Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

An AMA Pro Racing Appeal Board hearing regarding protests of Damon Buckmaster’s Yamaha YZF-R7 Formula Xtreme bike will be held tommorrow, May 21, at AMA headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio.

AMA Pro Racing officials denied multiple protests–filed April 7 at the Fontana AMA National–of Buckmaster’s bike.

Protestors believe that the Yamaha YZF-R7 is not eligible for the Formula Xtreme class because it was never sold for street use in the United States and is a World Superbike homologation special.

AMA Pro Racing officials are arguing that the R7 is legal because it is unclear what the rule they wrote means, and because it appears on an unpublished list of eligible machines that class participants have been unable to obtain from AMA Pro Racing over a two-year period.

Appeal Board members are selected by AMA Pro Racing officials and protesting parties don’t know who is on the Appeal Board until the hearing begins.

Instead of following convention and scheduling the Appeal Board hearing at the next National, which was held at Sears Point on May 2-5, AMA Pro Racing officials originally scheduled the hearing for May 14 at AMA headquarters, on the Tuesday prior to the May 16-19 AMA National at Road Atlanta. After numerous planned participants encountered scheduling problems, the hearing was rescheduled for Tuesday, May 21.

In the meantime, Buckmaster won the Formula Xtreme races at Fontana, Sears Point and Road Atlanta and leads the series point standings.