Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

AFM South, once the road racing leader in Southern California, will be revived starting in 2003, with races at California Speedway and Buttonwillow Raceway.

That’s the word from insiders following a recent AFM Board meeting.

At one time AFM ruled road racing in California, with Chapters based in Berkeley (AFM North), Norwalk (AFM South) and Sacramento (AFM Sacramento). The organization, which was founded in 1954, was the FIM affiliate in the United States in the 1960s, and held GP-style road races when AMA events still featured dirt-track bikes on pavement.

AFM Sacramento folded up in the 1970s and AFM South dried up and was dissolved over a decade ago; the club was banned from Willow Springs in a dispute with track owner Bill Huth and lost alternative venues when other Southern California tracks–such as Riverside International Raceway–closed down.

AFM North became AFM (period), and the organization has prospered with record rider turnouts at its home track, Sears Point, along with strong participation at Thunder Hill and Buttonwillow.

In its heyday, AFM South had far more members in Southern California than WSMC, Willow Springs’ captive race sanctioning organization, currently has. At one time, AFM South held races at Willow Springs and at Carlsbad International Raceway, as well as at now-defunct Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California; Orange Country International Raceway in Irvine; and Riverside International Raceway in Riverside. Prior to Thunder Hill and Buttonwillow being built, AFM North held races at Sears Point and, infrequently, at Laguna Seca.

A public announcement of the revival of AFM South is expected soon.