From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

AMA Supermoto Championship coming to Music City USA

Ward leading the series coming into round three in Nashville

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The Tennessee State Fair and Nashville’s Music City Motorplex are set to host round three of the AMA Supermoto Championship this Saturday, Sept. 11. Former multi-time AMA Motocross and Supercross champ Jeff Ward leads the series on his Troy Lee Designs Honda. At 43, Ward shows no signs of slowing down and in fact is proving that American riders are gaining and in some cases surpassing European riders who have vastly more experience in supermoto racing.

The race is part of the State Fair’s Cycle Jam 2004 complete with the AMA Supermoto, presented by 103 WKDF, motorcycle drag racing and fireworks.

Ward took a victory in the opening doubleheader weekend in Copper Mountain, Colo., last month to get the season underway with a seven-point lead over German Jurgen Kunzel. Frenchman Alexandre Thiebault rounds out the top three in the series standings of the international field set to race at the Motorplex this weekend.

Nashville racing fans will get their first look at AMA Supermoto, which combines the high-flying aerobatics of supercross, the knee scrapping lean angles of road racing and the broad sliding of flat track and condenses them into one of the most exciting shows on two wheels. Riders race on converted motocross bikes running road racing slicks. Speeds approach 100 miles per hour on the tight tracks consisting of both paved and dirt sections.

Ward is not the only former motocross star making waves in AMA Supermoto. His Troy Lee Designs Honda teammate Doug Henry, himself a three-time AMA Motocross champion, won the first race of the Copper Mountain doubleheader, but had the misfortune of his bike breaking in the second race while in the lead. As a result Henry comes into Nashville ranked seventh in the series, anxious to make up the points gap on the leaders.

In spite of coming into the Music City with the points lead Ward has no thoughts of being conservative. “If you don’t go 100 percent then you’ll get beat in this series,” said Ward, who last raced in Nashville as an Indy Racing League (IRL) driver. “(Doug) Henry showed a lot of speed in Colorado, but I can’t worry just about him. The Europeans, like Kunzel and Thiebault, still have a lot more experience and I’m sure they’re going to be a factor.”

In last year’s inaugural AMA Supermoto season many of the Europeans were fastest in qualifying, yet it was the American riders such as Ward, Henry and road racers Ben Bostrom and Doug Chandler who came away with all the wins.

“The Americans are learning the sport quickly,” said Germany’s Kunzel, a world championship competitor who earned a pole in Colorado. “They are very good athletes and are able to maintain speed for the entire race. As more of the world championship riders come here I think they will be surprised by the intensity of the American series.”

In addition to the individual championship race, AMA Supermoto also features a team championship. Troy Lee Designs Honda leads the team series over the Red Bull KTM squad, while CHM Exhaust Pro Honda Oils is third in the team standings.

Supporting the main AMA Supermoto class at Nashville is the Supermoto Unlimited Series. Red Bull KTM’s Jurgen Kunzel leads that championship after winning the first two rounds. British rider Kurt Nicoll is second followed by Californian Micky Dymond.

The AMA Supermoto Championship is nationally televised on the Outdoor Life Network (OLN). The Nashville race will be taped for later broadcast on OLN. Check your local television listings for show dates and times.

For additional information contact the Music City Motorplex at (615) 726-1818 or visit the website www.musiccitymotorplex.com .

For immediate post-race results, points, live transponder scoring, in-depth series and rider information and much more, log onto www.AMASupermoto.com .



Schedule of Events



Friday, September 10

3:00 – 6:00 PM – Registration: Riders, Crew, Sponsors & Guests

3:00 – 6:00 PM – Tech inspection

6:00 PM – Entries Closed for Event



Saturday, September 11

7:00 AM – 3:00 PM – Registration: Crew, Sponsors & Guests (Will-call only 6:00 – 8:00 PM)

8:00 AM – Tech Inspection Opens

10:00 AM -11:00 AM Practice: 1. Supermoto Group A – 12 minutes; 2. Supermoto Group B – 12 minutes; 3. Honda Red Riders Jr. Supermoto Challenge – 8 minutes; 4. Supermoto Unlimited – 12 minutes

11:15 AM – Mandatory Riders Meeting

12:00 PM – Timed Qualifying Session #1; 1. Supermoto Group A – 12 minutes; 2. Supermoto Group B – 12 minutes; 3. Supermoto Unlimited – 12 minutes; 4. Honda Red Riders Jr. Supermoto Challenge Practice – 10 minutes

1:00 PM – Timed Qualifying Session #2: 1. Supermoto Group A – 15 minutes; 2. Supermoto Group B – 15 minutes; 3. Supermoto Unlimited – 15
minutes

2:00PM – 3:00 PM – Lunch Break

3:00 PM – Heat Races: 1. Supermoto – 4 races, 8 laps; 2. Honda Red Riders Jr. Supermoto Challenge – 6 laps; 3. Supermoto Unlimited – 2 races, 8 laps

8:00 PM – Opening Ceremonies

8:15 PM – Supermoto Superpole (top 8 riders from heats)

7:45 PM – Semi-Finals: 1. Supermoto – 6 laps; 2. Supermoto Unlimited – 6 laps

8:15 PM – Intermission

9:30 PM – Supermoto Final – 24 laps

10:05 PM – Honda Red Riders Jr. Supermoto Challenge Final – 10 laps

10:30 PM – Supermoto Unlimited Final – 24 laps