From a press release:

Clear Channel Announces 2003 Points Fund to be a Minimum of $500,000

AURORA, Ill. (November 27, 2001) – Clear Channel Entertainment’s motorsports division announced today that the season-end points fund for its 2003 series will be a minimum of $500,000.

The upcoming 2002 series points fund payout to riders will be $325,000. Under the current sanction agreement between Clear Channel Entertainment and the American Motorcyclist Association, Clear Channel had agreed to pay $133,100 in points fund money in 2002. However, in 2002, Clear Channel Entertainment will actually pay 144% more than the agreement stipulates, bringing the total to $325,000. That amount will increase by at least another $175,000 when Clear Channel Entertainment produces its 2003 series.

Roy Janson, vice president of operations for Clear Channel Entertainment’s motor sports division, said, “We are pleased to again demonstrate our commitment to the riders. The half million dollar mark is a major milestone in supercross history, and this is something we definitely set out to do five years ago.”

The series points fund is paid to the top 20 riders in final series points. In addition to the series points fund, Clear Channel Entertainment will continue to award the privateer riders with the privateer points fund.

Janson added, “Clear Channel Entertainment will maintain its traditional support program for privateer riders in 2002 and beyond with the continuation of its privateer point fund. The fund distributes more than $100,000 annually above the posted purse and point fund payouts exclusively to privateer riders who qualify for 250cc class main events.”

Tuner Scotty Beach’s reaction to Dr. Rob Tuluie’s November 7 posting regarding the Center Of The Universe, which he actually sent on November 8 but which lingered in editorial purgatory until now:


Seeing Dr. Tuluie’s comment in regards to the center of the (road racing) universe put a smile on my face. Of the things I enjoy most in my life are the friendships and acquaintances have with people of higher consciousness. Most notably… Dr. Marshall, Dr. Nutt and last but not least Dr. Robin Tuluie. It is a breath of fresh air to me to be present with these humans who have obviously extended themselves and as a result of that extension have and are making an impression on humanity.

As always.

R. Scott Beach

Racer John Ulrich married girlfriend and team scorer Trudy Sands 25 years ago, on November 27, 1976 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the way home from a WERA 24-Hour.

THREE NEW VENUES ON 2002 AMA U.S. FLAT TRACK
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Another chapter in AMA Grand National dirt-track racing will be written in the 2002 AMA U.S. Flat Track Championships. A new formula for the series will see the advent of street-based 1000cc motors, such as Suzuki TL1000s, Aprilia RSV Milles, Buells, Ducatis and others being raced against the long established Harley-Davidson 750cc pure-bred racing motors.

2002 will see the implementation of AMA Pro Racing’s five-year plan for flat-track racing to help incorporate more brands into the series. Since 1999 the 1000cc bikes ran in the now defunct SuperTrackers Series. The 2002 series will feature a mix of established events and several new rounds giving racing fans in different parts of the country a chance to watch the wheel-to-wheel racing action.

The championships will see its traditional kick off on March 9 during Daytona Bike Week at Municipal Stadium’s short track. This is one of the most competitive tracks in the series and has witnessed eight different winners in 13 years of racing. Speedvision will televise the opening round.

Round two will be on April 7 at a new venue for AMA Grand National racing — Will Rogers Down in Claremore, Okla. Fans will benefit from the glass-enclosed grandstands and a restaurant that overlooks the track. The track has previously hosted AMA National Hot Shoe Series races.

Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill., is the second track new to the AMA Grand National racing circuit. Tri-City is located just across the river from St. Louis and will host a race on June 15. The area last hosted an AMA Grand National in the mid-1980s when a Short-Track National was held in Busch Stadium.

On July 20 Oglethorpe Speedway Park in Savannah, Ga., will host its first AMA Grand National. Oglethorpe is not new to most of the series racers however, since the clay half-mile is the site of the yearly AMA Hot Shoe Series kick off.

In addition to these new racing venues the series will return to traditional strongholds such as Springfield, Ill., which will host rounds on Memorial Day and Labor Day holiday weekends; Peoria, Ill., home of the famous TT race; Allen County Fairgrounds in Lima, Ohio, a crushed limestone half-mile that has become one of the fan favorites; the Du Quoin (Ill.) Mile, known as the Magic Mile for the closeness of the racing, as well as races in Mineralwells, W. Va., Hagerstown, Md., Charlotte, N.C., Harrington, Del., Sedalia, Mo. and Vernon, N.Y.

AMA Pro Racing is working to complete the 2002 schedule, especially adding events during the late-April and early-May time period.

TENTATIVE 2002 AMA U.S. FLAT TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 9, Municipal Stadium, Daytona Beach, FL, Short Track

April 7, Will Rogers Downs, Claremore, Oklahoma, Mile

April 20, TBA

April 27, TBA

May 4, TBA

May 18, West Virginia Motor Speedway, Mineralwells, West Virginia, Half-mile

May 25, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois, TT

May 26, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois, Mile

June 1, Hagerstown Speedway, Hagerstown, Maryland, Half-mile

June 15, Tri-City Speedway, Granite City, Illinois, Half-mile

June 22, TBA

June 29, Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, Ohio, Half-mile

July 6, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois, Short Track

July 13, TBA

July 20, Oglethorpe Speedway Park, Savannah, Georgia, Half-mile

July 27, Lowes Motor Speedway, Charlotte, North Carolina, Half-mile

Aug. 3, Delaware State Fairgrounds, Harrington, Delaware, Half-mile

Aug. 10, Hagerstown Speedway, Hagerstown, Maryland, Half-mile

Aug. 18, Peoria Motorcycle Clubgrounds, Peoria, Illinois, TT

Aug. 24, State Fair Speedway, Sedalia, Missouri, Half-mile

Aug. 30, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois, Short Track

Aug. 31, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois, Mile

Sept. 1, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Illinois, Mile

Sept. 7, Vernon Downs, Vernon, New York, Mile

Sept. 28, Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, Du Quoin, Illinois, Mile

The Marlboro Yamaha Grand Prix team is testing at Phillip Island, Australia on Tuesday, November 27 through Friday, November 30th.

Clear Channel Motor Sports has announced another stadium deal, this time with Sam Boyd Stadium in las Vegas.

Clearly, the stadiums that have served as venues for the Supercross Series are siding with Clear Channel and not AMA Pro Racing and its new Supercross promoter, Jam Productions.

A press release from Clear Channel follows:

Las Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium Named Clear Channel’s
Supercross Finals Location For The Next Four Years

Clear Channel Entertainment and Sam Boyd Stadium extend agreement through 2005

AURORA, Ill. (November 26, 2001) – Clear Channel Entertainment’s motor sports division announced today a four-year agreement with Las Vegas’ Sam
Boyd Stadium to host the Supercross finals through 2005.

The agreement ensures Clear Channel Entertainment’s Supercross Series finals will remain in Las Vegas for the next four years.

Sam Boyd Stadium, home to the UNLV Rebel Football team, is Nevada’s premier outdoor facility, located just eight miles east of the famous Las Vegas Strip. Along with being the crown jewel of both the Monster Jam and EA SPORTS Supercross tours, the stadium has also hosted the biggest names in touring entertainment, including U2, The Eagles, Ozzy Osbourne, N’Sync, Metallica and The Dave Matthews Band.

In 1998, the Stadium underwent a major renovation and expansion project, creating more luxurious seating and the annual Supercross finale that fans
have come to expect in recent years.

Daren Libonati, facility director of Sam Boyd Stadium, said, “We are proud to announce the mutual long-term continuation of Supercross. Clear Channel Entertainment’s Supercross finals have consistently brought Sam Boyd Stadium
capacity audiences, along with national television exposure. We are pleased to extend our hospitality to Clear Channel’s Supercross fans for another four years.”

Last year, Supercross fans from all 50 states and 27 different countries attended the EA SPORTS Supercross finals, resulting in a $28.2 million economic impact on the city of Las Vegas, according to R&R Research, a Las Vegas based independent firm.

“Las Vegas is the best place for the Supercross finals, and when you couple Sam Boyd Stadium’s endless list of amenities along with its convenient proximity to Las Vegas’ offerings, you get an unequalled destination event. We’re honored to call Sam Boyd Stadium and The City of Las Vegas the home to supercross’ ultimate event,” said Charlie Mancuso, President of Clear
Channel Entertainment’s motor sports division.

This just in from David Roy, Ducati North America Manager of Racing Operations, and a former AMA Pro Thunder racer:


“I went to the new North Florida Motorsports Park track this Sunday for a few laps on my 996. The track design is quite technical with a few high-lean, high-speed corners, that make you pucker pretty good, and every corner has lots of run-off.

“Their facilities are still a bit primitive but it looks like they are working on them daily. Overall it is probably one of the most fun tracks I have ridden in awhile, and most likely has the best track surface in the U.S., no seams, no patches, no concrete.

“Unofficially I set a new track record of 1:21.972 hand-timed by Bill Weber, or 1:22:002 by my wife Debbie, or 1:21.9 on my lap timer. I don’t know if you are supposed to average them or take the lowest?”

Copyright 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Tom Sera’s Fastrack Riders has scheduled several dates at California Speedway, and is expanding into sanctioning races as well as running rider schools and track days at the Fontana, California facility.

FRA (Fastrack Riders Assn.) will hold races on its two-day and three-day weekends at California Speedway, including the March 29-31 weekend prior to the April 5-7 AMA National; the March 29 Friday will consist of official practice as well as a new riders’ school.

Because the March 29-31 weekend includes sanctioned races and official practice on Friday, AMA licensed riders will be eligible to participate on all three days despite current AMA Pro Racing restrictions on pre-event practice.

Other FRA race dates at California Speedway will include February 23-24, July 13-14 and August 3-4.

According to Sera, FRA classes will include:

600cc Superstock
750cc Superstock

750cc Superbike

Open Formula

250cc Grand Prix
125cc Grand Prix

Open Twins
Heavyweight Twins

Novice Heavyweight
Novice Middleweight
Novice Lightweight

The Open Formula class is modeled after AMA Formula Xtreme.

Sera said that his racing program will include 5-lap heat races and 15-20 lap final races.

FRA dates scheduled for California Speedway follow:

Monday, January 28

Saturday, February 23
Sunday, February 24

Friday, March 29
Saturday, March 30
Sunday, March 31

Monday, June 3

Saturday, July 13
Sunday, July 14

Saturday, August 3
Sunday, August 4
Monday, August 12

These dates are in addition to Fastrack Riders’ dates at the Willow Springs and Streets Of Willow courses in Rosamond, California.

More information is available from Fastrack at (661) 256-8660.

Sent to us by racer and NHIS Motorcycle Safety Director Jerry Wood, who originally posted this on the Internet in response to New Englanders angry at the AMA for abandoning the Loudon AMA National and seemingly spending time and effort primarily to fight mandatory helmet laws for street riders:

First and foremost, if you are a motorcyclist, then you should be a member of The American Motorcyclist Association. The AMA protects our rights to ride and does a damn good job doing it! The helmet law is only the first step. There have been all sorts of stupid laws proposed like leg guards, even seat belts.

The Danforth bill (circa 1987) would have outlawed sportbikes as we know them. The do-gooder lawmakers have tried banning us from roads, parks, towns and more.

The AMA has full-time representation, many times stopping unfair laws early in the process. Other times it is a long, drawn-out battle.

The insurance is a bonus, many of our riders rely on the ARMOR insurance as all that they can afford. I have Blue Cross with a big deductible and use the ARMOR as a backup, before my insurance kicks in. You can reduce your premium by a bunch by having a large deductible.

The AMA Pro Racing Department has thousands of people angry right now and they deserve it! Just for your information, the AMA did not quit Loudon because of excessive danger. They are pissed at the Bahres for venting anger at them. They don’t understand why they would become so upset just because the customers are screaming mad. Now with the Supercross mess, even more folks are upset. WE ALL can help implement change as members by voting and supporting the candidates for change.

I also belong to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. On September 11th they grounded all of us and there was talk of never letting us fly again. The AOPA fought long and hard to get us in the air again. I have sent them membership money for 23 years and they just made it worth every penney.

In a perfect world our freedoms would be guaranteed but in the real world freedom is fought for and won. None of can go this alone, we need an association.

The bottom line is if you love motorcycling, then you should kick in the $40 towards keeping your freedom.

Jerry Wood