AMA Flat Track: Greg Pearson's 'The Complete Grand National Championship Volume II: 1970-1975' Available Today in Initial Release

Jay Springsteen on the #65X Vista Sheen XR750 leads the late Mark Williams on the #70 XR750 (wearing his Norton factory leathers), Dave Sehl on the #16 XR and Steve Morehead on the #42 Triumph out of turn four during a heat race at the Syracuse Mile round of the Camel Pro Series AMA Grand National Championship in September '75.

Springer would go on to earn Rookie of the Year honors and finish 3rd in the 1975 edition of the Grand National Championship behind '75 Champ Gary Scott and 2-Time AMA Grand National Champion Kenny Roberts, and would take home the #1 plate for the next three seasons in-a-row while riding for legendary H-D factory tuner Bill Werner, who also wrenched Gary Scott to his '75 title, the first of 13 total for the former H-D factory wrench who is now credited with the explosion of the Kawasaki 650R-based parallel twin that is now making headlines in The Rolling Thunder Show.

It was announced this week that Greg Pearson, author of 'The Complete Grand National Championship Volume I,' has now finished Volume II of his book, covering the 1970-1975 seasons and was officially released today.  For anyone that is a long-time fan of the great sport of AMA Grand National Championship racing like myself, both works are a must-have for your personal library.

Filled with photos, race breakdowns and stats galore, the painstaking results of Mr. Pearson are unparalled in the time and efforts he has taken to put these great books together and each will make for hours of great reading and reference material for those wanting to bench race about the golden years of American flat track racing, the greatest sport on wheels in the world.  You can check out Volume I through the Amazon link off of the left side column of the site at the bottom of the page to introduce yourself to the great work that Greg Pearson has put into these works of art and literature.

Check out the press release below thanks to Greg Pearson, and get your copy (or copies) ordered today to add to your library.  You won't be dissapointed!


Press release courtesy of Greg Pearson, author of 'The Complete Grand National Championship: Volume I' and today's release of 'Volume II 1970-1975.'


Hello Race Fans,

I am pleased to announce, The Complete Grand National Championship Volume II 1970-1975 is finally finished!  The new 562 page book details the explosion in popularity of GNC racing in the first half of the 1970’s. This was truly at the peak of the “Golden Era” of American motorcycle racing.  Factory involvement was at it’s highest and the best riders competed on dirt tracks and road courses from coast to coast.

 

Over two years in the making, the book has been painstakingly researched and covers each race and championship.  It is packed with neat trivia and nearly 200 photographs, many never before published. Other highlights include a foreword by two-time Grand National Champion Dick Mann and a tribute to road race legend Cal Rayborn from his close friend, Jim McMurren.

 

Like The Complete GNC Volume I, the detailed account fills in the gaps and tells the whole story of this exciting era for the first time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'The Complete Grand National Championship, Volume II: 1970-1975' by Gregory R. Pearson is now complete and is being officially released today.  Photo courtesy of Greg Pearson.

 

 

The official launch date for the book will be October 24, 2012.  The book will sell for $39.99 plus shipping, $3.99 for Media Mail, (U.S. only), Priority shipping available.

The books will ship out from the publisher, which normally takes 3-5 days.  PayPal, check or money order are fine.  The book will only be available directly from me until late November, when it will also be on eBay.

The book is a must have for anyone interested in one of the greatest eras in American motorcycle racing.  It will also make a perfect Christmas gift for any fan of GNC racing.

A note to international buyers; I now have an arrangement to ship your books directly from the publisher, greatly reducing most overseas shipping costs.  Please contact me with your address for exact cost.

 

I am also announcing a change in my email address. Please contact me at my new email address: gncbook@aol.com

You can still reach me at my old address; Gtammyp89@cs.com for a short time.

 

Thanks,

Greg Pearson

gncbook@aol.com
PO Box 193
Culloden, WV 25510

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

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

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

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

THE 2012 WEST COAST FLAT TRACK SERIES OPENS AT

THE SOUTH POINT HOTEL CASINO IN LAS VEGAS

WITH THE 21st ANNUAL LAS VEGAS VINTAGE

MOTORCYCLE AUCTION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://wcfts.com/

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

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

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AMA Pro Racing Announces Cortech as Sponsor for Live Timing and Scoring

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Chuck Palmgren on the #38 Daniel S. Gurney (DSG) Yamaha parallel twin leads '69 AMA Grand National Champion Mert Lawwill on the #7 Harley-Davidson Factory XR750, with Shell Thuett-sponsored Hank Scott bringing up the rear on his #14 Yamaha, during heat race action at the New York State Fairgrounds in September of 1975. The Camel Pro Series/AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Series annual stop on the Syracuse Mile was a very well attended event by riders and fans alike, and was one of the last East Coast Nationals in those days before the series headed back to the West Coast to wrap up the year's championship.
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AMA Pro Racing Welcomes Cortech as Presenting Sponsor of AMA Pro Live Timing & Scoring

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (March 10, 2011) - AMA Pro Racing is pleased to announce the addition of Cortech apparel and gear as Presenting Sponsor of AMA Pro Racing's Live Timing & Scoring functions on www.amaproracing.com and AMA Pro's new mobile applications. Well known for their high-performance lines of motorcycle apparel and accessories, Cortech's support of the AMA Pro Road Racing series also includes the $2,000 "Fast Man Standing" year-end rider reward, which will acknowledge the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike competitor who logs the most fastest-lap designations during the season's races. "We're very excited to have Cortech join our group of sponsors," said COO and Managing Member David Atlas. "Our new mobile applications and enhanced Live Timing and Scoring are essential parts of our continued efforts to deliver more-accessible information to our fans and participants, and we're so pleased to have Cortech support this incredibly important facet of our sport." "We're extremely proud to be involved with AMA Pro Racing," said Helmet House Director of Marketing Richard Kimes. "Helmet House was a long-time supporter of the series under the Shoei name, but this is a first for Cortech and very exciting across the board. We're looking forward to a great 2011 season." The AMA Pro Road Race season kicks off this weekend at Daytona International Speedway, an event that culminates in Saturday's running of the legendary Daytona 200. Please visit www.amaproracing.com for Cortech Live Timing & Scoring and www.tourmaster.com/cortech for more information about Cortech's high-performance products. To download AMA Pro Racing's Live Timing apps for the iPhone and Android platforms, please visit the iPhone App Store and Android Market.

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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You can check out Tour Master's Cortech catalog here:

http://www.tourmaster.com/xcart/catalog/Cortech-p-1-c-2.html
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And here are the new links to AMA Pro Racing's Live Timing apps on the net. These are also listed on the left side column of the site under the 'AMA' info lists, and unlike previous years, the links stay static, in other words no changing from event to event.

Hopefully the season-opening bugs/problems associated with the Live Timing and Scoring applications are and will be taken care of by the next events on each series' respective schedule. In defense of AMA Pro Flat Track, the problems encountered during the opening round one event at the Daytona Short Track were experienced only during qualifying rounds, and by the time the evening's program commenced for heat races, the site was working well with no apparent glitches seen for the rest of the two rounds.

However, another red ink spot on the chart for AMA Pro Road Racing, to go along with all of the other problems during the shortened Daytona 200, the LT&S did go down after the lengthy red flag, and never got back running by the time the event finally wrapped up. Hopefully this will not happen again throughout the year!

AMA Pro Road Racing Live Timing and Scoring presented by Cortech:

http://live.amaproracing.com/rr/

AMA Pro Flat Track Live Timing and Scoring presented by Cortech:

http://live.amaproracing.com/ft/
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All Hail The King: Happy Birthday to Kenny Roberts From Stu's Shots!

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Kenny Roberts twists the throttle on the infamous Yamaha TZ750 flat tracker during practice for the Syracuse Mile round of the AMA Camel Pro Flat Track Series in September of 1975. The first event after his legendary win on the Indy Mile on August 23, 1975, The King didn't have the luck at Syracuse that took him to the front in the last few feet of the main at Indy some 14 days earlier. Not only was he not able to get the big TZ to hook up on the New York State Fairgrounds mile oval, but he crashed his parallel twin later in the day, shearing the front end off of the #1 machine and pretty much ending his run to three-peat his title to his rival Gary Scott on the #64 H-D Factory XR, with only four events left on the season. Roberts was able to put the TZ into the field at San Jose some two weeks later, with middling results, and the AMA eventually banned it and all multi-cylinder machines from AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship events at the end of the '75 season.
Although The King is most remembered for that Hot August Night at Indy for his mastery of the big TZ on the mile oval, his prowess in all forms of AMA Grand National Championship Series events reaped rewards to the tune of the '73-'74 AMA Grand National Championships, as well as winning the coveted Grand Slam in GN competition, only the second rider at the time other then Dick Mann to win on the mile, half mile, short track, TT, and road racing circuits that comprised the series in the day. And he did accomplish that feat twice while racing in the AMA GNC/Camel Pro Series.
He accomplished his second Grand Slam during the '75 season, which was comprised of 20 events that season, only three of which were road racing events. Roberts won 2 of those 3 at Monterey (now better known as Laguna Seca) and Ontario, with Yamaha road racing team mate Gene Romero winning the Daytona round. He also won the season opening round at the Houston TT, the Dallas Short Track in April, and the Ascot Half Mile in late September. He still holds the record for the 'quickest rider to complete' the Grand Slam, doing so in two years, six months and 20 days of racing in the top tier series, when he won his first Grand Slam between January of '72 and August of '74. KR still sits seventh with 33 total AMA Grand National career wins after all these years, 18 of those coming in road racing events which were still part of the series before they split the championships in the mid-late '80s.
Roberts did his best against the might of the H-D XR, but the alloy-based V-Twin was too much for the parallel twins of the Yamaha, Triumph and Norton machines of the day, thrashing the competition in the flat track series, something it has been able to still do some three and a half decades later. By the end of the '77 season, Yamaha shut down the flat track team, and The King was off to Europe to take on the world.
Hitting the shores of Europe with a big bang, he won the '78-'80 500CC World Championship and set the bar for future U.S.-based riders to continue his legacy in the World Championships. After retiring from active competition, he later won four World Championships as a team owner ('90-'92 500CC with Wayne Rainey, '90 250CC with John Kocinski) and helped to raise rider salaries and improve safety along the way.
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The King slides it through turn one at the Terre Haute Action Track during a heat race for the half mile round of the AMA Camel Pro Flat Grand National Championship Series in August of '75. A little over six days later The Man from Modesto would make motorcycle flat track racing history, but on this hot summer afternoon he was doing his best to keep the XS650-based parallel twin within reach of the XR-strong field.
This was the first year that the Yamaha Factory had scaled back it's flat track efforts to just Roberts, after running the 'super team' of '70 AMA Grand National Champion Gene Romero and Donnie Castro on the team in '73-'74 as The King's team mates. KR ran the team and contracted all of the work, while Yamaha supplied the bikes. Although he eventually lost the championship to long-time competitor Gary Scott in '75, The King still took the twin to wins at Ascot in late '75 and '76 at the San Jose Half Mile and Terre Haute Half Mile.
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With 2010 winding down, Stu's Shots wanted to close out this great season of racing by wishing The King, Kenny Roberts, Sr. a Very Happy Birthday! The Man From Modesto, who took U.S. flat track racing and road racing by storm in the '70s, and eventually the World road racing scene down the same road of competitive devastation, turns 59 today.

One of the most outspoken, let alone out right competitive riders to ever throw a leg over a motorcycle racing machine, Kenny, Sr. set the bar for motorcycle racing all over the world in the '70s and early '80s as a rider, and into the '90s as a team owner. Winning two U.S. titles and three titles as a rider in Europe, he also won four titles as a team owner after retiring from regular, active competition in the early-mid '80s.

Stu's Shots wants to take this time to wish The King a Happy Birthday and honor him with these two never-before seen or published photos that I took of him in AMA Grand National Championship competition in the summer of '75, when I as well was just a young one.

Coming from the archive vaults of yesteryear, we salute The King on his day!

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Kenny Roberts' bio at Wikipedia.com:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Roberts
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AMA Pro Flat Track Releases 2011 AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Series Schedule

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The racing is hot and heavy in heat race action back in September of '75 in the Camel Pro Series AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship Series annual stop at the Syracuse Mile, located at the New York State Fairgrounds. One of the regular stops for The Rolling Thunder Show up until just a few years ago, the race seemed to be plagued with rain-outs in the last few years of it's running in the early '00s and hasn't been seen on the schedule for some time now.
Leading this pack of riders on the #82 is Ricky Campbell, followed by the #76X of Ken Springsteen on his Vista Sheen-sponsored machine, '81 AMA Flat Track Grand National Champion and current Flat Track Manager Mike Kidd on his Kruger Racing #72, the late Jay Ridgeway on the #9C, the late Randy Cleek on the Bel Ray/K&N-sponsored #29 (and the '76 AMA Road Racing Champion), Keith Ulicki on the #8K, Mike Caves on the #28, and bringing up the rear the #92 of HJ Products-sponsored Steve Droste. All riders are Harley-Davidson XR750 mounted in this shot.
Back in '75, the AMA Grand National Championship consisted of 20 total events broken into 17 flat track events and 3 road racing events. In '76, the Camel Pro Series AMA Grand National Championship Series ballooned into 28 total events, 24 flat track and 4 road racing events. After the AMA split the series in the mid-80s, each respective championship stood on it's own and to this day continues that way. Furthermore, the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series in itself has run anywhere from 15-22 events each year on it's calendar.
Good news hit the airwaves today as the current regime of AMA Pro Flat Track, headed up by previously mentioned Mike Kidd, his brother Gary, former GNC contender Steve Morehead and a team of great people too lengthy to name here, released the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series schedule. The upcoming season has 22 current events on the calendar, including (among others) the regular mix of great returning venues (Indy, Springfield, Yavapai Downs, Lake Odessa and Lima), a nice mix of new venues (Hartford, MI. and Billings, MT.) and some great venues not seen for awhile on the regular schedule (Sacramento and Castle Rock.)
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From a press release from AMA Pro Flat Track:

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (December 17, 2010) – AMA Pro Racing announced today the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship schedule that features an increased number of races, plus new and former events back on the schedule.
The 2011 schedule features 22 dates in 17 markets across the country with a mixture of Short Track, TT, Half-Mile and Mile dirt tracks.
Once again the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship will consist of three series; Expert Singles, Expert Twins and the highly successful Pro Singles.
The season will open during Daytona Bike Week at the DAYTONA® Flat Track moved from the traditional mid-week double national, with a Short Track on Thursday, March 10th and Friday, March 11th.
Next on the schedule will be the only indoor National of the Series in Du Quoin, Ill. at the Southern Illinois Complex April 16th. The series will then move west to the Salinas Sports Complex for the first Tourist Trophy “TT” National of the season, then returns to Yavapai Downs in Prescott, Ariz. for the Mile May 1st.
Inaugural events will be held at the Southern Illinois Complex in Du Quoin, Ill.; The Salinas Sports Complex in Salinas, Calif.; Hartford Motor Speedway in Hartford, MI.; and after a long hiatus, the return of the Sacramento Mile in Sacramento, Calif.; Castle Rock TT in Castle Rock, Wash.; Metra Park Raceway Half-mile in Billings, Mont.
Annual events will continue at Yavapai Downs in Prescott Valley, Ariz.; Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill.; Allen County Fairgrounds in Lima, Ohio; Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, Md.; I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Minn.; Peoria Race Park in Peoria, Ill.; Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Ind.; Canterbury Park in Minneapolis, Minn.; Calistoga Speedway in Calistoga, Calif.; and the highly anticipated rained-out event in 2010 at the Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa.
“The expansion of the series is exciting news for our fans, riders and sponsors,” said Gary Kidd, Flat Track Manager of AMA Pro Racing. “We continue to work hard to showcase America’s traditional form of motorcycle racing in various parts of the country. Our goal is to continue to work with our existing promoters while going out to find aggressive promoters near key markets that will further benefit the series.”
2011 Confirmed Events
March 10 DAYTONA® Flat Track (Daytona Beach, Florida) Short Track
March 11 DAYTONA® Flat Track (Daytona Beach, Florida) Short Track
April 16 Southern Illinois Center (Du Quoin, Illinois) Short Track (Note Updated 1/19/11)April 23 Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, California) TT
May 1 Yavapai Downs (Prescott Valley, Arizona) Mile
May 28 Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield, Illinois) TT
May 29 Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield, Illinois) Mile
June 11 Hartford Motor Speedway (Hartford, Michigan) Half-mile
June 25 Allen County Fairgrounds (Lima, Ohio) Half-mile
July 9 Hagerstown Speedway (Hagerstown, Maryland) Half-mile
July 16 I-96 Speedway (Lake Odessa, Michigan) Half-mile
July 23 Metra Park Raceway (Billings, Montana) Half-mile
July 30 Cal Expo Fair (Sacramento, California) Mile
August 6 Castle Rock Race Park (Castle Rock, Washington) TT
August 21 Peoria Race Park (Peoria, Illinois) TT
August 27 Indiana State Fairgrounds (Indianapolis, Indiana) Mile
September 3 Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield, Illinois) Short Track
September 4 Illinois State Fairgrounds (Springfield, Illinois) Mile
September 10 Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, Iowa) Half-mile
September 24 Canterbury Park (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Mile
October 1 Calistoga Speedway (Calistoga, California) Half-mile
October 9 Yavapai Downs (Prescott Valley, Arizona) Mile
*Additional Dates TBD/TBA
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Great news from AMA Pro Flat Track today in the announcing of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series schedule. With numerous returning as well as long-standing events, and a great mix of west and east coast and midwest events, new venues and a return to venues not seen in some time, AMA Pro Flat Track has outdone itself again in providing the very best in entertainment, racing and the big wow that is always present in The Rolling Thunder Show. Hats off to AMA Flat Track Manager Mike Kidd and Team AMA Flat Track for putting this great calendar together for the upcoming season.
WOW! Stu's Shots thought this season was super, but 2011 is shaping up to be a barn burner of a year! Is it March yet?!
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Updated Wed. 1/19/11 1800 EST:
The original date for the DuQuoin Short Track has been updated from April 9 to reflect the new date of April 16.
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Yamaha TZ-750 Syracuse Mile 1975