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2014 AMA Speedway News
AMA Speedway National Championship Series kicks off on June 7 PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- AMA Speedway contests features some of the closest and action-packed racing on two wheels, and in 2014 will highlight a full slate of national-caliber competition by seasoned pros and tomorrow's stars. The country's best will showcase their talents in the AMA National Championship Series, which kicks off June 7 at Costa Mesa Speedway in Orange County, Calif. This year's competition calendar also includes the AMA Long Track National Championship, the Under-21 National Championship and the Youth National Championship. "Without a doubt, speedway is one of the most exciting Motorsports on the planet," said AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant. "With U.S. talent reaching world-class levels, we're seeing even closer and faster championship battles each year. Add in the unpredictability of tight, circle-track sprint racing and you never know who might climb the podium on any given night." Following the June 7 opener, the AMA Speedway National Championship Series heads to Ventura Raceway in Ventura, Calif., on June 28; City of Industry, Calif., on Aug. 9; then Gold Country Fairgrounds on Sept. 19. Brad Oxley from Costa Mesa Speedway said he is looking forward to hosting national championship racing. "Costa Mesa Speedway is thrilled to be included in the 2014 AMA Speedway National Championship Series," Oxley said. "I want to offer a big thanks to our fellow national championship series promoters, and Bill Cumbow and the entire AMA staff for their support. We anticipate the start of the series with a renewed sense of optimism and co-operation." Added Steve Evans of Ventura Raceway: "The 2014 series is really breaking ground for the sport of Speedway in America. Last year we had three rounds all at different venues, but we were lacking some of the bigger, more-established tracks. Now with the Big Two in Southern California -- Costa Mesa and Industry Hills -- joining series staple Auburn and the fabulous seaside track at Ventura, we are growing to four rounds. I am excited to be involved and co-promoting the round at Ventura on June 28, as well as the standalone Long Track National on July 19 at Perris Auto Speedway. This is a great year to be involved in AMA Speedway." Longtime AMA Speedway promoter Dave Joiner of Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway said he is thrilled that new promoters and venues are joining the series. "We look forward to the expansion to the AMA National Championship Series, and we welcome Costa Mesa Speedway into the strongest series ever," Joiner said. "The 2014 season will be the best ever, and thanks to the AMA for the hard work making this happen. This will make for a great summer for riders and organizers alike. Good luck to everybody involved!" Industry Racing is a new venue on the AMA Speedway National Championship Series calendar. "All of us at Industry Racing are really happy about Costa Mesa Speedway coming on board and hosting a round of the 2014 AMA Speedway National Championship," said Industry Racing Race Track Director Kelly Inman. "International Speedway, as well as Costa Mesa, is iconic and rich in history in American speedway, and I'm always excited to work with them. I have had a lot of very positive meetings with AMA over the last couple years, along with some very successful AMA-sanctioned races, and I think this is yet another positive step in building the future of speedway in the United States." The national series will feature 14 permanent riders, with two wildcard spots up for grabs at each round. Selection of eight of the 14 permanent riders is based on 2013 final standings. The pre-selected riders are Billy Janniro, Billy Hamill, Gino Manzares, Max Ruml, Aaron Fox, Charlie Venegas, Eddie Castro and Bryan Yarrow. The other spots will be determined by the AMA and the AMA Speedway Advisory Committee prior to the first round. In addition to the AMA Speedway National Championship Series, three additional national championship events in 2014 will showcase America's amateur and sportsman competition. On July 19, the Perris Auto Speedway in Perris, Calif., will host the AMA Long Track National Championship. The Youth National Championships will be Aug. 15 at Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn, Calif. The AMA Under-21 National Championship will be Aug. 22, also in Auburn. New for 2014 is an AMA Speedway Racing License, available to all competitors in AMA Speedway competition this season. Designed to hang on a lanyard, the license will include a rider's photo, division and other competition-related information. There is no additional cost for the license from the AMA. In addition to U.S. national competition, the AMA manages the U.S. team at the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme Speedway World Cup. The 2014 FIM Speedway World Cup finale will be Aug. 2 in Bydgoszcz, Poland. AMA Speedway competition has a long and storied history dating back to the mid-1920s. One of the sport's early stars was America's first world champion: AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Jack Milne, who won the 1937 Individual Speedway Championship in London. Today, speedway is known for its fast action and tight racing. A meet features numerous heats of four riders each, power-sliding single-speed bikes with no brakes counter-clockwise around a dirt oval. For more information about AMA-sanctioned speedway competition, see American Motorcyclist. About the American Motorcyclist Association
March 24, 2014 Media contact: James Holter American Motorcyclist Association adds speedway partners for 2014 In addition, competitors in AMA Speedway competition will receive an AMA Speedway Racing License for 2014. Designed to hang on a lanyard, the license will include a rider's photo, division and other critical information. Partnering speedway promoters will waive or reduce additional annual track fees for AMA-licensed speedway competitors. "The AMA has made a long-term commitment to advancing the sport of speedway competition in America, and our efforts are enhanced by these partnerships," said AMA Director of Racing Bill Cumbow. "We're looking forward to another year of positive growth for speedway, both in this country and abroad as American riders vie for international recognition." New for 2014, Industry Racing (Industry Speedway Racing) is sanctioning its full competition calendar with the AMA. Industry Racing, which will hold 14 events at the Industry Hills Expo Center in Industry, Calif., in 2014, is an anchor of speedway racing in Southern California. Opening day is May 28 and will feature racing in all divisions, including sidecars. "The Industry Racing Team is very excited to work in conjunction with the AMA," said Industry Racing Operations Manager Carol J. Perez. "This will help support the continued growth of American speedway racing in Southern California and build the platform for American speedway racers to launch their professional racing careers in Europe." Added Industry Racing Race Track Director Kelly Inman: "We have had a great relationship with AMA over the last couple years with the sanctioning of select events, and we see a benefit for the track and its riders to compete under America's premier motorcycle racing sanctioning body. Corporate sponsorship, and attracting riders from other facets of motorcycle racing, especially youth riders, are just a couple examples of how being sanctioned by the AMA can help our efforts to grow the sport." Industry Racing joins Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway in Northern California's Auburn on the AMA schedule. Fast Fridays (www.fastfridays.com) has 20 events scheduled for 2014. The season kicks off with Magnussen's Dodge Corona Find Your Beach Night Season Opener on May 9. "I am thrilled that the hard-working group at Industry Racing will join the AMA in helping reinforce the association's huge efforts to improve American speedway, not only at the national level, but also at the international level, especially with our FIM World Team Cup team," said Fast Friday's Dave Joiner, a 19-year veteran of AMA-sanctioned racing promotions. "We must increase AMA membership and American speedway participation to help fuel the continued growth of the sport. We're also pleased to participate in the new AMA Speedway Racing License program. This should be very popular with all supporters and speedway racers, and help bind the speedway community together." The expert classes at Industry Racing and Fast Fridays events will feature the country's top riders, a select few of whom will represent the United States in the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme Speedway World Cup and Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship campaigns, managed by Billy Hamill, 1996 Speedway world champion, a past U.S. championship team member and 2012 AMA Sportsman of the Year. "Industry Racing is a top program, and it's great to see them sanction all their events with the AMA," Hamill said. "Industry Racing has been and continues to be very supportive of furthering youth development here in the United States. They've also been very supportive of our international racing efforts. All of this can benefit American speedway for years to come." Speedway bikes can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 3 seconds, and skilled riders can navigate an entire oval at full speed, sliding within inches of each other as they round the curves fully sideways. A typical speedway program features back-to-back racing, as riders earn their slot on the main event grid through a series of thrilling, fast-paced qualifiers. About the American Motorcyclist Association
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