Canceled: AMA Races at Miller Motorsports Park

well maybe we can see Matt and some other top riders as wildcards....

 

When I first read that, I knew they (DMG) were trying to run sportbike/supersport. It sucks to see that event go, but in a way, I'm glad the people at Miller and FIM stood up and said "No. Not happening" (assuming thats what went down).

AMA was my favorite series in years passed. They have made it into a fucking joke.. I am going to watch tonights "super show" to see how it goes, but I am not expecting much. So far I have just been relying on roadracingworld.com and superbikeplanet.com to race updates and letting myself spoil the races.

Its a fucking shame.. real damn shame..

All I can hope is that after this year is over, they learn and do better next year..

 

I'm sure that the answer is somewhere, but it won't be known to the public.

What's the sanction fee that the track has to pay to the FIM for the US WSB event? I know that the AMA sanction for a Superbike race in years past was around $300k.

Didn't Mr Miller die? Did his passing leave some assets tied up? If a contract obligation with the FIM wouldn't allow Miller to get out of the event, maybe DMG allowed them out to help them in a time of real need, in addition to working toward an event in the future when the economy turns around.

Either way, if someone has a way to make motorcycle road racing so much better, go out and make it happen.

 

With the limited number of spectators that attend its not suprising they canceled the AMA part of the weekend, the local short track draws more spectators than Miller.
No spectators=no revenue, no revenue = no races.

 

The press releases issued by AMA Pro and MMP tell the whole story. Both are businesses. Both have investors. Both must make business decisions. This has nothing to do with style, ugly babies, or bad attitudes. We simply could not make a deal that worked for both of us. No one is at fault. No one is pointing fingers, other than the uninformed who were not involved. Those of you who operate businesses probably share our disappointment, but also probably have had similar experiences at some time or another.

Irrespective of that, the event should be terrific with Ben and now Hopper defending the honor of the home boys.

This event is recommended viewing and it needs industry and spectator support if it is to continue in the years to come.

 

Doesn't it seem a foregone conclusion that with Spies in WSBK (and now Hopper back in!) that the spectator draw would be much, much higher for the weekend at Miller? I know several people waaaay over here in N.Cackalack that are not going to miss WSBK at Miller this year - economy be damned.
It really is a shame DMG couldn't/wouldn't go OUT OF THEIR WAY to make this work. MotoGP>DMG>Titanic

Edit: RE, your "explanation" doesn't really hold water, short term v. long term. What's good for the shareholders also needs to be good for the stakeholders. WE'RE the stakeholders - fans, riders, consumers. The long term growth of US Motorcycle Roadracing depends on what DMG does NOW. And so far, it ain't looking too good.

 

All I can say is I am really missing the format of the race coverage. While we all complain about SPEED with their tape delay, too many commercials, format it was a way for us to follow the action and the riders. Having to wait two weeks just to hopefully get a glimpse of the Supersport and Superbike racing from Daytona just sucks.

While the 'AMA Pro' TV program will offer rider interviews and I believe highlights of the races, it's just not the same. I would have liked to see that show in addition to the regular race coverage.

For now the cure for me is WSBK. That has been some really GREAT racing so far. Moto GP is starting soon along with F1 (you know summer is coming when you hear the whine of the V-8's on a Sunday morning).

I certainly hope that the AMA Pro Racing series will get through these growing pains and will become a series that will rival what WSBK has become.

Dawn

 

Of course it will be a terrific event, mostly because the AMA/DMG won't be there to eff it up. Plus they will have same weekend coverage so we won't have to wait a feakin month to see the races while trying not to find out who won.

 

the press release reads like a united nations/diplomatic release....lots of politically correct gobblygook saying absolutely nothing

 

I feel like the series was bought just to purposely run it into the ground with all the decisions being made.

So far I am not impressed with the new ownership and I can only see this getting worse.

 

I thought it went well when Roger ran the series years ago. I don't think the France family is involved in social engineering to want to spend money to drive something into the ground. It would have been easier, and cheaper, to buy it and do nothing with it. So, rational thought on this has to prevail.

As it is, I don't see it as a bad thing when the class that will eventually become the premier class, Daytona Sportbike, has seven within 0.8 of second of each other and there are five different brands in the top five. Who's gonna win?

 

Yay for NASC....DMG!!!!!

 

Yes, Larry is gone, but I really doubt that has anything at all to do with it.
He was a genius of a businessman, and when things started turning south for his health last summer, he turned over the reigns to his entire LHM Enterprise to one of his sons. Along with all the other LHM businesses, MMP operates as its own within the Enterprise.
And Greg is a very intelligent guy himself.
At any rate, I don't think Larry's passing would have any affect on racing at MMP.

That is only due to Roger E's blatant ineptitude. Trying to push a watered down show - no, strike that. Trying to push a pathetic joke of a show on a real road course that isn't part of the France family's circle jerk non-racetrack group at an ELEVATED sanctioning fee is beyond stupid.


As for not enough spectators - there was a large turnout there last year, and the turnout will be even bigger this year even in a down economy. The place is larger than Disneyland, and even at that you could see spectators all over the place at the fences, in the stands, in the pits.
Turnout isn't really a problem.
I'd even go as far to say that not having the DMG freakshow at MMP may even help things. This show will FAR exceed anything DMG could ever dream of doing. Last years' WSBK racing was killer, and this year we get to see that insane group of WSS riders bounce off each other all around the course. And with no glorified choppers there to fall apart and ruin the track. No more down time between track reconfigurations, no down time due to DMG's freakshow getting in the way of WSBK riders getting on the track. Couldn't be better.

I really used to enjoy AMA racing. I used to travel to the Vegas and Pikes Peak rounds. Then they went away. The AMA show at MMP the last couple years has been great, the Suzuki domination didn't seem as severe here.
Now the whole series has been fucked up the ass with an old wood bat and no lube. The series could be run better by a 10 year old with ADHD.

 

Brian, your posts are generally thoughtful and free of the emotional nonsense, knee jerk reactions and conspiracy theories of many others here, but you've moved to the dark side with this one. How in the world does that make any sense, when the plaintiff accepted a large settlement? Why would a group of investors spend millions to buy a very unprofitable, failing business with the intention to completely ruin it? You sound like someone from the cast of My Name is Earl, not an attorney with employment experience in the motorcycle industry.

 

What's next!
Sorry to inform everyone but we could not come to agreement with any of
the other tracks on our schedule this year so all races will be run at the
Nascar tracks on Monday following the car races.With only four turns it should
make for some close exciting racing.

 

And what was the spread last years for the Supersport Class, I'd look up the results but the AMA site sucks and if they're on there somewhere I couldn't find them. I'll bet it wasn't much different even if they were on different and possibly better tires. :")

Also Daytona Sportbike is a lame ass class name and the 600 class shouldn't be the premier class. Anyone that thinks so, doesn't have a clue how much more difficult it is to ride a liter bike. But I guess someone sees it as the "bike of the future" to use a NASCRAP term.

 

I would guess that won't happen. It would depend on whether AMA riders, who normally ride on the Dunlop spec tires, are contractually barred from running the WSB Pirelli spec tires.

 

That explained nothing whatsoever. Why couldn't you make a deal? Either someone wanted more than the other was willing to give, or stipulations were proposed that were unacceptable...something other than we just couldn't make it happen. You're in charge, take the responsibility for what is going on. Either say "none of your damn business" or lay it out there, but the PR speak is annoying to say the least.

The 200 was a joke, the new class structures are confusing to all but seasoned fans, and you have 6 entrants in a class this weekend. Things are not going well, and don't even think of blaming it on the economy, that's a cop out.

I don't care about your past with the AMA, and I don't care about any ties to NASCRAP (which is tanking too in case you haven't noticed). I care that the premier road racing series in America is a complete joke right now. Fix it or sell it to someone who can, because as your customer, I can tell you I don't want to buy right now. The state of the economy has not affected that decision at all, your crap product has. You said it's a business and those of us who operate businesses would share in your disappointment. Yeah, I'm disappointed you can't run yours. If I ran mine like you run yours airplanes would start falling out of the sky.

 

Paige, you know I love ya, but stop back and think about what you posted for a moment. The press releases seem to indicate pretty clearly that finances were the sticking point in negotiations for the event. Apparently, either the promoters or AMA Pro Racing would loose money on the event if it went on, and no way to negotiate a deal where each party could profit could be reached.

So, because AMA Pro Racing realized they'd loose a ton of cash on the race you think they decided to not participate because they want to run the business into the ground? The guys at AIG would do that. It sounds like a responsible business decision to me, and as much as I don't like the news I'm not going to jump on one party or the other because there simply wasn't enough of a profit pie for everyone. Maybe it's really just that simple, and there are no boogiemen.

 

Frank,
Can you post a link to anywhere it is said, they spent MILLIONS to aquire AMA Pro Racing??
Can you provide any facts surrounding the sale of AMA Pro Racing? because as a member of the AMA, I ask for any information about the sale or even the meeting minutes from the Board of Directors meetings, several times and was totally Ignored...

As far as I know the selling price was NEVER disclosed to members of the AMA or the public.