Saturday, December 3, 2011

AMA Road Racing: 2012 Schedule Sees Three Venues Added Including Return to Road Atlanta



















The end of the '94 AMA Superbike Championship came down to the final round at Road Atlanta in September '94, and saw Australian Troy Corser on a Fast By Ferracci Ducati pull it out over Vance & Hines Yamaha's Jamie James in the closing laps of the final when James' Yamaha suffered mechanical ills and Corser was able to cruise home ahead of James to secure the championship. 

But the sub-story for the weekend involved defending '93 World Superbike Champion Scott Russell in his return to the States aboard his #4 Muzzy Kawasaki.  Russell dominated the weekend's events from the start, and went on to win the race by over 10 seconds in what was a rare appearance in the AMA Superbike Championship that year due to his WSBK duties. 

Russell may not have repeated as the champ on the European scene, but he left his mark on U.S. fans in a big way in the waning days of the summer of '94 just outside of Braselton, GA.  He's shown above during one of the weekend's qualifying sessions coming out of the turn 7 area heading down the long back-straight at the 2.5 mile circuit.
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AMA Pro Racing and M1 PowerSports Announce Three Exciting New Events as part of 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing Schedule


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (December 2, 2011) - AMA Pro Racing will be working in conjunction with M1 PowerSports for promotion of three exciting new events as part of the 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing schedule. Each of the three events promoted by M1 PowerSports, formally known as M1 Entertainment, will be modeled after the highly successful AMA Pro Road Racing events that the group promoted and grew over a 10 year span at racetracks in the Southeast.
 
The original Big Kahuna events were known for delivering exceptional entertainment value alongside world-class racing by America's finest motorcycle road racing talent, and fans can expect that same Big Kahuna Show as M1 PowerSports returns to promoting motorcycle road racing with an expanded portfolio of AMA Pro Road Racing events in major Southeastern markets.

"M1 PowerSports is extremely excited to return to full time event promotion in 2012," said Cameron Gray, President of M1 PowerSports. "The Big Kahuna Nationals have a long and rich history in AMA Pro Racing and we are excited about our new relationship with the series. Promoting motorcycle road racing events is our passion and what we do best. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship putting on some of the most thrilling racing events in the country."
 
"For much of the past three months, I have been and traveled with I-San, Danny Walker and Cameron back and forth across this country, and enjoyed every minute of it," said David Atlas, Chief Operating Officer of AMA Pro Racing. "I've gotten to know them well, and they and their staff at M1 PowerSports have proven that they know how to deliver entertainment value that goes perfectly hand-in-hand with the outstanding racing found at our events. The new events, which they will bring to our series in 2012, promise to be some of the most exciting stops on our schedule. I am so proud of their joining forces with us."

M1 PowerSports began promoting the Big Kahuna events at Road Atlanta as part of the 1998 AMA Pro Road Racing season and the series will make a return to the 2.55-mile circuit in the hills of Braselton, Ga. for the Big Kahuna Atlanta on the weekend of April 20 - 22, 2012. The track is located just 35 miles outside of Atlanta and has a rich history with AMA Pro Road Racing dating to back to Eddie Lawson's 1980 AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike victory. The series last raced at the facility in 2010, where fans witnessed Blake Young sweep the National Guard SuperBike doubleheader weekend in dramatic fashion.
 
"Road Atlanta has had a storied legacy of terrific top level professional two wheel racing over its 40+ years," said Geoff Lee, President of Road Atlanta. "We have been staying close with AMA Pro Racing in the hopes of being able to strike a relationship to bring their series back here soon. This could not possibly be a better way to do so. We, and our fans, are thrilled to have M1 PowerSports returning and bringing the Big Kahuna back to Road Atlanta where it began. With an event of this stature in place again we look forward to more great racing and adding many more years of 'legend and lore' to our motorcycle history at Road Atlanta."
 
AMA Pro Road Racing will head south after the New Jersey Motorsports Park round for the inaugural Big Kahuna Miami, scheduled for the weekend of September 21 - 23, 2012 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which is located south of Miami in Homestead, Fla. As fall weather begins to draw in across the country, fans will find the Miami area a tropical oasis while being treated to an entertainment spectacle from M1 PowerSports and the stars of AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport and the AMA Pro Vance & Hinex XR1200 Series.
 
"We are thrilled to partner with M1 PowerSports to bring the AMA Pro Nationals to Homestead-Miami Speedway," said Speedway President Matthew Becherer. "Our track will be active more than 280 days in 2012, and this event - featuring the biggest motorcycle series in North America - is a great opportunity for South Florida."

Two weeks later, the AMA Pro Road Racing season will come to a close at America's newest racetrack, with the Big Kahuna New Orleans scheduled for the weekend of October 5 - 7, 2012 as the first professional motorsports event to be held at NOLA Motorsports Park. The track, which was designed by Alan Wilson, is located just 20 minutes from the historic French Quarter area in downtown New Orleans, La. The state-of-the-art facility features excellent areas for spectator viewing and is focused on making motorsports accessible to a broad range of enthusiasts across all facets of the motorsports community. AMA Pro Road Racing will hold the season-ending awards banquet in the New Orleans area on the Monday evening following the event.
 
"We are excited to be partnering with AMA Pro Racing and M1 PowerSports for our inaugural professional event," said Mitch Wright, General Manager of NOLA Motorsports Park. "M1 PowerSports has a proven track record of fun, fan-friendly motorcycle events and the riders in AMA Pro Road Racing put on an incredible show. New Orleans and NOLA Motorsports Park will provide the perfect place to cap off their season and have one heck of a party." 

AMA Pro Road Racing competitors will have the opportunity to check out each of the new tracks before the respective event weekends in a set of official series tests. In an effort to reduce the costs associated with traveling to these tests, each will be held following an event in the same region. The test at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be scheduled for soon after the Daytona 200 event weekend and the NOLA Motorsports Park test will be held soon following the event at Barber Motorsports Park. Full details about the test events will be released at a later date.


Complete 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing Schedule:


March 15 - 17, 2012

Daytona 200

Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Fla.


April 20 - 22, 2012*

Road Atlanta

Braselton, Ga.


May 4 - 6, 2012

Infineon Raceway

Sonoma, Calif.


May 26 - 28, 2012

Miller Motorsports Park

Tooele, Utah


June 1 - 3, 2012

Road America

Elkhart Lake, Wis.


June 22 - 24, 2012

Barber Motorsports Park

Birmingham, Ala.


July 13 - 15, 2012

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Lexington, Ohio


July 27 - 29, 2012

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

Monterey, Calif.


        September 7 - 9, 2012

New Jersey Motorsports Park

Millville, N.J.


September 21 - 23, 2012*

Homestead-Miami Speedway

Homestead, Fla.


October 5 - 7, 2012*

NOLA Motorsports Park

New Orleans, La.


* Events promoted by M1 PowerSports


The mission of M1 PowerSports is to "Get People to the Track," and the company is launching a new website at www.m1powersports.com. Information about the launch of the new website and ticket sales will be released in the coming weeks.


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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Thursday, December 1, 2011

AMA Road Racing: CN Archives' Larry Lawrence Talks History of Tricky Turn 5 at Road America





















Riders come down the Moraine Sweep and set-up for turn 5 at Road America during the sighting lap for the AMA Superbike Championship Series in June 1991.  In this shot you can really tell the way the riders have to set-up and brake after hitting speeds of over 160 mph in order to be ready for the first gear left-hand turn at the four-mile track located just outside of Elkhart Lake, WI., and the drop-off of elevation mentioned in LL's story is evident from this angle.

The Coca-Cola Super Cycle Classic held at Road America had at the time been (and still is) an annual stop on the AMA Superbike Championship Series calendar since the 1980 season.  In it's first few years on the schedule, the events were held in mid-late May, which if you know how the weather can be in south central Wisconsin that time of year, can be dicey.  The powers that be then moved the event further back on the calendar to mid-late June, the '91 event actually taking place over June 28-30.  The partial 2012 schedule just released last month has the event scheduled for June 1-3.

Leading the group in this shot are Scott Russell on the #22 Muzzy Kawasaki/Dunlop/SBS/NGK-sponsored ZX-7R alongside Miguel Duhamel on the #97 Honda Commonwealth/American Honda/Honda Oils & Products/Dunlop-backed RC30.  Following just behind is Jamie James on the #2 Vance & Hines/Yamaha/Dunlop/Bell-sponsored YZF750OW01.  Russell would go on to win the '92 AMA Superbike Championship and the '93 WSBK Championship, while Duhamel would win the '95 AMA Superbike Championship and a handful of AMA 600 Supersport and FX Championships throughout his career.  These two men alone have five-each Daytona 200 victories on thier resumes over the years.

James would go on to win the race by .880 seconds over team mate Thomas Stevens (behind James) on the #11 like-sponsored V&H OW, but Stevens would win the war at the end of the season by winning the '91 AMA Superbike Championship.  James had won the '89 AMA Superbike Championship over then-team mate Russell while riding for the Yoshimura Suzuki team.  Eventual 4th place finisher Jacques Guenette on the #39 Kawasaki USA/Dunlop/Muzzy R&D/NGK-sponsored ZX-7R is directly behind James.

Freddie Spencer on the #19 Two Brothers Racing/American Honda/HP-4 Oil/Hondaline-sponsored RC30 is just behind Guenette, with eventual 3rd place finisher Rich Arnaiz on the #20 Commonwealth Racing/American Honda/HRC/Hondaline-backed RC30.  Although Spencer would never win the AMA Superbike Championship, he did win the '83 and '85 500CC World GP Championship, as well as the '85 250CC GP World Championship.  Spencer, Russell and Duhamel would all DNF on the day.

Tommy Lynch on the #30 Suzuki/Yoshimura/AGV/Michelin-sponsored GSX-R750 is next coming into turn 5, with Tom Kipp on the #16 Wiseco/Bell/Klotz/Bridgestone-backed Yamaha.  Kipp would finish 7th on the day with Lynch in 8th place.

Some other notables in this shot include, among others, Canadian Linley Clarke on the #126 Fast Riding School/Sunoco/Yamaha Canada-sponsored Yamaha OW01 (5th place finish), fellow Canadian Pascal Picotte on the #34 Ducati (no sponsor listed, 9th place), Dale Quarterley on the #32 The Boys/Penguin School/Vanson/Air Tech-backed Honda RC30 (10th place), and another Canadian, Rueben McMurter on the #24 Honda Canada/Action Access/Shoei/RK-sponsored RC30 (6th place).  Picotte and McMurter are both former and future Canadian Superbike Champions.
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Long before he was covering AMA Pro Flat Track events and penning his great column 'Archives' for www.CycleNews.com, and putting his own stash of great stuff out on the web from over the years on his bitchin' website, www.TheRiderFiles.com, Larry Lawrence was THE man in charge for all-things AMA Pro Road Racing in terms of the media coverage.  Traversing the continent in search of the perfect shot and story, LL led the AMA's charge to put road racing out to the masses by setting up interviews and local news coverage of AMA Pro Road Racing events across the nation, working with local news outlets and the riders of the day to get the coverage out to the general public. 

Also working with the AMA out of their Ohio offices, LL wrote and maintained biographies for the Hall of Fame, covered WERA events for CN and the former American Roadracing Magazine, and eventually became what is today a virtual walking/talking historian of the sport.  Make no mistake, this man knows his history, and not just in racing, either.

Besides trying to do a stellar job of blowing smoke up the skirt of one of the nice guys in the sport (and a true and great friend of Stu's Shots), I enjoy getting to read his takes on whatever it is he may be writing (or shooting) about around the sport.  And due to our similar ages, related friends and upbringing in the great city of Indy, most everything is of interest to me especially if penned by one Mr. Lawrence.

So I get especially giddy when he puts out a great story (like any of them aren't?!) about the history of the sport that involves a track or place that I hold near and dear, like an old, long-lost friend.

This week's 'Archives' column hit a home run (again!) with LL's history of turn five at Road America, and what significance and history it holds in the great sport of AMA Pro Road Racing and the AMA Superbike Championship.

So sit back, strap in and hang on as Cycle News' own Larry Lawrence digs into the 'Archives' to talk about one of the most daunting turns in AMA Road Racing's great history:


http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20111129#pg79
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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

AMA Flat Track: Weirbach Racing Signs Aaron King for Expert Twins & Ryan Wells for Pro Singles 2012 Season






















Aaron King rolls out of the staging area for a qualifying session on the #40 Weirbach Racing/Toads Racing/General Engineering/Moose Racing-sponsored Suzuki SV650-based mount at round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series at the Springfield Mile II on September 4.  King was able to qualify in the 30th spot (out of the 48 riders that made the cut) on the Weirbach Racing machine, but finishes of 11th in his heat and 8th in his semi kept him out of the National main event at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.  But the Iowa team wasn't ready to let it go at that for their Iowa rider, thankfully.

The son of former AMA Grand National Championship competitor and former National #80 Rich King, Aaron was able to turn it around the next weekend at the Knoxville Half-Mile.  King qualified in the 23rd spot and then fought his way out of his semi with a 3rd place finish to put him in the show, where he rode the Weirbach Suzuki to a solid 10th place finish in his first main event in the Expert Twins Series class for the 2011 season, besting his previous best finish in a National Expert Twins Series event (12th place-Arizona Mile I in the 2010 season.)  King also made the main in three Singles Series events throughout the 2011 season, for an eventual 26th place ranking in the season-ending standings.

After riding for the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports team in the '09-'10 season on the team's Aprilias, the Waterloo resident rode an Aprilia early in the '11 season based out his and his father's Moose Racing shop in Iowa.  This will be a great move for Aaron as he obviously made some season-ending strides on the Weirbach machine, and with the duo of father-son Dick and Ted putting together a solid effort as far as good equipment is concerned, they should all be able to grow the SV-based Twins program to the next level for the 2012 season. 
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As the podium ceremonies come to a close after the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Championship Series round at the Springfield TT on May 30, 2011, two of the podium finisher's teams congratulate one another after the 16-lap event.  3rd-place finisher Hayden Gillim's #69C Thirty Four Racing/Bell Helmets/Teknic/Fly Racing/Alpinestars-sponsored Honda CRF450R and 2nd-place finisher Mikey Martin's #91Y Weirbach Racing/General Engineering/Barnett Clutches/Spectro-sponsored Honda are attended to by their respective team members as winner Mikey Avila can be seen departing the podium ceremonies in the background.

Mikey Martin went on to win the 2011 AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Championship at the end of the season while riding for the Iowa-based Weirbach Racing team.  Team owner and head wrench, Dick Weirbach (pictured above with Martin's machine) has been around flat track racing for decades, and between him and his son, Ted, have put together some solid equipment and results with a strong resume of riders over the years, including Martin, Mikey Labelle, Jesse Janisch, Henry Wiles and Sammy Halbert, to name just a few.

For the 2012 season, Weirbach Racing will be sponsoring riders Aaron King National #40 and up-and-coming former amateur racer, Ryan Wells.  After suffering through a transport fire just hours before the start of the Springfield Mile I on May 29, the team came back with a big bang and won the 2011 Pro Singles Championship, and still made time for riders Janisch and King to get some quality track time on the still-young Suzuki SV program.



Bravo and the best of luck to King, Wells and the Weirbach Racing team in the upcoming 2012 season, which still can't get here quick enough!  Read the official press release below to help you get through the long winter months ahead.
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 ---Press Release courtesy of Weirbach Racing---

For Immediate Release



November 28, 2011, Ottumwa, Iowa

Weirbach Racing announces the sponsorship/support of two young racers, 16 year old Ryan Wells from Albion, New York who will compete for the AMA Pro Singles Championship in 2012. In 2011 Ryan was one of the top amateurs in the country. New to the team this year is national number 40 Aaron King from Waterloo, Iowa. 
Aaron will compete in the Expert Grand National Series riding our Suzuki SV-750, which he rode for the first time to a season best 10th place finish at the Knoxville 1/2 mile National.  We will have a third rider from time to time on one of our Hondas and our new XR 750.

Dick Weirbach, a 40 year veteran of the flat track racing scene said:

"I am pleased to have these two fine young men to add to the list of names that have been part of Weirbach Racing. I know they have the talent to carry on the winning traditions of past riders, and conduct themselves in a way our sponsors will be proud to be associated with them on and off the race track.  Our goal for 2012 is to win the Pro Singles title and keep developing the SV into a strong competitive machine on the miles and half miles.”

Ted added -
“We are looking forward to another great year. Expectations are high coming off Mikey Martin’s championship run in Pro Singles Series and this year we are going to build off that momentum and raise the ante for 2012. Ryan Wells and Aaron King are both great representatives on and off the track. Be on the look out for information on the launch of our XR750 program as well. More to come on that topic as we get closer to the 2012 season.”

Ryan Wells made the following statement -
“ I would really like to thank Dick and Ted Weirbach and the teams sponsors for giving me the honor to ride for them in the 2012 AMA Pro Singles series. I am very confident joining this team, especially due to the fact of how many great and talented riders have shined before me.

Aaron King stated
“I'm very excited to be joining Weirbach Racing for the 2012 season. The SV has made big strides thoughout the end of the year and I'm looking forward to the challenge of making more main events. I need to thank Dick, Ted and all the teams sponsors for giving me this great opportunity.”

The team is preparing motorcycles for the season over the winter months, focusing on a successful 2012 season. They are always interested in new sponsors to be part of this growing team.

About Weirbach Racing
Weirbach Racing is run and owned by Dick and Ted Weirbach. Dick himself raced as a novice in the late 60’s and even owned a Bultaco motorcycle shop for eight years. He is currently retired and started sponsoring riders under his own program in 2000. In 2009, the inaugural year of the AMA Pro Singles Championship Weirbach's Racing James "the Rocket" Rispoli took second place overall setting a high water-mark. Then in 2011 Mikey Martin won the Pro Singles Title. The names of riders that have had the pleasure to work with Dick & Ted are notables such as Henry Wiles, Robbie Pearson, Sammy Halbert, Davey Durelle and more. Check their web site for more information at: 
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2012 Indy RedBull MotoGP Tickets Go On Sale December 1










As free practice session 3 takes place for the 4th Annual RedBull Indianapolis MotoGP round on August 27, the crowd makes their way around the Hulman Straightaway at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  The 5th Annual RedBull Indy MotoGP round will be held on August 17-19, 2012 and tickets go on sale on December 1.
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---Press Release courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway---


RED BULL INDIANAPOLIS GP TICKETS ON SALE THURSDAY, DEC. 1


Special savings available for fans who buy tickets, new incentives early


INDIANAPOLIS, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011 - Tickets for the 2012 Red Bull Indianapolis GP MotoGP event, scheduled for Aug. 17-19 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will go on sale Thursday, Dec. 1, and fans are encouraged to buy now at www.imstix.com to take advantage of special early pricing.

Reserved seat ticket prices for Race Day, Sunday, Aug. 19, are unchanged from 2011. Prices range from $70-$130 depending on location. Fans who purchase a Race Day reserved seat also can buy a Friday-Saturday general admission ticket for just $20 any time between Dec. 1 and Aug. 17, a great value.

"Indianapolis is my home race, and it's already circled on my calendar for 2012," said 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden, from Owensboro, Ky. "I really appreciate the support of the fans at IMS, and I hope to see you next August. Get your tickets today and take advantage of this very good offer."

Fan-friendly incentives available only for Race Day reserved seat ticket holders in 2012 include motorcycle track laps, three-day auto parking passes and VIP motorcycle parking near the IMS Hall of Fame Museum.

These amenities - track laps and VIP motorcycle parking are new for 2012 - will be sold through tiered pricing, so reserved seat customers who buy early will enjoy special savings. Prices for each of these products will be $10 from Dec. 1 through April 15. The cost will increase to $30 from April 16-Aug. 1 and to $40 from Aug. 2-19.

Four types of tickets will be available for general admission customers at the 2012 Red Bull Indianapolis GP: Friday, Saturday, Race Day and Three Day (Friday-Saturday-Sunday). Friday-Saturday general admission tickets are available only for Race Day reserved seat customers.

General admission tickets for Friday, Aug. 17 or Saturday, Aug. 18 cost $20 each from Dec. 1 through Race Day, Sunday, Aug. 19.

Three Day and Race Day general admission tickets will be sold through tiered pricing:


Dec. 1-April 15 // April 16-Aug. 1 // Aug. 2-Aug. 19

Three Day

$60 $70 $75

Race Day

$40 $50 $50

Orders for general admission and reserved seat tickets, track laps and parking can be made at www.imstix.com and through the IMS Ticket Office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday. For more information, call the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area.

Children 12 and under will receive free general admission to any IMS event in 2012 when accompanied by an adult general admission ticket holder.

Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.

Information on camping at IMS during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP is available at www.imstix.com.  Hotel package information can be found at visitindy.com/redbull.

The Red Bull Indianapolis GP will be the 11th of 18 events in the 2012 MotoGP World Championship, which opens April 15 with the Grand Prix of Qatar.

The fifth annual MotoGP race at IMS will take place one week earlier than in 2011. The event also will be the second half of a new American swing for the world's most prestigious motorcycle racing series.

The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix is scheduled for July 27-29 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif., followed by MotoGP's traditional summer break and then the Red Bull Indianapolis GP.

MotoGP fans will see new machinery in the premier class in 2012. Riders will compete on 1000cc prototype motorcycles, with more speed and power than the 800cc machines used since 2007.

There also will be three Americans on the MotoGP starting grid for the fifth consecutive year at IMS: 2006 World Champion Hayden, 2010 Rookie of the Year Ben Spies and Colin Edwards. Hayden and Spies each are two-time podium finishers in the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, and Spies won the pole for the 2010 race.

World Championship support classes Moto2 and the new Moto3 will return to IMS in 2012. Other support classes will be announced in the future.
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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

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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Friday, November 25, 2011

AMA Road Racing: Mid Ohio Back on the Schedule Making for 8 Confirmed Rounds for 2012 Season














Jamie James on the #2 Vance & Hines/Yamaha/Dunlop/Bel-Ray-sponsored YZF-750 OW01 leads the riders off the grid for the sighting lap just before the start of the AMA Superbike Championship Series Wiseco Superbike 100 at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in August '92.  James was judged to have jumped the start several minutes later in the main event of the Camel Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop, and was shown the meat ball flag by AMA Pro Road Racing officials, negating a roll-through penalty for the V&H teamster.

Unfortunately, several laps into the event, Larry Schwarzbach on the #64 like-sponsored V&H Yamaha (directly behind James) crashed hard coming out of the last turn onto the main straight and was critically injured, causing a red flag delay.  Schwarzbach had just earlier in the day won his very first AMA 600 Supersort Series event, and passed away just over two days laters.

As a result of the red flag delay and restart, James was able to work his way through the deep field and finished 4th on the day behind winner Doug Polen, runner-up Thomas Stevens and 3rd-placed rider Tom Kipp.

Others in this shot include Pascal Picotte on the #34 Fast By Ferracci/Ducati/Arai/Dunlop-sponsored Ducati 888 (in what I believe was his second year of racing in the U.S. in what would be a long career in AMA Superbike racing in the States, 7th-place finish), Scott Gray on the #18 self-sponsored (not listed) Kawasaki ZX-7R (6th-place finish), winner Polen on the #23 Ducati/Mechanica SPA/Dunlop/AGV-backed Ducati 888 (on a break from the WSBK schedule, in which he would win his 2nd World Superbike Championship at the end of the season), 2nd-place finisher Thomas Stevens on the #1 Kawasaki Motor Corp. USA/Muzzy/Bieffe/Nanki-sponsored ZX-7R (just behind Polen), Scott Russell on the #17 Kawasaki/Dunlop/SBS/Muzzy's-backed ZX-7R (DNF), and 3-Time World Champion Freddie Spencer on the #19 Two Brothers Racing/Honda Motor Co/Michelin/Arai-sponsored Honda RC30 (DNF).

Also seen in this shot: long-time AMA Superbike privateer (and '93 Mid Ohio winner) Dale Quarterley on the #32 Team Mirage/Valley Motorsports/Vanson/Bieffe-sponsored Kawasaki ZX-7R (partially obscured/just behind Gray's left elbow), who would round out the top-5 for the day, Canadian rider Jacques Quenette on the #39 D.L.G.L. Software/Action Accessories-sponsored Yamaha YZF750 (11th-place finish), and 3rd-place finisher Tom Kipp on the #16 American Honda/Camel/Commonwealth Racing/HRC-sponsored Honda RC30 (directly behind Russell in yellow leathers.)


Mid Ohio has been hosting a round of the AMA Pro Road Racing Series since the early '80s, and has historically been one of the best-attended events on the schedule, almost since their first year of hosting the event.  Located in Lexington, OH., the track is one of the most fan-friendly tracks on the schedule due to it's various viewing areas around the 2.5+ mile course. 

This is great news seeing the track return to the schedule for the 2012 season in what will be it's fourth decade in the series.
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AMA Pro Racing Confirms 2012 Date for Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course as Part of 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing Schedule


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (November 23, 2011) - AMA Pro Racing officials announced Wednesday the addition of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course to the list of renewals for the 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing calendar. The event is scheduled for the weekend of July 13 - 15, 2012 and will mark the 30th consecutive year that the series has raced at the 2.4-mile natural road course nestled in the scenic rolling hills of Lexington, Ohio.

In last year's contest, the Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki team dominated the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike weekend, Blake Young taking pole position and the Saturday race victory, followed by Tommy Hayden taking the checkers in Sunday's final. As in 2011, fans will experience the excitement of the full complement of AMA Pro Road Racing classes, which includes AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series.
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AMA Pro Road Racing at the Mid Ohio round in July '11 shows AMA Superbike Championship Series bikes lined up in the pitlane.  AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.
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With the addition of the event at Mid-Ohio, AMA Pro Racing has now announced eight contract renewals for the 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing season. AMA Pro Racing will be working in conjunction with M1 Powersports for promotion of three additional events. Details about those three new events, which will complete the 2012 schedule, will be released shortly. The partial schedule is as follows:


March 15 - 17, 2012

Daytona 200

Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Fla.


May 4 - 6, 2012

Infineon Raceway

Sonoma, Calif.


May 26 - 28, 2012

Miller Motorsports Park

Tooele, Utah


June 1 - 3, 2012

Road America

Elkhart Lake, Wis.


June 22 - 24, 2012

Barber Motorsports Park

Birmingham, Ala.


July 13 - 15, 2012

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Lexington, Ohio


July 27 - 29, 2012

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

Monterey, Calif.


September 7 - 9, 2012

New Jersey Motorsports Park

Millville, N.J.


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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Wednesday, November 23, 2011

AMA Flat Track: Mack Daddy Racing's George Mack Talks With Larry Lawrence in Cycle News This Week



















Mack Daddy Racing's George Mack rolls out the #10J Mack Daddy Racing/Sammy Sweet/TCR/PCD-sponsored Honda CRF450R of AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles rider Steven Vanderkuur prior to the Pro Singles main event at round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com Series on September 4.  Mack has been building and prepping machines for riders in the AMA Pro Flat Track Series for over a decade now and has been known to put together some fine machines and great results over the years after having been involved in the sport since the 80s as a rider and top wrench.

When the MDR owner isn't at the track, he is running his business, Performance Cycle & Dyno out of his Illinois-based shop.  His services include everything from bike set-up to race engine prep.

Vanderkuur rode the MDR Honda to a 2nd-place finish in his heat race earlier in the day, just .131 seconds behind heat winner Briar Bauman, to qualify for the Pro Singles main event at Springfield II, where he ended up finishing in the 11th-place spot after the last lap melee that caught riders Mikey Avila and Robbie Treinen out on the final lap.  He still finished just 1.044 seconds behind main event winner Jake Shoemaker.  Vanderkuur finished the season ranked 16th in the Pro Singles standings with best finishes of 3rd at the Peoria TT and 4th at the Lima Half-Mile.
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'09 AMA Pro Flat Track Saddlemen Rookie of the Year Stevie Bonsey on the #80 Mack Daddy Racing/Alpinestars/Arai/Rod Lake-sponsored Honda CRF450R leads former 3-Time AMA Grand National Twins Champion and '07 AMA Singles Champion Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. on the #2 Chaplin Kawasaki/Spectro Oils/Wiseco/Fox-backed KX450F in the late stages of the rescheduled Springfield TT round of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series on May 30.  The two had a great duel going on during the National main for several laps, with Bonsey able to best the former champ in the closing laps of the red-flag delayed event.

Bonsey rode to a career and season-best finish of 4th place at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Multipurpose Rodeo Arena riding a George Mack-prepped machine after finishing 8th on a like-prepped ride in late April at the Salinas Short Track round, while riding a partial schedule for the season.  Bonsey, Ion Stear and Matt Weidman are but a short list of riders that Mack has helped out over the course of the last decade or so in AMA Pro Flat Track racing.
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Larry Lawrence covers the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series for Cycle News, and he got a chance to talk with Mack Daddy Racing's George Mack a few weeks back for this week's CN Digital Edition.  You can read it here:

http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20111122#pg69
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You can check out George Mack's Performance Cycle & Dyno here:

http://www.performancecycleanddyno.com/index.htm
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

AMA Pro Racing Signs MotoBatt to Multiyear Partnership for AMA Road Racing & AMA Flat Track




















Zanotti Racing crew chief Ted McDermitt gets ready to fire up the #5 Zanotti Racing/Schaeffer's H-D/Supertrapp/NJK-sponsored H-D XR750 of rider Jake Johnson just prior to the start of the Springfield Mile II round at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on September 5, 2010.  Team rider coach and former AMA Grand National Championship rider #67 Mike Hacker looks on as the crowd gets ready for the 25-lap National main event at round 14 of the 2010 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series.  Johnson went on to finish 6th on the day, which propelled him and the Zanotti Racing team to their first of two-in-a-row AMA Grand National Championships.


MotoBatt's signing as a contingency sponsor for the AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship Series along with the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series will see them host the MotoBatt Hard Charger Award beginning in the 2012 season for the rider that comes the furthest through the field during a main event, and should help to expand the market for the MotoBatt brand in the U.S. market.  The company offers a full line of batteries, chargers and testers for the motorcycle market.
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MotoBatt Named Official Battery, Charger and Tester of AMA Pro Road Racing and AMA Pro Flat Track in Multiyear Agreement with AMA Pro Racing


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (November 22, 2011) - AMA Pro Racing and MotoBatt have announced an exclusive multiyear agreement for MotoBatt Batteries, LTD. to become the Official Battery, Charger and Tester of AMA Pro Road Racing and AMA Pro Flat Track.

AMA Pro Racing Competition Bulletin
The agreement allows for MotoBatt to be an exclusive partner of AMA Pro Road Racing and AMA Pro Flat Track and to have in-market and promotional rights to utilize the series marks at the racetrack, in retail outlets and in related media. As part of this agreement, MotoBatt will also become a contingency partner for the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike and AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Expert divisions. The MotoBatt Hard Charger Award will recognize the rider who charges through the field by gaining the most positions from their starting position in race finals.

"We're excited to begin a partnership with a company that is focused on providing quality products to the motorcycle community," said David Atlas, COO of AMA Pro Racing. "Their support of AMA Pro riders through the MotoBatt Hard Charger Award shows that they embrace our commitment to rewarding the paddock. We are looking forward to expanding our mutual reach in the marketplace over the coming years."

"Riding on the heels of our first and very successful official sales year in North America, we are having a hard time holding back our enthusiasm about this new partnership for the start of the 2012 season," said Smokey White, Director of Sales and Marketing for MotoBatt. "AMA Pro and MotoBatt share a lot of the same 'DNA' in that we both offer a premium product exclusively to the PowerSports enthusiast. We look forward to working in partnership with AMA Pro Racing to further grow our sales and continue to develop the MotoBatt Brand and our very unique and innovative product within this fun and exciting marketplace."

Now in North and Central America, MotoBatt Batteries, LTD. is a premium AGM PowerSports Battery manufacturer. Having patented and launched MotoBatt with QuadFlexTM Technology, the markets most innovative PowerSports battery design outside of the US less than three years ago, MotoBatt is now the #1 brand in Australia and New Zealand and is also selling well in Europe, South America and other parts of the world. Learn more about MotoBatt Batteries, Chargers and Testers at www.motobatt.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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Monday, November 21, 2011

AMA Road Racing: National Guard Returns as 2012 Title Sponsor for AMA Superbike Championship
















Tom Kipp on the #16 Fast By Ferracci/DKNY MEN/Ducati Motorcycles/AGIP Lubricants-sponsored Ducati 998 leads eventual '98 AMA Superbike Champion Ben Bostrom on the #11 American Honda/Dunlop/Arai/Alpinestars-backed Honda RC45 early in the Wiseco Superbike 100 at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in July '98.  Following closely on Bostrom's tail section is Jamie Hacking on the #92 Yamaha Motor Corp/Dunlop/
Sharkskinz/Yamalube-sponsored YZF750, with Pascal Picotte on the #21 Harley-Davidson/Zippo/Dunlop/Shoei-sponsored H-D VR1000 doing an admirable job of keeping the big-HP machines he is chasing within reach, during the premier event of the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire at the Lexington, OH. facility. 

Mid Ohio has hosted AMA Pro Road Racing events at the track since the early-to-mid '80s and has almost always been one the higher crowd turn-outs for the series.  Hopefully they will be back on the schedule again for the 2012 season!


Good news for AMA Pro Road Racing fans of the series' AMA Superbike Championship was released today when it was announced that title-sponsor National Guard would return to the series for the 2012 season, making it the fourth year as title-sponsor.  Past companies that have sponsored the premier road racing series on the North American continent include Chevrolet and Parts Unlimited.  National Guard will also be putting up some extra dough for the series season-ending rider payout.
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Army National Guard and AMA Pro Racing Announce Extended Partnership and Introduction of Year-End Points Fund


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (November 21, 2011) - Officials from AMA Pro Racing and the Army National Guard announced today an extension of their existing partnership, which names the Army National Guard as the Official Department of Defense Branch of AMA Pro Road Racing and title sponsor of AMA Pro Road Racing's premier AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class. Additionally, AMA Pro Racing will be naming a new $50,000 year-end points fund for the SuperBike division in honor of America's soldiers and to reflect the relationship that the series has with the Army National Guard. The 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing season will mark the Army National Guard's fourth consecutive year of series support.

"The Army National Guard is an incredible American institution that we are proud to be partners with," said David Atlas, Chief Operating Officer of AMA Pro Racing. "The men and women that serve our country are the true heroes of the modern age. It is very rewarding for us to have the opportunity to show our support for those heroes and to promote the Army National Guard and its recruiting efforts."

The Army National Guard is the oldest component of the U.S. Armed Forces and one of the longest enduring U.S. institutions. The fast-paced environment found at AMA Pro Road Racing events attracts a high-energy, dedicated fan base which provides a high degree of potential candidates for recruitment in the Army National Guard. Since the partnership began in 2009, there has been a steady expansion in cooperative promotional activations at AMA Pro Road Racing events, exposing the loyal fans of the series to the many exciting opportunities available in the Army National Guard.

One of the most prominent promotional activities featured at AMA Pro Road Racing events is the National Guard 2-Up ride-along program. The National Guard 2-Up program is an outreach tool that gives soldiers, dignitaries and media representatives the opportunity to ride on the back of a specially-prepared Suzuki GSX-R1000 in order to offer an expanded understanding of motorcycle road racing and to emphasize the importance of proper safety equipment and riding techniques to rider safety.

New for the 2012 season, AMA Pro Racing and the Army National Guard will introduce "Guard Minute" features as part of the official series and local media coverage for each event. These features, which will be distributed via the AMA Pro Racing website, social media outlets and other media channels, will showcase the Guardsmen in attendance at events and the prominent contribution that they make to the excitement of AMA Pro Road Racing events and to the sport of motorcycle racing as a whole.

The new agreement also provides for the Army National Guard to have an expanded title sponsorship role with the "Paddock Chatter Blog" on the AMA Pro Racing website. The "National Guard Paddock Chatter Blog" is hosted by SPEEDTV announcer Greg White and features insider news and information on AMA Pro Road Racing riders and teams. Recognizing the importance of rider development, the Army National Guard also plans to have an expanded role in the fostering of the rising stars of American motorcycle racing in the 2012 season.


The 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing season will kick off with the historic Daytona 200 Week, scheduled for March 15-17, 2012 at Daytona International Speedway. Please visit www.nationalguard.com for more information on the National Guard.


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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Saturday, November 19, 2011

AMA Flat Track: Bonneville Performance Triumph Team to Get Backing From Triumph Factory for '12 AMA Grand National Twins Series, '11 Pro Singles Champ Mikey Martin to Ride



















The Bonneville Performance/GBR/Wiseco Pistons/GBR-sponsored Triumphs of National #32 Shawn Baer sit under the team's pop-up during round 16 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series at the Illinois State Fairgrounds mile oval on September 4.  The Bill Gately/Bonneville Performance team, based out of Port Orange, FL. has struggled to make the mains in AMA Flat Track Grand National events, only able to do so in 10 events over the course of the last two seasons, but have turned some heads when they have put the sparkling blue and white machine into the show.

Going up against the long-standing Harley-Davidson XR750 in the series, the onslaught of the Kawasakis hitting the track the last two years, and factor in the great run that the Lloyd Brothers Motorsports team has had with Joe Kopp in '10 and Brad Baker in '11 with the Ducati, and you have a very deep field of top-level competition to race with in order to make a National main event in the 21st Century.

They may have just gotten another foot up on the competition for the 2012 season, though, with the announcement last night from 2011 AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Champion Mikey Martin that he will be the team's rider in the 2012 Twins Series events, and that the Triumph factory will be providing support to the team for next year as well. 

Tyler Porter and his Fight For Dirt Track.com site broke the news last night via Twitter and Facebook that Martin will be the team's rider and the Triumph factory will be stepping back into the AMA Grand National Championship for the first time in over 35 years.

Bonneville Performance is a company that specializes in all things Triumph-'old and new' as their website states-to set up your machine with, and offers a number of Mikuni, Wiseco and other after-market goodies to make your machine a street tracker special.  Their street tracker displays at the Nationals are absolutely pristine.  The team has campaigned Shawn Baer the last two seasons on the circuit, and Mick Kirkness #87 rode the machine this year at the season-finale at Pomona, albeit failing to make the main event.

This is great news for AMA Flat Track fans as the combination of factory support, Bonneville Performance's pristine machine set-up abilities, and Pro Singles Champ Martin onboard will help to propel this marque back onto the grid on a regular basis in The Rolling Thunder Show.  The 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Series season just got a lot brighter! 
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AMA Pro Flat Track announcer Barry Boone reads off the list of sponsors for the fans while Lake Odessa Half-Mile AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles winner Mikey Martin gets set to chug some water after a runaway win at round 11 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship season.  The #91Y Weirbach Racing/General Engineering/Barnett Clutches/Spectro-sponsored Honda CRF450R-mounted rider took the win by 4.322 seconds over runner-up Conner Anderson, for his second of three wins on the season.  Martin went on to clinch the 2011 AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles Championship at the last round of the season at Pomona on October 15.

With Martin moving up to the Expert ranks after the season was over last month, he will be wearing the #91 for the upcoming season, and with a white number plate and a set of black letters on them.  And he will be sporting that nice new number plate on the front of the Bonneville Performance Triumph for the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Twins Series events.  As previously mentioned, Tyler Porter and Martin both broke the news last night via Twitter and Facebook.

Showing up last weekend at Oglethorpe Speedway in Savannah, GA. for the SEMDTRA flat track half-mile race riding the Bonneville Triumph, Martin sported #91 Expert number plate, and finished 5th in his first outing on the bike behind in the Pro Twins class behind winner Kenny Coolbeth, Jeffrey Carver, Corey Texter and Shawn Baer (ironically the rider he will be replacing) in his first race against an Expert field of riders.  Not a bad way to end his first time riding the machine in competition against a former 3-Time AMA Grand National Twins Champion (Coolbeth) and 2010 Pro Singles Champion Carver.
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Shawn Baer is shown on the #32 Bonneville Performance/Wiseco Pistons/GBR/Eckhart Roofing-sponsored Triumph just prior to rolling out for the semi #2 race at the Springfield Mile II event on September 4, 2011, where the Pennsylvania resident finished in the 7th spot, .424 seconds out of making the National main event for the day.  The 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship Series season was a rough year for Baer, only managing to make five of the eleven Twins events on the year, with a best-finish of 14th at the Springfield Mile I round in May.

It looks like Shawn will be out of this ride for the 2012 AMA Grand National Championship Series, with Mikey Martin taking over the reigns.  Baer is to be lauded, however, in his help in developing the Triumph into a National main event semi-regular, something that hasn't been seen in several decades on a half-mile or mile event.

One of his best runs in his two years with the team was at the 2010 Lucas Oil Indy Mile, where he won his semi race over Jethro Halbert and Luke Gough.  Using every bit of track available that hot August night, Baer took the win by just .077 seconds after eight long laps over runner-up Halbert on his Halbert Racing XR.  It was a great show of not only what Shawn can do on the track, but a great show for the Triumph in running against the fast XRs on the mile circuits and able to pull one out.
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Thanks to Tyler Porter and his super site, Fight For Dirt Track.com for this great news about the factory Triumph coming back to AMA Pro Flat Track to help out the Bonneville Performance Triumph team for the 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Twins Series Championship.  You can read more over at Tyler's site here:

http://www.fightfordirttrack.com/

And you can check out the great stuff that Bonneville Performance offers for the Triumph brand here, including their online catalog:

http://www.bonnevilleperformance.com/flattracker.htm
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