Rider Files

Infineon Raceway will host the top motorcycle pavement road-racers in the country at the West Coast Moto Jam. The weekend will feature racing in AMA Pro National Guard American SuperBike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike presented by AMSOIL and AMA Pro SuperSport.

Read about it here.

A rider for Arclight Racing dabs his knee in the grass at Grattan Raceway during a WERA National Endurance race there in 1991. (Larry Lawrence photo)

I don’t know why, but I really enjoy photos of road racers dragging their knee in the grass next to the track. This is one of Arclight Racing’s riders dragging a knee in the green at Grattan in 1991.

Maybe it’s the precision it takes to ride that extreme inside line, letting the knee drag wherever it lands, but for some reason these are very desirable and rare photos.

I’ve never shot Fontana, but I understand there’s a turn there that a lot of riders drag their knees through the grass.

I had a popular photographer tell me once that he was shooting catalog shots for a manufacturer. There were tons of shots with the riders dragging their knees through a turn. One shot had a rider dragging his knee through the grass. The photographer was excited by this variation. The account executive for the ad agency pulled that photo out and said “We can’t use this.” The photographer was puzzled. The ad exec replied that a promotional photo of a rider dragging his knee through the grass might inspire street riders to try that. Hmm, OK??? I guess dragging your knee on the pavement is perfectly acceptable, but should that knee venture over to the edge of the grass… well that’s just too radical!

(News Release)

MX for Children Charity Reaches $500,000

 Monster Energy Supercross Support for 2010 in Toronto, Houston and Seattle adds $160,000 to local Children’s Hospitals

AURORA, Ill. (April 30, 2010) – Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, and MX for Children capped off an exciting season of fundraising at Saturday night’s stop at Qwest Field in Seattle. The race culminated the charity organization’s fifth year of Inside Line Experience (ILE), bringing total fundraising to more than $500,000 benefiting local children’s hospitals across North America.

“I am particularly impressed with our growth this year in Houston in terms of the number of participants we had raising funds. We continue to see strong family efforts which raise the bar in fundraising even more” said Paul Gross, founder of MX for Children.  “The Langille family for example has raised more money each year since we started the Inside Line Experience in Toronto in 2006.”

Fundraisers are motivated to help kids and advance research at Toronto’s SickKids, Houston’s Texas Children’s, and Seattle Children’s Hospital. These hospitals, recognized as some of the world’s foremost pediatric health-care institutions, are dedicated to advancing children’s health through the integration of patient care, research and education. Funds raised this year via individual, corporate, and foundation contributions continue research into hydrocephalus, the #1 cause of pediatric brain surgeries.

“I really enjoy taking time out of our busy schedule to give back to the MX for Children Charity event each year,” said Jeremy Albrecht, team manager, Muscle Milk/Toyota/JGRMX. “We are very fortunate to make a living racing supercross, and it is an annual event that we look forward to participating in as a way to give back.”

Monster Energy Supercross racers such as Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey, Chad Reed, James Stewart, and Ricky Carmichael have participated with MX for Children and their fundraising programs over the years, and the industry as a whole has embraced the efforts of the ILE. Please visit http://www.mxforchildren.org/inside-line-experience/  to learn more on how to participate in upcoming ILE events in Houston and Seattle.

For more information on the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, please log on to www.SupercrossOnline.com. For all media requests, please contact Denny Hartwig dhartwig@feldinc.com or 630-566-6305.

A season-long subscription to the official webcast of Monster Energy Supercross, Supercross LIVE®, is available for $10.99:  http://www.supercrossonline.com/supercrosslive.  Supercross LIVE® is the only weekly live Monster Energy Supercross race call, and features long time voices of supercross, Jason Weigandt and Jim Holley.

Is the recession over? A panel of economic experts recently said it may not be over yet, but from things I’m seeing around Central Indiana it looks like things are starting to turn around. Also a friend reported that Road Atlanta had a much larger crowd at the AMA Superbike event this year than it’s had in the last couple of years, so there are positive signs out there.

I attended two AMA Supercross events this year and it was a mixed bag. The Indy Supercross packed Lucas Oil Stadium with a near-capacity crowd. St. Louis was a much smaller crowd and significantly smaller than when I last attended that race a few years ago. So in terms of recovery in motorcycle racing there seems to be evidence of at least pockets of recovery.

The recession started here in Indy earlier than in other parts of the country. I noticed three years ago a lot fewer people in restaurants, lawns and houses less well maintained and fewer new cars in the driveways of my hometown of Brownsburg. Recently I’m noticing a small turnaround. My wife and I both agree that the restaurants have been a lot fuller this spring than they have been since before 2007. That’s a very good sign. When people are strapped for cash eating out is one of the first things to go, so a return to waiting lines at Charbono’s (one of our favorite restaurants in nearby Avon, Indiana) is a good sign. I’ve noticed the stock market is moving along at a pretty good clip too.

The strong Indy Supercross crowd convinced me of one thing; people will come out and bring their families if it’s a good value. The folks at Feld Motorsports are smart – they expanded the number of $10 seats at many stadiums. A guy looks at that and realizes he can take his two children out for a fun evening of entertainment for 30 bucks. He’ll probably go ahead and buy food and souvenirs since the ticket was so reasonably priced.

I don’t know if it’s too late to dispense advice to the road racing, flat track and motocross promoters this year, but until this recession is completely a thing of the past lower-priced tickets would be a very good idea to keep the turnstiles turning. The Supercross promoters are the best we have in motorcycle racing, so others promoters should take note of what Feld is doing and follow suit.

More scanning of the Suzuki GSXR Cup Finals at Road Atlanta and this is AFM star Jeff Hagan. I think this is from 1986, the first year of the Suzuki Cup. If I remember correctly Suzuki gave travel expenses to the top GSXR club racers from regions across the country. The buzz at the 1986 WERA Grand National Finals was incredible. For the first time in club racing history riders from all across the country, like Hagan, were meeting at a year-end championship. It wasn’t just the Suzuki Cup, but the Honda 500 Interceptor Finals were held at Road Atlanta during the GNF as well. The races were nationally televised. To this day it was probably the greatest WERA GNF of all time. Jeff Hagan was one of the leading West Coast riders and he continued racing for years after this 1986 event. He may still be racing AFM events.

Leading AFM road racer Jeff Hagan racing in the Suzuki GSXR Cup Finals at Road Atlanta in November of 1986. The Suzuki Cup brought together, for the first time, leading club racers from all across the country. (Larry Lawrence photo)

(News Release)

World’s Fastest Motocross Riders Showcased All Summer Long
Exclusively on SPEED and NBC Sports
Schedule Highlighted by Multiple Live Broadcasts

MORGANTOWN, W.V. (April 29, 2010) – After introducing the most innovative domestic television package in motocross history last season, MX Sports Pro Racing and Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, return with exclusive coverage from SPEED and NBC Sports for the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. All 12 rounds from the world’s most renowned motocross circuits will be broadcast directly into millions of homes throughout the U.S.

For the second year in a row, NBC Sports will showcase the only motocross action on live broadcast network television for three rounds: the Rockstar Energy High Point National on June 12, the Rockstar Energy RedBud National on July 3, and the Rockstar Energy Unadilla National on August 14. High Point, RedBud and Unadilla are three of the best known circuits in the motocross world.

“The introduction of live races on SPEED and NBC was one of the most significant moments in American motocross history,” said MX Sports Vice President Davey Coombs. “We are extremely excited for their return in 2010 and we can’t wait to continue the tremendous growth the sport has achieved in recent years by being brought into millions of additional homes.”

In addition to the trio of live events on NBC broadcast network television, SPEED will serve as the exclusive cable home of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, featuring a pair of live events with the Washougal Motocross National on July 24, as well as the championship finale on September 11. All seven remaining rounds of the series can be seen on SPEED via same-day coverage, with exception of the season-opening Rockstar Energy Hangtown Classic, which will air next-day on Sunday, May 23, as a result of SPEED’s previous commitment to NASCAR’s All-Star Weekend programming.

The highly-talented 250 Class will also have an exclusive home on SPEED, with seven rounds shown via same day, back-to-back coverage with the 450 Class. The remaining five rounds can be seen on the Sunday following each national.

2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship Domestic Television Schedule

450 Class

Rockstar Energy Hangtown Classic SPEED May 23
6 p.m. EST
Freestone Motocross National SPEED June 5
9 p.m. EST
Rockstar Energy High Point National NBC Sports June 12
3:30 p.m. EST
Budds Creek Motocross National SPEED June 19
9 p.m. EST
Thunder Valley Motocross National SPEED June 26
11 p.m. EST
Rockstar Energy RedBud National NBC Sports July 3
3:30 p.m. EST
Rockstar Energy Spring Creek National SPEED July 17
9 p.m. EST
Washougal Motocross National SPEED July 24
7 p.m. EST
Rockstar Energy Unadilla National NBC Sports Aug. 14
3 p.m. EST
Rockstar Energy Southwick National SPEED Aug. 28
9 p.m. EST
Steel City Motocross National SPEED Sept. 4
9 p.m. EST
Season Finale SPEED Sept. 11
7 p.m. EST
*BOLD indicates LIVE coverage

250 Class

Rockstar Energy Hangtown Classic SPEED May 23
5 p.m. EST
Freestone Motocross National SPEED June 5
Midnight EST
Rockstar Energy High Point National SPEED June 13
6 p.m. EST
Budds Creek Motocross National SPEED June 19
8 p.m. EST
Thunder Valley Motocross National SPEED June 27
Noon EST
Rockstar Energy RedBud National SPEED July 4
4 p.m. EST
Rockstar Energy Spring Creek National SPEED July 17
8 p.m. EST
Washougal Motocross National SPEED July 24
8 p.m. EST
Rockstar Energy Unadilla National SPEED Aug. 15
4 p.m. EST
Rockstar Energy Southwick National SPEED Aug. 28
10 p.m. EST
Steel City Motocross National SPEED Sept. 4
8 p.m. EST
Season Finale SPEED Sept. 11
8 p.m. EST

The gates will drop and the bikes will roar in the shadow of the California capital of Sacramento in just over three weeks with the 42nd annual event from legendary Hangtown on Saturday, May 22.

For tickets, fan and racing information on the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, log onto www.allisports.com.

For more information about the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, please contact media coordinator Brandon Short via email at brandon@mxsports.com or by telephone at (949) 365-5750.

Jeff Heino racing his Suzuki at Road Atlanta in November of 1988 during the Suzuki GSXR Cup Finals. I was there the first time Heino raced at Road Atlanta. He was with an endurance team (I think Eatherly Racing) and after practice he came in with his eyes wide opened and said, “Wow, this place is intimidating.” He went on to explain the gravity cavity and coming up blind under the bridge at such high speed was one of the toughest sections he’d ever ridden.

Jeff Heino racing his Suzuki at Road Atlanta in November of 1988 during the Suzuki GSXR Cup Finals. (Larry Lawrence photo)

Kevin Schwantz (left), actor Woody Harrelson (center) and Mike Smith (right) pose for a photo at the 1991 WERA Grand National Finals. Harrelson was already extremely popular for his role on the television series “Cheers” and when this photo was taken he had just finished filming “White Men Can’t Jump”. Woody’s brother Brett was road racing at the time and Woody was at Road Atlanta to watch his brother.

Kevin Schwantz (left), actor Woody Harrelson (center) and Mike Smith (right) pose for a photo at the 1991 WERA Grand National Finals. (Larry Lawrence photo)

The AMA Supersport pack chases leader Josh Herrin at Barber Motorsports Park in April of 2008. The Graves Motorsports Yamaha rider nailed down the Supersport win from teammate Ben Bostrom with a bold, last lap, last corner pass. It marked Herrin’s second-career AMA Supersport victory.

Josh Herrin, on the Graves Motorsports Yamaha, leads Blake Young (79), Ben Bostrom (behind Young) and the rest of the pack in the 2008 Barber Motorsports Park AMA Supersport race. Herrin took the exciting victory in a last-lap duel with teammate Bostrom. (Larry Lawrence photo)