GEICO Becomes Title Sponsor of AMA Pro Road Racing By Michael Gougis GEICO will sponsor the AMA Pro Road Racing series for the remainder of 2012 and for the two years following, and will add $125,000 to the end-of-season payout for the top point scorers in the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class. The AMA’s Gene Crouch and Peter Kirschner of GEICO made the announcement at the MotoGP/AMA Pro Racing round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and said the arrangement becomes official this weekend. “It’s a very important day for us,” Crouch said. “We looked for a long time for the right partner, and GEICO is committed to this sport.” The series now is officially called GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing, and it represents an increase in the commitment to the sport, said Kirschner, marketing buyer for the insurer. “This is a multi-year commitment,” Kirschner said. “We’re hoping to take the elements and work them to the benefit of all parties.” The details are as follows: – GEICO Motorcycle becomes the Official Insurance of AMA Pro Road Racing, as well as the title sponsor for the series. – GEICO will add $25,000 to the points bonus fund at the end of the 2012 season, to be distributed to the three top points-scorers in the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class. In 2013 and 2014, GEICO will add $50,000 to the season-end points payout, and will pay the top five finishers. – GEICO will establish what Kirschner called an “Event Footprint” in the paddock at AMA Pro Road Racing events in the future. That will take the place of a replicated team headquarters, complete with garage setup, hospitality, data displays and other elements that reflect the real-world operations of a professional road racing team. Crouch said that the GEICO funding would be on top of, and would not supplant or replace, the sponsorship funds from the National Guard, which currently sponsors the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class. Kirschner said the sponsorship money would be in addition to the sponsorship funds from the company for the GEICO Suzuki squad. For 2012, the year-end payout will be $15,000, $6,000 and $4,000 for the top three in the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class Championship. For 2013 and 2014, the year-end payout will be $20,000, $12,000, $7,000, $6,000 and $5,000. More, from a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing and GEICO: DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 27, 2012) – Officials from AMA Pro Racing and GEICO announced today a multi-year partnership, which names GEICO Motorcycle as the Official Motorcycle Insurance and Title Sponsor of America’s premier motorcycle road racing championship, GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing. As part of the agreement, AMA Pro Racing will name a year-end points fund after GEICO for the premier AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike division. For the 2012 season, the GEICO Year-End Points Fund will pay out an additional $25,000 to the top three riders in the final point standings, which will rise to $50,000 and be paid out to the top five riders in the final point standings for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. GEICO has been insuring motorcycles since 1978 and has received an extensive collection of industry honors for its financial strength and commitment to providing good customer service. Many of the fans that attend GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing events or follow along on SPEED are motorcycle enthusiasts and own at least one cruiser, street sport, touring bike, high performance bike or dirt bike, all of which can be insured through GEICO. Comprehensive and collision coverage are available for accessories, too. As enthusiasts, AMA Pro Road Racing’s loyal fans can rest assured that with GEICO, they’ll work with agents who know motorcycles, and are fellow enthusiasts and riders. Riders insured by GEICO can rely on the insurance provider to be there for them anytime, giving them the freedom to ride whenever and wherever they want, without worry. When fans insure their motorcycle with GEICO, they could get: Multi-Policy Discount when they insure their car and motorcycle with GEICO. Renewal Discount when they renew their policy with GEICO. Transfer Discount when they change their motorcycle insurance to GEICO. Discount for completing or instructing a Motorcycle Safety Foundation or Military Safety course. 24/7 Emergency Road Service for less than $1/month. Accessory coverage with comprehensive and collision coverage. Fast, fair claim handling so their motorcycle can get fixed properly. GEICO and AMA Pro have upped the ante for the stars of AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike with the addition of the GEICO Year-End Points Fund. With four rounds remaining for the class in 2012, riders now have an additional $25,000 to fight for. This season’s points fund will be paid out for final championship point standing positions as follows: 1st, $15,000; 2nd, $6,000; 3rd, $4,000. For the 2013 and 2014 seasons, the payout will increase to $50,000 and will pay deeper into the field: 1st, $20,000; 2nd, $12,000; 3rd, $7,000; 4th, $6,000; 5th, $5,000. The 2012 GEICO Motorcycle AMA Pro Road Racing season continues with this weekend’s Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. For more information about GEICO, please visit ~http://www.GEICO.com~. About GEICO: GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and is the third-largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States. GEICO handles auto insurance coverage for 11 million private passenger auto policies and insures more than 17.5 million vehicles. In addition to auto insurance, GEICO offers customers insurance products for their motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), travel trailers and motorhomes (RVs). Coverage for life, boats, homes and apartments is available through the GEICO Insurance Agency. Personal umbrella protection is also available. Coverage for commercial auto insurance is underwritten by Government Employees Insurance Company. In some cases coverage is provided through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc., either under an arrangement with National Indemnity Company (NICO), a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, or with non-affiliated insurance companies. 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.