Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Previews Round 4 of AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Series as it Heads to Mid-Ohio

AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Class Rolls into Mid-Ohio for GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Round 4

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 9, 2013) - Recent history suggests that this weekend's Buckeye SuperBike Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will deliver both epic AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike race action on track and significant developments to this season's title fight.

 

Reigning triple champion Josh Hayes (No. 1 Monster Energy Graves Yamaha YZF-R1) comes into Lexington, Ohio with the hottest hand in the entire GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing paddock. The Gulfport, Miss. native has effectively filled the early-season hole he faced following a pair of mechanical retirements at Daytona International Speedway thanks to two consecutive perfect points haul weekends, racking up career SuperBike victories 34, 35, 36, and 37 at Road America and Barber Motorsports Park.  As a result, Hayes is poised to take command of the points chase this weekend should he assemble another flawless weekend. The Yamaha ace currently trails Martin Cardenas (No. 36 Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000) by just 10 points (144-133) and can guarantee that he picks up at least 13 more points than any of his rivals by once again winning pole, leading the most laps in both races, and claiming the double victory.

 

 

Josh Herrin #2 leads Monster Energy/Graves Motorsports Yamaha team mate Josh Hayes #1, Roger Hayden on the #54 National Guard/Jordan Motorsports Suzuki and Martin Cardenas on the #36 Yoshimura Factory Suzuki during the running of one of the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Series races at round 3 of the season at Barber Motorsports Park a couple of weeks ago.  The series heads to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course-round of the series, one of the longest-tenured tracks on the Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing schedule.  AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.

 

 

 

Hayes has not only accomplished that feat at the last two events (and showcased the ability to do so at Daytona as well if not for his misfortune), he also pulled it off at Mid-Ohio one year ago.  That said, each and every one of those weekends saw Hayes pushed to the brink. The double digit-second margins of victory that defined the 2012 season appear to becoming a thing of the past.  Before pulling out at Daytona, Hayes was hounded both by Cardenas and teammate Josh Herrin (No. 2 Monster Energy Graves Yamaha YZF-R1), who ultimately split the spoils in Hayes' absence. At Road America, Colombian Cardenas once again kept the champ honest. And last time out at Barber Motorsports Park, Hayes was under threat on the final lap of both contests by a very hungry Roger Hayden (No. 54 National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000).

 

In fact, Hayden may be the man to keep an out for this weekend. In 2011 at Mid-Ohio, Hayden beat Hayes to the stripe to claim third -- his first-career AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike podium finish. And last year in Lexington, Hayden waged a memorable battle with Hayes for the win, taking the lead momentarily on the race's final lap before Hayes reclaimed first and won out to the checkered flag by a mere 0.224 seconds.  Hayden has a history of slow starts to his SuperBike title campaigns but once he picks up momentum, he's arguably the rider most capable of challenging Hayes in a straight fight. And if his Barber Motorsports Park form was any indication, Hayden appears to have hit that groove a bit earlier than usual this year.  Hayden is currently fourth in the points with 107 (Herrin is third at 131), but as Hayes has already shown this season, consistent excellence allows a rider to make up big chunks in short order.

 

Herrin could be in line for a big weekend as well. The youngster has recently taken one step back in order to take two forward, focusing on improving his clear track pace while building a stronger SuperBike foundation upon his prodigious skills.  As a result, Herrin impressed while running in the lead in Birmingham after appearing to be far off the pace prior to the race. And Herrin was able to cling on to the front in the opening half of both races at Mid-Ohio last season, finishing third on Sunday to make up for a Saturday crash that came after he pushed his teammate for the lead.

 

Cardenas, meanwhile, will be fighting hard to fend off the Hayes freight train and leave Ohio with his diminished SuperBike points lead intact. The Suzuki star has a relatively strong record at Mid-Ohio, including a pair of top fives as a premier-class rookie in 2011. However, the track stands as the only circuit on this season's calendar (excluding Harley-Davidson-exclusive Indianapolis Motor Speedway) that he has yet to conquer in any class (incidentally, Cardenas owns wins at five tracks not included on this year's schedule).  A victory this weekend would not only do wonders for his '13 title hopes but also represent something of a milestone for his remarkable AMA Pro career.  Larry Pegram (No. 72 Pegram Racing Yamaha YZF-R1) trails Hayden by just a single point in fifth. The Ohioan will be motivated to perform well in front of his home crowd, particularly as he's aboard the most competitive machinery he's had access to in some time heading to Mid-Ohio. Since switching to Yamaha equipment, Pegram has registered four top fives in six starts with no finishes worse than sixth.  

 

Chris Fillmore (No. 11 KTM/HMC Racing KTM RC8R) came into Mid-Ohio two years ago with a massive task ahead of him. The former Supermoto standout was set to make his SuperBike debut mid-season and aboard a brand-new racebike -- the distinctive orange KTM RC8R -- which was making its first AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike appearance.  HCM Racing's faith in Fillmore paid immediate dividends as he guided the bike to a pair of top tens that weekend -- including a seventh-place run in which he battled with Cardenas and Pegram.  Unfortunately, Fillmore missed last year's trip to Mid-Ohio due to injury. He and teammate Taylor Knapp (No. 44 KTM/HMC Racing KTM RC8R) could be ready to demonstrate just how far along the bike have progressed since that head-turning entrance of 2011.

 

The undulating nature of the circuit should also play to the strengths of the Erik Buell Racing entries. Geoff May (No. 99 Team Hero EBR 1190RS) took a fifth and sixth at the venue a year ago while teammate, Aaron Yates (No. 20 Team AMSOIL/Hero EBR 1190RS), is an acknowledged Mid-Ohio master, having scored three SuperBike wins at the track along with four support class victories. The manufacturer will also again have Cory West (No. 13 Team RSRacecraft EBR 1190RS) and Dustin Dominguez (No. 68 Team RSRacecraft EBR 1190RS) in their corner.

 

Two-time Daytona Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike king Danny Eslick (No. 23 Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000) continues to adapt to the Michael Jordan Motorsports GSX-R1000. By dialing back the machine's traction control, Eslick has been better able to utilize his natural talents. He flashed front-running pace at Barber Motorsports Park, showing a front wheel to the lead group in the opening stages of Sunday's race.  Eslick's physical riding style has worked extremely well at Mid-Ohio in the past, rewarding him with a career tally of five undercard wins there.  David Anthony (No. 25 Motosport.com Motul Fly Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000) has once again proven to be a regular in the top ten, finishing tenth or better in five of six races this season. He'll look to continue that streak but may very well have his hands full dealing with Chris Ulrich (No. 18 M4 SportbikeTrackGear.com Racing Honda CBR1000RR), who twice finished tenth at Mid-Ohio a year ago and has a Mid-Ohio race win to his name (750 Supersport in 2001) and Martin Cardenas' teammate, Chris Clark (No. 6 Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000).

 

TV Broadcast Schedule

 

This weekend's GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing action will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network as part of the CBS Sports Spectacular. This weekend's coverage includes LIVE broadcasts of both AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike races, and will begin Saturday, July 13 at 1:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT with the weekend Preview Show. Live coverage of AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Race 1 will air on Saturday, July 13 at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 noon PT with Race 2 slotted in for Sunday, July 14 at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 noon PT. Fans can find CBS Sports Network on their TV by using the channel finder at http://www.cbssportsnetwork.com/channel-finder.

 

Live Streaming Schedule

 

In addition to the live broadcasts on CBS Sports Network, AMA Pro Live will be live streaming multiple channels of behind-the-scenes video of the weekend's activities alongside Live Timing & Scoring. AMA Pro Live puts fans in the director's chair, allowing them to choose from a variety of viewpoints including track cameras, paddock cameras and a press conference channel. Streaming will begin with coverage of the weekend's practice and qualifying sessions on Friday, July 12 at 11:00 a.m. ET/8:00 a.m. PT at http://www.amaprolive.com. High Definition streaming of National Guard SuperBike Final Qualifying will begin on Saturday, July 13 at 9:40 a.m. ET/6:40 a.m. PT.

 

Social Media Channels 

 

All weekend long, stay connected with GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing on social media at http://twitter.com/AMAProSBK and http://www.facebook.com/AMAProRoadRacing.

 

Tickets 

 

Tickets for this weekend's Buckeye SuperBike Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire start at just $30 and are available for purchase on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course website at http://www.midohio.com/Schedule/Buckeye-Superbike-Weekend-2013.

 

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

AMA Pro Flat Track: Brad Baker Gets His First GNC Win at Hagerstown Half-Mile

Brad Baker broke through last Saturday night for his first-ever AMA Grand National Championship Expert-ranked win and ran away with the Hagerstown Half-Mile, round 4 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season.

After a two month break due to the postponement of the Springfield Mile I round over the Memorial Day weekend, and the cancelation of the 'original' round 4 of the series the weekend prior at the Lima Half-Mile, The Rolling Thunder Show hit the clay oval at Hagerstown Speedway as 38 riders took a timed-lap in order to try their luck in qualifying for the 18-rider main event in Maryland.

In the end, though, it was all 'The Bullet's' show as he romped to his heat race win, the Dash for Cash win and led the whole show in taking his first win in his third season as an Expert-ranked rider and led 2nd-place rider Jake Shoemaker home by just over 6.7 seconds.

In the shot above, Baker takes the #12 Dodge Brothers/Atherton Family/Wiseco/D&D Exhaust-sponsored XR750 to a qualifying run at the Indy Mile in August 2012.

A big congrats goes out to BB12 for bagging that first big win in his young and what will surely be a very long and rewarding career.  Way to go man!

You can check out complete results, this week's write-up in Cycle News and some photos from the night's action below, as well as catch the official press release from AMA Pro Flat Track.


Complete results for round 4 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season at the Hagerstown Half-Mile can be found here.

A big thanks to Dave Hoenig, the official photographer for AMA Pro Flat Track and one of the contributors for Cycle News for penning this great article about the happenings at H-town last Saturday night.

And when Dave isn't shooting the stars of the greatest racing show on two wheels in the world for AMA Pro Flat Track, he's also shooting some excellent shots for his website, Flat Trak Fotos.com, where you can find his albums here from Hagerstown (note--as of this writing Dave hadn't posted his albums from round 4 as of yet, but are usually up within a few days after each event.)

And last but certainly not least, here's a sampling of Dave's photos on the AMA Pro Flat Track site from Hagerstown.

Brad Baker Perfect at Hagerstown Half-Mile for Round 4 of AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles

HAGERSTOWN, MD. (July 6, 2013) - Brad Baker (Dodge Bros Racing/Harley-Davidson) was in a different area code all night during Round 4 of AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles' main event. The Washington product claimed his first career Grand National Expert main event victory under the lights at Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, Md. Baker redefined the term domination tonight as just when you thought his lead couldn't get any bigger, he seemingly increased it almost every lap. Baker's margin of victory was a clean 6.77 seconds over second place finisher Jake Shoemaker (Kawasaki) by the end of the race and his lead was never in jeopardy.

 

 

Brad Baker gets the checkered flag after taking the #12 Dodge Brothers Harley-Davidson XR750 to his first win in the AMA Grand National Championship Expert ranks at the Hagerstown Half-Mile last Saturday night.  Round 4 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season saw the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Saddlemen Rookie of the Year sweep the evening's events in winning his heat, the Dash for Cash and the Grand National main event, leading all 25 laps on the clay surface Maryland facility.  AMA Pro Flat Track photo by Dave Hoenig.

 

 

 

 

"It feels amazing, I haven't been in the game very long as far as the expert level goes," said Baker. "But it feels like it took forever to get that first win. My motorcycle was absolutely top of the line tonight and I can't thank my team and sponsors enough. It was definitely the most comfortable I've felt on a motorcycle in a long time. I've been so eager to get this first win out of the way for a long time now and it just feels amazing to finally get it."

 

Baker's main event victory wasn't his only win of the night, as the 20-year-old won the dash for cash for an extra $1,000 payout. You just couldn't help but feel great for the young star as he's been so close to victory all season long but hasn't been able to get over the hump. Tonight he silenced all of the critics that hounded him about getting that first win with an absolute perfect performance on his Harley-Davidson.

 

Although he was nowhere near in competition with Baker, Jake Shoemaker certainly had an impressive effort tonight as he finished second in his first ever race at the Grand National Expert Twins level. Coming in third behind Shoemaker was Bryan Smith (Crosley Radio/Kawasaki EX650). Smith came all the way back from the eighth slot in the second row to earn his second podium of the year with Doug Lawrence (R&J Racing/Harley-Davidson) and Sammy Halbert (Whites Harley/Harley-Davidson) rounding out the top five.

 

AMA Pro Grand National Championship Combined Point Standings

 

1)     Brad Baker (77)

2)     Brandon Robinson (57)

3)     Henry Wiles (57)

4)     Jake Johnson (57)

5)     Kenny Coolbeth Jr. (47)

6)     Sammy Halbert (44)

7)     Bryan Smith (42)

8)     Robert Pearson (40)

9)     Mikey Rush (37)

10)  Jared Mees (33)

 

AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles

 

Jason Isennock's (High's Dairy Stores/Honda CRF450R) strong Heat 2 win earned him pole position in the AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles main event and the Maryland native took full advantage, sealing the victory after an intense battle between him and Wyatt Maguire (Kirkland Racing/Yamaha YZ 450) all the way until the drop of the checkered flag.

 

"Wyatt (Maguire) gave me a great run the whole way and it was just an awesome race," said Maguire. "I'm very happy to be on top, it's certainly been a long time coming. My team built me a rocket ship and I couldn't thank them enough. I want to say thank you to all of my sponsors and the fans for coming out and getting loud. This is just awesome."

 

Isennock's win was his first ever at the professional level and it happened to come in his hometown state of Maryland. The 26-year-old was neck and neck with Maguire - at one point the two were flip flopping leads on every turn and for the majority of the race were within less than a second of each other.

 

Dan Bromley (Bromley Brothers KTM Racing/KTM 450 SX-F) closed out the podium with Ryan Wells (Waters Auto Body/Honda CRF450R) and Stephen Vanderkuur (Parkinson Brothers Racing/Honda CRF450R) rounding out the top five.

 

AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles Point Standings

 

1)      Wyatt Maguire (67)

2)      Kyle Johnson (59)

3)      Ryan Wells (57)

4)      Jason Isennock (51)

5)      Mike Poe (42)

6)      Rodney Spencer Jr. (40)

7)      Stephen Vanderkuur (38)

8)      Jake Constantine (34)

9)      Dominic Collindres (34)

10)   Shayna Texter (32)

Next up

 

AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles takes a week off but is scheduled to return to action on July 20, 2013 at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash. for the Grays Harbor Half-Mile.  The event will mark the first of an eight week string of consecutive races.

 

For tickets and more information regarding the Grays Harbor Half-Mile, please visit http://graysharborraceway.ticketforce.com/ordertickets.asp?p=49&backurl=default.asp.

 

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

 

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

 

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

Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Round 3 from Barber Motorsports Park Now Available for Online Viewing

Complete CBS Sports Network Race Broadcasts from Barber Motorsports Park Now Available on AMA Pro Live's Online DVR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 8, 2013) - With a few days remaining until GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing competitors take to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the Buckeye SuperBike Weekend, AMA Pro Racing racing has made available all five CBS Sports Network broacasts from the Triumph SuperBike Classic presented by America's First Federal Credit Union at Barber Motorsports Park on the all-new AMA Pro Live Online DVR.

 

This free service is available to anyone with an internet connection and the race broadcasts can be viewed from any computer, mobile phone or tablet. Click the links below to begin watching each broadcast in high definition, full length and without commercial breaks. 

 

	Barber Motorsports Park Pre-Race-Show: See the stars of GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing with their helmets off and hear what they have to say before engines ignite and the tire warmers come off at the Triumph SuperBike Classic..
	National Guard SuperBike Race 1: Trying to keep up his momentum from Road America, reigning National Guard SuperBike champion Josh Hayes looks to keep firing on all cylinders heading to Barber Motorsports Park for the Triumph SuperBike Classic.
	GoPro Daytona SportBike Race 1: Watch the entire AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike Race 1 from Barber Motorsports Park for the Triumph SuperBike Classic in high definition! Yamaha Extended Service Graves Monster Energy's Cameron Beaubier came to Birmingham with winning on his mind. Though, others like RoadRace Factory/Red Bull's Jake Gagne and JD Beach looked to end his push onto the podium.
	National Guard SuperBike Race 2: After a successful race 1 push to the podium on his Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha YZF-R1, Josh Hayes looks to continue his dominance for race 2 at Barber Motorsports Park for the Triumph SuperBike Classic. The problem? Competitors like Roger Hayden (National Guard/Jordan Suzuki) and Martin Cardenas (Yoshimura Racing Suzuki) look to end his ride to the podium.
	GoPro Daytona SportBike Race 2: After a well earned victory in race 1 at the Triumph SuperBike Classic, Yamaha Extended Service's Cameron Beaubier looks to pull off another win on his Yamaha YZF-R6. Front runners like RoadRace Factory's JD Beach & Jake Gagne, Jason DiSalvo, Garrett Gerloff, Dane Westby, Bobby Fong and James Rispoli looked to the Alabama racetrack with winning intentions.

 

 

This weekend's GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing action will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network as part of the CBS Sports Spectacular. The coverage will begin Saturday, July 13 at 1:30 p.m. ET/ 10:30 a.m. PT with the weekend Preview Show, followed by AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike Race 1 at 2:00 p.m. ET/ 11:00 a.m PT and then LIVE coverage of AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Race 1 at 3:00 p.m. ET/ 12:00 noon PT.

 

Televised coverage of the event will pick back up on Sunday, July 14 at 2:00 p.m. ET/ 11:00 a.m. PT with GoPro Daytona SportBike Race 2 and will conclude with a LIVE broadcast of National Guard SuperBike Race 2 at 3:00 p.m. ET/ 12:00 noon PT. Fans can find CBS Sports Network on their TV by using the channel finder at http://www.cbssportsnetwork.com/channel-finder.

 

In addition to the live broadcasts on CBS Sports Network, AMA Pro Live will be live streaming multiple channels of behind-the-scenes video of the weekend's activities alongside Live Timing & Scoring. AMA Pro Live puts fans in the director's chair, allowing them to choose from a variety of viewpoints including track cameras, paddock cameras and a press conference channel. Streaming will begin with coverage of the weekend's practice and qualifying sessions on Friday, July 12 at 11:00 a.m. ET/8:00 a.m. PT at http://www.amaprolive.com.

 

All weekend long, stay connected with GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing on social media at http://twitter.com/AMAProSBK, http://instagram.com/AMAProSBK and

 http://www.facebook.com/AMAProRoadRacing.

 

About GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing:

 

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

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

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days to Feature Huge Swap Meet at Mid-Ohio July 19-21

Massive motorcycle swap meet planned for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- July 8, 2013 --The bargains are always close at hand BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring the riders and champions of Husqvarna, and the massive vintage motorcycle swap meet is a compelling reason why enthusiasts have circled July 19-21 on their calendars. After all, few things rev up motorcyclists like an amazing vintage bike, or that elusive factory part that they pick up for a great price.

On this mid-summer weekend, BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days will host one of the largest swap meets ever at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, as hundreds of vendors and thousands of buyers converge at the largest celebration of motorcycle heritage in the country.

 

"For many attendees, the swap meet is the top draw at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days," said AMA Vice President of Operations Jeff Massey. "It's downright huge, taking up about 20 acres of property at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The key is you never know where in those 20 acres you'll find the bike or part you want. Whether you're after a new-old-stock crank seal, a factory tune-up kit, vintage gear, fork boots, wheels, old manuals, parts bikes, fenders, sidecars, even complete bikes -- you'll find it here."

Massey added that vender applications indicate this will be one of the biggest AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days swap meets in recent history.

 

"We've made a number of improvements the last few years to increase the presentation of the swap meet," Massey said. "Enhancements have focused on traffic flow, increasing the space, adding display options and more. We're also doing more to help our shoppers find the parts they need with additional signage and direction at the swap meet's head tent, which sits at the main north entrance to the swap meet."

Vendors can purchase swap meet space on location on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition to access to a huge crowd of vintage enthusiasts, vendors will be invited to the vendor-only picnic, sponsored by Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. For additional vendor information, see www.amavintagemotorcycledays.com > Vendor And Swap Meet Info.

With proceeds supporting the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring the riders and champions of Husqvarna, is the country's premier celebration of vintage motorcycles and motorcycling heritage. The grand marshal this year is AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Dick Burleson. From 1974 to 1981, Burleson won eight consecutive AMA Grand National Enduro Championships during his remarkable career, earning the nickname "King Richard."

 

Activities at BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days include the AMA Classic Field Meet Challenge; amateur national championship roadracing, motocross, hare scrambles, trials and dirt-track in vintage classes; a motorcycle skills test; a Wall of Death stunt show; and demo rides of current street and off-road motorcycles. The weekend also features North America's largest motorcycle swap meet, seminars conducted by notable motorcycling experts and autograph sessions with AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers.

To be part of BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring the riders and champions of Husqvarna, make plans to attend the event now. For tickets, visit www.midohio.com or call (800) 643-6446. 

 

About the American Motorcyclist Association

 

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world's largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders' interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling.

 

For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.

 

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

 

Geico Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing Reviews AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series Round 3 from Barber Motorsports Park

It's a Rapp: Steve Rapp Wins Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series Race at Barber

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 1, 2013) - It seems when a racer is as versatile and experienced as GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing veteran Steve Rapp, it doesn't take a full weekend to work up to competitive speed.  In fact, if the results of the last two rounds of the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series are anything to go by, that's a pretty significant understatement.  Rapp, who has been performing double duty as a pilot -- both on two wheels and with a commercial airline -- has had to abbreviate his race weekends in order to fit it all in. At Road America, he missed an entire day of practice and qualifying and still scored a runaway triumph.   The story at Barber Motorsports Park for the Triumph SuperBike Classic presented by America's First Federal Credit Union was much the same, as the Suburban Harley-Davidson star missed the opening free practice but still managed to not only earn a spot on the front-row, but once again score a dominant breakaway victory.   Steve Rapp on the #5 Suburban Harley-Davidson-sponsored XR1200 took his second win in a row in the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series at Barber Motorsports Park on June 23.  Rapp beat defending series champion Michael Barnes by just shy of 5.5 seconds in the 11-lap race at Barber and moved to withing one point of the championship lead (63-62) currently held by Barnes.  AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.       Defending series champion Michael Barnes, who qualified on pole, pushed Rapp over the race's opening half as they ripped away from the rest of the field. However, the Californian ultimately broke Barney's pursuit and powered to a 5.454-second victory in a class that more typically measures wins in fractions of a second.  Despite the blisteringly hot conditions, Rapp circulated well under the existing track record to escape from Barnes, posting a benchmark lap of 1:34.628.  After the race Rapp said of his impressive pace, "It didn't feel faster than qualifying, especially with the heat out there. I didn't think that was possible. But I had a clean track in front of me and I was just able to get a good flow going and ride a little bit better lines. In the race everyone has that extra gear they find... extra motivation or something. I saw the times and I was kind of surprised, but the bike felt good and under control the whole time. It was just a good race."   Rapp also spoke about his surprising season with the Suburban Harley-Davidson crew: "The guys from Suburban Harley-Davidson -- from the first time I rode the bike, there's just something about it. The way we have it set up and the special things they've done for me as a rider, like handlebars and the seat and stuff like that, it just feels so good I feel like I can ride it a lot harder.  I started the season with really nothing going on and Joe from Suburban Harley called me and said if I wanted to come out for Daytona we'd at least get one race in. I said 'that'd be great' and it's just kept getting better. If we can get the whole season in, that'd be great. It's been an unexpected welcome, for sure."   While Barnes was unable to match Rapp over the full race distance, he put up a spirited fight. His clear runner-up result also sees him hold onto the points lead -- albeit by just a single point over the fast-rising Rapp, 63-62. Barnes, who despite his career credentials and status as reigning champion, has had to contend with even more team turmoil, was grateful that the Spyke's Harley-Davidson squad recently stepped up to support his attempt to successfully defend the coveted #1 plate.  Barnes said, "I'm pretty happy. Steve really set the bar at Elkhart and I wanted to keep him as honest as possible. Him missing the first practice -- I knew he'd come right out and consistently pick up speed. I knew he was going to be there and I didn't count out Tyler (O'Hara) either -- he's been known to turn it around on race day. He passed me down into Charlotte's Web on the first lap.  I just tried to hang with Steve the best I could but he was just getting me by tenths every lap. Second was the best I could do today.  I just have to thank the Spyke's Harley-Davidson crew. These guys have really stepped up to help me out when I'm in a really bad situation. It seems like a reoccurring thing with me. I just want to find a nice home and stay there and these Spyke's guys are awesome and the bikes are awesome. I'm just happy to be up here. I love this track and the fans. I'm just glad we got out of here with no heat stroke."   While Eco-Fuel Saver/Scrubblade's Tyler O'Hara was unable to push for the win this weekend, he did manage to claim the final spot on the podium at Barber Motorsports Park thanks to a dramatic last-lap maneuver past Rapp's Suburban Harley-Davidson teammate, Ben Carlson.  O'Hara commented, "It was a great race. Benny and I were just battling back and forth. (Rapp and Barnes) were riding awesome and just sort of walked away. I didn't have anything for them up front, but anytime you can get on a podium with these guys it's pretty special; they're both good guys who ride hard.  I've got to give up to my whole team this weekend. We kind of had some mechanical issues -- we blew up the 'B' bike and had to rebuild that and the transmission broke on the 'A' bike. We had some stuff to work on this weekend, but to come out of here with a podium is really good on the 'B' bike.  I had a lot of fun out there -- that's one of the most fun races I've had in a while."   Harv's Harley-Davidson's Travis Wyman settled into a steady run to close out the top-five after flashing an possible podium challenge in the race's opening stages.  A massive H-D brawl took place behind Wyman to settle sixth through 14th. That battle was ultimately won by Mob Racing's Shane Narbonne with Longevity Racing's Barrett Long and H&S Distributor's Nicholas Hansen hot in pursuit.  ChiliPepperRacing.com's Ricky Parker, and Racing For A Wish's Adam Raffe completed the top ten.   Next Up   The 2013 GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing season will resume on July 12-14 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio for the Buckeye Superbike Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire. For tickets and more information regarding the event, please visit http://www.midohio.com/Schedule/Buckeye-Superbike-Weekend-2013.   This season's GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing action is being broadcast on CBS Sports Network as part of the CBS Sports Spectacular. Fans can find CBS Sports Network on their TV by using the channel finder at http://www.cbssportsnetwork.com/channel-finder.   In addition to the live broadcasts on CBS Sports Network, AMA Pro Live will be live streaming multiple channels of behind-the-scenes video of the weekend's activities alongside Live Timing & Scoring. AMA Pro Live puts fans in the director's chair, allowing them to choose from a variety of viewpoints including track cameras, paddock cameras and a press conference channel at http://www.amaprolive.com.   Stay connected with GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing on social media at http://twitter.com/AMAProSBK and http://www.facebook.com/AMAProRoadRacing.   About GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing:   GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing is the premier motorcycle road racing series in North America and is universally regarded as one of the most competitive road racing organizations in the world. The 2013 schedule consists of nine rounds of competition on the country's finest road courses. The Series is comprised of four production-based classes: AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike, AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series. Learn more about GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing at www.amaproracing.com/rr/.

Saturday     Sunday Weekend Preview of AMA Pro Racing at Barber Motorsports Park

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

AMA Vintage Days at Mid-Ohio to Feature Classic Motorcycles July 19-21

Classic motorcycles take center stage in BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days bike show program

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- July 1, 2013 -- Two of the year's top bike shows featuring some of the finest motorcycles anywhere take place July 19-21 on the grounds of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, during BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring the riders and champions of Husqvarna.

The AMA All Years Bike Show and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Bike Show will boast head-turning vintage machines at every turn.

"BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days always brings out some amazing motorcycles, whether they're seen competing in vintage racing, cruising the swap meet or participating in one of our club-related activities," said AMA Vice President of Operations Jeff Massey. "The most-stunning examples, though, always show up in our bike shows, which attract motorcycles from all eras."

 

The AMA All Years Bike Show will take place after Friday's Lap for History. Lap for History participants will be able to stage their bikes for the show at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame tent after the lap. Judging will be people's choice and include American, European, Japanese and British categories. Registration includes a $5 donation to the Hall of Fame.

Saturday's AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Bike Show will feature restored or original vintage motorcycles outside the Hall of Fame tent. Registration opens at 8 a.m., with judging starting at noon and includes a $10 Hall of Fame donation. The show features American, British, European and Japanese models from the early 1900s through 1989.

More on the bike shows at BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days can be found at www.amavintagemotorycledays.com.

 

To be part of the bike shows at BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring the riders and champions of Husqvarna, make plans to attend the event now. For tickets, visit www.midohio.com or call (800) 643-6446.

With proceeds supporting the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring the riders and champions of Husqvarna, is the country's premier celebration of vintage motorcycles and motorcycling heritage. The grand marshal this year is AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Dick Burleson. From 1974 to 1981, Burleson won eight consecutive AMA Grand National Enduro Championships during his remarkable career, earning the nickname "King Richard." 

A sampling of the activities at BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days includes the AMA Classic Field Meet Challenge, amateur national championship roadracing, motocross, hare scrambles, trials and dirt-track in vintage classes, a motorcycle skills test, a Wall of Death stunt show, and demo rides of current street and off-road motorcycles. The weekend also features North America's largest motorcycle swap meet, seminars conducted by notable motorcycling experts and autograph sessions with AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers.

 

About the American Motorcyclist Association

 

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world's largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders' interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling.

 

For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.

 

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