4-Time AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes to Contest Superprestigio of the Americas in Las Vegas on November 21

4-Time AMA Superbike Champion and the second-winningest rider in the series, Josh Hayes, will be turning in his ultra-fast Graves Motorsports Yamaha R1 for a flat track racer as he will be heading to Las Vegas to contest the Superprestigio of the Americas race on November 21 as was announced last week.

Hayes will be joining already announced riders and former AMA Grand National Champions Jared Mees, Jake Johnson, Brad Baker, Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. and 2015 ESPN XGames winner and current contender for the 2015 AMA Grand National Championship, Bryan Smith as the first riders invited for this one-off event set to take place inside the confines of the Orleans Arena the day after the season-finale of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship series.

In the shot above, Hayes #1 Monster Energy/Graves Motorsports-sponsored Yamaha R1s sit under the team's tent at the MotoAmerica round held in conjunction with the Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 7, 2015.

Hayes, who lost his bid for a fifth title last month to team mate Cameron Beaubier, will be among a stacked field of riders in this endeavor and with his experience in training on the dirt could play into the wildcard factor in the race on the 1/10th mile oval at the Orleans. If you're going to be in Vegas for the AMA Pro Flat Track season finale, you don't want to miss this one, either.

Check out the press release below thanks to SMI, this year's promoters of the Sacto Mile, the Charlotte Half-Mile, the Las Vegas Short Track finale and the Superprestigio of the Americas 2015 race.


Press release courtesy of SMI, promoters of the Superprestigio of the Americas in Las Vegas, November 21

SUPERBIKE RACING LEGEND JOSH HAYES TO RACE SUPERPRESTIGIO OF THE AMERICAS

LAS VEGAS (OCT. 6, 2015) – Iconic MotoAmerica AMA Superbike racer Josh Hayes will race the Superprestigio of the Americas at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015. Hayes will race a Yamaha YZ-450F-based machine in the competition.

Hayes is quite simply one of the most dominant riders in the history of AMA Superbike. His numbers speak for themselves: A four-time AMA Superbike title winner with Monster Energy/Graves Motorsports Yamaha, Hayes is ranked second all-time for AMA Superbike championships, wins, with 58 career victories, and poles, with 37. This season marked the 18th season on the pro circuit for Hayes. He won a series leading 10 races, but came up just four-points shy of winning another AMA Superbike title. Even at the highest level of motorcycle racing Hayes has proved his mettle. He turned a lot of heads with his solid MotoGP wildcard performance at Valencia in 2011 where he finished seventh.

Like many road racers Hayes has used flat track as a form of training to keep him sharp for Superbike competition, so racing on the indoor short track won’t be totally unfamiliar to him, but it will mark his first time racing against some of the best flat trackers in the world.

For Hayes the Superprestigio of the Americas will present a unique challenge.

"When you look at some of the guys coming to compete in Las Vegas, the competition level is going to be extremely high,” Hayes said. ”I’ve raced some local flat track events in Southern California, but I’m definitely putting myself at the low end of the experience spectrum at the Superprestigio. I’m a racer so I’ll go out there and give it my best shot. We all want to be at the top no matter what kind of racing we do.”

Hayes joins AMA Pro Grand National Champions Jared Mees, Jake Johnson, Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. and Brad Baker, along with X Games Flat Track Gold Medalist Bryan Smith as riders already invited to the inaugural Superprestigio of the Americas (SOTA’15).

“I have my own personal bike and Keith (Yamaha racing boss Keith McCarty) has offered to let me test a bike they’ve built,” Hayes explained. “So I’m not sure which one I’ll ride yet. I’m looking forward to racing in Las Vegas and having a lot of fun. I haven’t had a chance to get my focus on getting prepared for the race yet, but that’s coming soon. I still have a little time.”

Saturday night’s Superprestigio of the Americas will be the culmination of an exciting doubleheader weekend of racing. Friday night at the Orleans Arena will witness the AMA Pro Flat Track Final, a race that will decide this year’s AMA Pro Grand National Championship.

Keep posted for future announcements of other riders who will be invited to SOTA’15.

Spots are still open for additional AMA Pro Grand National riders to qualify and some of those won’t be decided until the night before the event.  More details to come at www.superprestigio.com.

The Superprestigio of the Americas (SOTA’15) will bring together leading motorcycle racers from various motorcycle-racing disciplines from around the world to compete head to head with the stars of AMA Pro Flat Track on a specially-designed indoor short track at the Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Nov. 21, 2015. The special race is part of the big Las Vegas doubleheader weekend with the AMA Pro Flat Track finale taking place the night before (Nov. 20, 2015) on the same track. #VegasFT

For additional information go to www.superprestigio.com or call toll free 1-844-722-6453.

--

Larry Lawrence
c. (317) 332-3899
SMI Media Rep
Sacramento Mile - May 30
Charlotte Half Mile - Aug 29
Las Vegas Finals - Nov 20
lawrencemedia@hotmail.com

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Set to Host AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series as Undercard to the 7th Annual Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP

One of the best things about the Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP weekend events coming to town this weekend has been the addition of the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series to the weekend's undercard. Since it's inception four years ago (when the series was still known as the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series) the races have provided some major excitement as well as doing a good job of filling the off-time in between the MotoGP/Moto2 and Moto3 downtime. Overall, some of the best racing of the weekend comes from the big V-twins roaring around the 2.6+ mile track.

Tomorrow's action at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the H-D Series races rolls off at 11:55 AM EDT for their first practice session of the weekend, and the first of two races on the weekend happens on Saturday, August 9 @ 4:20 PM EDT, so if you are in the area, you will want to stick around to check them out. You won't be disappointed!

In the shot above, the XR1200s sit in the Gasoline Alley garage area awaiting their first practice session at IMS on Friday, August 18, 2012 during their second appearance at the legendary facility. This year will mark the fourth year in-a-row that the Milwaukee iron racing class has filled the undercard at IMS alongside the high-profile and big dollar MotoGP machines.

Check out the full press release below from AMA Pro Road Racing, and the weekend's full schedule can be seen here to keep you up to date on the weekend's full slate of racing at the World Capital of Racing in Speedway, Indiana.

AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series doubleheader rolls into Indianapolis Motor Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 7, 2014) - The AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series will share the spotlight with the world's elite this weekend in Indianapolis at the highly anticipated Red Bull Indianapolis GP.   The Harleys have quickly become part of the tradition of the Brickyard's two-wheeled weekend and can be counted on to deliver a tremendous show to delight the fans when the MotoGP heroes aren't on the fabled circuit. Draft-fests and multiple riders vying for the win are hallmarks of the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series in Indiana and there's no reason to think this year's doubleheader will be any different.   This weekend is also pivotal for the developing 2014 title fight, representing two of the season's final three races.     Nicholas Hansen on the #97 H&S/Suburban Motors-sponsored XR1200 leads this pack of riders during one of the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series during one of the two races held as part of the 6th Annual Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP in August 2013. The XRs return for their fourth year as the undercard at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway-hosted event this weekend, with first practice scheduled to roll off tomorrow morning just before Noon EDT. AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.       Championship leader Danny Eslick on the No. 69 Ruthless Racing Harley-Davidson XR1200 would like nothing better than to add an Indy win or two to his resume. Having taken the DAYTONA 200 earlier this year, the Oklahoman would find himself in rarified air if he were to be victorious at America's two most prestigious tracks in the same season. 2014 marks Eslick's full-time return to the class after claiming the series' inaugural title in 2010. Already one of the more decorated AMA Pro racers with a pair of AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike championships to his name, he's seeking to become the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series' first two-time king. Eslick currently boasts a tight six-point advantage in the standings, built upon three second place finishes and a win at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. While Eslick has enjoyed considerable success on middleweight machinery as well as in the premier AMA Pro SuperBike class, his flamboyant style might actually be at its most spectacular when expressed aboard a Harley-Davidson XR1200. "Slick" is always in the mix and a most enthusiastic dogfighter. He may seem like he's just having fun, but underneath the surface he is a fiery competitor who is motivated to excel.   Eslick's closest title rival is Tyler O'Hara, pilot of the No. 29 Josh Chisum Racing/Bartels Harley-Davidson XR1200. The Californian snapped out of a midseason funk and closed in on Eslick with a thrilling win last time out at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Perennial title contender O'Hara is well positioned to strike with three races to go. Adding to his pair of 2014 wins would allow him to take a big step toward finally accomplishing his goal of earning an AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series crown. Winning at Indianapolis is something he's done before, too. O'Hara broke through to claim his first-career AMA Pro Road Racing victory in 2011's initial Brickyard showdown, which sparked a wild celebration that will not be soon forgotten. In that one, O'Hara did 'the Superman' as he crossed the line and then smoked his rear tire doing burnouts for the fans in a most memorable celebration. Since that maiden victory, he's racked up seven more wins and finished in the championship top three in three consecutive campaigns. Now all that is left for the 27-year-old to do is take the title. Racing with a small team against a rare talent like Eslick, O'Hara may seem like an underdog. But if he is, he's an underdog with plenty of bite.   Fellow Supermoto ace Ben Carlson aboard the No. 45 Suburban Motors Harley-Davidson XR1200 has some unfinished business as well. Carlson finished second in Race 1 at Indy in 2012. Carlson is no stranger to the podium but he's yet to take an AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series race victory. He nearly had that win in his grasp at Mid-Ohio, but the two-time AMA Supermoto Unlimited champion lost the lead on the final lap, with O'Hara coming out on top following yet another unpredictable showdown. Carlson may still be waiting on that first win, but his results have been top-shelf. The Wisconsin native has bagged a top five in each race this season and sits third in the points. Carlson needs to close a 23-point gap, but he's still alive. In a wild class like the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series, there is no telling what can happen. For an analytical rider like Carlson, the drafting battles at Indy should be a good test for his racecraft, and may present him with an opportunity to make up some ground.   Fourth-ranked Gage McAllister on the No. 51 Folsom Harley-Davidson XR1200 has been consistent in 2014 despite racing some riders with much more experience. The 19-year-old Californian showed what he could do with a second in the opener at Daytona. Since then, he has been consistently inside the top ten. McAllister actually leads reigning champ Steve Rapp and his No. 1 Suburban Motors Harley-Davidson XR1200. Rapp's year has been up and down, with two mishaps blemishing his overall points haul. But Rapp has shown that he and his team still have the ability to dominate the class. On his day, the Californian can break away from the field - something very few have ever been able to do with any regularity in the competitive one-make series. Despite the bad luck of the season, Rapp has rallied to win and shown plenty of speed. He's also one with unfinished business at the Brickyard. The airline pilot was extremely quick last year but was repeatedly and routinely eaten up on the straights, preventing him from earning a win.   Kyle Wyman on the No. 33 KWR/Millennium Technologies Harley-Davidson XR1200 won at Indy before, and the New Yorker would no doubt like to return the victory lane this time out. Wyman won at Road America and the former dirt track ace knows he has what it takes to claim victory at Indy.   Seventh through tenth has shaped up to be a tough battle. Just ten points separate Nick Hansen aboard the No. 97 Aerostar Global Suburban Motors Harley-Davidson XR1200, Ryan Kerr riding the No. 28 Thunder Roads Magazine/Ryan Kerr Racing XR1200, Hayden Schultz on his No. 59 Chili Pepper Racing Harley-Davidson XR1200 and Josh Chisum on the No. 10 Josh Chisum Racing/Bartels Harley-Davidson XR1200.   The allure of Indy typically tempts some international talent to the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series and this year is no exception. Last year's races were both won by international competitors - Hafizh Syahrin of Malaysia and Jeremy McWilliams (No. 99 Harley-Davidson of Bloomington, Indiana/Warr's Harley-Davidson) from Northern Ireland. McWilliams is back for more this year and racing fans will get to see his familiar No. 99 in action once again. The ageless veteran and former Grand Prix star won the 2010 UK Harley-Davidson XR1200 Trophy and has made some spectacular AMA Pro appearances as well, including a win at Barber Motorsports Park that same season. He'll be joined this time by Ramdan Rosli on the No.39 PETRONAS/KWR Harley-Davidson XR1200. Like 2013 winner Syahrin, Rosli is another up-and-coming Malaysian. The 18-year-old will be Kyle Wyman's teammate for the weekend and is looking to learn the Indy track for his future endeavors in a world championship.   The AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series competitors will practice and qualify on Friday ahead of the weekend's doubleheader. Saturday's ten-lapper will begin at 4:20 p.m. local time (1:20 p.m. PT) with Sunday's race on the resurfaced and slightly reconfigured 2.62-mile track scheduled for 3:30 p.m. (12:30 p.m. PT).   About AMA Pro Road Racing:   AMA Pro Road Racing is the premier motorcycle road racing series in North America and is universally regarded as one of the most competitive road racing organizations in the world. The series is comprised of four production-based classes: AMA Pro SuperBike, AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro SuperSport and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series. Learn more about AMA Pro Road Racing at www.amaproracing.com/rr/.

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 Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series Set to Return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway During the 7th Annual Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP Weekend August 8-10

AMA Pro Road Racing announced this week that the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series will be returning to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway again in August as part of the 7th Annual Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP festivities over the course of the August 8-10 weekend.

The series, in it's fifth season and fourth full year of competition after starting in 2010 as a five-race series, has proved to be an ultra-competitive spec-class with the exclusive use of the Harley-Davidson XR1200 model. The series was known as the 'XR1200 Series' through the 2012 season before the name was changed to the 'Harley-Davidson Series' at the start of the 2013 season due to the unavailability of the machines for sale at the beginning of the 2013 model year in the United States. Former class champions include Danny Eslick (also the 2009 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Series Champion), Chris Fillmore, Michael Barnes and 2013 champion, Steve Rapp, who after over a decade-and-a-half of competing in AMA Pro Road Racing events won his first overall class championship in the H-D class.

In the shot above, Josh Chisum's #10 JCR/Scrubblade/Bartel's H-D-sponsored XR1200 sits in the IMS garage awaiting the afternoon tire test session on Saturday, August 11, 2012. Chisum scored an 8th and 9th-place finish the next weekend at Indy and added another top-10 finish during the 2012 season to end the season ranked in the 8th-place spot in what was then known as the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series.

Be sure to check out the full press release below thanks to AMA Pro Road Racing to see what you need to do to get your tickets to what will undoubtedly be another stellar weekend in Indy over the August 8-10 weekend.

AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series set to return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of 2014 Red Bull Indianapolis GP

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 11, 2014) - The AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series - featuring the distinctive thunder of Harley-Davidson XR1200 motorcycles - will return to the Red Bull Indianapolis GP schedule August 8-10, 2014. The event will mark the fourth consecutive year AMA Pro Road Racing has coincided with the full complement of MotoGP classes at The Brickyard.     Shane Narbonne on the #46 Mob Racing/Empire Harley-Davidson XR1200 leads the field during one of the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 6th Annual Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP weekend in August 2013. The series will be returning to IMS in August for the fourth straight season as part of the MotoGP undercard as announced this week by AMA Pro Road Racing. AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.         "I'm thrilled that we are able get our Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series class back up to Indianapolis again this year," said Michael Gentry, COO of AMA Pro Racing. "After a successful, popular debut for our series in 2011 at the legendary venue, our riders continue to put on a thrilling show every single year. This track is one of the most iconic venues in all of motorsports and we are looking forward to getting back up there this fall."   The AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series adds a fourth class of racing to the Red Bull Indianapolis GP weekend. It joins the three World Championship classes - MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 - competing on the 16-turn, 2.621-mile circuit that combines part of the famed IMS oval with an infield section.   A couple of up-and-comers to the Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series took the competition by storm and shocked the nation in last season's doubleheader at the racing capital of the world. Jeremy McWilliams and Hafizh Syahrin each earned split-second victories over some of the more well-known riders in the series, such as defending champion Steve Rapp and current Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series points leader Tyler O'Hara.   The AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series is a spec-bike series featuring specially modified Harley-Davidson XR1200 motorcycles.  The Indianapolis doubleheader will be the sixth and seventh of eight races on the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series schedule this season.    2014 tickets: Tickets for the 2014 Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP event, scheduled for Aug. 8-10 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, are on sale now at www.imstix.com, by calling (800) 822-INDY or (317) 492-6700 or by visiting 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. (EST) Monday-Friday.   Information on camping at IMS during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP is available at www.imstix.com.   About AMA Pro Road Racing:   AMA Pro Road Racing is the premier motorcycle road racing series in North America and is universally regarded as one of the most competitive road racing organizations in the world. The series is comprised of four production-based classes: AMA Pro SuperBike, AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro SuperSport and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series. Learn more about AMA Pro Road Racing at www.amaproracing.com/rr/.

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 Pro Road Racing: Steve Rapp Looking to Clinch Championship Title This Weekend in AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series at Laguna Seca Season Finale

Steve Rapp heads to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for this weekend's season finale of the 2013 AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series with a 22-point lead in the championship standings coming off of his latest win of the season just over 11 days ago at the New Jersey Motorsports Park round.

After racing in the Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing series for close to two decades, the California resident has quite the impressive resume: a Daytona '200' win, several runner-up spots in a multitude of classes throughout his career and a big handful of top-5 finishes in several of those classes. 

But the one thing missing from his long history in the series is a #1 championship plate, and that could very well come this weekend in the season finale in Monterey, CA.

Having been dismissed from the Attack MotoGP squad after garnering the team it's first points in MotoGP competition last season at the Indy round, Rapp was pretty much left out in the cold without a ride for the 2013 season.  But just before the Daytona season opener, he got the call from the Suburban Harley-Davidson dealer in Wisconsin and the team was off and running with Rapp in the saddle at the beach.

And after what started off as a pretty dismal season-opener, Rapp has put together quite the season.  After a 24th-place finish at Daytona, Rapp hasn't finished out of the top-4 and compiled four wins in-a-row from the Road America round through the Miller Motorsports Park round, and finally taking that 5th win at NJMP in round 8 of the season.

Only needing to finish in the 11th-place spot to clinch the title, the championship is surely his to lose no matter which way the dice fall, and with any luck, after the checkers fall late on Sunday, September 29, California's Steve Rapp will have claimed that championship and #1 plate that he has been chasing throughout his long and impressive career.

In the shot above, Rapp talks with his team during the Indianapolis Motor Speedway-hosted tire test for the formerly-named AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series in August 2011, while his #5 Parts Unlimited/Vance & Hines-sponsored XR1200 sits with the tire warmers on getting ready for the afternoon session of the day.

Check out the full press release below for this weekend's season finale at Laguna Seca, and we'll be keeping our fingers crossed for #5 to 'wrap' this one up on Sunday!

AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series Preview Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

MONTEREY, Calif. (September 26, 2013) - The 2013 AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series will conclude this weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca as the $60,000 XR Showdown will be decided and the category's new champion will be crowned.

 

This event marks the first time the big, muscular Harley-Davidson XR1200s have tackled the dramatic elevation changes and blind corners of the fabled circuit. It could prove to be a perfect storm as the Harley-Davidson Series and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca both tend to reward smooth-yet-aggressive riding and bold overtaking maneuvers.

 

41-year-old Steve Rapp (No. 5 Aerostar Global/Suburban Harley-Davison) has accomplished a great deal during his long GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing career, which kicked off in the late '90s. The Californian has collected 12 AMA Pro race victories, spanning from H-D to 750 Supersport/Superstock to Formula Xtreme. He's been on the podium in the premier AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class and even stood atop the podium triumphant in the 2007 DAYTONA 200.

 

However, one major goal has thus far eluded him -- a GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing title. Rapp has finished in the championship top five on seven separate occasions across five classes (750 Supersport/Superstock, Supersport, Formula Xtreme, AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike, and AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series), including three stints as the championship runner-up. Rapp now stands on the edge of attaining that career-topping accomplishment as he enters the season finale holding a massive 22-point advantage over second-ranked Travis Wyman (No. 24 Harv's Harley-Davidson) and a 27-point lead over third-ranked Tyler O'Hara (No. 29 Eco Fuel Saver/Scrubblade), the only other riders still mathematically alive for this year's championship.

 

 

Steve Rapp on the #5 Aerostar Global/Suburban H-D-sponsored XR1200 leads Tyler O'Hara #20, Benjamin Carlson #45 and Travis Wyman #24 during the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series at New Jersey Motorsports Park on Sunday, September 15.  Rapp won his 5th race of the season and heads into the season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this weekend with a 22-point lead in the championship and a chance to win his first-ever title in the Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing series in his almost two decades of racing.  AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.

 

 

 

Should Rapp finish 11th or better this weekend, he will win the title no matter what Wyman does, while 16th would be good enough in the event of a perfect weekend for O'Hara. Rapp has been fleet and consistent pretty much all year long and indicated that he'll approach the Laguna Seca weekend like any other. He's racked up five wins on the year and could look to take the title in style with a sixth victory; considering his form this season, "playing it safe" may very well mean getting early separation and riding his own race out front. Rapp only needs to avoid disaster -- in other words, finish this campaign in the opposite fashion in which he started it. Rapp scored zero points at the Daytona International Speedway season opener after encountering mechanical problems on the race's very first lap, proving that even Rapp isn't bulletproof and the championship hasn't been conceded just yet.

 

Whether or not he steals away a miracle championship, Wyman has taken a big step forward in 2013. The up-and-comer put his Harv's Harley-Davidson XR1200 on pole at Daytona and then finished in the top five at every subsequent race, including a pair of podiums. For O'Hara, his season of vindication started perfectly, with a well-timed slash through the field to win at Daytona. However, a critical error at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in which he crashed out of the race a day after taking an early advantage in the XR Showdown, means that short of a major upset this weekend, the Californian will still be seeking the ultimate prize he missed out on by a last-corner arm-bar in 2012.

 

Michael Barnes (No. 1 Spyke's Harley-Davidson) knows exactly what a long-awaited first-career championship would mean to Rapp as he was in the same position a year ago. 'Barney' battled his way through another trying campaign in 2013 in which he was forced to make yet another mid-season team swap. He will not retain his crown but again proved his resiliency with a series of strong efforts. He enters the season finale ranked fourth.

 

Shane Narbonne (No. 46 Designstar3.com/Empire Harley-Davidson) comes into Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in fifth, just three points removed from Barnes. Rapp's teammate, Ben Carlson (No. 45 Suburban Harley-Davison), leads the tightly-packed order from sixth-through-tenth, followed closely by David Estok (No. 123 Thrashed Bike Racing), Nicholas Hansen (No. 97 H&S Distributors), Josh Chisum (No. 10 Eco Fuel Saver/Scrubblade), and Barrett Long (No. 2 Longevity Racing). Of course, riders from outside the XR Showdown can still play a major role in Saturday's season finale, as evidenced by the winning rides taken earlier this season by Jeremy McWilliams and Hafizh Syahrin, not to mention the podium efforts of Eric Stump (No. 77 MOB Racing/Eyeball Moto) and Kyle Wyman (No. 33 Kyle Wyman Racing).

 

Stay connected with GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing on social media at http://twitter.com/AMAProSBK and http://www.facebook.com/AMAProRoadRacing.

 

About GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing

 

GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing is the premier motorcycle road racing series in North America and is universally regarded as one of the most competitive road racing organizations in the world. The 2013 schedule consists of nine rounds of competition on the country's finest road courses. The Series is comprised of four production-based classes: AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike, AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series. Learn more about GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing at www.amaproracing.com/rr/.

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

Indianapolis Motor Speedway to Host Stars of AMA Pro Flat Track for Special Autograph Meet & Greet to Promote Saturday's Indy Mile

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway will again be hosting a special autograph meet & greet this Friday with several riders and stars of AMA Pro Flat Track in an effort to help promote this Saturday's round 8 of the 2013 season.

Current overall points leader Brad Baker #12, Bryan Smith #42 and 3-Time AMA Grand National Twins Champion Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. will be on hand this Friday, August 16 from 11:45-12:45 EDT to talk with the fans and sign autographs while also displaying their mile machines that will take them into battle this Saturday, August 17 for round 8 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season at the Indiana State Fairgrounds mile oval.

Baker, Smith and Coolbeth will also be joined by AMA Pro Flat Track official announcer, Scottie Duebler as they all talk up the great evening of racing that will commence on Saturday afternoon with first practice at 3:00 PM EDT at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

In last year's autograph session at IMS (shown above), Brad Baker and his #12 Dodge Brothers XR750 and Bryan Smith and his #42 Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki were guests of IMS for an autograph session held as part of the 5th Annual Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP weekend.  Scottie Duebler can also be seen talking about the great racing that would occur the next day during the last weekend of the Indiana State Fair.

A big thanks to Leah Burdette and The Promotion Company/Family Events, the promoters of the Indy Mile, for the press release below which further details all of the great things happening at IMS and at the Indiana State Fairgrounds this weekend.


Press release courtesy of Family Events/The Promotion Company & Leah Burdette, the promoters of the legendary Indy Mile, round 7 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship on Saturday, August 17.

Top AMA Flat Track Riders to Sign This Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indy Mile Contenders Invited to Red Bull Indianapolis GP Practice Day for Q&A Autograph Session

(INDIANAPOLIS, IN. -- August 13, 2013)  Riders  Brad Baker, Bryan Smith and Kenny Coolbeth Jr., three of the greatest AMA Pro Flat Track stars in the sport competing in Saturday’s Indy Mile Grand National at the legendary Indy Mile track at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, will travel across town to meet Moto GP race fans face-to-face this Friday. 

 

The autograph session, part of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP Weekend will be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this Friday, August 16, from 11:45 am to 12:45 pm on the Main Stage adjacent to the Interactive Display Area in the infield.  Friday is a practice day for the Red Bull Indianapolis GP.

 

This event will offer fans the chance to meet and greet these top riders during autograph signings, chat with them during a Q&A session, and see flat track bikes on display.  Official AMA Pro Flat Track announcer Scottie Deubler will also be on hand to moderate.   One hour isn’t a lot of time so come on out and take full advantage of this opportunity to meet some of the fastest riders in the world.

 

Brad Baker currently sits in first place in the Grand National Expert Twins Championship standings and looking forward to a quest to win his first Indy Mile.  Bryan Smith, one of the best mile-course riders out there is currently third in the standings and can’t wait to take on the mile track in the same town in which his bike was built, by local race team Howerton Racing in Indianapolis.  Smith won the Indy Mile in 2010 and will be gunning for another victory.  Kenny Coolbeth Jr. is coming into the Indy Mile currently standing in sixth.   The King of Cool is no stranger to success at the Indy Mile as he won the legendary race in 2009 and has had many podium appearances.

 

The Indy Mile returns as a featured event of the Indiana State Fair, and again coincides with the Red Bull Indianapolis GP weekend.  The Indy Mile Pro Flat Track Grand National takes place on Saturday, August 17^th at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Grandstands.  Activities will be begin with gates opening at 2:00pm, timed-qualifying from 3:00pm-5:00pm, opening ceremonies 7:00pm with the first race at 7:30pm.

 

Tickets on sale now for Indy Mile

 

Advance tickets available at any Ticketmaster location, www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1-800-745-3000.  Tickets will also be available at the gate.   For additional ticket information and web links, please visit www.IndyMile.com.

 

 

Leah Burdette

Marketing Coordinator

The Promotion Company

Direct: (317) 236-6518

Fax: (317) 236-6519

www.FamilyEvents.com

 

AMA Pro Road Racing: Continued Economic Downturn Forces MOB Racing's AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series Team to Make Significant Cutbacks

MOB Racing announced today via press release that they will be significantly scaling back their efforts in the Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Series.  The New Jersey-based team, who had fielded a strong effort in the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series during the 2012 season, and in the early rounds of the 2013 season of which the series now goes by AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series.

Fielding riders such as Shane Narbonne (who got the team a win at their home track at NJMP last season), former AMA Pro Flat Track Rookie of the Year PJ Jacobsen (who put one of the team's XR1200s on the pole at the Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP round in August 2012), AMA Pro Flat Track competitor Cory Texter, and Alex Shaw.

In the shot above taken at the 5th Annual Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP round of the 2012 AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series event, the MOB team goes about working on the bikes of their three riders for the second-ever event of the XR1200 Series running as the undercard on the premier road racing series schedule at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 19, 2012.

(L-R) PJ Jacobsen's #99 MOB Racing/K Tech/Orient Express/Moroney's H-D-sponsored XR1200, which the former 2010 AMA Pro Flat Track Saddlemen Rookie of the Year put on the pole in his first outing on the team's machine, Calvin Martinez' #28 National Precious Metals/Martinez Motorsports/Teterboro Rams LLC-backed XR1200, and Shane Narbonne's #46 Teterboro Rams LLC/Newsholme Financial Center/Team Pro Motion-sponsored XR1200 all get their final adjustments made prior to the running of race 2 over the MotoGP weekend held at The Brickyard last August.

We wish the team the best in what efforts they do have planned for the remaining part of the 2013 Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Series and hope that they will be able to work out some type of sponsorship in the near future that will allow them to return to the track with more of a solid financial standing.

A big thanks to Roadracing World.com for this press release concerning the announcement today that MOB Racing will be cutting back their efforts in the Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Series, of which they have built a strong team in the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series over the course of the last couple of seasons.  You can read that announcement here.

You can check out MOB Racing's official website here as well, as we wish them the best of luck in being able to regain a stronger foothold in the current economic climate in the racing world in hopes that they will be able to return to the track with a more solid economic backing.

AMA Pro Road Racing: Steve Rapp Wins Road America Round of AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series & Without Any Practice

Steve Rapp hadn't even turned a wheel at Road America last weekend before setting 3rd-quick time early in the day on the #5 Suburban Harley-Davidson-sponsored XR1200 for round two of the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series.  The journeyman racer from California, was without a ride before the season started, after being passed over for Blake Young on the Attack Performance/Kawasaki MotoGP ride for the three U.S. rounds of the MotoGP CRT entry, and had gone back to concentrating on his flying career.

Flying in early on Sunday to Milwaukee, The Rapper showed up at the Elkhart Lake, WI. facility with helmet and leathers in hand, and proceeded to go out and set 3rd-fastest time behind series regulars Michael Barnes (2012 XR1200 Series Champion) and Suburban H-D team mate Benny Carlson.

He then went out and led all six laps in the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series final and took the win by just over 4 seconds ahead of Carlson and Barnes.  And then shortly after the podium ceremonies were over, he was gone and heading back to Milwaukee to catch a flight back home.

In a sport where you're only as good as your last result, Rapp showed the talented field and the fans on hand that he hasn't lost his touch, and the former Daytona 200 winner, while even past the 40 year-old mark, is still at the top of his game.  Bravo man, way to go!

In the shot above, Rapp can be seen talking with one of his team members from the #5 Vance & Hines/Parts Unlimited-sponsored XR1200 team at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the tire test for the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series back in August '11, prior to the series first time on the undercard at the 4th Annual Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP weekend.

Check out the full press release below thanks to the great folks at Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing, as we say a big congrats to one of our long-time favorites in the series for his great win at Elkhart Lake last weekend.  Great job!

Steve Rapp Victorious at Road America in Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 7, 2013) - Suburban Harley-Davidson's Steve Rapp defied the odds when the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series returned to Road America -- its birthplace and spiritual home track -- for the second round of the 2013 GEICO Motorcycle Road Racing season. On Saturday as his rival class contenders were staking their provisional grid positions for what was expected to be yet another H-D class barnburner (the largest margin of victory the class had ever seen in Wisconsin was just 0.157 seconds), Steve Rapp was hard at work. Not throwing down quick laps around the four-mile circuit, but instead putting in time inside a commercial airplane simulator a thousand miles southwest of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, training for his new job as a pilot. The veteran racer didn't make it to the track until Sunday, where he earned a front-row grid position despite cold and slow conditions. He then proceeded to decimate the competition in the afternoon's six-lap race. Rapp claimed the victory in one-sided fashion, leading every lap and taking the checkered flag more than four seconds ahead of a heated battle for second. While Rapp is a known quantity and widely respected talent -- he's taken AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike and GoPro Daytona SportBike podiums in recent seasons and boasts a DAYTONA 200 victory on his resume -- he still amazed with his one-day dominance.   Steve Rapp on the #5 Suburban H-D XR1200 leads the field into turn one at Road America during the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series final on June 2, 2013.  Rapp won the final over the talented field without any practice on the bike.  AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson. "I love this place -- I do," Rapp said. "Every time I come here I look forward to coming here... I'm just happy to be here...It was really just a great, great day for me."  Explaining his Saturday absence, Rapp said, "I have a new flying job and I was actually training in Dallas. I don't even think they know I left. Today is my day off and I've got to get back there tonight to go back to work tomorrow.  It's just a rare circumstance. Everything has to be working and I was mentally prepared to come here. I was bummed after Daytona where I didn't even finish the first lap. When you get behind, it puts you under pressure and sometimes you perform well under pressure and sometimes you don't. Today I felt like I did okay." The race was not only a special round for Harley-Davidson in general, it was also a hugely important event for the Suburban Harley-Davidson squad. After a rough opener at Daytona where Rapp DNF'd and teammate Ben Carlson was DQ'd, the team was motivated to successfully defend its home turf in Wisconsin. The squad did so with aplomb. Based out of Thiensville, Wisconsin, and with Carlson hailing from nearby West Bend (both located between Milwaukee and Road America), the Suburban Harley-Davidson claimed a triumphant 1-2 result when Carlson set up reigning champion Michael Barnes on the final lap and edged him to the stripe by an impossibly small 0.001-second margin.  Harv's Harley-Davidson's Travis Wyman was also very much in the mix, finishing just a further 0.064 seconds back in fourth. Daytona winner Tyler O'Hara (Eco Fuel Saver/Scrubblade/Bartels) was a major player in that slugfest as well, crossing the line in second to start lap 5 of 6, until he was the victim of a mechanical DNF just moments later.  "It was tough," Calrson said. "I knew Barney and O'Hara were somewhere in back of me... I didn't expect Wyman...That last lap I was behind (Barnes) and I thought if I could stay with him through 12-13-14, I'd be okay. I had to give him three or four bike lengths so I could get a run on him and that was the only way I could get a run on him. That was the plan of attack.  As a local team, we couldn't have a better result than 1-2." The third-place finish of Rossmeyer's Harley-Davidson Barnes was also a return to form of sorts, following his sixth-place run at Daytona in his first race with the #1 plate. As a result of the big shift of fortunes throughout the field from Round 1 to Round 2, 'Barney' now controls the points lead.  The experience Barnes said, "My hats off to Steve. First I thought he was coming and then I didn't see him in the morning (Saturday) and thought, 'he sometimes misses the first practice.' And then qualifying came around and I was like, 'well, maybe he's not coming... but he's still entered and there's still second qualifying. He could still show up and go fast in the morning and then be there for the race.' And here he is.  It's not easy to do. He's got a great team behind him and he and Benny both rode a great race. Benny just barely beat me out. The points lead is a little consolation for me." Despite their mixed starts to the 2013 season Barnes, Rapp, Carlson, Wyman, and O'Hara are all solidly positioned inside the championship top ten. That's an important fact considering the recent announcement of the return of the XR Showdown in which the season's top ten following Round 5 at Miller Motorsports Park will enter a four-race shootout for the season's crown and the $60,000 bonus prize that comes along with it. ChiliPepperRacing.com's Ricky Parker came out on top of four-way fight for fifth position at Road America. The struggle also included Happy Trails M/C Connection's Hayden Schultz (a last-lap mishap dropped him to 15th), Deeley Racing's Darren James (sixth) and Longevity Racing's Barrett Long (seventh).  Hoban Cycle's Paul James, Eco Fuel Saver/Scrubblade's Josh Chisum, and Aerostar Global Logistics' Brice Cooper completed the top ten. The AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series will resume in two weeks' time as the GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing season heads to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala. on June 21-23 for the Triumph SuperBike Classic presented by America's First Federal Credit Union. CBS Sports Network Broadcasts and AMA Pro Live This season GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network as part of the CBS Sports Spectacular. Fans can find CBS Sports Network on their TV by using the channel finder at http://www.cbssportsnetwork.com/channel-finder. In addition to the live broadcasts on CBS Sports Network, AMA Pro Live will be live streaming multiple channels of behind-the-scenes video alongside Live Timing & Scoring. AMA Pro Live puts fans in the director's chair, allowing them to choose from a variety of viewpoints including track cameras, paddock cameras and a press conference channel. at http://www.amaprolive.com. All season long, stay connected with GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing on social media at http://twitter.com/AMAProSBK and http://www.facebook.com/AMAProRoadRacing. About GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing: GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing is the premier motorcycle road racing series in North America and is universally regarded as one of the most competitive road racing organizations in the world. The 2012 schedule consists of 12 rounds of competition on the country's finest road courses. The Series is comprised of four production-based classes: AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike, AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series. Learn more about GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing at www.amaproracing.com/rr/.

Saturday     Sunday Michael Barnes riding strong at Road America

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