Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

AHRMA (American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association) officials have decided to move AHMRA’s 2003 pre-Daytona event from the DeLand Municipal Airport in DeLand, Florida, to North Florida Motorsports Park in Jennings, Florida, due to the deteriorating surface of the DeLand runways.

According to AHRMA’s Matt Benson, AHRMA will share the North Florida venue with WERA Vintage, and may reinstate a policy of recognizing WERA Vintage race licenses for the one-off event.

Originally, AHRMA held an event at Roebling Road Raceway in Faulkville, Georgia, prior to its annual event at Daytona International Speedway on the weekdays between the CCS and AMA events at the speedway. Several years ago AHRMA moved its pre-Daytona event to DeLand to allow competitors to stay at one hotel through both events. But AHRMA road racing competitors have become “increasingly unhappy” with the condition of the surface, and according to Benson, representatives from DeLand Municipal Airport only offered “stop-gap” solutions to the problem.

Benson said that the basic framework has been worked out and dates for the WERA/AHRMA event are set for February 26-28, with open practice held on the 26th, WERA Vintage racing on the 27th and AHRMA racing on the 28th. Leaders from both AHRMA and WERA Vintage are currently working to finalize the details of the event, such as the inter-organizational race license recognition.

Benson also told Roadracingworld.com that AHRMA is looking at rule changes for the 2003 season, including possibly re-aligning some of the Twins classes “so that the (Suzuki) SV650s only dominate one class,” and revising the Production Singles classes to attract increasingly popular Super Motard-style machines.