2012 AMA Arenacross Series Kicks Off This Saturday from Des Moines’ Wells Fargo Arena

Bowers Leads the Way into 12-Race Championship

AURORA, Ill. (October 25, 2011) – The
AMA Arenacross Series is ready to return to the track, kicking off its
2012 season on Saturday night, October 29, from Wells Fargo Arena in Des
Moines, Iowa. Following one of the most impressive single-season
performances in series history, Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki
presented by Maxxis’ Tyler Bowers is ready to defend his Arenacross
class title against a talented field of challengers.

Two
of Bowers’ toughest competitors in the championship will flank him
under the Babbitt’s tent. Both Chad Johnson and Josh Demuth are former
series champions, and have been fixtures in the title fight in recent
years. Johnson is coming off a third-place finish in the 2011 season,
while Demuth will return to action for the first time since his
title-winning 2010 season, fully healed from a broken wrist that
eliminated him from competition last year.

“I’m
excited to be back with Babbitt’s Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki,” said
Johnson. “We have a lot of good things going on with the team, and
we’ve been doing a lot of testing. I’m excited to get back to Arenacross
and seeing everyone. I think it’s going to be a really good year. The
racing will be great for the fans, and we wouldn’t be able to do this
without them.”

In
addition to the trio of riders from the Babbitt’s Kawasaki stable, FMF
Energy/Poynt TUF Honda’s duo of Jeff Gibson and Cole Siebler are
expected to be in the mix. Both riders claimed victories in 2010, and
Gibson’s championship-winning experience from 2009 is a valuable asset
to both riders’ efforts this season.

“I’ve
been working really hard this offseason to get ready to defend my
title,” said Bowers. “Last year was huge for me, and to be healthy for
an entire season has helped me be even more prepared. I’m excited to get
the season started, and I know that the competition is going to be
tough.”

While
much of the preseason attention is being given to the five riders that
make up to Babbitt’s Kawasaki and TUF Honda squads, a long list of
experienced riders are ready for the challenge as well. The veteran duo
of Kevin Johnson and Kelly Smith will lead Team Faith/FLY
Racing/Pilot/Flying J KTM into action, while Airide KTM will bring
Daniel Blair into the fold. Additionally, familiar names like Nathan
Skaggs, Zach Ames, Gray Davenport, Willy Browning, and Cory Green will
also look to throw their names into the title mix.

While
the world’s best Arenacross riders engage in bar-to-bar action over the
course of 12 rounds, which will total in 19 races, the up-and-coming
riders that compile the Arenacross Lites class will also grab the
spotlight throughout the season. Beginning on Saturday night in Des
Moines, the Western Regional Championship will host six rounds en route
to determining a champion. In the Eastern Regional Championship, five
rounds of competition will lead to a titleholder. New faces rising to
the front of the field are a consistent trademark in the Arenacross
Lites class, which saw a pair of new names, in Chad Cook and Patrick
Massie, stand above the rest last season.

No
matter how things play out over the course of the next four months, it
is sure to be exciting. The AMA Arenacross Series is one of the most
unique forms of racing on the planet and the close, bar-banging
competition is guaranteed to produce fireworks. It all kicks off in just
a few days from Des Moines’ Wells Fargo Arena, Saturday, October 29,
starting at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Live
timing and scoring from each round of the AMA Arenacross Series returns
for the 2012 season! To follow the intense racing action live, log onto
www.Arenacross.com.

For more information on the 2012 AMA Arenacross Series, log on to www.Arenacross.com. For all media requests, please contact Brandon Short: brandon@nextlevelsportsinc.com or 949-365-5750.

Never miss out on the latest news! Follow the AMA Arenacross Series on Facebook and Twitter! Log on to http://www.facebook.com/AMAarenacross and http://twitter.com/arenacross today!

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sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include
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