AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Heads to the Springfield Mile I Memorial Day Weekend on Sunday, May 29 for Round 6 of the Season

One of the premier events of the season will roll off the line in just shy of 24 hours as the stars of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines series heads to the grand daddy of them all at the Springfield Mile I tomorrow in round 6 of the 2016 season.

Unlike the last few years, the event that is the looked forward to most by nearly all fans and riders sits just shy of the half-way point of the season instead of three or four races into the schedule. With the series having completed not only both Daytona rounds, the series schedule has also hit the half-mile in Austin, TX. and both mile events in consecutive weekends prior to this at Phoenix, AZ. and Sacramento, CA.

This season has already been sizing itself up to be another barn burner with former 2-Time AMA Grand National Champion Jake Johnson having won one of the Daytona Short Track races (with Sammy Halbert claiming the other win), defending AMA Grand National Champion Jared Mees taking the win at the COTA/Austin half-mile, and mile specialist and Howerton Racing's rocket Kawasaki pilot Bryan Smith taking the wins at both the Phoenix and last weekend's Sacto Mile events.

Besides the great racing to look forward to tomorrow, Midwest fans will also get to catch a glimpse of the new Harley-Davidson XG750R being piloted by last year's AMA Pro GNC2 Champion Davis Fisher. Although the bike has struggled in it's first couple of outings, Fisher was finally able to put it into the National main last weekend in Sacramento and came away with a 16th-place finish. The Harley-Davidson folks are trumpeting this weekend's event as the bike's debut (see the press release below from the Motor Company) even though it has already appeared at the previous three rounds of the season.

In the shot above, Bryan Smith on the #42 Crosley Brands/Howerton Motorsports/Villa-Esparza-sponsored Kawasaki leads Jared Mees on the #1 Las Vegas H-D/Rogers Racing/Harley-Davidson Motor Co-backed XR750 and Jake Johnson on the #5 Harley-Davidson Motor Co/Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts/Arai Helmets-sponsored XR750 in the last few feet before the checkers is thrown at the running of the Springfield Mile II on September 6 during round 12 of the 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines series held at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

Smith heads up the point standings over Sammy Halbert, Jake Johnson and Jared Mees (with just 17 points separating the top-4 riders after just five rounds) and is heading to familiar territory tomorrow in Springfield in a race that he won both times last season and has all but dominated since joining the Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki team in early 2012. There is no reason not to think that tomorrow won't be any different, although riders like Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. and Brandon Robinson have been able to sneak in wins amidst Flyin' Bryan's dominance on the Illinois State Fairgrounds mile oval. And as we all know, that is why we have races, in order to determine who can and will win them!

As we wish all of the men and women in The Rolling Thunder Show the best of luck for tomorrow's event, you can check out all of the particulars about the shoot-out in Central Illinois below thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track, and may the best man (or woman) win!

AMA Pro Flat Track Heads to the "World's Fastest Mile" this Sunday for the Springfield Mile I

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (May 25, 2016) - This Memorial Day weekend will be all about speed as the stars of AMA Pro Flat Track roll into the Illinois State Fairgrounds for the Springfield Mile I on May 29, and the man in every rider's sights will be Michigan native Bryan Smith. The pilot of the No. 42 Crosley/Howerton Kawasaki Ninja 650 heads to the "World's Fastest Mile" having won the last two Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines races - both Miles. Smith also swept both Springfield Mile events in 2015, giving him a rare six all-time victories at the venue that's considered by many to be the crown jewel of the AMA Pro Flat Track schedule. On his last Mile outing this past Saturday, Smith finished just 0.024 of a second in front of Kenny Coolbeth, Jr., to claim his sixth consecutive Sacramento Mile victory after a grueling on-track battle with the former Grand National Champion. Coolbeth, mounted on the No. 2 Zanotti Racing Harley-Davidson XR750, has also had success in Springfield, with a win to his credit from the 2014 season. He'll enter this weekend's race sixth in the standings, 35 points behind Smith and perhaps his biggest threat of all. The Springfield Mile is the third of four consecutive Mile races on the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track schedule, and for a Mile-expert like Smith, it presents the perfect opportunity for him to pad his points lead. Smith, last year's runner up in the point standings, heads to Springfield leading the 2016 championship chase by two markers over Sammy Halbert and his No. 69 BriggsAuto.com Harley-Davidson XR750. Jake Johnson, mounted on the No. 5 Zanotti Racing Harley-Davidson XR750, comes to Springfield third in points, nine behind Smith, and four in front of two-time defending Grand National Champion, Jared Mees. After splitting wins at the DAYTONA Flat Track to open the season, Halbert and Johnson are both yet to finish worse than eighth this year. Mees, however, is coming off a disappointing showing at the Sacramento Mile on Saturday due to mechanical issues with his No. 1 Las Vegas Harley-Davidson XR750. The Michigan native has a lone Springfield Mile victory to his credit, which came in 2011. No. 6 Factory Harley-Davidson rider Brad Baker will also look to bounce back from a Sacramento Mile that ended prematurely due to mechanical woes. The 2013 Grand National Champion finished on the podium at Springfield in last year's spring edition and comes into the event seventh in the points. Brandon Robinson, riding the No. 44 Kennedy Racing Kawasaki Ninja 650, enters Round 6 of the AMA Pro Flat Track season fifth in the standings and is looking to bounce back from a 16th place result in Sacramento. The Pennsylvania rider swept both Springfield Mile events in 2013, so he'll be looking to recapture that magic when he rolls into Illinois this weekend. Stevie Bonsey and Cory Texter will also look to be in the mix on Sunday. The riders of the No. 80 Harley-Davidson XR750 and No. 65 Kawasaki Ninja 650, respectively, both own podium finishes on Miles this season. Texter was third in Round 4 at the Arizona Mile and Bonsey came home in third at Sacramento. Bonsey is eighth in points, tied with Henry Wiles, and Texter enters Springfield 10th in points. GNC2 Dalton Gauthier leads the GNC2 class coming into the Springfield Mile. The rider of the No. 14A Wood Racing BMW FS 800 owns two wins so far in 2016 -- including BMW's breakout win in the professional flat track ranks -- but the Pennsylvania native settled for 15th last weekend at the Sacramento Mile. Gauthier leads Sacramento runner-up Ryan Wells by four points and Kolby Carlile sits third in the title hunt, 21 points in back of the leader. Tristan Avery has the hot hand coming into Springfield following his solid victory in Sacramento. The pilot of the No. 16S Ron Ayers Motorsports Kawasaki Ninja 650 won by more than two seconds over Wells, and has shown he's a force to be reckoned with on Miles, having won the Du Quoin Mile in 2015 as a rookie. Event Information The Springfield Mile I will take place this Sunday, May 29, and every session will be live streamed in high definition and free of charge at FansChoice.tv. Fans that can't make the trek to the Illinois State Fairgrounds this weekend are invited to tune in at http://www.fanschoice.tv/watch-live/ama/flat-track. Sunday's on-track festivities are scheduled to begin with practice and qualifying at 10:15 a.m. CT (11:15 a.m. ET), followed by an Open Paddock and Rider Autograph Session set for 12 p.m. CT (1 p.m. ET), with a special Pre-Race Show also set to air at 12 p.m. CT (1 p.m. ET). Opening Ceremonies will kick off the afternoon's racing activities at 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET), and the field will qualify through a series of Heat and Semi races, whittling down the field to the best of the best for the afternoon's GNC2 and Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines Main Events. The GNC2 Main Event will begin at 3:40 p.m. CT (4:40 p.m. ET) followed by 18 of the world's fastest flat trackers in the GNC1 Main Event at 4:10 p.m. CT (5:10 a.m. ET). To purchase tickets to the Springfield Mile, please visit http://www.springfieldmile.org/. 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/flat-track, 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

Next Generation, Liquid-Cooled Harley-Davidson XG750R Flat Tracker Breaks Cover at AMA Pro Springfield Mile

Sent on behalf of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company:

MILWAUKEE (May 26, 2016) - A new-generation Harley-Davidson® flat-track motorcycle is ready to race. The Harley-Davidson® Screamin' Eagle® Factory Team is unleashing the XG750R, its first all-new flat track race bike in 44 years, to battle in fierce, adrenaline-filled competition on dirt ovals across the U.S. The XG750R will make its official competition debut Sunday, May 29, at the AMA Pro Flat Track Springfield Mile in Illinois. Powered by the fuel-injected, liquid-cooled Harley-Davidson Revolution X™ V-Twin engine, the XG750R will be raced by Factory Team rider Davis Fisher on the AMA Pro Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines flat track series. The new XG750R motorcycle is strictly for race competition and will not be offered for sale at this time. The new flat tracker is powered by the 750cc Revolution X™ V-Twin engine designed for the Harley-Davidson Street® 750, a motorcycle built for maximum urban maneuverability with rebellious Dark Custom™ attitude. Tuned for the track, this modified Revolution X engine will power the new XG750R in the extreme heat of competition as it fights to be first to the finish line.  Davis Fisher's #67 Harley-Davidson XG750R is shown in a press release photo courtesy of AMA Pro Flat Track and the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. The race-modified Revolution X engine and a racing frame for the XG750R were developed by Vance & Hines Motorsports. Vance & Hines also is the partner for the factory Harley-Davidson® Screamin' Eagle®/Vance & Hines drag racing program where V-Rod® motorcycles have won eight of the past 12 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle drag racing championships. "After decades of flat-track racing success behind the Harley-Davidson XR750 flat track motorcycle, we knew it was time to develop the next-generation Harley-Davidson to compete in one of the best spectator racing sports out there today," said Kris Schoonover, Harley-Davidson racing manager. Fisher, in his first season racing with the Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle Factory Team and a rookie on the GNC1 series, will be the first racer aboard the XG750R. The 18-year-old racer from Warren, Ore., won the 2015 AMA Pro GNC2 championship. "We wanted a young rider with plenty of raw ability for the XG750R program, and Davis proved himself in the GNC2 class," said Schoonover. "We are excited to have the opportunity to bring an emerging talent like Davis up to the GNC1 series to develop the new bike alongside an experienced champion like Brad Baker." Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle Factory Team rider Brad Baker, 23 years old and the 2013 AMA Pro Grand National Champion, will continue to race aboard the proven Harley-Davidson XR750 motorcycle while Fisher races the XG750R through its developmental stage. "The XG750R has shown great potential in testing and the first few races this season," said Schoonover. "But as with any new racing motorcycle, there will be work to do. We're excited to continue testing the XG750R in real world competition, and as we make our way through the season, we will evaluate the performance of the bike and our factory riders to see if Baker might switch to the new bike." Check Harley-Davidson.com for a full listing of this season's races; also follow Harley-Davidson on Facebook for racing updates. Be sure to also check out Baker and Fisher competing next week, June 2, during the ESPN X Games Austin at the Harley-Davidson® Flat-Track Racing event. In its second year as an X Games medaled event, Harley-Davidson Flat Track Racing will feature top motorcycle racers from around the world going head-to-head on the challenging Circuit of The Americas half-mile chasing an X Games gold medal. About Harley-Davidson Motor Company Since 1903, Harley-Davidson Motor Company has fulfilled dreams of personal freedom with cruiser, touring and custom motorcycles, riding experiences and events, and a complete line of Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts, accessories, general merchandise, riding gear and apparel. For more information, visit www.h-d.com. 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/flat-track, 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

AMA Superbike Display at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days at Mid-Ohio July 8-10 to be Sponsored by Suzuki Motor of America

Suzuki Motor of America sponsors history of AMA Superbike display at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days    


Three-day celebration includes vintage racing, custom bikes, seminars, swap meet and more

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- May 27, 2016 -- Suzuki motorcycles have a long and rich history in AMA Superbike competition. This summer at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, July 8-10 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, that history will be on full display as part of Celebrating 40 Years of AMA Superbikes, presented by Suzuki Motor of America Inc.

Suzuki's support is even more fitting because Wes Cooley, 2016 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days Grand Marshal, rode a Suzuki GS1000 to his first AMA Superbike Championship in 1979. In 1980, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer successfully defended that title for Suzuki in one of the most thrilling AMA Superbike seasons ever.

"Not only did Wes Cooley win in exciting fashion, but he was a pioneer in a racing style that captivated fans and, at the same time time, helped AMA Superbike become the premier discipline in motorcycle road racing," said AMA Chief Operations Officer Jeff Massey. "And you can't discuss Wes Cooley and his contributions without bringing up the role of Suzuki and the GS1000. It's only fitting that Suzuki Motor of America Inc. is supporting the Celebrating 40 Years of AMA Superbikes display at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days."

In addition to Cooley's 1980 championship bike, the Yoshimura Suzuki GS1000 owned by collector Brian O'Shea, and the bike he rode in the 1982 campaign, the Yoshimura Suzuki Katana owned by collector Ken Edgar, the display will include signage honoring Cooley's career as well as other key moments in AMA Superbike history.

"We are glad to support AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days and have the chance to continue telling great stories like that of Wes Cooley and the Suzuki GS1000," said Kerry Graeber, Vice President, Motorcycle/ATV Sales and Marketing for Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. "Many fans think sportbike history began with the GSX-R750 in 1985. There's no doubt that ground-breaking model forever changed the landscape of motorcycle performance, but the GS inline fours raced by Wes in the late '70s and early '80s were the catalyst for the sportbike revolution that followed."

The display will be paired with additional information about modern Suzuki sportbikes, including the GSX-R1000, GSX-R750 and GSX-R600.

For more details on AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, including other historic, pedigreed championship-winning AMA Superbikes on display, see www.amavintagemotorcycledays.com and www.facebook.com/AMAVintageMotorcycleDays/.

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, a fundraiser for the nonprofit AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, includes vintage and post-vintage motocross, trials, hare scrambles and vintage road racing. A half-mile dirt track event will be held at the nearby Ashland County Fairgrounds.

Additional activities at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days include North America's largest motorcycle swap meet, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Bike Show, the American Motor Drome Wall of Death, mini road racing in the upper paddock, a classic motorcycle field meet, demo rides of current production bikes, seminars, live music, Builder's Row featuring some of the country's best custom bike builders, two premier raffle bikes on display, a beer garden with the region's best craft beers, the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days Adventure Bike Challenge, the AMA Pit Bike TT and displays by some of the AMA's most active classic clubs.

AMA members who buy event tickets directly from the AMA before June 6 receive an exclusive price discount. AMA members can call (800) 262-5646 to purchase a weekend pass for $45, a one-day pass for $25 for Friday or Saturday, or a $20 pass for Sunday, a $5 savings off the regular advance rate. There is no service charge for AMA members when purchasing through the AMA.

About the American Motorcyclist Association

 

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world's largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders' interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling.

 

For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.

 

Not a member? Join the AMA today: www.americanmotorcyclist.com/membership/join 

 

Media contact: James Holter
Phone: (614) 856-1900, ext. 1280
E-mail: jholter@ama-cycle.org

Bryan Smith Takes First Mile Win of the Season at AMA Pro Flat Track Arizona Mile

The AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines series returned to the Phoenix, AZ. area yesterday for the first time in 30 years and Bryan Smith put his name in the record books again by winning the first mile event of the year aboard the #42 Crosley Brands/T&T Construction/Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki over defending AMA Grand National Champion Jared Mees. Mees moved up to second-place in the championship standings with his 2nd-place effort at the Turf Paradise facility on the #1 Rogers Racing XR750.

Smith ran away in the 25-lap National main to take the win over The Jammer by just over 12.6 seconds, after earlier in the afternoon winning the fastest heat of the day in an 8-lap romp by just under 11 seconds to runner-up Brandon Robinson on the #44 Kennedy Racing XR.

Sammy Halbert continues to lead the series standings after coming home in the 5th-place spot in the main on the #69 BriggsAuto.com XR, while Jake Johnson brought the #5 Zanotti Racing XR750 effort home in 8th-place, which left him in the 3rd-place spot in the championship hunt after the first four rounds.

Smith and Mees were joined on the podium by Cory Texter who took his #65 CT Racing Kawasaki to his first-ever career podium in a stellar effort put in by the Pennsylvania resident.

In the shot above, Smith talks with AMA Pro Flat Track and FansChoice.tv announcer Dani Medin after winning heat race #2 on the #42 Crosley Brands/Howerton Motorsports/Villa-Esparza-sponsored Kawasaki at the Indy Mile during round 7 of the 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines series on July 11 held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Also of note from yesterday's round, three racers made their first National main as GNC1/Expert-ranked riders and will be able to lose their letter designations for next year. JR Addison came home in 9th-place on the #24F Smith Racing Kawasaki, Dan Bromley on the #54A Bill Werner Racing Kawasaki fought it hard for an 11th-place finish in his second year riding for the Grand National tuning king, and Ryan Foster took the #23Y Baker Racing Kawasaki to a 13th-place finish. And in the AMA Pro GNC2 class, Dalton Gauthier led nine of twelve laps on the #14A Ron Wood Racing BMW FS800 to take his first win in the series and give the BMW marque it's first-ever win in AMA Pro Flat Track racing.

Full results from yesterday's romp can be found here thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track, and FlatTrakFotos.com's Dave Hoenig will have a photo gallery posted here in the next day or so.

Fans won't have to wait long for the next race as the series heads back to the Sacramento Mile this coming Saturday, May 21 for round 5 of the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines season as Bryan Smith will try to make it two-straight in 2016 and six in-a-row at the Cal Expo-hosted Sacto event.

A full race report is below thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track.

Bryan Smith turns up the heat at the Law Tigers Arizona Mile

Sammy Halbert maintains GNC1 points lead over Jared Mees; Dalton Gauthier gives BMW a breakout victory in GNC2

PHOENIX, Ariz. (May 14, 2016) - Bryan Smith turned up the heat in the Valley of the Sun on Saturday by winning AMA Pro Flat Track's inaugural Law Tigers Arizona Mile in stunning fashion. The "Mile Specialist" lived up to his nickname, topping defending Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines champion No. 1 Jared Mees by 12.646 seconds in front of a standing room only crowd at Turf Paradise. With temperatures soaring above 100 degrees, Smith, mounted on his No. 42 Crosley/Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki Ninja 650, showed that heat wasn't a factor for him. The Michigan native set a blistering pace all day, winning his heat race by a remarkable 10.942 seconds to start from pole position in the main, and then leading every lap of the main in flawless succession. "It was pretty interesting, it might've looked easy but it was an absolute handful out there," Smith said. "As soon as you thought you had everything together you'd catch a rut, your front-end would tuck and you'd about crash. No matter how easy it looked it was work every lap. My hat's off to the entire team. This is the best bike I've ever had and we stepped our game up this year in every department." Like Smith, defending series champ Mees showed speed early to take the win in his heat race by 7.457 seconds. However, the Harley-Davidson-mounted rider was unable to keep Smith's pace in the night's main event. Bryan Smith took the next generation #42 Crosley/Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki to the win yesterday in the first mile event of the season at Turf Paradise in Phoenix, AZ. Photo courtesy of AMA Pro Flat Track by Dave Hoenig. "The biggest thing was that I was charging so hard so early in the beginning to get to him, that I was missing lines and missing my points," said Mees. "Finally it was just like I needed to settle in and maintain where I was and bring home second. We have Sacramento and Springfield coming up and I feel pretty confident that we will be able to give him a run." After bolting to the front at the start of the race, No. 65 Cory Texter settled into a rhythm behind Smith and Mees to earn the first GNC1 podium finish of his career. "I had no clue," said Texter. "I was just rolling around and picking off guys. I thought I got fourth or fifth so I was pretty excited when I came around and they were pointing at me; I had to look behind and make sure they were pointing at me. To say it is a dream come true is an understatement." No. 17 Henry Wiles finished fourth after a long battle with series points leader No. 69 Sammy Halbert, who finished an eventual fifth. Halbert heads to next weekend's Sacramento Mile with 73 points, followed by Mees with 68 points and third-place No. 5 Jake Johnson with 63 points. In the GNC2 class, BMW-mounted Dalton Gauthier surged from the second-to-last starting position to take home the first professional flat track victory for BMW in the 62-year history of the sport. The win propelled him to a 19-point lead in the GNC2 point standings. "I knew I needed a good start and I just wanted to finish in the top ten," said Gauthier. "I needed to get out of the draft and I did that. The bike was working awesome and that's what I wanted going into Sacramento." Kawasaki-mounted No. 99A Kyle McGrane maintained a consistent position throughout the 12-lap Main to take second place and No. 94B Ryan Wells finished third. Next weekend, the series heads to California for the Sacramento Mile at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds. For tickets and information, please visit http://www.sactomile.com. 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

Nicky Hayden Gets 1st WSBK Championship Win in Sepang Race 2

Race Report

15 May 2016 WorldSBK 2016 Superb maiden WorldSBK win for Hayden in race two at Sepang Round 6 – Malaysia Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia     Nicky Hayden came out on top in today’s race two at Sepang International Circuit to claim a spectacular maiden race win, in what was only his sixth FIM Superbike World Championship round as full-time rider in the series. Michael van der Mark completed the Malaysian event with a sixth place finish. Hayden’s impressive performance in race two marks the return of Honda to the top step of the podium for the first time since 2014, when Jonathan Rea was victorious in race two at Portimão. Hayden got a great launch from fourth place on the grid and immediately set his sights on the lead, which he was able to take before the completion of the first lap. From then on, the 34-year-old never looked back and continued to master his Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP perfectly around the wet 5.543 Km Sepang International Circuit. By lap eleven of sixteen Hayden had a four-second margin over second place, which he carefully managed up to the chequered flag in spite of a quick drop of grip as the track was drying out. Michael van der Mark’s performance was hindered by his poor starting position, although the young Dutchman was able to make up several places in the early laps courtesy of a great feeling with his bike in full-wet conditions. As soon as the track started to get drier, though, the 2014 World Supersport Champion began to experience some grip issues that did not allow him to stay with the front-runners.     Nicky Hayden 69 1st I’m really happy for this win. Last night I was so frustrated that my crew chief asked me if I was OK and told me not to give up. I told him not to worry, and that I was just a bit of a sore loser. This morning in the dry we had good pace and great potential. When it started raining I knew I had to go for it: I’m definitely not in the championship fight and that meant I could risk a bit more. In the first laps I took some chances to get to the front and I didn’t want to get caught up racing in a pack like in Assen. I wanted to be at the front with clear visibility. As I got to the front the bike worked so well because the team knows the bike inside out and the set-up was perfect. I tried to stay as comfortable as possible while in the lead because we weren’t sure of tyre durability on this track with the new asphalt. I managed to pull a gap and definitely in the end wasn’t easy, because those guys were coming for me. I was able to hold on to the lead and get my first win in a long time. It’s been a few dry years but I never stopped trying; to get a win at this point in my career in Superbike is truly amazing. - Honda WorldSBK Michael van der Mark 60 6th In the warm up this morning we tried something different again but it didn’t really work out. Before the race I didn’t know what to expect and I think the rain came a bit like a gift for us. My start wasn’t so good and I got pushed wide at the first turn, but I immediately got a good feeling in full-wet conditions and was able to bridge the gap to the front. As soon as the track started to dry out, I started struggling with the grip and couldn’t brake as hard as I wanted to. I’m really disappointed because the result could have been much better and I feel we were still missing something. I’m really happy for Nicky and his first win; we on the other hand have to find that competitive set-up again, the one that allowed us to do so well in Australia and Thailand. I’m pretty sure we will be back at the front in Donington. - Honda WorldSBK Pieter Breddels Technical Manager Nicky simply put together the perfect race today. The rain didn’t catch us unprepared, because we had already a good set-up for the wet from day one at Assen. He got a great start and was able to get a 3-4 second margin that he managed right to the end, despite a great comeback by Giugliano. Nicky was able to counter attack whenever he saw that the gap was closing too much. So, it was a victory after a long time both for him and us, and we’re over the moon. We hope that this is only the beginning. Michael was doing well at the beginning of the race but unfortunately, with the track drying up he had a severe drop of grip. He did well to hold on to sixth and I’m confident that the next round he will fight for more. - Honda WorldSBK     Click here to view full results & standing     Gallery Copyright free images for editorial use.                  Media Contact Valerio Piccini E-mail: valerio.piccini@redwing.media