From an AMA press release:

NEARLY 1.6 MILLION FANS ATTEND AMA PRO RACES IN 2001

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — A record total of more than 1.57 million fans attended AMA Pro Racing events in 2001. The total attendance figure covers all forms of AMA Pro Racing — road racing, motocross, supercross, flat track and hillclimb — and marks an increase of 9-percent over 2000, signaling strong and steady growth in the popularity of AMA Pro Racing’s racing properties.

The AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championships witnessed the biggest jump this year with a 19-percent increase in attendance, marking a hopeful upturn in a series that has witnessed an overall attendance decline in the last decade.

Also experiencing double-digit growth this year was the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championships with a 14-percent increase, including a record attendance of 91,000 at the combined AMA/World Superbike weekend at Laguna Seca Raceway in July.

Both the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross Championships and EA Sports Supercross Series had solid seven-percent increases.

“Our championship series have definite momentum behind them,” said Scott Hollingsworth, CEO of AMA Pro Racing. “It’s good to be able to report record attendance. It shows that motorcycle racing continues to grow in popularity. We have a number of promoters and sponsors to thank for much of the success. Continued exposure through our television packages also have a lot to do with the growth of our sport. We are working hard to continue the growth of AMA Pro Racing.”

The breakdown of 2001 attendance figures are as follows: EA Sports Supercross, 797,829; Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike, 375,500; Chevy Trucks U.S. Motocross, 233,150; Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track, 138,500; U.S. Hillclimb by Pace American, 32,550.