AMA Superbike has been in trouble for most of the year. It was taken over by Daytona Motorsport Group who instantly announced changes were afoot. A breakaway series was mooted by the US bike industry, but that ended up as sabre rattling.
Yesterday, DMG announced its final classes and rules for the series, and awarded Dunlop the single-tyre tender. American Superbike will be the new premier class for AMA Pro Racing, and will showcase the traditional 1,000cc machines that competed in the former AMA Superbike class in the past.
The new rules for the class are based on rules that were adopted by a committee comprised of the AMA staff, representatives of the various manufacturers, as well as experienced personnel from the American road racing infrastructure. Much of the new class structure has been architected with the participation and counsel of the major motorcycle manufacturers.
The class will adopt a spec tire and spec fuel and features changes that were made as a means to promote parity and to address the ever-escalating costs of competing in professional motorsports programs. American Superbike will compete in two feature races of 50 miles each at most events.
Click here to download the full rulebook.
Also featured at all AMA Pro Racing weekends will be a new middleweight class to be known as Daytona SportBike. This class has been designed to include a broad range of competition equipment that formerly competed in AMA Supersport and AMA Formula Xtreme, as well as two- and three-cylinder machines not normally featured in AMA Professional events.
This class will make its competition debut in the 2009 Daytona 200 By Honda, America’s most prestigious motorcycle event. The green flag will drop on the field for the first time under the lights at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, March 6.
AMA Pro Racing will include a third class, newly created for 2009, known as SuperSport. This category is designed as an entry-level class for professionally licensed riders aged 16-21, competing on 600cc production motorcycles with minimal modifications. Riders will be limited to three years of competition in the new class. SuperSport competition will provide young riders an affordable opportunity to hone their skills at AMA National events and create a clear path to advance to the higher levels of professional road racing.
Many 2009 race weekends will also include the popular Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup. This class showcases future road racing stars aged 14-16 that have been selected for the Series through Red Bull’s national competition program.
In addition, the SunTrust MOTO-ST Series is being revamped to include 600cc four-cylinder machines. The structure will go from three classes to two (GT1 and GT2) and will compete at select events, concluding with the 8 Hours At Daytona during Biketoberfest. The revamped program will be renamed SunTrust MOTO-GT.
AMA Pro Racing will review the specific lineup for each event weekend with the event promoters, who will announce their own weekend event schedules.
“The class structure we are announcing today bears little resemblance to that which we proposed several months ago, however I believe it will accomplish our goals of increased safety, parity and cost containment,” said Roger Edmondson, President of AMA Pro Racing. “The program we have worked out with input from the industry will provide for participation by a wide variety of brands, and should provide a showcase for the best riders in American racing, with the added benefit of running at the best venues in the United States. We were fortunate to have the assistance of many stakeholders in the creation of the program, including the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC).”
AMA Pro Racing has already released a 12-event schedule for 2009. In addition to its traditional events, pending safety committee input, American Superbikes and the AMA Pro Racing Program will return July 31-August 2 to Heartland Park in Topeka, Kansas, for the first time in several years, and make their first visit to New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J., September 4-6.
Dunlop have won the tyre tender. “This is a very exciting announcement,” said Roger Edmondson, President of AMA Pro Racing. “Dunlop is a logical selection, and the continuation of a long partnership Dunlop has fostered with many of the AMA Road Racing teams. We are confident they will continue to supply an outstanding product for AMA Road Racing. Having all of our competitors on the same tires will help us in our drive for parity, safety, and cost containment.”
“We’re pleased and excited about the opportunity to continue our long standing relationship with the teams and riders that make up the AMA paddock,” said Mike Buckley, Vice President Motorcycle, Dunlop Tire N.A. “Professional road racing always has and will continue to be an integral part of the Dunlop marketing efforts and of course the venue for development of the next generation of sport radial products enjoyed by all our customers today and in the future. We’d like to thank everyone involved at AMA Pro Racing for selecting us. We're looking forward to getting the 2009 season underway at upcoming tests.”
Dunlop, a long-time supporter of AMA Road Racing, has supported teams that have captured the last 22 Superbike championships – including the last 18 in a row – and have won 21 consecutive titles in the former Supersport division. In addition, Dunlop was undefeated in AMA Superstock and won all but one of the 11 titles in Formula Xtreme.
