Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Season pre-entry packages mailed to AMA Pro riders include the news that the Laguna Seca AMA National will be limited to pre-entry, with a limit of 65 entries accepted per class, with no special consideration of riders contesting the entire series and no consideration at all for variances in mail delivery around the country.

The notices were postmarked January 17 in Pickerington, Ohio and were received January 22 by riders in Lake Elsinore, California area.

With several Lake Elsinore-area riders currently testing at Laguna Seca through Thursday–including the three Gobert brothers and Eric Bostrom–the 65-rider limit on pre-entries could theoretically be filled before Anthony Gobert or Bostrom can get home and send in a pre-entry form for Laguna Seca.

The pre-entry form for Laguna Seca includes this warning, typeset in all caps:

“LAGUNA SECA WILL BE ON A PRE-ENTRY BASIS ONLY! THE ENTRIES WILL BE LIMITED TO 65 PER CLASS! PRE-ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED ON A FIRST COME/FIRST SERVE BASIS. THERE WILL BE NO POST ENTRIES AT THE TRACK! POST ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR ANY FIM LICENSED RIDER. THE CUT OFF DATE FOR ACCEPTING PRE-ENTRIES WILL BE JUNE 14, 2002. ENTRIES RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE, MUST HAVE BEEN POST MARKED 5 DAYS PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE IN ORDER TO BE ACCEPTED.

“Entry acknowledgement: Deposit of your check/credit card charge does not indicate acceptance of entry. An acknowledgement letter with registration information and schedule of events, will follow if pre-entry is accepted. Mail your entry blank with proper fees to: AMA Pro Racing, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Faxed entries are for charge card payments only. Fax number (614) 856-1924, 24 hours a day. Faxed entries will not be processed until you call to confirm that we have received it. For confirmation phone (614) 856-1900, ask for Competition Services, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.”


The pre-entry materials also show five Pro Thunder races–at Daytona, Pikes Peak, Road America, Brainerd and Laguna Seca–with no further explanation.