AMA APPLAUDS VICTORIOUS U.S. TRIAL DES NATIONS TEAM

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) congratulates the U.S. men’s team for winning the prestigious International Trophy at the 2005 Trial des Nations, which concluded Sunday in Sestriere, Italy.

The team of Geoff Aaron, Chris Florin, Cody Webb and Keith Wineland led the competition from the start, eventually finishing a remarkable 95 points ahead of second-place Australia and 99 points ahead of third-place Norway.

“We’re proud that our Trial des Nations team captured the International Trophy, especially in such dominating fashion,” said Robert Rasor, AMA President. “We join with the entire American motorcycling community in congratulating these talented riders.”

Ted Gansberger served as manager of the U.S. team and Kip Webb was team captain. The U.S. women’s team of Sarah Duke, Louise Forsley and Nicole Bradford finished ninth; the 2005 women’s competition was won by Germany.

The men’s Trial des Nations course consists of 18 sections and the women’s course consists of 12 sections; each course is run twice. In addition to being penalized for “dabbing,” or touching a foot to the ground, riders are penalized a maximum of five points per section if they have a “failure,” or if they don’t cover a section within a 90-second time limit. There also is an overall time limit, based on the total number of riders.

All four riders on the 2005 Trial des Nations U.S. men’s team are veterans of the AMA Sports/NATC Observed Trials Championship Series. Aaron is the nine-time and reigning champion of the series.

The U.S. triumph at the 2005 Trial des Nations was one of two American victories over international competition last weekend. On Sunday, Team USA also won the 2005 Motocross of Nations in Ernée, France.

The American Motorcyclist Association: rights. riding. racing. Founded in 1924, the AMA is a non-profit organization with more than 260,000 members. The Association’s purpose is to pursue, protect and promote the interests of motorcyclists, while serving the needs of its members. For more information, visit the AMA website at www.AMADirectlink.com, or call 1-800-AMA-JOIN. For the latest news releases, visit the AMA News Room at ~http://home.ama-cycle.org/newsroom~

More, from a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER PERFORMANCE SERIES TITLE ON THE LINE AT DU QUOIN

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Sept. 27, 2005) After a full season of racing, the 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Series is set to be decided in the series finale at the Du Quoin (Ill.) Mile this Saturday, Oct. 1. Two previous champions of the series, Chris Hart and Scott Stump, are at the front of the pack and both look to grab the series crown.

Hart and Stump are separated by just a single point coming into Du Quoin. Merle Scherb is also in contention for the title, just 10 points out of the series lead.

Hart is the defending champion of the series, which features modified Harley-Davidson 883cc Sportsters, and he is trying to hold off Stump, who last won the championship in 1994.

“We’ve got a strong motorcycle on the miles this year,” said Hart, who won the championship last year in his first full season in the series. “We’ve won two of the three miles so far so my confidence is high and it’s looking promising going into Du Quoin.”

Hart said this will be the first time he actually races in a winner-take-all type race for the championship. “I had a similar situation in the Canadian championship one year,” he said. “But the race got rained out and I won the title without racing the final race.”

Hart put himself in the lead of the Sportster Series with a victory over the Labor Day weekend at Springfield. “I’ve got momentum on my side for sure,” Hart added.

For Stump it’s been over a decade since he lifted the number one plate. He’s ready to do it again and says his strategy for Du Quoin is simple.

“I go every week to win,” says Stump, who won the Sportster title 11 years ago and has been a perennial contender nearly every season since. “The last couple of races we’ve had a few problems and that killed us in the main events, but I’ve still been able to run top three. We just hope everything goes right at Du Quoin and I can win it.”

Stump says the missing ingredient in previous campaigns has been riding for a good team. This year riding for the Lima Harley-Davidson team has made all the difference.

“I’ve done the series pretty much on my own before,” Stump explained. “This year with Lima Harley-Davidson backing me and Jeff Eibling putting in so much of his own time preparing the bike, it’s been great. Jeff wants to win as bad as I do. I’d love to win it and then move on to other things. My son is racing and is doing well and my daughter raced for the first time. So I want to change my focus in the near future, but it would be good to go out of this series on top.”

Stump is putting last year’s Du Quoin 883 winner Ricky Marshall on his backup bike this weekend. “I enjoyed racing with Ricky last year at Du Quoin and he’s the kind of guy you can trust racing against.”

For additional information on the Du Quoin National contact the IMDA at (217) 753-8866.

About AMA Pro Racing

AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the THQ AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Motocross Championship, the AMA Superbike Championship, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.

More, from a press release issued by Advanstar:

Honda Motor Corporation Posts Factory Contingency for Advanstar’s BooKoo Arenacross Championship Series

Contingency Acknowledges Advanstar’s Strength in Market Place and Ability to Deliver High Quality Racing

Santa Ana, CA – September 27, 2005 – Advanstar Communications, Inc. – a leading provider of print, event and online media for the powersports, off-road and automotive aftermarket industries – today announced that American Honda Motor Corporation will post $147,000 in contingency for the upcoming K&N Filters presents BooKoo Arenacross Championship Series.

America Honda is posting $100,800 for the Pro 250 and 450 classes, and an additional $46,200 for the amateur classes over the 12-race series. Pro class Honda riders can earn $1,000 per win, or $4,000 per weekend if they sweep all four pro main events. Additionally, Honda will award money to the top five riders in pro and amateur classes. Winning Honda riders will be paid through their Red Rider Rewards Debit card.

“The Red Rider Rewards card allows riders to spend their contingency winnings at any Honda dealer or, as a pro, wherever Visa is accepted. Pro divisions can even redeem their debit cards for cash. Honda is extremely pleased to be involved with the BooKoo Arenacross Championship Series. We are looking forward to some great racing!” – Bill Savino, Assistant Manager HRCA

Mike Kidd, Arenacross race director is excited about the addition of Honda’s contingency program. “Having Honda provide contingency for our inaugural arenacross series is great news,” Kidd stated. “Honda rewarding the top five finishers will certainly bring out the best of the best. With the biggest purse and point fund ever offered for Arenacross and our contingency commitments, we are looking to see the strongest competition for Arenacross in all our amateur and pro classes.”

With more than $1,150,000 in cash and contingency money to date, the BooKoo Arenacross Championship Series may have to add to its motto of “Bigger Air”¦Better Tracks”¦More Speed”, the phrase “¦More Money!

If you would like more information about the Honda Racing Contingency Program, please visit participating Honda dealers or online at www.hondaredriders.com “¢ www.racearenacross.com (1-817-595-5844) “¢ www.bookooenergy.com.

About Honda American Honda Motor Co., Inc is the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and personal watercraft in the U.S. American Honda’s Motorcycle Division conducts the sales, marketing, and operational activities for these products through Honda authorized dealers. For further information about Honda products, racing teams, programs, and dealer locations, visit the Honda web site at: www.honda.com.

About the Advanstar Powersports Group The Powersports Group is the biggest producer worldwide for trade and consumer shows in the powersports industry, including the single largest aftermarket trade-only event: the Dealernews International Powersports Dealer Expo. In addition to Dealer Expo, Advanstar’s powersports shows encompass nearly every product in all segments of the industry. ACI’s Big Twin West show represents the passion of Big Twin, bringing together the manufacturers, builders, and buyers who power the marketplace. Targeting motorcycle markets across the country, Advanstar’s Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows presented by Toyota Trucks draws more than 600,000 powersports consumers. Newly launched Arenacross Championship Series will debut in Fort Worth, Texas as stop one of a 12-event indoor dirt bike race series for competitors, racers, and fans of all ages. The powersports group also publishes leading trade publications Dealernews magazine and American Big Twin Dealer, as well as event-associated consumer publications Powersports Magazine, Hollister Guide, and Sturgis Guide.

About Advanstar Communications Inc. Advanstar Communications Inc. (www.advanstar.com) is a leading worldwide media company providing integrated marketing solutions for the Fashion, Life Sciences and Powersports industries. Advanstar serves business professionals and consumers in these industries with its portfolio of 81 events, 57 publications and directories, 114 electronic publications and Web sites, as well as educational and direct marketing products and services. Market leading brands and a commitment to delivering innovative, quality products and services enables Advanstar to “Connect Our Customers With Theirs.” Advanstar has roughly 1,000 employees and currently operates from multiple offices in North America and Europe.

More, from a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:

AMA RED BULL SUPERMOTO A-GO-GO COMES TO NEW RENO DOWNTOWN STREET COURSE

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Sept. 27, 2005) The 2005 Red Bull Supermoto A-Go-Go will take place this Saturday, Oct. 1, on a completely new downtown Reno street course that will feature a few unique innovations not previously seen on AMA Supermoto circuits.

An overhead view of the course would show a relatively bland square grid pattern for the Reno course, but nothing could be further from the truth. Track designers, directed by AMA Supermoto Operations Manager Don Canet, will lay out a challenging urban circuit that will be highlighted by an over and under bridge in the motocross section that also features a spectator crossing tunnel.

In addition, the track will give the riders one of the most unique banked turns ever seen on any racetrack. A giant wall ride will allow riders to actually ride up to and off the side of a building in one of the turns.

“This year we’re in the downtown area that we originally were looking at for last year’s race,” Canet said. “The city saw what it was all about and got behind it. Reno’s famous Virginia Avenue strip is part of the course. I think we’ve put in some interesting features that will challenge the riders and give spectators something they don’t see everyday.”

Following two years in Las Vegas event sponsor Red Bull was excited about bringing the Supermoto A-Go-Go finale to Reno after seeing the response from the city and the enthusiasm of the 20,000 spectators at last year’s regular season race.

The Red Bull Supermoto-A-Go-Go urban racetrack breaks new ground in the sport,” said Red Bull spokesman Steve Pegram about the street course that will be constructed around Circus Circus Reno, Silver Legacy Resort and Casino, Eldorado Hotel and Casino, and Harrah’s Reno. Pegram added that a track inspector interactive feature at www.redbullsupermotoagogo.com provides an aerial overview of the one-of-a-kind track location.

Making a downtown street race happen is one of the toughest challenges AMA Supermoto faces all year.

“So many things have to be taken into account,” Canet says. “At every turn there’s a potential obstacle, whether it’s affecting public transit or casino valet parking, or fire department and police department requirements that have to be considered. In spite of all of those challenges I think we’ve come up with a challenging and spectator friendly racetrack.”

Supermoto riders will race between casinos and actually go under several of the casino connecting bridges, which will offer birds eye views of the circuit. The roar of four-stroke Supermoto bikes hitting triple-digit speeds through the casino corridors will only add to the unique atmosphere of the event.

Perhaps one of the best spectator areas will be at the Red Bull Energy Station, which will sit alongside the Parts Unlimited UrbanCross section where riders will launch their bikes over a long steel ramp jump.

There’s no charge to watch the Red Bull Supermoto A-Go-Go. A $10 pit pass will provide fans the opportunity to see the racing bikes up close and to meet the riders.

The race will be televised nationally on OLN on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 5 p.m. EST and re-aired on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.olntv.com. RenoTahoe is America’s Adventure Place. To attend the 2005 AMA Red Bull Supermoto A-Go-Go, special hotel package information is available at www.visitrenotahoe.com/supermoto.

To keep up-to-date with the latest on the AMA Red Bull Supermoto A-Go-Go set these websites to your favorites list www.amasupermoto.com and www.redbullsupermotoagogo.com.

About AMA Pro Racing

AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the THQ AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Motocross Championship, the AMA Superbike Championship, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.