Vance & Hines' Byron Hines Elected to 2014 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame

The seventh and final member of the 2014 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame class was announced today, and mega-tuner Byron Hines of Vance & Hines Racing fame will join the class that will be inducted at the ceremonies to be held in Orlando, FL. on October 17. Hines joins another super-wrench, Rob Muzzy, that was announced a couple of days ago, in the 2014 class.

Probably best known for his and his partner's (Terry Vance) drag racing prowess and winning ways, Hines and his partner also fielded a very successful AMA Pro Road Racing team in the AMA Superbike Championship Series starting in the late '80s and going on for the better part of the next 13-14 years. The team first fielded '90 Daytona '200' winner Dave Sadowski aboard Suzuki GSX-R750s in the late '80s before turning their focus into the Yamaha factory team at the start of the 1990 season. The team won their first race with Sadowski at the helm of one of their potent Yamaha 750s, and along with team mate Thomas Stevens also competed in the AMA 600 Supersport Series.

In '91, the team picked up '89 AMA Superbike Champion Jamie James to take over Sadowski's seat, and James took his first win for the team at Road America in June '91, with team mate Stevens winning the Mid-Ohio round in late July/early August to help seal the deal in his winning the '91 AMA Superbike Championship for the team. Stevens off-season signing with Muzzy Kawasaki for the '92 season was somewhat of a letdown for the team in not being able to carry the #1 plate on the front of their immaculately prepared Yamahas. The team added the late Larry Schwartzbach to their 600 Supersport and Superbike efforts in late '91 and for the '92 season, but Schwartzbach was critically injured during the running of the Mid-Ohio round in late July/early August and was taken off life support just shy of two days after the gut wrenching accident that occurred on the front straight at the Lexington, OH. facility.

The team then added '92 250GP Champion & future 2-Time World Superbike Champion Colin Edwards to the squad for the '93-'94 seasons, which saw Edwards catch fire at the Mid-Ohio round in mid '94 by winning it and two other races to close out the season. Edwards then moved on to helm Yamaha's World Superbike efforts for the '95 season.

In the shot above, James wheelies his #2 Vance & Hines/Dunlop/Bell/Bel-Ray Yamaha 750OWO1 during his victory lap after taking the win in the AMA Superbike round at the Coca-Cola Super Cycle Classic at Road America on June 30, 1991. James repeated the win for the team the next year at the 4.0 mile long facility located outside Elkhart Lake, WI. James also won a handful of races on the V&H 600 Supersport machine to claim the #1 title for them in the '94 season, and narrowly missed re-taking the Superbike crown at the season-finale round at Road Atlanta when a mechanical problem caused him to lose the championship by just a couple of points to rookie sensation & Australian, and future multi-time World Superbike Champion Troy Corser on one of the Fast by Ferracci Ducatis.

The team stepped away from the AMA Superbike Championship with Yamaha after the '94 season as Yamaha took their program back in-house, but the powerhouse duo of Terry Vance and Byron Hines kept on with their drag racing program in the NHRA. The duo has won multiple drag racing crowns over the decades dating back to the '80s when Vance was still the team's rider.

V&H returned to the AMA Superbike Championship in the mid-late '90s, this time fielding a team as the U.S. factory reps for the Italian marque Ducati, with Stevens and Australian Anthony Gobert as the team's lead pilots. Gobert caught fire and won a couple of races for the team, notably the '98 Road America round, before substance abuse demons caused him to lose his ride with the team during the '99 season. '98 AMA Superbike Champion Ben Bostrom, who had captured the crown via a very consistent season riding the factory Honda RC45s, and doing so without winning a single race, then signed with V&H for the '99 season, thus allowing the Vance & Hines team to finally be able to carry that coveted #1 on the front of their premier class machines.

With the class of 2014 now complete, Hines closes out what will be a stellar year of elected motorcycle racing folks to this year's honors. You can check out the full press release below courtesy of the folks from the AMA Motorcycle HOF, and we send a huge congratulations out to Byron Hines, another of the men who have dotted the history-making timeline of the AMA Superbike Championship along with Rob Muzzy who was just announced the other day. Congrats Byron and thanks for all of the great memories!

Tuner, innovator, entrepreneur Byron Hines elected to AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- July 10, 2014 -- Byron Hines, one of the most successful engine builders in motorcycle racing, has been elected to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

"One mark of exceptional talent is the ability to forge success regardless of your circumstances," said Ken Ford, a member of the Hall of Fame executive committee and treasurer of the AMA board of directors. "As a tuner, Byron Hines has won in the 1970s, '80s, '90s and 2000s. He has won in drag racing and road racing. He has won on brands as different from each other as Yamaha, Ducati and Harley-Davidson. Few understand the ingredients to long-term success in motorcycle racing as well as he, and it's my pleasure to welcome Byron Hines to the 2014 class of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame." 

Hines, who was elected to the Design/Engineering category, will be inducted at the 2014 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Oct. 17, in Orlando, Fla. The induction ceremony is part of the AMA National Convention being held in conjunction with the American International Motorcycle Expo (AIMExpo) Oct. 16-19. Tickets for the convention and the induction ceremony go on sale soon. Check back at www.motorcyclemuseum.org for updates.

"Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a huge honor, but it feels a little odd because I'm not done yet," Hines said. "Being in a competitive arena, it seems like you're never done. You're going to keep doing what your doing and striving to be the best at what you do."

Hines is the seventh and final member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2014 to be announced. He joins motocross pioneer Pierre Karsmakers; Tom White, acclaimed racer and founder of White Brothers Cycle Specialties; George Barber, founder of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and the Barber Motorsports Park; national off-road racing champion Scott Summers; AMA motocross champion Mike LaRocco; and legendary tuner and team owner Rob Muzzy.

Hines said his attraction to motorcycles came at an early age.

"I just always liked the physical size of the motorcycle," he said. "Cars were too hard to work on and a lot of times you had to have someone with you to move stuff around. Also, I had this perception of motorcycles as being capable of a higher state of tune, and it was easier to make them go fast. To me, motorcycles just represented a more technologically advanced and capable package."

Hines took full advantage of those capabilities, as well as his ability to unlock them. He found early success as a young tuner in the 1970s when he joined forces with motorcycle drag racer and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Terry Vance. The pair earned national drag-racing championships into the 1980s, along the way leveraging their on-track achievements into the successful aftermarket company Vance & Hines. The company branched into road racing in the 1980s, becoming one of the top AMA Pro Superbike teams, winning individual races as well as class titles, including the 1990 AMA SuperSport Championship with rider David Sadowski. In the late 1990s, they switched to Ducati and experienced further success with Anthony Gobert and Ben Bostrom at the controls. Today they compete in, and sponsor, the AMA Pro Racing Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Racing Series, part of the AMA Pro Road Racing program.

Hines said that one element of his lasting success across disciplines and motorcycle brands has been an appreciation for the fundamentals of motorcycle tuning.  "There are principles of engine performance and operation that will always be there -- basic cam timing, compression ratios, cylinder head porting, the basic concept of how engines are put together," Hines said. "It's part of the same foundation that we all build upon. There's a certain set of rules, and you can't break those rules. As soon as you go outside those boundaries, your performance is going to suffer."

Vance & Hines, based in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., remains competitive in professional racing and continues to develop and sell aftermarket products for a wide range of motorcycles today. Hines is directly involved in all aspects of the business. "What have been most important to me are the people I've run into, the acquaintances I've made and the relationships I've maintained," Hines said. "I'm thankful to work someplace where everything just clicks, meeting the right people and having enough staying power to work out the kinks and have an opportunity to achieve what I want to achieve."

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers are selected through a nomination and voting procedure that includes ballots cast by living Hall of Fame members, members of the American Motorcyclist Association and AMHF boards of directors, and members of, and advisers to, the Hall of Fame category committees.

To nominate a future Hall of Famer, visit: www.motorcyclemuseum.org/induction.

About the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation

Founded in 1990 by the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, the goal of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling. Located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio, the Museum's three major exhibition halls feature the machines and memorabilia of those who have contributed notably to the sport. The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to motorcycling, including those known for their contributions to road riding, off-road riding and all categories of racing, as well as those who have excelled in business, history, design and engineering.

More information can be found at www.motorcyclemuseum.org.  

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

World Superbike Championship & AMA Pro Road Racing SuperBike Championship Tuner Rob Muzzy Elected to AMA Hall of Fame

Rob Muzzy, one of the most iconic tuners and engine builders in AMA Superbike and World Superbike Championship history, was elected to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, according to a press release out of Pickerington, OH. Muzzy, who is probably best remembered for heading up the Team Muzzy Kawasaki teams of '92 AMA Superbike Championship and '93 World Superbike Championship-winning teams with Scott Russell, along with winning three AMA Superbike Championships with Doug Chandler in '90 and '96-'97, has a long list of accomplishments that adds to his legacy in the sport from the last three and-a-half decades.

In the shot above, Muzzy (R), can be seen talking with another AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame member, Gary Mathers, the former head of the Smokin' Joe's Honda team in the AMA Superbike Championship throughout the mid-90's, during a break in the action at Road America in June '94 under the awning of the Team Muzzy Kawasaki team set-up of his riders Steve Crevier #14 (Superbike) and #4 (600 Supersport) and 'Tiger' Sohwa #41 (Superbike) during the Honda Super Cycle Weekend at Elkhart Lake, WI.

Muzzy will be officially inducted into the AMA Motorcycle HOF on October 17 in Orlando, FL.

Thanks to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame for the official press release below which covers this great man's election today into the HOF, something most anyone that has followed AMA Pro Road Racing for anytime, knew was bound to happen sooner or later. Congrats to Rob for this great achievement and accomplishment, and thanks for all the great memories throughout the years!

Tuner, engine builder, team owner Rob Muzzy elected to AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Fame

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- July 8, 2014 -- Rob Muzzy, a top tuner, engine builder and race team owner has been elected to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2014.

Muzzy, who was elected to the Road Racing category, will be inducted at the 2014 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Oct. 17, in Orlando, Fla. The induction ceremony is part of the AMA National Convention being held in conjunction with the American International Motorcycle Expo (AIMExpo) Oct. 16-19. Tickets for the convention and the induction ceremony go on sale soon. Check back at www.motorcyclemuseum.org for updates.

"Rob Muzzy's successes stretch across seven decades, from his 1950s drag racing ventures to his current performance-products business and team ownership," said Ken Ford, a member of the Hall of Fame executive committee and treasurer of the AMA board of directors. "Throughout his career, Rob's determination, skills and strategies have proved effective, placing him and his race teams at the top of the motorcycle racing community."

Muzzy was elated to learn of his election.

"I was really glad to get the call," he said. "I know I was nominated three or for years ago, but didn't get in. So I was pretty glad that I got the votes this time around."

Muzzy is the sixth member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2014 to be announced. He joins previously announced inductees: motocross pioneer Pierre Karsmakers; Tom White, acclaimed racer and founder of White Brothers Cycle Specialties; George Barber, founder of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and the Barber Motorsports Park; national off-road racing champion Scott Summers; and AMA motocross champion Mike LaRocco.

The final 2014 inductee will be announced later this week.

Muzzy got started in drag racing during the 1950s and raced dirt track as a novice in Southern California. He always built and tuned his own race engines.  "When it was time to move up to the next level -- by then I was married and had a kid -- I just decided that I wasn't that serious about it," Muzzy said. "I always had medium success as a rider. But I always had the quickest bike. So, the other guys were asking me to build engines for them. So moving from racing to tuning is just something that happened."

Muzzy's first shot at a performance business, in the 1970s, proved unsuccessful, largely due to an economic downturn at the time. So he responded to a Kawasaki ad for a motorcycle mechanic, landed the job and never looked back.  "That was the beginning of my real success, October 1980," Muzzy said.

During the 1980s, Muzzy built and tuned engines for the Kawasaki and Honda racing teams. The Kawasaki team scored AMA Superbike championships in 1981, 1982 and 1983.  In 1984, Muzzy moved to Honda as crew chief for the team that won the AMA Grand National Motocross Championship. From 1985 through 1987, Muzzy-tuned machines won the 125cc AMA National Motocross Championship, the Daytona 200 and the AMA Superbike Championship.

Winning with Muzzy as crew chief or tuner were Hall of Famers Eddie Lawson, Ricky Graham, Scott Russell and Doug Chandler as well as Ron Lechien, Miguel Duhamel, Rickey Gadson and numerous others. 

In January of 1988, at the strong urging of his wife, Muzzy re-opened his own business, producing engines and exhaust systems for racers.  "I just wanted an easy, 40-hour-a-week job someplace, but my wife convinced me that I should take advantage of my reputation and skills," he said. Toward the end of 1988, Muzzy learned that Kawasaki planned to release a new 750cc bike.  "I got in touch with them and said, 'Gee, you ought to race that thing,'" he said. 

Rob Muzzy, the man who took Scott Russell to the '92 AMA Superbike Championship & '93 World Superbike Championship and Doug Chandler to the '90, '96-'97 AMA Superbike Championships, among others, was elected to the AMA Hall of Fame today and will be inducted in their year-end ceremonies in October. File photo courtesy of the AMA Hall of Fame.










Kawasaki agreed and provided Muzzy with "a very minimal budget" to build a race bike and hire a rider. He recruited Russell and Chandler, who subsequently finished first and second in the 1990 AMA 750cc Supersport Championship. Chandler also won the AMA Superbike Championship that year.  Kawasaki then asked Muzzy to run its FIM World Superbike team. He accepted, and the team won two world championships.  "Those were probably my most successful days," he said of managing U.S. and world racing teams while running a full-time business. "But that almost killed me."

Muzzy said the 1993 season was his most memorable, working with teams that won the AMA Supersport Championship and the FIM World Superbike Championship and notching Kawasaki's first victory in the Suzuki 8 hours Endurance Road Race.  "To me, it doesn't seem like anything I do is particularly outstanding," Muzzy said. "I have a good eye for talent, when I can pick them, and I have been fortunate to work with a lot of really good talent, whether I picked them or not. We always have a strong team atmosphere, with everyone working toward the same goal."

Muzzy Performance Products is still operating in Bend, Ore., and Team Muzzy is still racing. 

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers are selected through a nomination and voting procedure that includes ballots cast by living Hall of Fame members, members of the American Motorcyclist Association and AMHF boards of directors, and members of, and advisers to, the Hall of Fame category committees.

To nominate a future Hall of Famer, visit: www.motorcyclemuseum.org/induction.

About the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation

Founded in 1990 by the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, the goal of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling. Located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio, the Museum's three major exhibition halls feature the machines and memorabilia of those who have contributed notably to the sport. The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to motorcycling, including those known for their contributions to road riding, off-road riding and all categories of racing, as well as those who have excelled in business, history, design and engineering.

 

More information can be found at www.motorcyclemuseum.org.  

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

Road America to Host 35th Annual Event in 2014 Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Season

The Daytona Motorsports Group-led Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing series announced yesterday that Road America, the iconic circuit located in Elkhart Lake, WI. and just an hour's drive north of Milwaukee will return to the series' schedule for the 35th straight year in the 2014 season.

The four+ mile track has been a regular stop on the schedule since the 1980 season and other than Daytona is the longest tenured event on the schedule for the premier road racing series on the North American continent.

In the shot above, Robertino Pietri on the #311 Maltin Polar/Roadracingworld.com-sponsored Suzuki GSX-R1000 leads this mid-pack battle during race one of the AMA Superbike Championship Series stop on the schedule in June 2008 as they come out of the turn 11 kink area at Road America. Bringing up the rear of this four rider battle is Scott Jensen on the #61 Pirelli/BG Oils-backed Suzuki.

Check out the full press release below from the folks on Fentress Blvd. in Daytona to get the dates set on your calendar for the upcoming event in 2014.

Road America to Play Host to 35th Consecutive GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Event on May 30-June 1, 2014

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (October 25, 2013) -  Road America remains one of the most iconic circuits on the GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing schedule every year and on the weekend of May 30 - June 1, 2014, the 4.05-mile natural road course in Elkhart Lake, Wis. will play host to yet another highly anticipated weekend of competition.

 

The Series' premier AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class first began competing on the legendary circuit as part of the 1980 season, the fifth year of competition for the class. Three decades later, the SuperBikes are still the stars of the show and 2014 will mark the 35th consecutive running of the event.

 

SuperBike star Josh Hayes has made himself at home at Road America over the last several years. The Mississippian has claimed six National Guard SuperBike victories at the track dating back to 2010, including an impressive five in a row.

 

 

 

Martin Cardenas on the #36 Yoshimura Factory Suzuki GSX-R1000 leads Josh Hayes on the #1 Monster Energy/Graves Motorsports Yamaha YZF-R1 and team mate Josh Herrin #2 coming into turn 6 at Road America during one of the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Series races in June 2013. Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing announced that the Elkhart Lake, WI. circuit will return to the series' schedule for the 2014 season for it's 35th annual visit. AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.

 

 

 

 

In the 2013 rendition of the event, rising star Cameron Beaubier's only GoPro Daytona SportBike loss all season long came at the hands of Jake Gagne. The two Californian riders split the weekend's victories in what turned out to be a Midwest shootout between two of the sport's most talented up-and-coming riders.

 

Beaubier will put his skills to the ultimate test this go-around however, as the 2013 GoPro Daytona SportBike champion has graduated to the National Guard SuperBike ranks for 2014, joining top contender Hayes on the Yamaha squad.

 

Perhaps no one is looking forward to Road America more than Corey Alexander. The Carmel, N.Y. product went back-to-back and claimed victory in both of last year's Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport races.

 

Steve Rapp's Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series win at Road America in '13 ignited a four-race win streak that eventually led to his capturing of the 2013 AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series championship. Rapp will be looking for a repeat performance when the thundering Harley-Davidson XR1200 machines roll into the Badger State once again.

 

For tickets and additional information on the 2014 event, please call 1-800-365-7223 or visit Road America online at http://www.roadamerica.com/.

Fans can stay connected with Road America on Twitter (@roadamerica), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/RoadAmerica) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/raceroadamerica) for the latest news all season long.  

 

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

Former 3-Time AMA Pro Road Racing Champion, the Late Randy Renfrow Among Members Inducted into AMA Hall of Fame in Las Vegas

The late Randy Renfrow was among a special group of motorcyclists and motorcycle racers that were inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame over the weekend in their annual year-end ceremony held this year at the Green Valley Ranch in Las Vegas.

Renfrow, a former 3-Time AMA Pro Road Racing Champion, won the final Formula 1 Championship over 2-Time AMA Superbike Champion and future 3-Time 500cc World Champion Wayne Rainey during the 1986 season. 

In the shot above, Renfrow on the #5 Commonwealth Honda RC30 leads Doug Chandler on the #10 Muzzy Kawasaki ZX7 during their battle in the AMA Superbike Championship round at Road America in the summer of 1990 as the get ready to head into turn one after reaching close to 160mph on Road America's 3700 foot front straight. Chandler not only went on to win the race in Elkhart Lake, WI. that day, but at the end of the season won his first of what would be three AMA Superbike Championship titles throughout his career.

Renfrow was not only a gifted racer who also won the '83 Formula 2 Championship and the '89 Battle of the Twins Championship, but was also one of the most personable of the racers who was easily approachable in the paddock.  He died tragically of head injuries suffered in a fall down his parents' basement steps in August 2002 while recuperating from an injury.

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Husqvarna, inducts six motorcycling greats

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- October 19, 2013 -- Six legends took their places among motorcycling's best and brightest Friday, Oct. 18, at the 2013 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Husqvarna. The ceremony is part of the American Motorcyclist Association Legends Weekend held at the Green Valley Ranch.

Hosted by actor, motorcyclist and AMA board member Perry King, the event honored the Hall of Fame Class of 2013: AMA Supercross and Motocross Champion Ricky Carmichael; AMA and desert racing champion Danny Hamel; racer, promoter and motorcycle industry icon Norm McDonald; AMA Road Racing Champion Randy Renfrow; and motorcycling fundraisers and Ride For Kids founders Mike and Dianne Traynor.

In addition to the class of 2013, the induction ceremony celebrated the outstanding careers of two existing Hall of Famers as Hall of Fame Legends: Mark Blackwell, a pioneering American motocross racer, six-time AMA championship race team manager and industry executive; and Torsten Hallman, a four-time FIM World Motocross champion who was instrumental in introducing the sport of motocross to America and later founded the Thor brand.

Jeffrey V. Heininger, chairman of the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, which oversees the Hall of Fame, welcomed a sold-out crowd following a reception hosted by 6D Helmets and the banquet, sponsored by Kawasaki Motors Corporation U.S.A.

"As I look around the room tonight, I am reminded about our goal to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling -- both today, and for generations to come," Heininger said. "It is truly heartwarming that so many magnificent people have joined our effort to promote and protect our motorcycling heritage, and celebrate the members of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. It is their achievements that have brought us here tonight, and because of those achievements, this industry and sport gives praise in recognition of these special men and women."

The 2013 inductees were honored with videos chronicling their careers and moving induction speeches. The presentation of the official Hall of Fame rings was sponsored by Zero Motorcycles. In addition to the honorees, several luminaries from the world of motorcycling participated in the ceremony.

"From unparalleled racing champions, to industry titans, to altruistic philanthropists, the 2013 Hall of Fame Class embodies a visionary spirit that stirs the human soul and ignites the fiery passion that each of us has for motorcycling," King said. "As we have seen tonight, the spark of inspiration can fuel the human spirit beyond our wildest expectations. In that moment are born feats and accomplishments that leave us all in awe, and remind us that nothing is beyond the reach of human ambition."

The crowd also heard from AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer and Harley-Davidson design legend Willie G. Davidson, who was representing the company at the event.

"The AMA has always defended motorcycling, and there is no other organization that defends motorcycling on the national level," Davidson said. "You can sum up what the AMA means with one word: freedom. Motorcycling is about freedom. Live to ride! Ride to live!"

Ricky Carmichael

Ricky Carmichael has more combined AMA Supercross and AMA Motocross National wins than any other rider in history. From 1997 to 2006, Carmichael won a championship series title each year.

Known as the Greatest of All Time, Carmichael has re-written the record books in the sport of AMA Motocross. In 2002, Carmichael recorded the first perfect season in AMA motocross history by earning 24 straight moto victories for 12 overall wins in the premier class -- a feat he repeated in 2004. When he retired, he had 150 AMA National wins.

"The first people I want to thank are my parents, for the sacrifices they made so that I could race motorcycles," Carmichael said. "I love this sport, and I love giving back to this sport because I don't think it gets the recognition that it deserves. I also want to thank my sponsors for always sticking with me. Without them, this sport wouldn't be where it is today. Thank you."

Danny Hamel

Danny Hamel accomplished much as an off-road racer: five-time AMA Hare and Hound national champion, multi-time Baja 1000 and 500 overall winner and more. Between 1977 and 1995, Hamel was the only rider ever named both as the AMA Amateur Athlete of the Year and AMA Amateur Sportsman of the Year in the same year.

Hamel died in June 1995 while racing the Baja 500 when a car strayed onto the road that was part of the course and Hamel collided with it. Hamel was represented at the event by Team Kawasaki Manager Mark Johnson and Mike Hodges, Hamel's mechanic.

"To describe Danny as an individual we could use many words: fun loving, intelligent, caring, humble, good teammate and true professional," Johnson said. "I believe that one of Danny's greatest assets of which he and I talked many times about was his relationship with his family. On behalf of the entire Hamel family, Danny's friends, fans and followers, thank you for this award honoring Danny Hamel."

Added Hodges: "I stand center stage giving tribute to Danny with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart but couldn't be prouder. Danny, today is your day to savor as well as the rest of the inductees, for it is your accomplishments that brings us together once again. I love you, brother."

Norm McDonald

Norm McDonald has been an ambassador for motorcycling his entire life as a racer, promoter, teacher, sponsor and advocate for motorcyclists' rights and safety. In 1957 he opened K&N Motorcycles -- a motorcycle shop -- with Ken Johnson. By 1965, they created K&N Engineering and in 1966 the K&N Air Filter was introduced. Over the years McDonald sponsored hundreds of racers, with more than 30 of them going on to the national level.

"What a great honor to be inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame with such a special group of people: Ricky, Randy, Danny, Mike and Dianne," McDonald said. "I want to thank the ones that made this possible by putting the package together and getting me nominated: my sons and daughter-in-law, Cindy, and all of the people that voted for me. Thank you." 

 

Hall of Fame Legend Malcolm Smith was hired as a teenager by McDonald, and presented McDonald with his Hall of Fame ring in an emotional tribute.

Randy Renfrow

Randy Renfrow began his pro road racing career in 1981. He won the AMA 250 Grand Prix championship in 1983, the AMA Formula One title in 1986 and the AMA Pro Twins Series championship in 1989.

Renfrow was known for his ability to be competitive on any type of machinery, from diminutive 250 Grand Prix bikes all the way up to AMA Superbikes, and he excelled in nearly every class of professional motorcycle road racing. In all, he won 17 AMA Nationals in four different classes.

Renfrow died in 2002 in a non-racing accident. Renfrow was represented at the event by his brother, Shawn Renfrow, and his mechanic, John Lassak. 

Randy Renfrow is shown in action on his Honda RS500 during an AMA Pro Road Racing Formula 1 race during the mid-'80s.  Renfrow beat Wayne Rainey during the 1986 season to become the final Formula 1 Champion before the class was discontinued.  Photo courtesy of the AMA.




"Every person inducted into the Hall of Fame, regardless of category, has been blessed with a tenacious spirit to achieve their dreams and goals," Shawn Renfrow said. "Randy was no different. He was a determined competitor who never let injuries, obstacles or defeat curb his appetite for racing. But it was not Randy's racing accomplishments that have left an enduring impression on me. It was his genuine love and care that he had for the racing community that I admired most."

"Randy was one of the finest human beings I know," Lassak added. "Not only was he a fierce competitor, he was also a gentle and caring person."

Mike and Dianne Traynor

Mike and Dianne Traynor co-founded the Ride for Kids motorcycle charity program and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. They began the Ride for Kids in 1984 to raise funds for childhood brain tumor research.

With over $70 million raised since 1984, motorcyclists have helped the PBTF become the world's largest non-governmental source of funding for childhood brain tumor research. Mike Traynor died in 2009 and Dianne Traynor died in 2012.

The Traynors were represented at the event by their sons.

"Mike and Dianne were proud to call themselves motorcyclists," Sean Traynor said. "Unfortunately, both Mike and Dianne have passed on. But I think it is very fitting that this year, being the 30th anniversary of the Ride for Kids, that they are inducted into the American Motorcyclist Association Hall of Fame. On behalf of Mike, Dianne and my brothers, I would like to say thank you. I know that they would have been very proud and humbled tonight to be in such great company. God bless."

Hall of Fame Legend Mark Blackwell

Mark Blackwell, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000, was honored in a special Hall of Fame Legends ceremony, sponsored by Victory Motorcycles. Blackwell was a pioneering racer in American motocross, a six-time AMA championship race team manager and a well-respected executive in the motorcycle industry.

Blackwell won the American 500cc motocross champion in 1971 and started off the 1972 season with a win at the Daytona motocross. After his racing career, Blackwell managed the Suzuki Race Team to six AMA championships, did product development for a number of MX-related companies, and then went on to work in management for Suzuki, Husqvarna and Victory.

"Thanks to the AMA and the Heritage Foundation Board for this prestigious honor, and for raising the bar in terms of the class of this event -- you have raised the bar every year and we are certainly a long way from the tent in the AMA parking lot 13 years ago," Blackwell said. "And a very special thanks to the sponsors who have stepped up to help make this a great event and hopefully, a big inspiration for the future leaders of our sport and industry."

Hall of Fame Legend Torsten Hallman

Torsten Hallman, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000, was also honored as in Hall of Fame Legend ceremony sponsored by Bike Week Radio. Hallman was a four-time World Motocross Champion when he came to the United States in the late-1960s as part of the effort to popularize both the Husqvarna motorcycle brand and the sport of motocross. Hallman's incredible talent on a motocross bike was a revelation to American fans and racers.

Hallman's talents were not limited to the track. He also was a savvy businessman and founded a riding apparel company: Thor. The company's early designs and innovations heavily influenced the look and function of motocross riding gear for decades to follow. Today, Thor is one of the biggest names in motocross apparel.

Hallman was unable to attend due to last-minute direction from his doctor. His prepared comments were read by King.

"I am very pleased and honored to receive this Hall of Fame Legends Award!" Hallman wrote. "I am extremely thankful! It means a lot to me and it brings back some great memories. I am greatly honored to share this special moment with my wife and many of my old friends."

The evening concluded with a roll call for the dozens of attending Hall of Famers to join the class of 2013 on the stage. The moving tribute earned a standing ovation from the packed room that lasted for several minutes.

The AMA Legends Weekend continues on Saturday, Oct. 19, with the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Dave Mungenast Memorial Legends Reception, where the Class of 2013 and other members of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame will be honored and interviewed on-stage in a relaxed setting, allowing fans and friends to get up close and personal with motorcycling's biggest legends.

About the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation

Founded in 1990 by the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, the goal of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling. Located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio, the Museum's three major exhibition halls feature the machines and memorabilia of those who have contributed notably to the sport. The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to motorcycling, including those known for their contributions to road riding, off-road riding and all categories of racing, as well as those who have excelled in business, history, design and engineering.

 

More information can be found at www.motorcyclemuseum.org.  

Contact: Grant Parsons
Phone: (614) 856-1900, ext. 1199
E-mail: gparsons@ama-cycle.org


    

AMA Road Racing: Superbike Planet.com Saturday Cinema Takes Us Back to the '93 AMA Superbike Charlotte Round

One of the Commonwealth Racing Honda RC30s sits in the pit area at Road America during the AMA/Coca-Cola Super Cycle Classic over the June 26-28, 1992 weekend.  Being shared by riders Mike Smith #68 and Tom Kipp #16, the American Honda/Camel/HRC/Dunlop-sponsored team was sharing resources at the annual running of the Elkhart Lake, WI. event held at the 4.0 mile track located about an hour north of Milwaukee.

The AMA Superbike Championship paid a visit to the Charlotte Motor Speedway during the next season in what was a mostly-failed attempt to construct a road racing course inside a high-speed Nascar-type oval.  At least as far as the then-150hp+ bikes were concerned.  Think Daytona with pylons and hay bales.

Much like events such as Pomona and Phoenix held back in the early '90s (although those events were mostly held in parking lots), Charlotte consisted of a high-speed section that was part of the banking where track promoters and AMA Pro Road Racing constructed a chicane with road construction orange cones in order to slow the bikes down.  

During the race itself, Kipp, riding a Commonwealth Honda RC30 similar to the one above from the '92 season, was involved in a wicked accident along with Miguel Duhamel and Doug Polen, that effectively ended the Ohio native's year, suffering from a severely broken leg.  It was just by great fortune no one else was injured, or worse and AMA Pro Road Racing never returned to the track.  Thank the lord safety for the riders is more tantamount today.

Dean Adams from Superbike Planet.com has put together the television video from that event that was shown by the now-defunct Prime Network back in the day.  In spite of the way the track was put together, some of the racing held at Charlotte was excellent, with names like Colin Edwards, Pascal Picotte, Dale Quarterley and Jamie James going for it throughout the day's race.  

Check it out below, and thanks to Dean for all the work!

A big thanks to Dean Adams at Superbike Planet.com for this video of the '93 AMA Pro Road Racing round of the AMA Superbike Championship from the Charlotte Motor Speedway.  Sit back, pop the top on your favorite beverage and enjoy the races!

AMA Road Racing: Cycle News.com's Larry Lawrence Catches Up with Former Yoshimura Suzuki Racer Tommy Lynch

Tommy Lynch's #30 Yoshimura Suzuki/Motul/AGV/Michelin-sponsored GSX-R750 sits in the team's paddock area at Road America during the Coca-Cola Super Cycle Classic Weekend in June 1991.  Lynch was an up-and-coming rider in the AMA Pro Road Racing ranks having been with the Yoshimura squad since the '89 AMA 750 Supersport season, and was ultimately offered a position on their AMA Superbike team for the '91 season.

In his first season in the premier road racing class in the United States, the California resident and the soon-to-be powerhouse factory Suzuki squad struggled, as the Vance & Hines Yamaha two-up of Jamie James and eventual '91 AMA Superbike Champion Thomas Stevens all but ruled the class during the '91 season.  In the final at Elkhart Lake from which the above shot was taken, Lynch struggled to an 8th-place finish behind race winner James and runner-up Stevens, with a stacked field close behind with riders including Rich Arnaiz, Rueben McMurter and Tom Kipp finishing ahead of the #30 machine that weekend.

It's hard to even imagine using the term 'struggled' along with the name Yoshimura Suzuki in the same sentence, but it would be some seven seasons later when the team would start to become the powerhouse that they are now known for.  With the hiring of eventual 7-Time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin in '97 and eventual 3-Time Champ Ben Spies in the early '00s, the team quickly transformed into the ultimate fighting machine they were from the '98 season until Mladin's last championship winning season in '09. 

And Lynch was no slouch, going on to win the '92 and '93 AMA Endurance Championship.  See more on that achievement below.

The Holland Oil Camel Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in August '93 hosted the AMA Pro Road Racing series again for another fine weekend just outside the small town of Lexington, Ohio.  Long before the days of running only four classes in the series, the typical enthusiast would show up at the track with a full slate of racing in not only the premier Superbike class, but also the 600 & 750 Supersport classes, the 250GP class, the H-D Twin Sports class, and the AMA EBC Endurance Championship Series class.

Two Brothers Racing was one of the big teams in the endurance series in those days, fielding an almost superbike-spec Honda CBR900RR in the class.  With riders Tommy Lynch (above rolling out for the show on the #21 Two Brothers Racing/American Honda Motor Co/Bridgestone/AGV-sponsored mount), team co-owner Kevin Erion (soon to be of TBR and Erion Racing fame) and noted motojournalist and go-fast guy Nick Ienatsch, the Two Brothers Honda team won the '93 AMA EBC Endurance Championship, the year after Lynch had captured his first crown while riding for the Fastline Racing team.

You can catch up with what Tommy Lynch is doing now below, thanks to Cycle News.com's Larry Lawrence, and hear what he has to say about the '93 Championship-winning Two Brothers Racing Honda CBR900RR as shown above.


Again a big thanks goes out to my buddy and Cycle News.com's Larry Lawrence as he profiles former AMA Superbike contender and '92-'93 AMA EBC Endurance Champion Tommy Lynch, one of a long line of fine talent that once graced the saddle of a Yoshimura Suzuki AMA Superbike and who also won the '93 AMA Endurance Championship while riding for the Two Brothers Racing Honda team. 

Check out LL's article here in his always bitchin' 'Archives' column in this week's issue of Cycle News:

http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20121120#pg104

AMA Road Racing: 20 Years Since Scott 'The Screaming' Chief' Russell Won His First Daytona 200

Scott Russell grabs a handful of brake heading into turn 5 during qualifying on the #22 Muzzy Kawasaki/Dunlop/SBS/NGK-sponsored Kawasaki ZXR-750 for the AMA Superbike Championship round at The Coca-Cola Super Cycle Classic in June 1991 at Road America.  In his second year riding for the Muzzy Kawasaki team, The Screaming Chief was on his way to winning his 2nd of three-in-a-row AMA 750 Supersport Championships, and would end the season winning all nine rounds in the 750 class aboard the team's ZXR-750.

Moving ahead to the '92 season, the man from North Georgia would put a big hurt to the rest of the AMA Superbike Championship series regulars by winning his first-of-five total wins at the Daytona 200 by Arai event in Daytona Beach, Florida in March of '92.  Russell, the only man to win five times at Daytona in the modern superbike class, just several years earlier had sat in the stands as a spectator watching Fast Freddie Spencer do the 'triple' in winning the Daytona 200, Superbike 100 and 250cc GP Championship round at the World Center of Speed.

Russell would head to Europe with the Muzzy team for the '93 season to campaign the World Superbike Championship, eventually giving Kawasaki it's only championship in WSBK at the end of his first-full season across the pond.  He also would win the Suzuka Eight Hours event in the '93 season with team mate Aaron Slight.

Biding his time in the AMA series, Russell made several trips back to U.S. soil to remind everyone that he hadn't really gone that far away, winning events over the course of the next couple of seasons at Loudon and Road Atlanta that didn't coincide with his WSBK duties.  Of course along the way, he would make his way back to the place that earned him the nickname 'Mr. Daytona' to take his other wins in '94-'95, '97-'98.  Amazingly, one of his best races at Daytona came in '93 when Eddie Lawson pipped him on the dash to the flag on the Vance & Hines Yamaha while riding as a fill-in for the injured Jamie James, Russell's team mate while riding for the Yoshimura Suzuki team in the late '80s.

Dabbling in the 500cc Grand Prix Championship while riding for Suzuki, Russell's mount wasn't up to par with the rest of the grid and he never achieved the success in the premier class that he was able to in superbikes.  He returned to WSBK and then eventually to race the AMA Superbike Championship full-time in the '99-'00 seasons riding for the struggling Harley-Davidson VR1000 superbike team.  After parting ways with the Milwaukee-based team, Russell was set to run Daytona again in March '01 for the HMC Ducati team out of Wisconsin when he was seriously injured in a starting-line crash, which effectively ended his pro career.  He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2005.

Since the '09 season, he has been one of the regular announcers of SpeedTV's coverage of AMA Pro Road Racing, and has proved to be a great analyst to have in the booth and at the track, and also still makes appearances at other events and shows (we caught him at the Indy Dealer Expo in February 2012).


A special thanks to Dean Adams and www.SuperbikePlanet.com for making this great video of Scott Russell's first Daytona 200 win available at YouTube.  Although some of the video and audio is a little sketchy, for the most part it is a really great capture, even when in full-screen.  This was made in the good ole days of racing when TNN's crew of Brock Yates and Steve Evans were covering the AMA Superbike Championship series.


Sit back, kick your feet up, and get ready to watch some of the greatest history in AMA Pro Road Racing as The Screaming Chief romps the field in his first-of-five Daytona 200 by Arai wins in March 1992:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j362uwvBXb0

AMA Road Racing: Defending 2-Time AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes Leads Strong Field Into '12 Daytona Season-Openers

Future 2-Time AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes rolls through turn 14 at Road America during a practice session for the Chevrolet AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited class during the Suzuki Superbike Doubleheader weekend in June 2004.  Riding the #41 Attack Performance/Kawasaki Motors/Dunlop/Teknic-sponsored ZX-10R, Hayes had an off weekend for the strong year the team was having, placing 39th and 33rd in the two premier events at Elkhart Lake that year.  He rebounded to have a great season with an 8th place finish in the year end standings.

Hayes went on to garner two AMA Formula Xtreme Championships while riding for the Erion Honda Racing team during the '06-'07 seasons, and after placing runner-up in the '08 season left to ride for the Graves Yamaha team, where he finished in 2nd place in the AMA Superbike Championship behind 7-Time AMA Superbike Champ Mat Mladin.  Hayes and the Graves Monster Energy Yamaha team will again be together for the 2012 season, defending their '10-'11 titles with a stable of potent Yamaha YZF-R1s at their disposal, while former Daytona SportBike Series competitor and '10 Daytona 200 winner and Graves team mate Josh Herrin will be joining them for the new year in the premier Superbike class.
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AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike:

2012 Season-Opening DAYTONA® 200 Week Preview

Six Manufacturers Make up 25-Entry Field at Historic Daytona International Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 12, 2012) - AMA Pro Road Racing's 2012 season will begin Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 10:15 a.m., when 25 AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike entries will take to Daytona International Speedway's 2.91-mile short course for the first practice session of the 2012 DAYTONA® 200 Week road racing spectacular. The National Guard SuperBike division will be featured in a doubleheader format with race finals scheduled for Friday, March 16 at 4:00 p.m. and Saturday, March 17 at 11:00 a.m. local time. For the 2012 season, two-time and defending National Guard SuperBike Champion Josh Hayes will once again pilot the No. 1 Monster Energy Graves Yamaha R1 and the Mississippi native is still looking to claim his first SuperBike win at Daytona International Speedway. Hayes, who earned an AMA Superstock win at Daytona in 1999, took home podiums in both of last year's thrilling finals following race-long battles with eventual-victor Blake Young (No. 79 Yoshimura Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000). Though Hayes won the championship battle, the races at Daytona foreshadowed the intensity of the competition that would ensue between the two until the final lap of the 2011 season. The Michael Jordan Motorsports team is always a threat at Daytona and one to watch for this weekend as they return to field the No. 23 Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 of Ben Bostrom and No. 54 National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 of Roger Hayden. The team took home both SuperBike wins at Daytona International Speedway in 2010 and with at least one full season of development between each rider and their respective crews, this is one team that is guaranteed to be a threat. Both Hayes and Young are joined by new teammates for the 2012 season. Chris Clark (No. 6 Yoshimura Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000) will join Young on the Yoshimura Racing squad in 2012. Clark is making an equipment change to Suzuki after racing aboard Yamahas for the past two seasons, but the 2008 AMA Sports Road Race Horizon Award recipient has shown that he can adapt quickly by posting competitive times in off-season testing aboard the marque's flagship production machine. Hayes will be joined by Josh Herrin (No. 2 Monster Energy Graves Yamaha R1), who steps up to National Guard SuperBike following three stellar seasons in AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike where the 21-year-old finished in the Top 10 in 41 of 50 starts, amassing 14 wins, including victory in the 2010 DAYTONA® 200, along the way. Herrin isn't the only GoPro Daytona SportBike standout that will be ascending the ranks in 2012, as two-time Daytona SportBike Champion Danny Eslick joins Erik Buell Racing to contest National Guard SuperBike aboard the team's No. 69 Team Hero EBR 1190RS entry alongside veteran SuperBike rider Geoff May (No. 99 Team AMSOIL/Hero EBR 1190RS). Erik Buell and Eslick have already proven to be a winning combination; the Oklahoma native took home the inaugural Daytona SportBike Rider Championship in 2009 aboard the Buell 1125R. With support from Hero MotoCorp and AMSOIL, the Erik Buell Racing team will represent the American brand in strong fashion with a full-season, two-rider team. Another proven rider-manufacturer combination teaming up for 2012 National Guard SuperBike competition is the full-season realignment of Chris Fillmore and KTM. In 2011, Fillmore earned a seventh-place finish aboard the KTM RC8R in his debut National Guard SuperBike weekend, and the 2011 AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series Champion returns to SuperBike to pilot the No. 11 KTM/HMC Racing KTM RC8R entry in 2012. With Fillmore's successful history of racing with HMC Racing in the AMA Pro Supermoto championship aboard KTM machinery, it's likely that this camp will enjoy quick success. Steve Rapp is entered on the No. 15 Motorcycle-Superstore.com/Big Kahuna/LeoVince Attack Kawasaki ZX-10 in 2012 with support from several prominent partners including M1 PowerSports, promoters of the 2012 Big Kahuna Triple Crown. The Californian came out victorious aboard a Kawasaki at Daytona in the 2007 contest of the DAYTONA® 200 and the Big Kahuna-branded Attack Performance bike is likely to be a rocket right out of the gate this year. The entries of Larry Pegram (No. 72 Foremost Insurance/Pegram Racing BMW S1000RR), Jake Holden (No. 59 EvanSteelPerformance.com BMW S1000RR) and Eric Pinson (No. 41 Team Go41 Pin It Son Racing BMW S1000RR), bring the tally of manufacturers represented in the SuperBike field at Daytona to six. Robertino Pietri returns to AMA Pro Road Racing after two seasons of Moto2 competition, racing in National Guard SuperBike aboard the No. 3 Team Venezuela Suzuki GSX-R1000. The second-generation road racer earned a season-best finish of fifth place in GoPro Daytona SportBike at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca during his last season with AMA Pro, and the Venezuelan-native will be doing double-duty upon his return this weekend, racing in both the DAYTONA® 200 and the SuperBike doubleheader. Following a year interrupted by a mid-season injury, a healthy Chris Ulrich is back to pilot the No. 18 M4 Broaster Chicken Suzuki GSX-R1000. Ulrich is always strong at Daytona, earning season-best finishes of ninth place and sixth place at Daytona International Speedway in the 2011 and 2010 SuperBike seasons, respectively. Taylor Knapp is back in National Guard SuperBike, entered on the No. 44 Riders Discount Vesrah Suzuki Team Suzuki GSX-R1000. Knapp's last full season of National Guard SuperBike competition was 2010, and his late-season surge resulted in three top-five finishes. Aussie Dave Racing returns with a new sponsor to field a three-rider team in 2012, including David Anthony (No. 25 Kneedraggers.com/ Motul/Fly Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000), Jordan Burgess (No. 33 Kneedraggers.com/ Motul/Fly Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000) and Johnny Rock Page (No. 269 Kneedraggers.com/ Motul/Fly Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000). Qualifying for National Guard SuperBike grid positions will take place in two sessions, Thursday afternoon at 2:45 p.m. and Friday morning at 10:35 a.m. The first 15-lap round of the weekend's National Guard SuperBike doubleheader will close out Friday's on-track activity at 4:00 p.m. local time, followed by National Guard SuperBike Race 2 on Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. local time. The two National Guard SuperBike race finals will be televised on SPEED in a set of same-weekend broadcasts that will bookend the airing of the 71st running of the DAYTONA® 200. National Guard SuperBike Race 1 is scheduled to air Saturday, March 17, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. ET (10:30 a.m. PT) and the National Guard SuperBike Race 2 broadcast will begin at 5:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT). AMA Pro Fan Walk sessions will take place on two occasions over the race weekend, during which fans will be able to circulate on pit lane to visit with their favorite riders and teams from AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike, AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series. There will be a host of additional fan-specific activities and events during the DAYTONA® 200 Week at Daytona International Speedway, including demo rides, vendor offerings at the Daytona Motorcycle Marketplace and live entertainment, games and bikini contests at Thunder Alley. Another experience not to miss is the seventh-annual "Spring Dash Around Daytona" - the chance to take two laps around Daytona International Speedway's 3.56-mile road course on Saturday, March 17 immediately after the DAYTONA® 200. Live Timing & Scoring of all on-track sessions will be available at http://live.amaproracing.com/rr/. Between the races, stay connected with AMA Pro Road Racing at www.twitter.com/AMAProSBK and www.facebook.com/AMAProRoadRacing; keep up with Daytona International Speedway via Twitter (www.twitter.com/DISupdates) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/DaytonaInternationalSpeedway). For tickets and additional event information, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP. For information related to AMA Pro Road Racing, please visit www.amaproracing.com.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com. For additional information contact:   AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

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