Rider Files

The AMA Pro Grand National Series fires back up this Saturday in Stockton, Calif. This is the opening round for the Twins. Brandon Robinson finds himself leading the series for the first time. Read about it here.

Brandon Robinson leads the AMA Pro Grand National Series coming into the Stockton Half-Mile this Saturday. (Larry Lawrence photo)

(NEWS RELEASE)

Circle Bell Motorsports is pleased to announce that they have once again signed an agreement with the Red Lion Hotel Woodlake Conference Center (formerly the Woodlake) to serve as Race Headquarters for the upcoming AMA Pro Sacramento Mile, July 27th at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds.

Conveniently located at 500 Leisure Lane, just minutes from Cal Expo, the State Capitol and Old Sacramento, the Red Lion Hotel Woodlake Conference Center is offering riders and fans who make their reservations before 5pm on July 11th a special room rate of $74 for a double room, $89 for a triple room and $99 for a Quad. Pets are welcome for a fee of $15 per stay.

Featuring 306 first class guest rooms and spacious free parking, the Red Lion Hotel amenities include free High-Speed Internet access, 37” HD Flat screen televisions, cable TV with Pay-Per View movies, in-room coffee makers and a complimentary breakfast.

“We are really pleased to be able to secure our Sacramento Mile riders and fans this special rate,” says Bob Bellino, president of Circle Bell Motorsports. “The Red Lion Hotel Woodlake Conference Center is an outstanding property and it is a pleasure to be able to work with them again this year.”

In addition to their comfortable rooms and outstanding service, the Red Lion Hotel’s Lakeside Bar and Grill offers excellent Mediterranean and California Fresh cuisine and a full bar for your pleasure. In the evening be sure and check out their unique “lakefront” nightspot, Crocodiles, with the latest in high-tech visual and sound equipment. Or join the crowd and enjoy the warm summer evenings while enjoying your favorite drink on the new Palm Terrace just adjacent to Crocodiles.

Make your reservations today by calling 916-922-2020, through their toll free number at 1-800-RED LION (1-800-733-5466) or by going to www.redlion.com and be sure and mention AMA The Sacramento Mile to get the special race rate.

Billy Huber gets a congratulatory handshake from 1930s racing star Joe Petrali after Huber won the 1950 Langhorne (Pa.) 100 Mile National Championship race. Also on hand for the trophy presentation were famed hillclimb champion Orie Steele (center) and Jim Davis (right), the star Class A racer of the 1910s and ‘20s. Langhorne was one of the premier national races of that era and was known as the toughest race of the year.

To read more about Huber click here.

Here is the very definition of bar-to-bar racing action. This is Jimmy Wood on his No. 37 Kawasaki running side by side with Raun Wood on the No. 88 Baer Racing/Scott Powersports Kawasaki during timed qualifying at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Michigan in July of 2011.

Jimmy Wood on his No. 37 Kawasaki and Raun Wood on the No. 88 Baer Racing/Scott Powersports Kawasaki race bar to bar (literally) around turn one at I-96 Speedway during qualifying for the AMA Grand National in July of 2011. (Larry Lawrence photo)

What an honor I had this morning to go the Mid-West Motorcycle Club in Indianapolis and visit with some of Indiana’s greatest motorcycle racing legends. Originally I was to just meet with a couple of ex-riders and one thing led to another and a whole group showed up and before you knew it four hours of bench racing went by. Thanks to Rick Moore for setting this up. I’ll have plenty of subjects to write about among this group of ex-racers. – Larry Lawrence

Some of Indiana’s all-time motorcycle racing greats got together Thursday at the Mid-West Motorcycle Club in Indianapolis. From left to right are Tony Ford, Ron LaMastus, John Buffaloe, Harold Hazel, Bob Schulteti, Larry Roberts, Abram Drain, Rick Moore, Marvin Long, Cecil Jones, Jerry Weakly, Sam Ingram (kneeling in white shirt), Benjamin Hunter, Tony Stoughton and Jeff Larkin.

(NEWS RELEASE)

A new Mile on the 2013 Grand National schedule.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 17, 2013) – Officials from AMA Pro Racing announced today the addition of Colonial Downs to the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles schedule. The circuit, which measures in at just over a mile, will feature the stars of the rolling thunder show on August 24, 2013 as Round 12 and brings the total number of mile races on the schedule to six. The race will mark the first time in the storied history of the Grand National Championship that the series will visit Colonial Downs, located in New Kent, Virginia.

“We’re thrilled to bring our series to the legendary Colonial Downs race track,” said Dan Johnsen, Director of AMA Pro Flat Track. “We are very proud to add a venue of this caliber to our schedule. Our riders will now have one more opportunity to battle for position in the point standings and also allows us to showcase our magnificent sport to a new market hungry for flat track racing.”

The AMA Pro Grand National Experts will roll out their twin-cylinder machines on the last Saturday of August as Colonial Downs is one of the largest dirt tracks in the United States, coming in at 1.25 miles. The rising stars in the J&P Cycles Pro Singles will have their skills put to the ultimate test in late August aboard their 450cc machines, in a race which will surely come down to the wire.

For tickets and more information regarding the AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles event scheduled for August 24, 2013 at Colonial Downs, please visit http://www.colonialdowns.com/.

About AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles:
AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles is a national motorcycle racing series in North America and is considered one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the Series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing in the world. The 2013 schedule consists of rounds on the country’s finest flat track courses. For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles, please visit http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

(NEWS RELEASE)

Bob and Dan Bellino

Circle Bell Motorsports, producer of the AMA Pro Sacramento Mile and the Santa Rosa Mile, is pleased to announce that Dan Bellino has joined the Circle Bell team as Vice President of Operations.

“Having Dan join the team is really going to help us make AMA Pro Flat Track bigger and even better,” says Bob Bellino. “His entrepreneurial spirit, attention to detail, and wide range of government and non-profit experiences, meshed with a love of the sport that is right in line with mine, makes it a great pleasure to have him join us.”

A native Californian, Dan grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. Earning a degree in Communications from Boston College, Dan moved to New York City to take a two-year position as a New York City Teaching Fellow, a program designed to recruit and prepare high-quality, dedicated individuals to become teachers who raise student achievement in the New York City classrooms that need them the most.

“Though it was a two-year commitment, I stayed on as a teacher at P.S. 87 in The Bronx for nearly five years,” he explains. “I spent three years as a fourth grade classroom teacher and two years as a kindergarten through 5th grade physical education teacher.

“During that first year, I realized that my students needed some form of extracurricular activities. Since the school offered none, I started an after school running club with the help of the New York Road Runners Foundation,” explains Dan. “Located in a heavily populated Caribbean-immigrant community, where the sport of track and field is near and dear to the culture’s heart, it caught on right away and after a short time we developed it into a non-profit club known as the Bronx Flash Track Club. Within two years we had over 100 student athletes and it was obvious that the kids and community loved it.”

Even after leaving P.S. 87, Dan continued to coach the Bronx Flash and secured a $1 million grant to transform the school’s barren playground into a vibrant community park with a running track, basketball courts, grass and play structures.

Dan then joined the administrative staff of the New York City Department of Education, where he worked on the City’s Fitness and Health Education policies, curricula, data systems, and citywide events. From there, he moved to one of the top charter schools in the country and helped lead their staff recruitment efforts before finally making his move back to the West Coast with his fiancé at the end of 2012.

In addition to his passion for working with youth and public education, Dan’s other passion is motorsports, having grown up traveling the AMA Flat Track circuit during summers with his father, brother, and sister.

“I started riding with my dad when I was five,” he explains. “I loved every minute of it. My dad raced when he was younger and by the time I was 14, I wanted to race, too. However, the line I heard from my dad was ‘I broke too many bones in my body and I’m not going to watch you do the same thing.’ We compromised and went go-kart racing instead. I raced until I was 19 and then college got in the way,” Dan said with a chuckle.

“When my dad started down the path to bring GNC racing back to Northern California in 2009, I jumped at the opportunity to help him in any way I could,” continues Dan. “For the last few years, I would fly out from NYC to help on race weekends. Both my dad and I share the same vision for the sport, so now that I’m living back in the Bay Area, I’m excited to dedicate my efforts to give the flat track community, especially the racers, the recognition and support they deserve. Dad and I work really well together and it is a perfect fit for both of us.”

“Everyone in our family plays some part in Circle Bell Motorsports’ events,” explains Bob, “And having them all involved is very special to me. Having Dan onboard full-time makes it even more fun than before. He does a superb job, offers a new and refreshing outlook on things we can do and fills a much needed gap.”

(NEWS RELEASE)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 12, 2013) – AMA Pro Racing officials announced today a new class for AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles aimed at developing the up-and-coming riders in the J&P Cycles Pro Singles division. The new class, titled Basic Twins, will provide a stepping stone for Pro licensed riders, allowing them to showcase their talents on twin-cylinder machines as they make the transition to the Grand National Championship.

“This is an important step in building up our young talent and creating a healthy environment for the future of the sport,” said Dan Johnsen, Director of AMA Pro Flat Track. “Allowing our Pro licensed riders to show their skills and talents, while gaining experience on the twins, eases their transition as they move through the ranks of AMA Pro Flat Track on their way to becoming the stars of tomorrow.”

The new Basic Twins class is a re-envisioning of the Basic Expert Twins division that ran as part of the series during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. The same engines approved for competition in the Grand National Expert Twins class will be eligible in the Basic Twins class, but with varying levels of modification required in order for them to fit within a reduced performance envelope.

The class is scheduled to debut during the fall running of the Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds as a non-points-paying exhibition race, and beginning with the 2014 season, the Basic Twins will be featured in place of the J&P Cycles Pro Singles class at select half-miles and miles. As part of the transition, the J&P Cycles Pro Singles race at the upcoming spring running of the Springfield Mile will also be contested as a non-points-paying exhibition race.

The next stop for the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles season is the Stockton Half-Mile at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds in Stockton, Calif. For tickets and information, please visit www.stockton99.com.

About AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles:
AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles is a national motorcycle racing series in North America and is considered one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the Series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing in the world. The 2013 schedule consists of rounds on the country’s finest flat track courses. For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles, please visit http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/.

About AMA Pro Racing:
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

This bulletin just in from the AMA.