Following a meeting and vote of the AMA Rules Committee in Ohio last Thursday, and subsequent ratification by the AMA Board of Directors, AMA Pro Racing has issued a Competition Bulletin making Traction Control legal, effective immediately. Any type of traction control is now legal in the Superbike and FX classes, including the type that requires use of a front-wheel speed sensor–an example being the system used by Ducati in World Superbike. Traction control that doesn’t use non-stock sensors–an example being the BPD system used by Jordan Motorsports Suzuki at Barber–is now legal in Superstock and Supersport. Traction control systems that use standard sensors only are available for about $8500 per motorcycle. The text of the Competition Bulletin follows: All Road Race Licensed Riders and Season Credential Holders FROM: Kevin Crowther, Director of Technical Development DATE: July 17, 2006 SUBJECT: Effective immediately replace rule E.23.A pg 36 with: a. For Superstock and Supersport, any form of engine control system that can actively change the performance/acceleration of the engine using input from any sensors that are not OEM on the motorcycle, to create a situation of better traction at the rear wheel at any time while the motorcycle is being ridden is prohibited. Should you have any questions concerning this information, please contact Kevin Crowther at (614)856-1900 ext1230 or [email protected]. More, from a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing: AMA ROAD RACE RULES COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES RULE CHANGE PICKERINGTON, Ohio (July 17, 2006) — AMA Pro Racing announced today that the newly-formed Road Race Rules Committee unanimously approved a change to the rule regarding traction control in the AMA Superbike Championship. The rule change, announced this morning via an AMA Pro Racing Competition Bulletin, reads as follows: Effectively immediately replace E.23A, pg 36 with: a. For Superstock and Supersport, any form of engine control system that can actively change the performance/acceleration of the engine using input from any sensors that are not OEM on the motorcycle, to create a situation of better traction at the rear wheel at any time while the motorcycle is being ridden is prohibited. The rule change effectively legalizes the use of traction control devices in the AMA Superbike and AMA Formula Xtreme classes while limiting the application of such devices in the AMA Supersport and AMA Superstock classes. “It is our belief, and one that was echoed by each member of the rules committee, is that we should continue to limit the use of traction control devices in the stock classes but open it up in the modified classes,” said AMA Pro Racing Director of Technical Development, Kevin Crowther. “This rule change is consistent with the spirit of our class rules and objectively recognizes the current state of development of this emerging technology.” Crowther pointed out that OEM application of traction control on production motorcycles is imminent. Under new AMA Pro Racing rules making guidelines, rules are proposed by a discipline-specific rules committee then forwarded to the AMA Board of Directors for ratification. The Road Race Rules Committee held its inaugural meeting last Thursday at AMA headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio where the committee voted to not only approve this specific rule but also that the board approve its immediate implementation. “Everyone agreed that this rule change was important enough to have it implemented immediately,” confirmed Crowther. “We’re happy that the committee acted quickly and was supported decisively by the board.”