Calistoga Half-Mile Returns as Round 15 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship on September 27

Calistoga Speedway will return to the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship to host the penultimate round of the 2014 season with the Calistoga Half-Mile, sponsored by Ramspur Winery on Saturday, September 27. After the announcement back in late June that the Santa Rosa Mile would be canceled, the folks at AMA Pro Flat Track and Calistoga were able to come together in order to fill the open spot in the schedule.

The series last visited the venue during the 2010-2011 seasons and saw Stevie Bonsey, current rider for the Zanotti Racing team, score his first-ever AMA Grand National win during the summer of 2010, and then revisited in 2011 when Jake Johnson took the win for the Zanotti Racing team in route to his second of two in-a-row Grand National Championships in 2011.

In the shot above, riders roar off the line during semi race #1 at the Springfield Mile I during round 3 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship on May 25.

(L-R) Chad Cose on the #49 Engelhart Research & Technology/Saddlemen/Bell-sponsored Kawasaki EX650, Scooter Vernon on his #74 self-sponsored Kawasaki, Nichole Cheza-Mees on her #15 Harley-Davidson/Black Hills H-D/Mr. Sign-backed XR750, Cory Texter on the #65 Racing Unlimited/McElroy Packing/Invisible Glass-sponsored Kawasaki, and Johnny Lewis on the #10 KTM/GE Capital/Waters Autobody Racing-backed KTM LC8 950 lead the charge from the front row.

Bret Sowders on the #81G Adam's Racing/Osburn Graphics/Ghost Ride Apparel-backed Suzuki SV650, Colt Chebultz on the #47G Briggs Auto.com/H-D of Salina/McKeeman Drywall-sponsored XR750, Chaz Landers on the #74P Anders Racing/Lou's Cycles/LP Management Co-backed H-D XR750 and Brad Hazel on the #41 HAS Racing/Pure Attitude Activewear/Pete Allen-sponsored XR750 follow the front pack as they get underway for the 8-lap semi race to determine three of the six remaining spots in the Grand National main event at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Lewis, who won the race for his first win in his first ride for the Waters Autobody Racing/KTM team, lead Nichole and Cory home after a slow start saw him work his way around four or five riders before taking the point.

With the loss of the Santa Rosa event, and the addition of Calistoga, this now makes for five west coast events, including the Grays Harbor Half-Mile this weekend and the Castle Rock TT next month, out of the 16 races scheduled for this season, which should help to keep the west coast fans happy with the great racing seen in The Rolling Thunder Show. Bravo to the Calistoga folks and to their promoters for stepping up to fill the void and bring some of the best racing there is to see to the left coast!

Read on below to see what you need to do to get your tickets for the Calistoga Half-Mile, round 15 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship on Saturday, September 27.

AMA Pro Racing Flat Track Motorcycles Return to Calistoga Speedway

Sent on behalf of the promoter: Professional Grand National Series Back After Two Year Absence   CALISTOGA, Calif. (July 16, 2014) - The AMA Pro Racing Grand National Series will return to Calistoga Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 27, bringing the chase for the national championship of flat track motorcycle racing back to the Napa Valley after an absence of two years.   The Ramspur Winery Calistoga Half-Mile presented by Victory Chevrolet at the Napa County Fairgrounds will be the 15th and next-to-last chance for riders in both the big-bore Expert Twin and Pro Singles categories to earn precious championship points in the series that will have crisscrossed the country, beginning in Daytona Beach, Fla., in January and ending in Pomona, Calif., Oct. 11.       Calistoga Speedway will host round 15 of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship, the penultimate round of the 2014 season. The series visited the track in 2010 with winner Stevie Bonsey taking his first-ever AMA Grand National win, and Jake Johnson took the win in 2011 to help cement his second of two AMA Grand National Championships in-a-row while he was with the Zanotti Racing team. AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.       Top riders expected at Calistoga include Bryan Smith of Flint Mich., a former national champion and a two-time winner so far in 2014, including the most recent race in Hagerstown, Md.; and Michigan's Jared Mees, the 2012 AMA Pro Grand National Champion who leads the current standings. Also expected is Jake Johnson, the 2011 winner at Calistoga and Mees' toughest early-season championship challenger.  The three-time AMA national champion and New Jersey native, sponsored by Napa Valley's Ramspur Winery, sits just one point behind Mees (104-103) through the first six races this year.    "It's exciting to bring a national championship series with the prestige of the AMA to the Napa Valley," said Terry Otton, Dirt Trackers, LLC, a valley resident and event co-promoter, along with Hall of Fame rider Eddie Mulder and Steve Delorenzi. "These riders are the best in the country and fans can expect close, hard racing because they know it's one of their last chances to make a run for that No. 1 plate."   Known for its long straightaways, Calistoga Speedway will offer riders plenty of room for passing and drafting in a series that is renowned for close action in which the race lead can change several times each lap.  The track is also substantially different from what the riders saw during their last visit to Calistoga, with wider straightaways and progressive banking in the corners, the result of the most significant upgrade in its storied, 75-year history.   "Fans have told us that the changes have produced the best and most action-packed racing they have seen there in many years," noted Chris Morgan, partner and co-promoter of the Calistoga Half Mile who has also promoted many recent World of Outlaw events at the track.  "We expect to see the same kind of excitement with flat track racers going shoulder-to-shoulder and handlebar-to-handlebar on a track where bikes can routinely hit speeds of 120 mph."    Tickets are now available for the race and a weekend of activity that will include a classic motorcycle display, autograph session and other events.  Additional information is available at www.calistogahalfmile.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

Black Hills Half-Mile Tickets Now On Sale for Round 10 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship

What was once an annual stop on The Rolling Thunder Show's schedule, the Black Hills Half-Mile round of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship will again be returning to the schedule this coming August 5 in round 10 of the 2014 season as part of the Sturgis Rally in Rapid City, SD, one of, if not the largest-attended motorcycle-related festivals on the North American continent. The event will be promoted by Black Hills Harley-Davidson and it's owner, Terry Rymer, who harkens back to the day when Ricky Graham, Kevin Atherton, Rich King and others took their frustrations out on the track in route to winning during the weeklong festivities in the Badlands-area located track.

In the shot above, round 3 of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship saw the first Twins Series event of the 16-race season get underway at the Springfield Mile I on May 25, and in heat race #2 the action as always was hot and heavy for the four direct transfers available to the 25-lap National main.

Leading this pack behind eventual heat winner Jake Johnson are Stevie Bonsey on the #80 Zanotti Racing/Classic H-D/Top 1 Oil-sponsored H-D XR750, with Brandon Robinson on the #44 USC Kawasaki/Hart Racing/Hot Shot-backed EX650 working his way forward after a slow start to the 8-lap event.

Sorting out the final qualifying spot in the heat behind BRob44 are Briar Bauman on the #14 Werner-Springsteen Racing/Monster Energy/Cometic-backed Kawasaki and Shawn Baer in his first appearance for the 2014 season aboard a new-for him #32 Baer Racing Products/KB 5/Kam's Performance-sponsored KTM LC8 950. Baer's first ride on his new KTM, after campaigning Kawasakis the previous two seasons saw him take the last direct transfer to the main.

And working things out behind the front runners are Nichole Cheza-Mees on the #15 Harley-Davidson/Black Hills H-D/Mr. Sign-backed XR750 and Wyatt Maguire on his #16 Kirkland Racing/Urban Custom Bikes/Motorcycle-Superstore-sponsored Suzuki SV650.

If you are headed to Sturgis for the big rally in early August, you won't want to miss the Black Hills Half-Mile round of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship, to take in the greatest racing on two wheels in the world for what will probably be the least expensive thing you purchase in the land of chrome and iron.

Tickets are only $25 in advance and $30 at the gate, and the full details on how to save some $$ by getting them before you get there are below thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track's press release.

Tickets on sale now for Black Hills Half-Mile by Dunlop at Black Hills Speedway

Sent on behalf of Terry Rymer:   RAPID CITY, South Dakota, (July 3, 2014) - Tickets for the Black Hills Half-Mile by Dunlop, during the legendary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, in Sturgis, S.D., are now on sale. The race will be held at the Black Hills Speedway's half-mile dirt oval on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2014, as part of the largest motorcycle event in America.   Black Hills Speedway and Black Hills Harley-Davidson are proud to bring the exciting sport of AMA Pro Flat Track racing back to Rapid City. This will be round number 10 of the 16 round schedule which began in March at Daytona International Speedway. The series then travels coast to coast ending with the final round in Pomona, Calif. Riders chase points and prize money to see who will be crowned the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion.    "All through the 90's the Black Hills of South Dakota held this annual event at Black Hills Speedway, and I remember how popular it was for Sturgis Rally attendees as well as local race fans," said Terry Rymer, Sturgis Half-Mile promoter and General Manager and Co-Owner of Black Hills Harley-Davidson.       Heat #2 roars off the line at the Lima Half-Mile on Saturday, June 28 in round 5 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season. AMA Pro Flat Track and the promoters of the Black Hills Half-Mile announced on Thursday that tickets are now on sale for round 10 of the season for the Tuesday, August 5 event. AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.         "I have always been a huge fan of AMA Pro Flat Track and looked forward to having a race in my home town each year and I believe this will be an awesome event again this year. I was approached by the track owner and asked if I would be interested in helping bring the race back to Black Hills Speedway. Suddenly, years of memories, watching great racers like Ronnie Jones (the inaugural race winner in 1991), Ricky Graham, Scott Parker, Chris Carr, Kevin Atherton, Joe Kopp and Rich King came back to me and of course I said 'heck yeah, let's do it!' I started making a few phone calls to my motorcycle industry partners for support and it was pretty amazing how easy it was. I found out people in the industry want a national level motorcycle event tied in with the Sturgis event.   "I really am excited about this, not only for this year but many years to come. Of course I have to thank our title sponsor Dunlop Motorcycle Tires as well as our sponsors Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Vance and Hines Exhaust, Drag Specialties, Budweiser, Law Tigers and of course Black Hills Harley-Davidson. Their support has been overwhelming and this event couldn't happen without them."    General admission tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the gate. They can be purchased online at, Blackhillshd.com or by calling (800) 727-2482 Gates open at 4 p.m., open pit fan walk from 6:15-7:15 p.m. opening ceremonies begin at 7:30 p.m. with heat races starting at 8 p.m

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

Reviewing Round 3 of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship from the Springfield Mile I

With round 3 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship at the Springfield Mile I in the rear view mirror, the teams, rider, sponsors and fans are looking ahead towards next weekend's round 4 at the Knoxville Speedway in Iowa. But we have some reviewing to do in advance of next Sunday's event to help set up the rest of the season.

With the first race in some time in the can without the fuel restrictors in place, The Rolling Thunder Show still saw the rocket Kawasaki of rider Bryan Smith on the #42 Crosley Radio/Villa Ezparza/Shoei entry take the win at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, but the overall tone of who could stay with him and actually draft him changed dramatically, as noted in the shot above from around lap 9 of the 25-lap National main at the halls of speed on the Illinois mile oval.

Also spending time at the front for four laps of the event was Jake Johnson on the #5 Lloyd Brothers Motorsports/Ramspur Winery/Parkinson Brothers Racing Ducati. After qualifying 2nd behind Smith and winning his heat, Johnson showed without a shadow of a doubt that he has come to terms with what is still a fairly new gig on the big LBM mount after some early season testing on the machine helped them to get a better base setting for the former 2-Time AMA Grand National Champion. Johnson's 4th-place finish was the best finish for the LBM squad since former team member Henry Wiles' 2nd-place at Lima in 2012 and 4th-place at Indy also in 2012

Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. also spent a lap at the stripe out in front on his new ride on the #2 Zanotti Racing/Burt Ives Honda/Moroney's H-D-sponsored and Dave Atherton-tuned XR. Coolbeth ran second to winner Smith all day long after qualifying 4th, and showed that this wily veteran of the sport was not ready to step aside after being released from the H-D factory team after last year's season. Although team mate Stevie Bonsey's end results didn't show the progress the team made over the off-season in getting ready for the new 'sans restrictors' era, look for these two to step up as the season progresses.

Jared Mees' 3rd-place finish on the #9 Rogers Racing/Las Vegas H-D/Blue Springs-backed and Kenny Tolbert-tuned XR was textbook Mees' and Tolbert journeyman work at Springfield. Mees 2nd-place finish in his heat behind Wiles and 4th-place finish in the Dash were the stepping stones that champions use to put together a solid season run for the big crown, and Mees obviously knows a little bit about grabbing that crown, while Tolbert is undoubtedly one of the tuning kings when it comes to keeping the long-used alloy XR solid and humming along.

And although he didn't spend time at the front after dominating in last year's doubleheader at Springfield, last year's 3rd-place man in the overall championship Brandon Robinson, had a solid day with a 7th-place finish in the main after almost stealing the glory from Johnson in there extremely close heat race. Robinson and the #44 USC Kawasaki/Hart Racing/Hot Shot-sponsored EX650 were in no way overshadowed throughout the day, but with a little massaging of the team's off-season moves the former 2008 Basic Twins Champion and crew chief James Hart should have the new-look effort buzzing along at the front before too long.

Defending AMA Grand National Champion Brad Baker took his new ride on the #1 Harley-Davidson Motor Co/Screamin' Eagle Racing Parts/Dunlop-backed XR-750 at Springfield just over six weeks after breaking his arm just a few weeks after the season-opening rounds in Daytona. Baker took home a solid 5th-place finish in the main while staying with the crowd at the front during all of the red flag restarts.




Nichole Cheza-Mees newly-adorned paint job on her #15 Harley-Davidson/Black Hills H-D/Mr.Sign-backed XR sits in waiting in her pit area at Springfield, and the now Mrs. Jared Mees took home her best result of her career at Springfield with a hard-earned 8th-place finish.




After Stevie Bonsey's first get-off in turn 1, the restart saw four of the eventual top-4 and five of the top-6 finishers up front. Henry Wiles on his new ride on the #17 Don's Kawasaki/DPC Racing/EA Racing-sponsored Kawasaki took home 6th-place after winning his heat race over Mees and Willie McCoy on his #59 H-D of Wausau/Tucker Rocky/Independence Harley-Davidson-backed XR-750. Here Smith leads Coolbeth, Mees, Johnson, Wiles and McCoy heading into turn 1 on lap 13's restart.

2012 Rookie of the Year Briar Bauman's 9th-place finish was a great result after missing the program entirely in the Labor Day weekend running of last season's Springfield Mile II. The #14 Werner-Springsteen Racing/Monster Energy Kawasaki/Cometic Gasket-backed effort probably suffered more from the day's outing due to a glitch in AMA Pro Flat Track's records for the event after he and the team were announced during rider intros without their sponsor's names being mentioned. Needless to say, the presence of Monster and long-time tuner and all-time winning tuner Bill Werner during the day's events left little doubt as to whom helped foot the great effort that helped get Bauman and the team a solid top-10 finish.

Although she missed the main, probably the ride of the day belonged to Shayna Texter in her new outing on the #25A Latus Motors/Castrol Oil/Crosley Radio-sponsored Triumph Bonneville effort. Suffering from a series of angst-inducing head and tail shaking along the straights at Springfield, the former Pro Twins/Basic Twins double winner from last year's Labor Day weekend fought the ride of her life in keeping the big parallel Triumph twin upright, without it planting her in the ground where a much lesser rider may have ended up. Without a doubt it was a great effort on her part to keep it from doing so, and with some chassis tweaking and adjustments that were made and will be need to be made she showed the crowd on-hand that she will never say die. A superb effort that never saw the outcome that it should have in her first race as a Grand National Expert rider, Shayna and the team will prevail and the great looking effort on all parts of the team should pay off come the rest of the season.

One of the other new rider and team combinations for this season comes in the form of former AMA Supermoto Champion and Scott Powersports Kawasaki-pilot Johnny Lewis and the #10 KTM/GE Capital/Waters Autobody-backed KTM LC8 950 team. After spending last season working with the Latus Motors Triumph squad and riding three different machines during last Labor Day's Springfield doubleheader outing, Lewis and the Waters team had their first outing together on the beautiful orange and blue KTMs. Showing his usual flair and body english style throughout the day, Lewis and the team finally got the settings right for him to take the win in semi race #1 after a slow start over Nichole Cheza-Mees that put them into the National main in their first time on the track together. Although their day only lasted 15 laps, Lewis and the big and vibrant-looking KTM looked to be a good match for the new season ahead and something for the WAB KTM to look forward to after all their hard work in campaigning the big KTMs for the last five seasons.

Heat race #3 at Springfield saw Willie McCoy #59 dominate the first seven laps of the event, with 2012 AMA Grand National Champion Jared Mees holding his own in keeping the two extremely close throughout. But it wasn't to be for either, as Henry Wiles got them both on the last lap to take his first heat race win on his new #17 Don's Kawasaki/DPC Racing/EA Racing-EX650 effort.

Mikey Martin and the #91 Bonneville Performance/Triumph Factory Racing/Castrol Racing-sponsored Triumph Bonneville team have made some significant strides in what is now their third season together, evidenced by Martin taking the final direct transfer to the main in heat race #3 behind Wiles, Mees and McCoy. Unfortunately, Martin and the slick-looking Bonneville Performance Triumph went down just after the completion of lap 20 (causing one of the four restarts of the day) to bring home a rough 14th-place finish.

With former team head Rick Howerton mothballing the Howerton Motorsports effort after leading Bryan Smith and the team to a double AMA Grand National Twins Championship effort in 2012-2013, team member Jeff Gordon and returning team wrench Dink Glidden regrouped over the off-season to put together what is looking to be another stellar effort for the #42 team. Taking everything but the frame from the last two seasons' work, Gordon and Glidden took the engine work in-house and between them and Dreyer Motorsports' dyno and eBay purchases, built another winning effort out of JG's Speedway Engines shop on Gasoline Alley on the west side of Indy.

Smith's Dad, Barry, put it all together out of his Michigan-based shop and the team hardly missed a beat without Howerton heading up the effort-although he was on hand to see it, in what appeared to be 'advisory mode.' At the end of the day, big JG had removed himself from 'team stooge'-status to cement himself into the elite list of winning AMA Grand National Championship crew chiefs, tuners and wrench masters. A job well done, and the student of the sport for years that obviously showed that he knows a little bit more about building engines for something other than Indy Lights cars! Not too bad for his first race as a crew chief in the most competitive form of two-wheel, bar banging racing.

On one of the final restarts, Smith grabs some major throttle to leap off the line leading the seven men who would end up in the top-7 at the end of the marathon stop-and-go day at Springfield. Only Willie McCoy #59 would be the odd man out after lowsiding into turn 3 on the final lap to end up in the 13th-place spot after spending all day running in the top six or seven while breathing the draft at the front.



To get some more perspective on the great day at Springfield from two weeks ago, Larry Lawrence put together another great story for Cycle News and helped to make my outing to, at and from Springfield another super day of bench and track racing. Read his official spin here from The Master of the pen ,er, keyboard and lens.

And North Dakota's own, Dan Jacobson, Sr. also made the trek to the halls of speed in Springfield, and filed this report with Today's Cycle Coverage.com.

And you can also take a look at all of the official results here thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track.

If you're like me, you can never get enough of watching The Rolling Thunder Show perform in what is the best two wheeled racing series in the world, so you can watch the Springfield Mile I in it's entirety here thanks again to AMA Pro Flat Track and FansChoice.TV.

The full press release review from AMA Pro Flat Track is also below, as we get ready for next Sunday's round 4 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship at the Knoxville Half-Mile!

AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Recap: Springfield Mile

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla (May 30, 2014) - Despite AMA Pro Flat Track's decision to remove the restrictors for the first time in over a decade this season, Bryan Smith's No. 42 Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio Kawasaki reigned terror over the competition at the Springfield Mile this past weekend, proving once again he is the best in the business on mile-long circuits. With the win, Smith has placed himself fifth in the overall point standings heading into Round 3. "I couldn't ask for a better day," said Smith following his victory. "It's been one heck of an effort by my team getting this motorcycle ready for this race and I can't thank them enough. There are a lot of the same features on my bike this year but it's also very different than last year's at the same time. I'm very excited about this win and I'm excited for what the future holds for the rest of the season." Springfield Mile I winner Bryan Smith on the #42 Crosley Radio/Villa-Esparza Kawasaki leads the field out of turn 4 on the first lap of the 25-lap National main at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on May 25 in the first Twins Series event of the season and the first without the fuel restrictors in place in over a decade. AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig. Kenny Coolbeth knifed his way to an impressive second place finish as he gave Smith all he could handle coming down the frontstretch on the final lap. Coolbeth looked as if he might rip the lead from Smith on several occasions throughout the main event but the No. 2 Zanotti Racing Harley-Davidson competitor never could find the edge. Coolbeth's runner-up Springfield Mile effort places him first in the overall points. "I had it all planned out," said Coolbeth. "I was going to just try and hang with Smith for as long as I could and the pass at the end. On the last lap I wanted to blow around outside but he ran it in there deep and I got right alongside of him but came up just a little short. I'm really looking forward to the season with Zanotti." Jared Mees rode his No. 9 Rogers Racing Harley-Davidson to a solid third place finish after battling with Jake Johnson for the final podium spot. "Before the restart, we had to make our way out there and it was like all of a sudden my bike just came right around, it was hooking so good and tracking through the corner just awesome," said Mees. "We started having those red flags and Jake (Johnson) was just beating me to the corner every time. It was like 'rewind and play, rewind and play.' We had some really good corner speed and the motorcycle was phenomenal." Even though Johnson, who finished fourth aboard his No. 5 Ramspur Winery Ducati, missed the podium last weekend, the defending champion has looked solid in the season's first three races and currently sits second in the points. Fifth place finisher Brad Baker didn't get the result he was looking for, but the defending Grand National Champion will take a top five finish at Springfield with at least mild satisfaction after breaking his arm just five weeks prior to the event. Baker now sits 11th in the points and should crack the top 10 next round at the Knoxville Half Mile in Knoxville, Iowa. Emerging from the second pack of riders was sixth place finisher Henry Wiles aboard his No. 17 Don's Kawasaki. The Winn, Mich. native now sits seventh in the overall points. After completing the sweep in last season's Springfield Mile doubleheader, Brandon Robinson earned a seventh place finish last weekend on his No. 44 USC Kawasaki. Robinson's consistent start to the 2014 season has him sitting fourth in the point standings. Sammy Halbert only completed two laps in last weekend's main event as the No. 7 South East Harley-Davidson rider suffered a bike malfunction on lap three that forced him out of the race. Halbert now sits third in the overall points. Next Up The stars of AMA Pro Flat Track will head to Knoxville, Iowa for the Knoxville Half Mile at Knoxville Raceway on June 15, 2014. How to Watch  FansChoice.tv will be the official home for live streaming coverage of AMA Pro Flat Track and AMA Pro Road Racing events in 2014. The site will also provide coverage of IMSA's development and single-make series, and NASCAR's touring and weekly series. About AMA Pro Flat Track AMA Pro Flat Track is a national motorcycle racing series in North America and is considered one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the Series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing in the world. The 2014 schedule consists of 16 rounds on the country's finest flat track courses. For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track, please visit www.amaproracing.com/ft.

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

Lloyd Brothers Motorsports Talks Jake Johnson's 4th-Place Finish at Round 3 of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship at the Springfield Mile I

Round 3 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship saw the first appearance of the Twins Series machines sans restrictors for the first time in over 2-1/2 decades, and did the racing ever turn out great for the fans, teams and sponsors of The Rolling Thunder Show.

Although some pundits may say 'well, a Kawasaki still won.....,' those that were there and that are in the know were treated to some of the best and closest racing the series has seen for years, and without a doubt were party to one of the greatest races they have ever witnessed. And there was no doubt that the parity was there amongst the ranks of the XR's, the big Duc and the Kawis.

One of the teams and riders that were able to claim a distinct advantage due to losing the fuel restrictions that were in place before this season was the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports team and their star rider, 2-Time AMA Grand National Champion Jake Johnson.

Tuner to the stars Brent Armbruster had the big #5 Lloyd Brothers Motorsports/Ramspur Winery/Parkinson Brothers Racing-sponsored 1098/1100 on song, and Jersey Jake took full advantage of Armbruster's and the team's tuning and suspension prowess throughout the day at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The final tally will say that winner Bryan Smith led 20 laps of the 25-lap National main at the stripe on the Villa-Esparza/Crosley Radio Kawi, while Johnson led four laps and runner-up finisher Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. led a single lap on the Zanotti Racing XR-750. But Johnson was able to get the runs necessary in order to draft to and at the front in order to get the big Duc up there, largely thanks to the vast resource of knowledge that his crew chief and wrench spinning master put into his mount. And once they get the final chassis settings put into place that they need in order to get their mount just a tad more stable, the rest better look out.

During heat race #2 as shown above, Johnson can be seen leading the pack out of turn four in the 8-lap affair, one in which he won in the end, but not without a strong fight from Brandon Robinson on the #44 USC Kawasaki/Hart Racing/Hot Shot-sponsored mount. Jake took off with the lead in the early stages and looked to have it wrapped before the rest caught up and Robinson had worked his way around Steve Bonsey on the #80 Zanotti Racing/Classic Harley-Davidson/Top 1 Oil-backed XR.

Once Robinson got around Bonsey, he set sail for Johnson, and by lap 7 was right on his heels. By the time they had gotten around to turn 3, Robinson had passed the big #5 in spite of Jake's prowess, and looked to have the heat win. But coming out of four, Johnson poured the coals to the Italian 'L' twin and nipped BRob44 at the line....by .014 seconds, or roughly half a wheel, but enough to take the win and lead them both into the Dash for Cash bonus round. Quite the exciting start to the day for the team, and for the fans who saw this great duel with a couple of experienced and clean-riding veterans. It sure had my adrenaline flowing!

Seen in the shot above, Johnson leads as Bonsey keeps it close, with Robinson barely visible behind the Zanotti Racing #80 machine. Close on their heels is Briar Bauman on the #14 Werner-Springsteen/Monster Energy/Cometic Gasket Kawasaki, Shawn Baer on his #32 Baer Racing Products/KB 5/Karn's Performance-backed KTM LC8 950, Nichole Cheza-Mees on the #15 Harley-Davidson/Black Hills H-D/Mr. Sign-backed XR and Wyatt Maguire on the #16 Kirkland Racing/Urban Custom Bikes/Motorcycle-Superstore-sponsored Suzuki SV650. Behind Johnson and Robinson, Bonsey and Baer took the final direct transfers to the National main and the rest were left to duke it out in the semi later in the afternoon.

All in all, it was great day of racing, but Jake Johnson and the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports/Parkinson Brothers Racing/Ramspur Winery team took a big step in garnering their 4th-place finish for the day, and coupled with their great results from Daytona, left Springfield in 2nd-place in the points, just 2 points behind early points leader Coolbeth (53-51) heading into round 4 at the Knoxville Half-Mile in Knoxville, Iowa on June 15. And Jake has that famous smile back on his face that shows he, and the team, are back 'having fun again,' just like he and team owner Dave Lloyd talked about early Sunday after qualifying was over. If Sunday's results are any indication of what the season holds for this great and deserving bunch of guys, it's going to be a super season for them.

Bravo to the boys and girls at LBM/PBR for their excellent effort and results from Sunday, and you can check out their race report below to get it straight from the horse's--or horsepower's--mouth!

Press release courtesy of the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship team.

Note: right click, open in new window to view

 

Sacramento Mile Resurrected and Will Return to 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Schedule on July 26

In what amounts to an eleventh hour reckoning, AMA Pro Flat Track and the new promoters of the Sacramento Mile have come together to resurrect what is one of the west coast's most popular events and venues.

The announcement was made early this afternoon that a group of people, one of which is former and original AMA Superbike contenders Steve McLaughlin (SMI), have banded together to bring back the Sacramento Mile at the Cal-Expo Fairgrounds on Saturday, July 26. McLaughlin may be best known for competing against the likes of 3-Time AMA Superbike Champion Reg Pridmore back in the late '70s when the class was first started alongside the then premier Formula One class in AMA Pro Road Racing. Since his retirement from the sport, McLaughlin has been involved in sports management and promotions, and this is just another fine example of the types of great shows that the former racer and racing icon can and is able to put together, which makes it doubly-excellent for those west coast fans who were left out in the field when the cancelation of the event was announced several weeks back due to what was thought to be conflicts with the horse racing crowd at Cal-Expo.

Now, without a doubt, fans will get a chance to see if Flyin' Bryan Smith can make it four-in-a-row at the Sacto Mile, and they for one, can thank McLaughlin and AMA Pro Flat Track for being able to put this together. Smith won the 2011 Sacto Mile while riding his own machines as tuned and wrenched by his Father, Barry, on a Moroney's FastHog.com XR-750, and won the last two years running while riding the rocket Kawasaki of the Crosley Radio/Howerton Motorsports team.

In the shot above, riders, mechanics and machines get ready to head out for rider intros at the Springfield Mile II National main event over the Labor Day weekend on September 1 at round 11 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship at the Illinois State Fairgrounds mile oval cathedral of speed.

(L-R) Jake Johnson's #5 Lloyd Brothers Motorsports/Ramspur Winery-sponsored Ducati sits at the ready, alongside Steve Bonsey and former crew chief Ted McDermitt of the #80 Zanotti Racing/RGR-backed XR-750 team. Ronnie Jones' #74G Salina Harley-Davidson-backed XR sits at the ready, while the former holder of the #16 number plate can be seen just behind Greg Crow of Greg Crow Racing (alongside the #61 GCR/Gardner Racing-backed XR of Dustin Crow) wiping his face from the intense heat over the Labor Day weekend in Springfield. And on the far outside can be seen one of the team members of Nichole Cheza-Mees, steadying her #15 Global Products/Harley-Davidson Motor Company-sponsored XR.

You can check out the full press release below thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track, and for all of you west coast fans, be sure to fire off an e-mail to these great folks and thank them and McLaughlin and his SMI company to let them know how stoked you are that they went to this kind of trouble to bring back this great event. Great job and bravo!

Sacramento Mile to Return to California State Fair on July 26, 2014 as part of AMA Pro Flat Track Schedule

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 12, 2014) - Officials from Cal Expo and AMA Pro Racing announced today that the Sacramento Mile will return to the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track schedule. The historic event, which was previously removed from this year's calendar, is back on track to take place at Cal Expo in Sacramento, Calif. on July 26, 2014 with event promotion from SMI.   (Left to right: Rick Pickering - CEO of Cal Expo, Steve McLaughlin - CEO of SMI, Nick Nicora - VP of Ovations Food Services / Partner of Cal Expo) "We're thrilled to be able to get the Sacramento Mile back on the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track schedule," said Michael Gentry, Chief Operating Officer of AMA Pro Racing. "The race is always one of the most prominent events on the schedule and I'm really looking forward to watching our riders take to the track at the Cal Expo in late July."   The Sacramento Mile returned to the AMA Pro Flat Track schedule in 2011 after a nine year absence and has once again stamped itself as one of the most exciting events on the Grand National Championship tour. Over the last month, negotiations have been ongoing with the intent of creating a long-term agreement for the event that will honor the history of the Sacramento Mile.   "We are excited to be able to continue the rich tradition of the Sacramento Mile for our region and for AMA Pro fans," said Rick Pickering, CEO of Cal Expo. "We appreciate the leadership and commitment of SMI in stepping forward to take the Sac Mile to the next level of success,"   "The Sacramento Mile has been one of the highlights of the Cal Expo season and we are looking forward to seeing it here for its 100th event," said Nick Nicora, VP of Ovations Food Service. SMI, a company owned and operated by AMA Hall of Famer Steve McLaughlin, will be the event promoter and AMA Pro Racing sanction holder, with event sponsorship, marketing, promotion and advertising handled by Don Henry of Henry Advertising. Lynne H. Saunders will be director of Operations and Dennis Pearson, Dirt Productions will build and maintain the track.   "The Sacramento Mile was a must attend when I was a young AMA Pro racer," said Steve McLaughlin, event promoter. "Cal Rayborn tried to get me on the Mile but as a Road Racer I couldn't understand racing with no brake lever on the right side of the handlebar. We are very close to the event and will be doing our best to get the word out and improve the fan experience as well as value. As a new promoter, my first act will be offering free standing room only tickets to children 12 years old and under, and all other ticket prices for children 12 years old and under will be 50% off. Also, Sacramento Mile attendees that arrive by motorcycle will park for free."

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 Flat Track Announces Live Streaming Video to be Available at all Remaining Rounds of 2013 Season

In what can only be some of the best news to cross the wire in some time, AMA Pro Flat Track and it's operators, the Daytona Motorsports Group, today announced the addition of Live Streaming Video for the remaining scheduled 13 rounds of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season.

Beginning with this weekend's upcoming round 3 at the Stockton Half-Mile on May 11, AMA Pro Flat Track will utilize two cameras at each event (with more scheduled to be added in the future) that will stream video of each event, starting from the first practice session of the day and continuing until the end of each event throughout the 2013 season.

With this announcement, all fans of The Rolling Thunder Show will now be able to keep up with all of the action at the track, coupled with AMA Pro Flat Track's Live Timing interface, that will allow fans not being able to attend each event to follow along with the action as it happens right at the track.

A BIG bravo and tip of the helmet to the great folks in Daytona that run and operate the greatest racing series on two wheels in the world for coming through for the friends and fans of AMA Pro Flat Track in being able to provide everyone with this great service.  Thank you for your efforts and for this great endeavor in bringing the fans closer to the action in what is surely to be a great and rewarding experience for all involved-and especially, the fans!

To help usher in this great announcement today, the shot above comes to you from round 4 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season at the Springfield Mile I event on May 27 from last season, as the riders get ready to roll in the first Twins Series event of the year in Stockton, CA. this coming Saturday.

(L-R)  Row two consists of--Johnny Lewis on the #10 Scott Powersports Kawasaki.  Lewis, who left the series last year after only competing in the first six events of the year, returns to action this weekend with his new team on the Latus Motors Racing Triumph.  Next to JL10 is 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Singles Series Champion, Sammy Halbert, on his #7 South East H-D XR750.  The Slammer will also be back in action for the first time this season at Stockton after having to sit out the opening rounds of the season at Daytona due to recovering from his injuries suffered during the off-season.

Up next is one of the first ladies of flat track, Ms. Nichole Cheza on the #15 Global Products XR750.  Fans need not fear, as Ms. Nichole is on the pre-entry list and will be riding her Global Products XR at Stockton this weekend.  The newest addition to the points leader list, Daytona Short Track II winner Brandon Robinson on the #44 Werner-Springsteen Racing Kawasaki will be leading the field of contenders into Stockton along with his TJ Burnett Farms Kawasaki team this Saturday after starting the season out on a big hot streak.

Jethro Halbert, older brother of Sammy, lines up next on the #69 Goodwin Racing XR750.  Jethro just completed the purchase of the former Kenny Tolbert Racing Kawasakis that were campaigned for one event last season at Springfield by Brad Baker and will be ready to go come Saturday, as well.  And filling out row 2 is former AMA Pro Singles competitor, Mikey Avila on the #33E SDI/Bisha Racing XR750.  Word has it that Avila has retired from the sport and has entered the military.  He'll surely be missed, as other then former AMA Pro Singles Champions Baker, Jeffrey Carver, Jr., Mikey Martin and Stephen Vanderkuur, Avila was the most competitive and highest ranking finisher in the series since it's inception in the 2009 season.

Row 3 has Henry Wiles on the #17 Lloyd Brothers Motorsports/Ramspur Winery Ducati, and as reported last week The Hammer will be aboard a newly-built XR750 courtesy of LBM's new crew chief, Brent Armbruster this weekend.  After his double Singles Series Championships in '09-'10, Wiles also has two solid half-mile wins on XR equipment at Pomona in '09 and Lima in 2010, so without a doubt this will make Henry a top pick right out of the hat for this weekend's race.

Out of Morton, IL., also known as the home of the Caterpillar Company, is Rob Pearson on the #27 Memphis Shades XR.  Pearson will be aboard either one of the Weirbach Racing mounts this weekend as they announced back in December his addition to their team.  Richard Weirbach announced the other day on Facebook they were loading up their XR and Suzuki SV650-based Twins Series mounts for the weekend, and should have their new Kawasaki ready in time for Springfield on May 26.

Steve Bonsey sits alongside Pearson on the #80 Dodge Brothers XR, and also announced he will be on-hand at Stockton this Saturday, although at this time we're not sure of what he will be throwing a leg over yet.  Whatever that may be, SB80 will be in the mix as he's been working out and getting ready for the new season!

And last but not least, Clermont, Indiana's Dan Ingram lines up for what was his first return to the Twins Series since his near career-ending crash at Springfield in 1993.  Dapper Dan is astride the #31J TCR/Zanna Racing H-D XR750, and is on his way to Stockton as this is being written, as reported yesterday, to campaign the Brush/Eaken Racing XRs this weekend, and then the team's Kawasaki come Springfield in just over two weeks.

So strap in, hang on and get ready to fire up your laptop or pc, as the greatest racing series on two wheels in the world is set to go at it in just over 72 hours at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds in Stockton, as The Rolling Thunder Show heads west to do battle in one of the new facilities and venues on the series schedule.

Again, a big thanks to AMA Pro Flat Track for the newly-announced Live Streaming Video for the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season, which you can read more about in the full press release below!

AMA Pro Live to Provide Streaming Video Coverage of 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Events

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 8, 2013) - AMA Pro Racing is pleased to announce that the AMA Pro Live streaming video system will be broadcasting at all AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles events in 2013.  AMA Pro Live is a multi-channel streaming video system that puts the fan in the director's chair, allowing them to select from a variety of cameras located around the racetrack while monitoring live timing and scoring data and social media feeds.  The online system can be accessed through a web browser from any computer, tablet or mobile device by navigating to http://www.amaprolive.com.

 

"This is an exciting step for our sport," said Michael Gentry, Chief Operating Officer of AMA Pro Racing.  "The ability to live stream our events will help us reach a crucial demographic and provide coverage of the sport globally.  Our staff has worked long and hard on this system and we are proud to be able to provide live streaming for the fans this season."

 

Initially, AMA Pro Live's implementation at AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles events will consist of two video channels alongside live timing and scoring and social media feeds, providing complete coverage from the first practice until the final checkered flag. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeffrey Carver, Jr, #23, Doug Lawrence #73, Johnny Lewis #10, Sammy Halbert #7, Jake Johnson #1 and Jared Mees #9 roar off the line during the Dash for Cash event at the Hagerstown Half-Mile, round 6 of the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season on July 7.  The Daytona Motorsports Group, operators of the greatest racing show on two wheels in the world, AMA Pro Flat Track, announced today the addition of Live Streaming Video for the remaining scheduled 13 rounds of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season, starting with this weekend's Stockton Half-Mile on Saturday, May 11.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.

 

 

The first channel will feature a camera mounted in the P.A. booth overlooking all of the action, and will include an audio feed of Scottie Deubler and Barry Boone providing play-by-play analysis of the racing.  The second camera will be located trackside near the start-finish line, giving fans a close-up view of the day's racing activity and allowing them to hear the thunder of the motorcycles as they roar around the track.  Additional channels are planned for future events, including a roaming camera in the pits and on-board cameras mounted on the motorcycles.

 

AMA Pro Live will be live streaming content from all rounds on the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles schedule.  For those that can't make it to the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds in Stockton, Calif. for this weekend's Stockton Half-Mile, this link - http://www.amaprolive.com - will grant them direct access to AMA Pro Live and allow them to follow along as the event unfolds.  Live streaming of practice and qualifying is set to begin Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 3:30 p.m. EST (12:30 p.m. PST), with opening ceremonies for the main event set to begin at 10:00 p.m. EST (7:00 p.m. PST).

 

It's just a matter of days until the stars of AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles roll out their twin-cylinder machines for the first time this season.  For tickets and more information on the Stockton Half-Mile, please visit http://www.showclix.com/events/17007.

 

About AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles:

 

AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles is a national motorcycle racing series in North America and is considered one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the Series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing in the world.  The 2013 schedule consists of rounds on the country's finest flat track courses.  For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles, please visit http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/.

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