Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

A group of motocross promoters irate at AMA Pro Racing is running a slate of three candidates for the three AMA Board of Directors seats up for election this fall.

The seats, representing the northern half of the country, are currently held by lawyer Dal Smilie (North West), retired executive Jeff Smith (North Central) and lawyer Rick Gray (North East).

The promoters are angry at what they see as a lack of responsiveness and an attitude of arrogance on the part of AMA Pro Racing, which is a for-profit subsidiary of the non-profit AMA.

Two years ago, a slate of road racers ran for the AMA Board under the Take Back The AMA slogan, defeating three incumbents representing the southern half of the country by wide margins. That slate also cited a lack of responsiveness and an attitude of arrogance on the part of AMA Pro Racing.

John Ulrich was elected to represent the South West region, Jeff Nash was elected to represent the South Central region and Kevin Schwantz was elected to represent the South East region. Schwantz subsequently moved his primary residence out of his region and back to Texas, and resigned his Board seat. The incumbent he had defeated, Carl Reynolds, was then appointed to the South East seat on the Board; Schwantz retained an appointed seat on the separate AMA Pro Racing Board.

Since the election of Ulrich and Nash, the 12-member main AMA Board has sent several resolutions ordering AMA Pro Racing to improve communications, rider safety and operations, with limited success, but the AMA Board majority has not backed calls for fundamental change in the structure and operations of AMA Pro Racing.

Nash was recently appointed to the eight-man AMA Pro Board, where he has been outvoted.

The dynamics of the AMA Board and the fundamental relationship between the non-profit AMA and for-profit AMA Pro Racing could change dramatically if the motocross slate of candidates is elected this fall.

Stay tuned for developments.