PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is proud to announce that three-time AMA Superbike Champion Ben Spies has been nominated for the 2008 AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award for his dominating title-winning performance in AMA Superbike. The winner of the award will be announced on Sunday evening, Nov. 23, at the 2008 AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Ala. The nominees so far announced for the 2008 award include AMA Flat Track Champion Kenny Coolbeth and Spies. In all, five of this year’s top riders will be nominated for 2008 AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year. In 2008, Spies won his third consecutive Superbike championship–and his fifth AMA title since turning pro in 2000–with a series of performances that saw him finish outside the top two only once. He notched a commanding 10 wins and eight second-place finishes, ending the season with a 95-point lead on his closest competition, teammate Mat Mladin. Spies said he was honored to be nominated for the award. “It’s pretty cool that the AMA has taken it to the next level of involvement,” he said. “That they watch the various athletes that they have on board and commend them for their efforts is good stuff.” Dating back to 1976, the AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award is the highest honor bestowed to a professional motorcycle racer competing in AMA events. Past recipients of the award include such legendary names as Bob Hannah, Scott Parker, Kenny Roberts and Ricky Carmichael. This is the third time Spies has been nominated for the AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award. To see first-hand whether Spies wins the AMA SPEED Athlete of the Year award, attend the AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet, where AMA Pro Racing will honor its professional champions, joined by their families, friends, fans and industry leaders. Held at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, the banquet will take place among a collection of more than 1,200 historic and popular motorcycles. Tickets to the AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet are $125. Tickets to the AMA Sports Awards Banquet, which honors the champions of AMA Sports events on Saturday evening, Nov. 22, are $85. Tickets can be purchased online at www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com. A downloadable registration form also is available. Printed orders can be faxed to: (614) 986-1962, Attn: Cyndi Freeze-Cain; or mailed to: AMA Racing, Attn: Cyndi Freeze-Cain, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. About the American Motorcyclist Association Since 1924, the AMA has promoted and protected the motorcycling lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life and they navigate many different roads on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world’s largest motorcycle organization with nearly 300,000 members, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists’ interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition events than any other organization in the world. Through its Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, visit www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com.