend, Blake Young taking pole position and the Saturday race victory, followed by Tommy Hayden taking the checkers in Sunday's final. As in 2011, fans will experience the excitement of the full complement of AMA Pro Road Racing classes, which includes AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series.
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AMA Pro Road Racing at the Mid Ohio round in July '11 shows AMA Superbike Championship Series bikes lined up in the pitlane.  AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.
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With the addition of the event at Mid-Ohio, AMA Pro Racing has now announced eight contract renewals for the 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing season. AMA Pro Racing will be working in conjunction with M1 Powersports for promotion of three additional events. Details about those three new events, which will complete the 2012 schedule, will be released shortly. The partial schedule is as follows:


March 15 - 17, 2012

Daytona 200

Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Fla.


May 4 - 6, 2012

Infineon Raceway

Sonoma, Calif.


May 26 - 28, 2012

Miller Motorsports Park

Tooele, Utah


June 1 - 3, 2012

Road America

Elkhart Lake, Wis.


June 22 - 24, 2012

Barber Motorsports Park

Birmingham, Ala.


July 13 - 15, 2012

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Lexington, Ohio


July 27 - 29, 2012

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

Monterey, Calif.


September 7 - 9, 2012

New Jersey Motorsports Park

Millville, N.J.


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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Wednesday, November 23, 2011

AMA Flat Track: Mack Daddy Racing's George Mack Talks With Larry Lawrence in Cycle News This Week



















Mack Daddy Racing's George Mack rolls out the #10J Mack Daddy Racing/Sammy Sweet/TCR/PCD-sponsored Honda CRF450R of AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles rider Steven Vanderkuur prior to the Pro Singles main event at round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com Series on September 4.  Mack has been building and prepping machines for riders in the AMA Pro Flat Track Series for over a decade now and has been known to put together some fine machines and great results over the years after having been involved in the sport since the 80s as a rider and top wrench.

When the MDR owner isn't at the track, he is running his business, Performance Cycle & Dyno out of his Illinois-based shop.  His services include everything from bike set-up to race engine prep.

Vanderkuur rode the MDR Honda to a 2nd-place finish in his heat race earlier in the day, just .131 seconds behind heat winner Briar Bauman, to qualify for the Pro Singles main event at Springfield II, where he ended up finishing in the 11th-place spot after the last lap melee that caught riders Mikey Avila and Robbie Treinen out on the final lap.  He still finished just 1.044 seconds behind main event winner Jake Shoemaker.  Vanderkuur finished the season ranked 16th in the Pro Singles standings with best finishes of 3rd at the Peoria TT and 4th at the Lima Half-Mile.
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'09 AMA Pro Flat Track Saddlemen Rookie of the Year Stevie Bonsey on the #80 Mack Daddy Racing/Alpinestars/Arai/Rod Lake-sponsored Honda CRF450R leads former 3-Time AMA Grand National Twins Champion and '07 AMA Singles Champion Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. on the #2 Chaplin Kawasaki/Spectro Oils/Wiseco/Fox-backed KX450F in the late stages of the rescheduled Springfield TT round of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series on May 30.  The two had a great duel going on during the National main for several laps, with Bonsey able to best the former champ in the closing laps of the red-flag delayed event.

Bonsey rode to a career and season-best finish of 4th place at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Multipurpose Rodeo Arena riding a George Mack-prepped machine after finishing 8th on a like-prepped ride in late April at the Salinas Short Track round, while riding a partial schedule for the season.  Bonsey, Ion Stear and Matt Weidman are but a short list of riders that Mack has helped out over the course of the last decade or so in AMA Pro Flat Track racing.
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Larry Lawrence covers the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series for Cycle News, and he got a chance to talk with Mack Daddy Racing's George Mack a few weeks back for this week's CN Digital Edition.  You can read it here:

http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20111122#pg69
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You can check out George Mack's Performance Cycle & Dyno here:

http://www.performancecycleanddyno.com/index.htm
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

AMA Pro Racing Signs MotoBatt to Multiyear Partnership for AMA Road Racing & AMA Flat Track




















Zanotti Racing crew chief Ted McDermitt gets ready to fire up the #5 Zanotti Racing/Schaeffer's H-D/Supertrapp/NJK-sponsored H-D XR750 of rider Jake Johnson just prior to the start of the Springfield Mile II round at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on September 5, 2010.  Team rider coach and former AMA Grand National Championship rider #67 Mike Hacker looks on as the crowd gets ready for the 25-lap National main event at round 14 of the 2010 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series.  Johnson went on to finish 6th on the day, which propelled him and the Zanotti Racing team to their first of two-in-a-row AMA Grand National Championships.


MotoBatt's signing as a contingency sponsor for the AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship Series along with the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series will see them host the MotoBatt Hard Charger Award beginning in the 2012 season for the rider that comes the furthest through the field during a main event, and should help to expand the market for the MotoBatt brand in the U.S. market.  The company offers a full line of batteries, chargers and testers for the motorcycle market.
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MotoBatt Named Official Battery, Charger and Tester of AMA Pro Road Racing and AMA Pro Flat Track in Multiyear Agreement with AMA Pro Racing


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (November 22, 2011) - AMA Pro Racing and MotoBatt have announced an exclusive multiyear agreement for MotoBatt Batteries, LTD. to become the Official Battery, Charger and Tester of AMA Pro Road Racing and AMA Pro Flat Track.

AMA Pro Racing Competition Bulletin
The agreement allows for MotoBatt to be an exclusive partner of AMA Pro Road Racing and AMA Pro Flat Track and to have in-market and promotional rights to utilize the series marks at the racetrack, in retail outlets and in related media. As part of this agreement, MotoBatt will also become a contingency partner for the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike and AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Expert divisions. The MotoBatt Hard Charger Award will recognize the rider who charges through the field by gaining the most positions from their starting position in race finals.

"We're excited to begin a partnership with a company that is focused on providing quality products to the motorcycle community," said David Atlas, COO of AMA Pro Racing. "Their support of AMA Pro riders through the MotoBatt Hard Charger Award shows that they embrace our commitment to rewarding the paddock. We are looking forward to expanding our mutual reach in the marketplace over the coming years."

"Riding on the heels of our first and very successful official sales year in North America, we are having a hard time holding back our enthusiasm about this new partnership for the start of the 2012 season," said Smokey White, Director of Sales and Marketing for MotoBatt. "AMA Pro and MotoBatt share a lot of the same 'DNA' in that we both offer a premium product exclusively to the PowerSports enthusiast. We look forward to working in partnership with AMA Pro Racing to further grow our sales and continue to develop the MotoBatt Brand and our very unique and innovative product within this fun and exciting marketplace."

Now in North and Central America, MotoBatt Batteries, LTD. is a premium AGM PowerSports Battery manufacturer. Having patented and launched MotoBatt with QuadFlexTM Technology, the markets most innovative PowerSports battery design outside of the US less than three years ago, MotoBatt is now the #1 brand in Australia and New Zealand and is also selling well in Europe, South America and other parts of the world. Learn more about MotoBatt Batteries, Chargers and Testers at www.motobatt.com.


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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Monday, November 21, 2011

AMA Road Racing: National Guard Returns as 2012 Title Sponsor for AMA Superbike Championship
















Tom Kipp on the #16 Fast By Ferracci/DKNY MEN/Ducati Motorcycles/AGIP Lubricants-sponsored Ducati 998 leads eventual '98 AMA Superbike Champion Ben Bostrom on the #11 American Honda/Dunlop/Arai/Alpinestars-backed Honda RC45 early in the Wiseco Superbike 100 at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in July '98.  Following closely on Bostrom's tail section is Jamie Hacking on the #92 Yamaha Motor Corp/Dunlop/
Sharkskinz/Yamalube-sponsored YZF750, with Pascal Picotte on the #21 Harley-Davidson/Zippo/Dunlop/Shoei-sponsored H-D VR1000 doing an admirable job of keeping the big-HP machines he is chasing within reach, during the premier event of the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire at the Lexington, OH. facility. 

Mid Ohio has hosted AMA Pro Road Racing events at the track since the early-to-mid '80s and has almost always been one the higher crowd turn-outs for the series.  Hopefully they will be back on the schedule again for the 2012 season!


Good news for AMA Pro Road Racing fans of the series' AMA Superbike Championship was released today when it was announced that title-sponsor National Guard would return to the series for the 2012 season, making it the fourth year as title-sponsor.  Past companies that have sponsored the premier road racing series on the North American continent include Chevrolet and Parts Unlimited.  National Guard will also be putting up some extra dough for the series season-ending rider payout.
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Army National Guard and AMA Pro Racing Announce Extended Partnership and Introduction of Year-End Points Fund


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (November 21, 2011) - Officials from AMA Pro Racing and the Army National Guard announced today an extension of their existing partnership, which names the Army National Guard as the Official Department of Defense Branch of AMA Pro Road Racing and title sponsor of AMA Pro Road Racing's premier AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class. Additionally, AMA Pro Racing will be naming a new $50,000 year-end points fund for the SuperBike division in honor of America's soldiers and to reflect the relationship that the series has with the Army National Guard. The 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing season will mark the Army National Guard's fourth consecutive year of series support.

"The Army National Guard is an incredible American institution that we are proud to be partners with," said David Atlas, Chief Operating Officer of AMA Pro Racing. "The men and women that serve our country are the true heroes of the modern age. It is very rewarding for us to have the opportunity to show our support for those heroes and to promote the Army National Guard and its recruiting efforts."

The Army National Guard is the oldest component of the U.S. Armed Forces and one of the longest enduring U.S. institutions. The fast-paced environment found at AMA Pro Road Racing events attracts a high-energy, dedicated fan base which provides a high degree of potential candidates for recruitment in the Army National Guard. Since the partnership began in 2009, there has been a steady expansion in cooperative promotional activations at AMA Pro Road Racing events, exposing the loyal fans of the series to the many exciting opportunities available in the Army National Guard.

One of the most prominent promotional activities featured at AMA Pro Road Racing events is the National Guard 2-Up ride-along program. The National Guard 2-Up program is an outreach tool that gives soldiers, dignitaries and media representatives the opportunity to ride on the back of a specially-prepared Suzuki GSX-R1000 in order to offer an expanded understanding of motorcycle road racing and to emphasize the importance of proper safety equipment and riding techniques to rider safety.

New for the 2012 season, AMA Pro Racing and the Army National Guard will introduce "Guard Minute" features as part of the official series and local media coverage for each event. These features, which will be distributed via the AMA Pro Racing website, social media outlets and other media channels, will showcase the Guardsmen in attendance at events and the prominent contribution that they make to the excitement of AMA Pro Road Racing events and to the sport of motorcycle racing as a whole.

The new agreement also provides for the Army National Guard to have an expanded title sponsorship role with the "Paddock Chatter Blog" on the AMA Pro Racing website. The "National Guard Paddock Chatter Blog" is hosted by SPEEDTV announcer Greg White and features insider news and information on AMA Pro Road Racing riders and teams. Recognizing the importance of rider development, the Army National Guard also plans to have an expanded role in the fostering of the rising stars of American motorcycle racing in the 2012 season.


The 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing season will kick off with the historic Daytona 200 Week, scheduled for March 15-17, 2012 at Daytona International Speedway. Please visit www.nationalguard.com for more information on the National Guard.


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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Saturday, November 19, 2011

AMA Flat Track: Bonneville Performance Triumph Team to Get Backing From Triumph Factory for '12 AMA Grand National Twins Series, '11 Pro Singles Champ Mikey Martin to Ride



















The Bonneville Performance/GBR/Wiseco Pistons/GBR-sponsored Triumphs of National #32 Shawn Baer sit under the team's pop-up during round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series at the Illinois State Fairgrounds mile oval on September 4.  The Bill Gately/Bonneville Performance team, based out of Port Orange, FL. has struggled to make the mains in AMA Flat Track Grand National events, only able to do so in 10 events over the course of the last two seasons, but have turned some heads when they have put the sparkling blue and white machine into the show.

Going up against the long-standing Harley-Davidson XR750 in the series, the onslaught of the Kawasakis hitting the track the last two years, and factor in the great run that the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports team has had with Joe Kopp in '10 and Brad Baker in '11 with the Ducati, and you have a very deep field of top-level competition to race with in order to make a National main event in the 21st Century.

They may have just gotten another foot up on the competition for the 2012 season, though, with the announcement last night from 2011 AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Champion Mikey Martin that he will be the team's rider in the 2012 Twins Series events, and that the Triumph factory will be providing support to the team for next year as well. 

Tyler Porter and his Fight For Dirt Track.com site broke the news last night via Twitter and Facebook that Martin will be the team's rider and the Triumph factory will be stepping back into the AMA Grand National Championship for the first time in over 35 years.

Bonneville Performance is a company that specializes in all things Triumph-'old and new' as their website states-to set up your machine with, and offers a number of Mikuni, Wiseco and other after-market goodies to make your machine a street tracker special.  Their street tracker displays at the Nationals are absolutely pristine.  The team has campaigned Shawn Baer the last two seasons on the circuit, and Mick Kirkness #87 rode the machine this year at the season-finale at Pomona, albeit failing to make the main event.

This is great news for AMA Flat Track fans as the combination of factory support, Bonneville Performance's pristine machine set-up abilities, and Pro Singles Champ Martin onboard will help to propel this marque back onto the grid on a regular basis in The Rolling Thunder Show.  The 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series season just got a lot brighter! 
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AMA Pro Flat Track announcer Barry Boone reads off the list of sponsors for the fans while Lake Odessa Half-Mile AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles winner Mikey Martin gets set to chug some water after a runaway win at round 11 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship season.  The #91Y Weirbach Racing/General Engineering/Barnett Clutches/Spectro-sponsored Honda CRF450R-mounted rider took the win by 4.322 seconds over runner-up Conner Anderson, for his second of three wins on the season.  Martin went on to clinch the 2011 AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Championship at the last round of the season at Pomona on October 15.

With Martin moving up to the Expert ranks after the season was over last month, he will be wearing the #91 for the upcoming season, and with a white number plate and a set of black letters on them.  And he will be sporting that nice new number plate on the front of the Bonneville Performance Triumph for the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Twins Series events.  As previously mentioned, Tyler Porter and Martin both broke the news last night via Twitter and Facebook.

Showing up last weekend at Oglethorpe Speedway in Savannah, GA. for the SEMDTRA flat track half-mile race riding the Bonneville Triumph, Martin sported #91 Expert number plate, and finished 5th in his first outing on the bike behind in the Pro Twins class behind winner Kenny Coolbeth, Jeffrey Carver, Corey Texter and Shawn Baer (ironically the rider he will be replacing) in his first race against an Expert field of riders.  Not a bad way to end his first time riding the machine in competition against a former 3-Time AMA Grand National Twins Champion (Coolbeth) and 2010 Pro Singles Champion Carver.
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Shawn Baer is shown on the #32 Bonneville Performance/Wiseco Pistons/GBR/Eckhart Roofing-sponsored Triumph just prior to rolling out for the semi #2 race at the Springfield Mile II event on September 4, 2011, where the Pennsylvania resident finished in the 7th spot, .424 seconds out of making the National main event for the day.  The 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series season was a rough year for Baer, only managing to make five of the eleven Twins events on the year, with a best-finish of 14th at the Springfield Mile I round in May.

It looks like Shawn will be out of this ride for the 2012 AMA Grand National Championship Series, with Mikey Martin taking over the reigns.  Baer is to be lauded, however, in his help in developing the Triumph into a National main event semi-regular, something that hasn't been seen in several decades on a half-mile or mile event.

One of his best runs in his two years with the team was at the 2010 Lucas Oil Indy Mile, where he won his semi race over Jethro Halbert and Luke Gough.  Using every bit of track available that hot August night, Baer took the win by just .077 seconds after eight long laps over runner-up Halbert on his Halbert Racing XR.  It was a great show of not only what Shawn can do on the track, but a great show for the Triumph in running against the fast XRs on the mile circuits and able to pull one out.
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Thanks to Tyler Porter and his super site, Fight For Dirt Track.com for this great news about the factory Triumph coming back to AMA Pro Flat Track to help out the Bonneville Performance Triumph team for the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Twins Series Championship.  You can read more over at Tyler's site here:

http://www.fightfordirttrack.com/

And you can check out the great stuff that Bonneville Performance offers for the Triumph brand here, including their online catalog:

http://www.bonnevilleperformance.com/flattracker.htm
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2-Time WSBK Champion & AMA Superbike Champion Doug Polen Among 5 Inductees Into 2011 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class



















To the victor go the spoils as the top-3 finishers in the AMA Superbike Championship Wiseco Superbike 100 celebrate on the podium after the running of the AMA Pro Road Racing premier event at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course on August 2, 1992.  After 25-hard fought laps the Camel Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop weekend saw Doug Polen on his #23 Ducati/Mechanica/SPA/Dunlop-sponsored Ducati 888 triumph over runner-up and defending AMA Superbike Champion Thomas Stevens on the #1 Kawasaki Motor Corp. USA/Muzzy/Bieffe/Nankai-backed Kawasaki ZX-7R, with Tom Kipp on the #16 American Honda/Camel/Commonwealth Racing/HRC-sponsored Honda RC30 rounding out the last spot on the box.

Polen was in the midst of winning his 2nd World Superbike Championship with the rare weekend off to hit the AMA event in Lexington, OH., and would add to his two WSBK Championships by returning to the States the following year to win the AMA Superbike Championship.  The fast Texan is also a former winner of the Suzuka 8-Hours and a 2-time FIM Endurance World Champion, and held the record in the AMA Superbike Championship of 18 pole positons before it was broken by former 7-Time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin during the 2006 season.

The former Honda, Ducati and Suzuki factory pilot was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame last night in Las Vegas, along with Stu Peters, Phil Schilling, Fred Fox and Norbert Schickel.  The ceremonies also included former inductees Roger DeCoster and Kenny 'The King' Roberts being honored for their past accomplishments to the great sport of motorcycle racing.
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(NEWS RELEASE)


November 19, 2011, LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Five outstanding motorcyclists took their place in history Friday, Nov. 18, at the 2011 AMA Visa Card from Capital One Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by KTM, held here at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa.

Hosted by actor and motorcyclist Perry King, the event kicked off the AMA Visa Card Legends & Champions Weekend. It honored the Hall of Fame Class of 2011: magazine editor Phil Schilling, motocross promoter Stu Peters, industry leader Fred Fox, motorcycling pioneer Norbert Schickel and roadracing champion Doug Polen.

In addition to the class of 2011, the induction ceremony recognized the outstanding careers of two existing Hall of Fame Legends: world champion racing icons Roger DeCoster and Kenny Roberts.

Jeff Heininger, chairman of the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, which raises money to support the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, welcomed a sold-out crowd to the induction ceremony and voiced appreciation for their support.

“The vision of the Hall of Fame induction ceremony is only possible with partnership,” Heininger said. “You need only to look around this room tonight and see the realization of this vision. I’m honored to be a part of this effort.”

The 2011 inductees were honored with videos chronicling their careers, Hall of Fame rings and induction speeches. In addition to the honorees, several luminaries from the world of motorcycling participated in the ceremony. These included motocross superstar and 2010 Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legend Bob “Hurricane” Hannah; roadracer and Hall of Famer Jody Nicholas; journalist and Hall of Famer Gunnar Lindstorm; roadracer and Hall of Famer Don Emde; promoter and Hall of Famer Gavin Trippe; and industry leader, motocrosser and Hall of Famer Mark Blackwell; among others.

“What an evening this has been,” said King, as he closed out the program. “Gathered in this room tonight with our heroes and legends, we are reminded that events like this don’t occur often enough.

With well over 400 members, today’s Hall of Fame is a Who’s Who of men and women who have thrilled us, inspired us and, in many cases, brought a tear to our eye with ground-breaking achievements that have forever altered the world of motorcycling.”

The title sponsor of the induction ceremony was AMA Visa Card from Capital One. KTM was the presenting sponsor. Zero Motorcycles was the official Motorcycle Hall of Fame ring sponsor.


Other sponsors included Yamaha Motor Co., Mecum Auctions, Chet Burks Production, Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing, Greg Owen, Motion Pro Inc., Ack Technologies and Top 1 Oil, The Owen Collection, AeroStich/Rider Wearhouse, Don Rosene and the Motorcycle Shop, EBC Brakes USA Inc., Fluidyne PowerSports, Perry King, Metl-Span LLC, Moto Museum, Rytec Corp., SubZero Constructors, Melbourne J. “Mike” and Margaret Wilson, Dealernews, Don Emde Inc., Dunlop Tires, Early Years Motocross Museum, Glen Helen Raceway, Heininger Family, Hi-Torque Publications, Husqvarna Motorcycles North America, Matrix Concepts, Metl-Span LLC, Michelin Two Wheel, Motorcycle Industry Council, Motorsport Aftermarket Group, Nature’s Best, Parts Unlimited/Alpinestars, Pro Circuit, Racer X Illustrated, Saddlemen, Sidewinders Motorcycle Club, Yoshimura Racing, American Suzuki Motor Corp., Angle Ironworks Inc., David Backer LTD, BadCo Racing, Mark Blackwell, Brad Boyle Motorsports, Jamison Door Company, Missouri Mudders Motorcycle Club of St. Louis, The Penton Family, Ron and Lisa Ribolzi, Sidewinders MC Club, SubZero Constructors, Allied Federal, Avis-Budget Group., Carden Fire Sprinkler, Catalina Material Handling.


Phil Schilling

Phil Schilling was one of motorcycling’s most accomplished journalists and an expert race tuner who set the early mark for Ducati motorcycle’s on-track success in America.

Schilling was teaching at the University of Wisconsin when Hall of Famer Cook Neilson asked him to become managing editor of Cycle Magazine. Schilling and Neilson developed Cycle Magazine into the gold standard of motorcycle periodicals in the 1970s.

Schilling and Neilson were not just successful at the editor’s desk. In 1977, they entered a Ducati in the Daytona 200 and gave Ducati its first AMA Superbike win in the United States.

Schilling was joined on stage by Neilson, who read Schilling’s comments on his behalf.

“Thank you to the American Motorcyclist Association for this tremendous honor and to all those who nominated me, wrote letters on my behalf, and voted for me,” Neilson read. “I am humbled and proud beyond words to be in the company of so many of motorcycling’s great talents and industry leaders and my fellow Hall of Fame classmates.

“I have been fortunate in my life to do exciting work that I love alongside people I love and admire. Cook’s and my success at Cycle Magazine and on the racetrack was due in large part to the talent and hard work of an army of people, who share in this honor and deserve our gratitude.”

Stu Peters

Stu Peters is one of the most prolific and enduring motocross promoters in the history of the sport in America. Peters’ company, the Continental Motosport Club (CMC), has been promoting motocross races since 1968.

Although Peters has expanded beyond his Southern California base, his early start and subsequent success in what became a hotbed of motocross competition in the 1970s, 1980s and beyond, established his presence in the national consciousness of American motocross.

Peters, who raced motocross professionally in Europe in the 1950s, was already actively running local events when the AMA approached him to promote two rounds of the 1970 Trans-AMA Series, which became the sport’s first national championship series in the United States sanctioned by the AMA and recognized by the FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme), the world governing body for motorcycle sport.

Today, CMC Racing has grown into one of the largest motocross racing organizations in the country.

“Most of all, I’d like to thank my family for holding up the fort,” Peters said. “I also thank the Hall of Fame for honoring me with this great award for doing something I loved to do and would have done anyway.”

Fred Fox

Parts Unlimited founder Fred Fox built a small business into the largest aftermarket motorcycle, snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle and personal watercraft accessory distributorship in the world.

Fox founded Parts Unlimited Distributing in 1967 to distribute motorcycle parts and accessories to dealers. Today his umbrella company, LeMans Corp., is based in Janesville, Wisc., and it employs more than 1,000 people in operations spread across the U.S. and in Europe. Parts Unlimited serves the “metric” side of motorcycling, while Drag Specialties serves the American V-twin industry. The company’s own brands include Thor Motocross, Moose Off-Road, Icon and Z1R Helmets.

Fox elevated motorcycling and the sport of motorcycle racing nationally by creating a state-of-the-art distribution system that got parts to dealers quickly and by sponsoring motorcycle racing series as well as amateur and professional racers. His sponsorship dollars also supported various races and series to help grow the sport.

“I’m honored to be here,” Fox said. “This business means so much to me. I’m still enjoying working every day. I still go in early and leave late, but it’s the employees who do all the hard work. I really enjoy this industry. It’s been good to me.”

Norbert Schickel

Norbert Schickel was an innovative designer and builder in the early years of American motorcycle manufacturing. As the founder of Schickel Motor Co., Schickel was part of the motorcycle design boom that occurred in the United States between 1905 and 1915.

Schickel unveiled his first motorcycle at the 1911 Chicago Motorcycle Show, and Schickel Motor Co. began producing motorcycles in 1912 in Stamford, Conn. The company sold more than 1,000 motorcycles.

Schickel’s vision and designs were evident in his two-cycle motorcycles that he developed. He also helped popularize the twist grip control and had a patented “spring fork front suspension” and “fly wheel magneto.”

Ken Anderson, Schickel’s grandson, accepted the Hall of Fame honor on his grandfather’s behalf.

“If Norbert Schickel were here today he would be thrilled by his selection and would take great pride in knowing that his designs and innovations were worthy of Hall of Fame recognition,” Anderson said. “It is a great honor for me to represent my grandfather here tonight. Norbert Schickel’s selection to the Class of 2011 is a dream come true for our family and attending his induction is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to celebrate his achievements.”

Doug Polen

Doug Polen was a dominant national and world champion roadracer in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Polen had a series of strong winning performances in motorcycle roadracing in the United States and abroad, including winning 45 of 51 Suzuki Championship Series events in 1991 and earning the World Superbike title by 150 points.

He was the Suzuki GSX-R National Cup champion in 1986, Japan Formula 1 and Formula 3 National Champion in 1989, AMA Pro Twins National Champion in 1991, World Superbike Champion in 1991 and 1992, AMA Superbike Champion in 1993, and World Endurance Champion in 1997 and 1998.

“Being recognized with so many iconic people is touching, and to see my career made permanent as part of the Hall of Fame is really something,” Polen said. “I’ll always have that. I’m truly honored to be inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.”

Hall of Fame Legend Roger DeCoster

Roger DeCoster’s name is practically synonymous with the sport of motocross, and he is generally recognized as the best-known MX racer in the first 50 years of the sport.

When DeCoster was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999, his racing accomplishments were simply remarkable: five 500cc Motocross World Championships, numerous 500cc Motocross Grand Prix victories and four Trans-AMA Motocross Championships.

He also was a member of six winning Belgium Motocross des Nations teams, was a Gold Medalist in the International Six Day Trial (Enduro) and earned numerous national championships in his native Belgium, including a national Trials title.

DeCoster continued to find success after his racing career. He was the manager of the first U.S. team to win the Motocross des Nations in 1981, and managed many U.S. teams at the prestigious event over the years to the present day.

Today, DeCoster is in charge of KTM’s Supercross and motocross efforts in the United States. His stature is such in the world of motocross that he is often simply referred to as “The Man.”

“I have to thank America for welcoming me,” DeCoster said. “First was Bud and Dave Ekins. I met them in Germany in 1964, and it was the beginning of a great journey in America. We have come a long way from when I was inducted in 1999 in the AMA parking lot under an E-Z Up. This is a fantastic event.”

Hall of Fame Legend Kenny Roberts

Perhaps more than any other competitor, Kenny Roberts has put his stamp of dominance on American and World roadracing, both as an AMA National Champion, a Grand Prix World Champion and then as a Grand Prix team owner.

In recognition of his outstanding achievements on both the American and world racing circuits, Roberts, who was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998, was honored as a 2011 Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legend.

“King Kenny” Roberts won his first-ever AMA Grand National race in 1972 and went on to win 33 AMA Nationals in dirt-track and roadracing, including the prestigious Daytona 200 three times.

A two-time AMA Grand National Champion, Roberts moved to the world stage and became the first-ever American to win a 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship in 1978. In the following years Roberts dominated the World Grand Prix circuit, and by the end of 1980, he had captured three consecutive World 500 Grand Prix titles.

Retiring from full-time racing at the end of the 1983 season, he formed his own World 500 Grand Prix team. In 1990, Team Roberts’ rider and future Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey won the World 500 Grand Prix title, and teammate John Kocinski took the World 250 Championship — bringing the team a rare 500 and 250 championship season.

“I have to thank the AMA,” Roberts said. “I did what I did, and that’s what we do. We ride motorcycles. I do this because I’m a motorcycle person, and this room is full of motorcycle people. To honor me like this in front of motorcycle people is very important to me.”


AMA Visa Card Legends & Champions Weekend

The AMA Visa Card Legends & Champions Weekend is a three-day celebration of motorcycling’s greats held at Las Vegas’ Red Rock. In addition to the AMA Visa Card Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by KTM, the celebration includes the 2011 AMA Visa Card Racing Championship Banquet, and the annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame Dave Mungenast Memorial Concours d’Elegance bike show, which features some of the country’s most-stunning original and immaculately restored classic motorcycles.

The Concours d’Elegance is Saturday, Nov. 19, and the racing banquet is Sunday, Nov. 20, also at the Red Rock.

In addition, the weekend features the final round of the GEICO AMA Racing EnduroCross Championship Series on Saturday evening at the Orleans Arena.


About the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation

Founded in 1990 by the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, the goal of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame is to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling. Located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio, the Hall of Fame’s three major exhibition halls feature the machines and memorabilia of those who have contributed notably to the sport. The Motorcycle Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to motorcycling, including those known for their contributions to road riding, off-road riding and all categories of racing, as well as those who have excelled in business, history, design and engineering. More information can be found at MotorcycleMuseum.org.
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You can view a short video here of the some of the pre-ceremonies and induction ceremonies here thanks to the American Motorcyclist Association and their YouTube video.  In the background you can see former inductees including 13-Time AMA Grand National Champion tuner Bill Werner, multi-time AMA Motocross Champion Bob Hannah, as well as interviews with other former inductees including Don Emde, Jack Penton and Craig Vetter. 

The ceremonies took place on Friday, November 18, 2011 at the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas, NV.:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVyRdIJUrO8
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Friday, November 18, 2011

LCR Honda Signs Moto2 Champ Stefan Bradl to Ride Team's MotoGP Entry for 2012 Season




























The LCR Honda RC212V of rider #14 Randy DePuniet sits outside the team's garage during the 3rd Annual RedBull Indianapolis MotoGP weekend in August 2010.  The French rider and the HRC satellite team were a staple on the MotoGP grids during the '08-'10 season, finishing the seasons ranked 15th, 11th and 9th in the respective championship standings for those years.  DePuniet moved to the Pramac Ducati team for the 2011 season, with Toni Elias stepping in to take over the reigns of the Lucio Cecchinio-managed team's Hondas.  However, 2011 was not a good year for the team with rider Elias suffering a handful of crashes and injuries that kept him and the team well out of the top-10 standings.

Stefan Bradl, who won the second Moto2 World Championship in 2011, will ride the LCR Honda RC213V in the 2012 and 2013 season, in a signing that was announced by both parties late yesterday.  The German rider tested the team's RC212V during the season-ending tests and made enough of an impression to get the team to sign him for the next two seasons.

As of this writing, the LCR Honda team will be one of four Honda teams on the grid for the 2012 season, with the Repsol Honda pairing of '07 and '11 MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa, the San Carlo Honda Gresini team with new signee Alvaro Bautista rounding out the prototype machines.  Currently, Ducati and Yamaha will be the only other factory teams in the big class for the upcoming season, with several new CRT teams as yet to be announced helping to fill out the sparse grid.
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Thanks to David Emmett and MotoMatters.com for this story and confirmation about LCR Honda 
signing 2011 Moto2 World Champion Stefan Bradl to ride the team's RC213V in the 2012 MotoGP World Championship:

http://motomatters.com/news/2011/11/17/bradl_confirmed_with_lcr_honda_in_motogp.html

You can check out more on the LCR Honda team here, compliments of their official website:

http://www.lcr.mc/
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MotoGP Adds Another CRT Member to the 2012 Grid as James Ellison Teams With Paul Bird Motorsport



















A pair of Honda CBR1000RRs sit under the Corona Extra Honda team's awning in preparation for the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in August 2007 during the AMA Superbike Championship Series' annual stop at the Lexington, OH. facility.  The machines carried rider James Ellison's #77, along with sponsorship from Corona Extra/Parts Unlimited/Cycle Gear/Joe Rocket for the English-born rider who had joined the team at the end of the 2006 season after competing in the 2006 MotoGP World Championship for the Tech 3 Yamaha team.

Ellison finished the 2007 AMA Pro Road Racing season ranked in the 11th position in the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, with best finishes of 5th in race two at Road America and a pair of 8th-place finishes at Infineon Raceway in race two and Road Atlanta in race two. 

He won the 2003 Endurance World Championship and has raced in the British Superbike Championship since the 2008 season, winning his first-ever British Superbike Championship event while riding a GSE Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 at Donington Park in early 2009.  He went on to win two more events in the '09 season while riding for GSE, and has scored 17 podiums throughout his British Superbike career.

Teaming up with Paul Bird Motorsport for the 2012 MotoGP World Championship, the team is reported to be utilizing Aprilia's 2010 World Superbike Championship-winning RSV4 motors in the series' new-for-2012 CRT class, which will run alongside the grid with the remaining Honda, Yamaha and Ducati prototypes. 


You can read more on the news below, and we wish Ellison and the PBM team the best of luck for the 2012 season in MotoGP.
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Thanks to Dean Adams at SuperbikePlanet.com for this confirmation of James Ellison heading back to MotoGP for the 2012 season with the Paul Bird Motorsport team:

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Nov/111117b.htm

And here is some more on James Ellison from Dean Adams at SuperbikePlanet.com.  This interview with Ellison from December 2006 was released after it was announced he would be riding for the Corona Extra Honda team in the AMA Superbike Championship Series for the 2007 season.  It also has a couple of nice shots of Ellison in his Corona gear while tire testing at Daytona in December '06:

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2006/Dec/061212ellis.htm
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