NPG Recognizes 2008 AMA Toyota Motocross Award Recipients

Season-Ending AMA Awards Banquet Caps Successful Season

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (November 8, 2007) – The AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet scheduled for November 17 in Las Vegas will close the curtain on one of the most successful seasons of racing in the 35-year history of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF.

When Yamaha’s Grant Langston and Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto take the stage to receive their AMA Motocross and AMA Motocross Lites Championship hardware, along with Suzuki’s Rookie of the Year Ryan Dungey, fans and media alike will be reminded of a racing season that saw wire-to-wire championship battles, a series record in attendance, an expanded promotional presence that included live web video streaming and the return of nationwide TV coverage on SPEED.

“On behalf of the NPG, I’d like to formally congratulate our AMA Motocross Champions and Rookie of the Year winners,” said Carrie Coombs Russell, NPG President. “Their competition, as well as those of the other riders in the series, really made for some good stories this summer. It all played out very well on TV, on the internet and in the media.

“The success we had as a series this season really paid off in raising the awareness of the series, both nationally and internationally. We were able to move our sport forward. And with the help of our riders, teams and sponsors, we look forward to carrying that momentum from this off season and well into next summer.”

A four-man battle in the AMA Motocross class culminated in a final shootout at the season-ending race at Glen Helen in California where Langston turned in an inspired ride and walked away with his first premier class title. Villopoto, who went head-to-head the entire season with teammate Ben Townley, successfully defended his title with a stretch of dominant rides that closed out the season with the second championship of his career. Dungey made his mark in his first full season of AMA Toyota Motocross competition with a second place overall finish at Unadilla to go along with four podium finishes.

One of the most competitive seasons on the track also translated into success for the series in terms of attendance and marketing exposure. A record 379,064 fans attended the 12-race series this summer (a 33% increase over last year’s previous record), with a strong turnout of 40,756 at the inaugural event in Wortham, Texas. The live attendance combined with the expanded exposure through internet and television coverage on SPEED, which featured three same-day airing, delivered a series that showed continued growth and promise.

And with the current crop of youthful talent like Villopoto and Dungey blended together with a veteran group lead by Langston and Kawasaki’s heir apparent James Stewart, the 2008 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF promises another repeat performance.

For more information on the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF log on to www.amamotocross.com for live timing and scoring at @theWireLIVE!.