The Good Old Boys on the AMA Board of Trustees are fighting to retain control of the Association with a mailing adressed “To All AMA Members” and characterizing the Take Back The AMA slate of challengers as not being representative.

The mailing was published over the names of Trustees Rick Gray, Dal Smilie and Jeff Smith and endorses running-for-re-election incumbents Carl Reynolds, Ron Widman and Ellis Robertson.

Reynolds is running against Kevin Schwantz, Widman is running against Jeff Nash, and Robertson is running against John Ulrich. Schwantz, Nash and Ulrich are running as the Take Back The AMA slate.

The mailing in support of the incumbents makes no reference to and offers no defense for the incumbent board spending $3 million of members’ money to settle the Edmondson lawsuit in June of 2001, and makes no mention of Reynolds’ key role in the entire Edmondson debacle.

At post time, roadracingworld.com was unable to contact AMA President Rob Rasor to ask him how the incumbents obtained the AMA membership mailing list for use in their campaign.

From a press release:

Clear Channel Entertainment announces the 2002
Formula USA National Road Race Series

AURORA, Ill. (December 6, 2001) – Clear Channel Entertainment’s motor sports division announced today the 2002 Formula USA National Road Race Series schedule.

Formula USA’s expanded schedule will begin and end again at the world famous Daytona International Speedway. Formula USA’s third season of road racing includes returning to several of America’s premier racing facilities, and a new visit to New Hampshire International Speedway, in Loudon.

The schedule also features Formula USA’s first ever Canadian competition with a July 19-21 event at Mosport International Raceway in Toronto.

The 2002 Formula USA National Road Race Series schedule follows:




Feb 27-Mar 3 Daytona Int’l Speedway Daytona Beach, Fla.

May 23-26 Summit Point Raceway Summit Point, W.Va.

June 14-16 New Hampshire Int’l Speedway Loudon, N.H.

July 19-21 Mosport Int’l Raceway Toronto, Ont. Can

August 1-4 Road America Elkhart Lake, Wis.

August 22-25 Pocono Raceway Long Pond, Pa.

Sept 5-8 Portland Int’l Raceway Portland, Ore.

Oct 16-20 Daytona Int’l Speedway Daytona Beach, Fla.



“We are pleased to announce our grandest schedule yet,” said Bill Syfan, director of road racing for Formula USA. “The increased number of events equates to more opportunities for riders and fans nationwide to be a part of Formula USA’s National Road Race Series and all of the other activities on a Formula USA weekend. Even at eight total events, we are still reviewing potential additions, but felt a need to communicate our confirmed dates today.”

The racing format will be headlined by the Lockhart Phillips Superbike class and supported again by the Formula USA Pro Sportbikes and the Buell Lightning Series. Five other support classes will round out the weekend’s racing action, while the Formula USA Motorsports Expo, XSBA (Xtreme Sport Bike Association) stunt bike competitions, and many other activities give fans a variety of entertainment all for one ticket price. Also returning is the TEAM HAMMER Advanced Riding School and Track Rides, the motorcycle road race school program offered the opening day of each event. (Except the Loudon & Mosport events.) TEAM HAMMER provides expert training and track time to entry level enthusiasts on the world’s premier tracks. For more information, visit www.formulausa.com

From a press release:

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The first and only Italian and European MotoGP to take part in the 2002 World Championship has been unveiled: the three-cylinder Aprilia RS3 990 was presented at 11:30 today at the MotorShow in Bologna. It was revealed to the public at the Aprilia stand by the company president, Ing. Ivano Beggio: “This is undoubtedly the most important racing bike in the history of Aprilia, and also the one which has required the greatest commitment in terms of time and money. This machine embodies all our passion, our finest technology and our very dreams. I’m proud to present the RS3 as the first European bike to line up for the challenge and battle with the titans of the Far East.”

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President Beggio was joined by the head of the Racing Department, Ing. Jan Witteveen, who explained the technical concepts on which the new Italian four-stroke motorcycle is based: “Part of our mission was to contain both weight and size, so we decided that a three-cylinder engine would be ideal (135 kg minimum weight, next to 145 for the four- or five-cylinder bikes): the set-up is derived from our two-cylinder, two-stroke 500 which was used in racing up to the year 2000. We’ve selected only the most reliable and innovative technology for the engine, including the pneumatic valve return already tested in Formula 1. In a few days time, we’ll be out on the track testing with Marcellino Lucchi and, in January, with the World Championship rider.”

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From a press release:

KAWASAKI ROAD RACING ANNOUNCES THIRD RIDER FOR 2002 TEAM

Young privateer Tony Meiring to campaign a NINJA® ZX-6R in the 600 class

IRVINE, Calif. (December 6, 2001) — Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., today announced that former privateer Tony Meiring will join Team Kawasaki Road Racing, along with reigning AMA 600 SuperSport Champion Eric Bostrom and recently signed Tommy Hayden. Together with Hayden, 18-year-old Meiring will contest the highly competitive 600 SuperSport class only.

Although this is Meiring’s first factory-supported ride, the northern Californian is no stranger to racing. His first ride was on an off-road machine at the age of 2, and by the time he turned 4 years old he was racing dirt-track. Meiring has racked up at least a dozen national and regional dirt-track championships, and in 1999 he earned the AMA’s prestigious Horizon Award, which honors the most promising of up-and-coming racers.

Having achieved his dirt-track goals, Meiring expanded his racing horizons by turning to road racing. As a privateer with his father as his mechanic, Meiring honed his pavement skills and accumulated numerous podium finishes while competing at the club level. In 2001, he contested the AMA’s 750 SuperSport class, still as a privateer, and he finished sixth overall and captured two podium spots–-one at Laguna Seca and one at Brainerd. Said Meiring: “My goals were to learn the AMA racetracks, and finish in the top 10 in the 750 SuperSport class. This being my rookie year, I am very pleased with my accomplishments. But I’m definitely planning to improve in 2002.”

Meiring added, “I’ve been racing for 14 years, and I’m really excited to have an opportunity to work with this championship-winning team. I can’t wait to do some laps on the ZX-6R. It’s such a great bike and Eric did such an amazing job last year, I only hope that I can progress to that level.”

Likewise, Team Manager Mike Preston is also excited about the upcoming season. He enthused, “We’re excited to have a young rider who shows such a lot of talent and potential. We’re looking to build future champions for years to come.”

(Editor’s note: Young Meiring’s deal with Kawasaki was put together by Jeff Haney of OMS Ltd.)

From a press release:

Honda Racing News

HRC Test Session Barcelona. December 6, 2001.
Weather; sunny but cold, track temperature 21 degrees C high – 11 degrees C low; track conditions, good.

Ukawa and Itoh Test RC211V at Barcelona

HRC continued their winter test programme at the 4.427km Montmelo circuit, close to Barcelona, Spain, today with team rider Tohru Ukawa and their most experienced test rider, former GP star Shinichi Itoh. World 500cc Champion Valentino Rossi did not test at Montmelo today.

The fast Montmelo circuit places different demands on a racing motorcycle than the tight 4.423km Jerez track, where the team tested the RCV last week. The contrast in speed and type of corners found at the two tracks will allow HRC engineers to assess the RCV’s all-round performance in much broader terms.

Despite the low track surface temperatures the team accomplished much. Ukawa and Itoh were both running at close to 500cc lap record time of 1:46.619, established by Rossi at the grand prix in June of this year.

In fact they lapped the track under Rossi’s lap record time but almost a second slower than the 2001 pole position time. Ukawa’s was fastest with a best time of 1:46.37, with Itoh slightly slower at 1:46.60.

Tohru Ukawa: “I’m pleased with the performance of the RCV here. We have mainly worked on the suspension today, trying to get the machine set-up for this track. The work we did at Jerez last week has given us an idea of the direction we have to take and I’m pleased with the results of today’s test.”

Shinichi Itoh: “We did a lot of work on the bike today. It was good to test the RCV in such different conditions to those at Jerez. Not only the difference in track lay-out but the surface temperature, which was much lower than it was at Jerez, and there was not much grip.”

The Honda Gresini team also attended the Barcelona test with reigning 250cc World Champion Daijiro Katoh testing the NSR500 he will race in 2002, and the team’s new 250cc rider Roberto Rolfo who continued to acquaint himself with the individual characteristics of the Honda, and the workings of his new team.

Rolfo’s 250cc teammate, Emilio Alzamora, completed very few laps before parking his NSR250. Alzamora badly bruised his knee in a Super Motard event at Madrid on Sunday. The knee was still painful and gave him no feeling from the track top while cornering, and making it difficult for him to move around on the bike. He wisely called it a day after a few laps.

Daijiro Katoh: “This track is much faster than Jerez and I feel more at home on the bike here. A much better feeling. We’ve been working to get the bike to handle on this track, mainly suspension, and I must say I’m happier with the results so far. We will see how things go tomorrow but I’m confident we will improve still more.”

Roberto Rolfo: “Like the other riders at this test I’m going much better than at Jerez. Each time I ride the bike I learn something. I’m beginning to understand the bike better and I’m adjusting my style to suit the bike and the bike to suit my style. We were working on the suspension today and I’m getting to know how the set up works. Because of the cold temperatures there was not much grip today but I’m pleased with what we achieved.”


Times:
Tohru Ukawa, RC211V, 1:46.37, 63 laps

Shinichi Itoh, RC211V, 1:46.60, 51 laps

Daijiro Katoh, NSR500, 1:46.4, 37 laps

Roberto Rolfo, NSR250, 1:50.3, 50 laps

From a press release:

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
Testing – Kyalami (South Africa) – Day 3
Thursday 6th December 2001

BOSTROM (DUCATI L&M) CONCLUDES POSITIVE THREE-DAY TEST IN SOUTH AFRICA

Ducati L&M’s Ben Bostrom has concluded a three-day official Dunlop tyre test at the Kyalami circuit near Johannesburg, South Africa, the venue for the third round of the 2002 World Superbike Championship.

The 27-year-old Californian, winner in Kyalami at the start of this year, tested from Tuesday to Thursday at the 4.263 km circuit, recording a quickest time of 1:42.14 on the first day.

Bostrom, third overall in this year’s championship, was testing the brand-new Ducati 996R Factory ’02 bike and completed 45 laps today, recording a best time of 1:42.48 and taking his three-day total up to 168 laps.

Conditions on the final day were scorching hot, with temperatures up to 34° C (air) and 48° C (track), but rain began to fall at around 3:00 pm, bringing the test to an end.

“After we finished our tyre programme, we wanted to do something with the set-up, but it started to rain and we had to stop early today”, said Bostrom. “The three-day test went really well and we learnt a lot for the race here in April. The tyre we found was great, much better than the one we ran last year, when I won, so things are looking good. I’m really happy with the new bike and with the time I recorded on Tuesday, but I wanted to do my fastest lap on a Q-tyre and we never really had a chance to run one. As for my shoulder, I still feel a bit tired and sore after doing more than 150 laps in three days but it was great to get back on the bike for the first time since my operation”.

Bostrom immediately left South Africa for Bologna, Italy, where he is scheduled to ride a KTM motocross bike in this weekend’s spectacular Superbikers race.

I found it a great pleasure to cast my vote for Jeff Nash the same day the magazine arrived – it’s time to run our organization according to the wishes of the membership majority instead of a select few.

Art Astle
Tulsa, Oklahoma



I let my AMA membership lapse for about 5 years for a few reasons; I was an impoverished graduate student, and I moved a few times a year, I got divorced, and I could no longer afford to race. I felt guilty about that because I ride a motorcycle every day, and I know that the AMA does good things. I felt much less guilty when I found out about the Edmondson debacle. In fact, I was glad I had let my membership lapse, and was not considering joining again until I heard about the “Take Back The AMA” platform.

I joined the AMA on 16 October 2001, according to their records; as a first year Geology professor here at Cal Poly, I am pretty busy and it is hard to keep track of those kinds of events. Today I called to inquire about the December issue and my ballot, and also to request a ballot for my wife. She rides as well and has her own motorcycle, and is an associate member who does not receive the magazine.

When I signed us up via telephone, I was told I would have to request a ballot for her. I called today, and was told that members who signed up after September 2001 could not vote this year! The person I spoke with on the phone got this information from a “supervisor”.

I don’t how I can verify this “law”, or its origin, but I think that cut off date is remarkable close to when the “take back the AMA” platform came out. If that law is in fact “in the books”, well I guess I blew it. If it is not, then some unethical people are trying to keep people like me from voting.

For the record, if the “take back the AMA platform” loses, I will not renew my membership, despite Jerry Wood’s excellent editorial. I paid my hard-earned $40.00, and I am very angry that I cannot vote.

Thanks,
Tony
—
Antonio F. Garcia
Cal Poly State University
Physics Department
San Luis Obispo, California

A campaign mailer issued over the names and titles of sitting AMA Trustees Rick Gray, Dal Smilie and Jeff Smith appears to violate AMA bylaws prohibiting Trustees from expressing personal opinions under the guise of their official position on the AMA Board.

AMA bylaws require Trustees to clearly differentiate between personal opinions and statements made as an individual, versus official positions and statements made while representing the Association.

The mailer, issued in support of standing-for-re-election incumbents Carl Reynolds, Ron Widman and Ellis Robertson, is signed:

Rick Gray, Northeast Director, Chair Of The Board

Dal Smilie, Northwest Director, Vice Chair of The Board

Jeff Smith, North Central Director



At post time it was not known if the campaign mailer was produced by the AMA itself or expressed an official position, which in itself could violate AMA bylaws.

AMA President Rob Rasor could not be reached for comment and is believed to be in Palm Springs, California, attending an AMA Board of Trustees meeting.

2002 WERA/GMD Computrack National Endurance Series

4/6 Grand Bayou Circuit – 4 Hour

4/20 North Florida Motorsports Park – 6 Hour

5/4 Putnam Park Road Course – 4 Hour

5/25 Virginia International – 4 Hour

6/8 Roebling Road Raceway – 6 Hour

6/15 Talladega Gran Prix Raceway – 4 Hour

8/3 Summit Point Raceway – 6 Hour

9/14 Texas World Speedway – 6 Hour

10/25 Road Atlanta – 4 Hour

From a press release:

OMS Ltd. Named As PR Agency Of Record For Clear Channel Entertainment’s Motor Sports/Motorcycle Division OMS to assist with CCE’s motorcycle division PR efforts

FLORENCE, Ky. (December 5, 2001) – Officials at OMS Ltd. were pleased to announce today that Clear Channel Entertainment motor sports/motorcycle division has been brought on as a client of OMS. In the agreement, OMS will be the PR agency of record for CCE’s motorcycle properties, including the ultra-popular EA SPORTS Supercross.

“OMS is excited and proud to have earned the right to become the public relations agency of record for Clear Channel Entertainment’s motorsports/motorcycle division,” said Fred Bramblett, Managing Director of OMS. “Having Clear Channel Entertainment Motorsports as a public relations client will work extremely well with our new PR/media agency agreement with the National Promoters Group. OMS will be able to service both clients by creating a central source of information for industry, as well as non-industry media, for both premier series of professional supercross and motocross in America.”

For EA SPORTS Supercross, OMS will work in cooperation with Clear Channel Entertainment on the day-to-day PR duties of supercross, along with pursuing other PR leads and promotional opportunities. The goal of OMS is to assist with the on going quest of taking supercross to the mainstream media and develop EA SPORTS Supercross into a globally recognized and publicized motorsport.

Clear Channel Entertainment’s motor sports division vice president of marketing, Ken Hudgens, explains:

“Clear Channel Entertainment has helped to grow the EA SPORTS Supercross into such a phenomenon that we felt it was necessary to seek an outside agency to assist with the seemingly endless task of generating the press this series deservedly needs. OMS is the perfect fit. Its PR staff includes personnel with an intimate and experienced grasp of inner workings of supercross, coupled with passion to continue to grow the sport in a fashion that benefits the entire motorcycle industry.”

In addition to supercross, OMS will also assist Clear Channel Entertainment with the PR efforts and strategy for the National Arenacross Series, presented by Speed Stick, the Formula USA Arenacross Series of regional events, the Formula USA National Dirt Track Series, the Formula USA National Road Race Series, the Championship Cup Series presented by Lockart Phillips USA for sportsman road racers and the IFMA sanctioned Freestyle Motocross Series.

Added Hudgens: “All of Clear Channel Entertainment’s motorcycle properties work with the same enthusiasm as our supercross team. OMS will provide us with strategy to aid in public awareness in these series and help with their continued growth in popularity.”

Action Sports Team is a limited liability company, specializing in licensing and athlete relations, along with retail sales & marketing of memorabilia and apparel. AST is the master licenser of all Clear Channel Motor Sports supercross events. For more information, contact OMS Ltd.’s public relations department at (734) 222-0688.