AMA to Announce Buyer Today, Maybe

DL
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Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 7:32pm
The sale of AMA Pro Racing properties could be announced as early as today, with the winning bid going to a group based in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The news of the impending announcement was conveyed by someone familiar with the process to a third party, who relayed the information to Cycle News. When Cycle News tried to verify the account with the source, we were politely told he would have nothing more to say.

Others familiar with the bidding process believe that the Daytona group, led by Jim France, will take control of all racing properties; Superbike, dirt track, motocross, ATV, Supermoto, and hillclimb. Live Nation has a contract to promote Supercross through 2019, though the Daytona group is expected to eventually take control of that, as well.

It has also been rumored that Dennis Rhee, the AMA Senior Vice President for Racing, could end up working for the Daytona group. Because of the intense secrecy surrounding the process, and the fact that everyone involved was asked to sign confidentiality agreements, details have difficult to confirm.

Grand Am President Roger Edmondson, who was instrumental in preparing the Daytona bid for the properties, was out of the office and could not be reached on Tuesday. He is expected to return today. A Speedway spokesman knew of no Wednesday press conferences, nor did AMA spokesman Pete terHorst. One party who had submitted a bid said on Tuesday he’d heard nothing about the completion of the sale process.
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Highsider
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3/5/2008 7:28am
Would this be better, for the Nationals, than YS?

I have attended recent National tracks at Millville, Washougal, Red Bud, Southwick and Budds Creek. Southwick is my least favorite from a camping/amateur rider/fan point-of-view, but all locations keep improving, all aspects, every year.

My goal, over the next few years, is to attend each and ride amateur day, camp and watch the Pros, at EVERY National track. I feel a certain loyalty to the individual owners and don't know how I am going to feel after a big shake-up.

Jimi J
3/5/2008 7:42am
I hope they bring back speedway and flat track in a big way. mx isn't life ya know.
3/5/2008 7:46am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="BobbyM":26ylbop9]I hope they bring back speedway and flat track in a big way. mx isn't life ya know.[/quote:26ylbop9]


I agree with Bobby. After the Vegas fiasco last year Flat track is in dire need of some change.
flarider
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3/5/2008 7:47am
If this is the case, it would seem to be absolutely nothing like they previously stated as their goal or plan.
That said, this could be very good or very very bad.

The Shop

3/5/2008 7:49am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="Highsider":1q6du2y4]Would this be better, for the Nationals, than YS?

I have attended recent National tracks at Millville, Washougal, Red Bud, Southwick and Budds Creek. Southwick is my least favorite from a camping/amateur rider/fan point-of-view, but all locations keep improving, all aspects, every year.

My goal, over the next few years, is to attend each and ride amateur day, camp and watch the Pros, at EVERY National track. I feel a certain loyalty to the individual owners and don't know how I am going to feel after a big shake-up.

Jimi J[/quote:1q6du2y4]

The rumor continues that if Daytona takes over the whole thing, they just sub the MX out to YS anyway. My sources say "WTF?" I guess its possible, and that part of the rumor comes from the "inside." too.

Either way, all I see is nails in the NPG coffin. DC can go back on DMXGEOFF radio and blame someone new every week! He will have more spare time. <img class= " title="Smile">

Daytona could easily win teams over by just promising to not compete with them, and figure out how everyone can make money.
3/5/2008 7:51am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="Racetime":ylhjcmv5][quote="Highsider":ylhjcmv5]Would this be better, for the Nationals, than YS?

I have attended recent National tracks at Millville, Washougal, Red Bud, Southwick and Budds Creek. Southwick is my least favorite from a camping/amateur rider/fan point-of-view, but all locations keep improving, all aspects, every year.

My goal, over the next few years, is to attend each and ride amateur day, camp and watch the Pros, at EVERY National track. I feel a certain loyalty to the individual owners and don't know how I am going to feel after a big shake-up.

Jimi J[/quote:ylhjcmv5]

The rumor continues that if Daytona takes over the whole thing, they just sub the MX out to YS anyway. My sources say "WTF?" I guess its possible, and that part of the rumor comes from the "inside." too.

Either way, all I see is nails in the NPG coffin. DC can go back on DMXGEOFF radio and blame someone new every week! He will have more spare time. <img class= " title="Smile">

Daytona could easily win teams over by just promising to not compete with them, and figure out how everyone can make money.[/quote:ylhjcmv5]


Sounds like just what is needed, more people to share the pie with........!
3/5/2008 7:51am
Would the OEM's follow AMA/NASCAR or go to a renegade NPG/ESPN promoted series?? That is the 64,000 question?

Erik
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3/5/2008 7:52am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="BobbyM":3u7uljx0]I hope they bring back speedway and flat track in a big way. mx isn't life ya know.[/quote:3u7uljx0]

I have be consumed by motocross since my first race in 1967, at age 15. Still am. I plan to race, spectate and generally be a groupie, for quite a few more years.

I suppose I am worrying too much...too much hand-wringing, by some old coot! 8)

Jimi J
3/5/2008 7:55am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="Erik":d5416884]Would the OEM's follow AMA/NASCAR or go to a renegade NPG/ESPN promoted series?? That is the 64,000 question?

Erik[/quote:d5416884]


I think the availability of quality tracks/dates would come into play then....

If all of the current tracks are owned by NPG members, then that's a lot of tracks to have to come up with in a fairly short amount of time...
3/5/2008 8:00am
One piece of the puzzle that is missing is that the OEMs are very pissed off right now over costs and control issues.

It is even possible they are all backing it down significantly and going to factory support, which is more NASCAR like anyway.

If that is the case, no use in fighting over multi-million dollar factory teams that come and race free. They are deciding it's not worth it at the same time the AMA is backing out of business.
3/5/2008 8:02am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="Racetime":xy8uym8i]One piece of the puzzle that is missing is that the OEMs are very pissed off right now over costs and control issues.

It is even possible they are all backing it down significantly and going to factory support, which is more NASCAR like anyway.

If that is the case, no use in fighting over multi-million dollar factory teams that come and race free. They are deciding it's not worth it at the same time the AMA is backing out of business.[/quote:xy8uym8i]


It'd be sweet to see a BIG devolution in the sport, to the point that there is more focus on local pros and such. Imagine if a guy could race locally and make a living at it again!
j100
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3/5/2008 8:08am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
This is music to my ears. :D:D:D:D:D

We need NASCAR and who cares about the NPG tracks! Let's use the infields of the NASCAR facilities and have one big series. No SX/MX -- just one big series that are run at all the existing NASCAR facilities.

I think we will have people that say "that's not MX", but I could care less about that. NASCAR facilities are top notch. No more parking in the dirt, mud, ect... and things would be top notch for attracting corporate sponsors. To me, this is a win-win situation and I think it will make our sport grow like crazy.
3/5/2008 8:11am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="j100":2qy5c6gt]This is music to my ears. :D:D:D:D:D

We need NASCAR and who cares about the NPG tracks! Let's use the infields of the NASCAR facilities and have one big series. No SX/MX -- just one big series that are run at all the existing NASCAR facilities.

I think we will have people that say "that's not MX", but I could care less about that. NASCAR facilities are top notch. No more parking in the dirt, mud, ect... and things would be top notch for attracting corporate sponsors. To me, this is a win-win situation and I think it will make our sport grow like crazy.[/quote:2qy5c6gt]


Bingo!
3/5/2008 8:13am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="j100":x0pwv3h1]This is music to my ears. :D:D:D:D:D

We need NASCAR and who cares about the NPG tracks! Let's use the infields of the NASCAR facilities and have one big series. No SX/MX -- just one big series that are run at all the existing NASCAR facilities.

I think we will have people that say "that's not MX", but I could care less about that. NASCAR facilities are top notch. No more parking in the dirt, mud, ect... and things would be top notch for attracting corporate sponsors. To me, this is a win-win situation and I think it will make our sport grow like crazy.[/quote:x0pwv3h1]


What "our sport" are you talking about?
j100
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3/5/2008 8:16am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="APLMAN":3toh5jhg][quote="j100":3toh5jhg]This is music to my ears. :D:D:D:D:D

We need NASCAR and who cares about the NPG tracks! Let's use the infields of the NASCAR facilities and have one big series. No SX/MX -- just one big series that are run at all the existing NASCAR facilities.

I think we will have people that say "that's not MX", but I could care less about that. NASCAR facilities are top notch. No more parking in the dirt, mud, ect... and things would be top notch for attracting corporate sponsors. To me, this is a win-win situation and I think it will make our sport grow like crazy.[/quote:3toh5jhg]


What "our sport" are you talking about?[/quote:3toh5jhg]Riding dirt bikes, sir! In my opinion, this will grow amateur mx, FMX and so on with the France family being involved.

They've proven they're marketing geniuses and that's what we've been lacking in our sport.
rocrac
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3/5/2008 8:18am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="j100":2iu75x2r]This is music to my ears. :D:D:D:D:D

We need NASCAR and who cares about the NPG tracks! Let's use the infields of the NASCAR facilities and have one big series. No SX/MX -- just one big series that are run at all the existing NASCAR facilities.

I think we will have people that say "that's not MX", but I could care less about that. NASCAR facilities are top notch. No more parking in the dirt, mud, ect... and things would be top notch for attracting corporate sponsors. To me, this is a win-win situation and I think it will make our sport grow like crazy.[/quote:2iu75x2r]Sorry I can't share your enthusiam for that scenario. While Daytona is nice once a year it is not MX.

MX is natural terrain, elevation changes, trees, and RED BUD.
3/5/2008 8:19am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="rocrac":1btdoego][quote="j100":1btdoego]This is music to my ears. :D:D:D:D:D

We need NASCAR and who cares about the NPG tracks! Let's use the infields of the NASCAR facilities and have one big series. No SX/MX -- just one big series that are run at all the existing NASCAR facilities.

I think we will have people that say "that's not MX", but I could care less about that. NASCAR facilities are top notch. No more parking in the dirt, mud, ect... and things would be top notch for attracting corporate sponsors. To me, this is a win-win situation and I think it will make our sport grow like crazy.[/quote:1btdoego]Sorry I can't share your enthusiam for that scenario. While Daytona is nice once a year it is not MX.

MX is natural terrain, elevation changes, trees, and RED BUD.[/quote:1btdoego]

That will be the NPG series.
flarider
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3/5/2008 8:21am
If true, people need to think (or worry) about who NASCAR hires to run each respective series.
flarider
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3/5/2008 8:23am
Oh, and let's not forget that this changes nothing in SX for many years to come.
3/5/2008 8:24am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="j100":2o29ujsn][quote="APLMAN":2o29ujsn][quote="j100":2o29ujsn]This is music to my ears. :D:D:D:D:D

We need NASCAR and who cares about the NPG tracks! Let's use the infields of the NASCAR facilities and have one big series. No SX/MX -- just one big series that are run at all the existing NASCAR facilities.

I think we will have people that say "that's not MX", but I could care less about that. NASCAR facilities are top notch. No more parking in the dirt, mud, ect... and things would be top notch for attracting corporate sponsors. To me, this is a win-win situation and I think it will make our sport grow like crazy.[/quote:2o29ujsn]


What "our sport" are you talking about?[/quote:2o29ujsn]Riding dirt bikes, sir! In my opinion, this will grow amateur mx, FMX and so on with the France family being involved.

They've proven they're marketing geniuses and that's what we've been lacking in our sport.[/quote:2o29ujsn]

I think you lost all credibility when you lumped in FMX.......

They've proven they are very good at making money at the top levels of their sport, but they've also dropped some local racing series in the last few years, focusing on the bigger, more national level stuff. I think their growth has gotten them out of hte grass roots level stuff.
j100
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3/5/2008 8:31am
FMX would be a good 1/2 time show, IMO. IE: between the first and second motos.
3/5/2008 8:31am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="flarider":c63vg77r]Oh, and let's not forget that this changes nothing in SX for many years to come.[/quote:c63vg77r]

Don't be so sure...
flarider
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3/5/2008 8:35am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="Racetime":1yxpx91q][quote="flarider":1yxpx91q]Oh, and let's not forget that this changes nothing in SX for many years to come.[/quote:1yxpx91q]

Don't be so sure...[/quote:1yxpx91q]
Of course they could always sell the company or contract
j100
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3/5/2008 8:36am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
how nice would that be. <img class= " title="Laughing"><img class= " title="Laughing"><img class= " title="Laughing"><img class= " title="Laughing">
Lipert Racing
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3/5/2008 8:42am
So I have a question on a more amature level. For us as AMA Dist. racers, how does this change anything for us. We foot a good portion of the $$$ to AMA through our membership but get minimal in return. We pay AMA to fight for our land use rights but lose more at an increasing rate. If AMA gets out of promoting does that mean they will have more time and $$ to focus on us?
3/5/2008 8:53am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="Lipert Racing":19lkamgc]So I have a question on a more amature level. For us as AMA Dist. racers, how does this change anything for us. We foot a good portion of the $$$ to AMA through our membership but get minimal in return. We pay AMA to fight for our land use rights but lose more at an increasing rate. If AMA gets out of promoting does that mean they will have more time and $$ to focus on us?[/quote:19lkamgc]


It's AMA Pro Racing
Lipert Racing
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3/5/2008 8:54am
Exactly...so if they get out of Pro racing, maybe than can focus their time and $$ on amature? hopefully anyways.
3/5/2008 9:11am
Cyclenews just updated the story to say the announcement will be made tomorrow and changed the part about them taking over all of racing a little to make it clear that the only sure thing is probably the road racing part.

ROAD RACING - UPDATED: AMA To Announce Buyer Tomorrow
By Henny Ray Abrams
One Buyer? 3/5/2008

The sale of the road racing properties of AMA Pro Racing will be announced tomorrow, with the winning bid going to a group based in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The news of the impending announcement was first conveyed by someone familiar with the process to a third party, who relayed the information to Cycle News. When Cycle News tried to verify the account with the source, we were politely told he would have nothing more to say.

A second source familiar with the negotiations confirmed the sale on Wednesday.

The Daytona group, led by Jim France, will take control of the road racing properties. It was earlier believed the group was seeking all AMA Pro Racing properties. An AMA board member said he didn't believe the sale would be announced until all the properties-dirt track, Supermoto, ATV, hillclimb, and motocross-were sold.

It has also been rumored that Dennis Rhee, the AMA Senior Vice President for Racing, could end up working for the Daytona group. Because of the intense secrecy surrounding the process, and the fact that everyone involved was asked to sign confidentiality agreements, details have difficult to confirm.

Grand Am President Roger Edmondson, who was instrumental in preparing the Daytona bid for the properties, was out of the office and could not be reached on Tuesday. He is expected to return today. A Speedway spokesman knew of no Wednesday press conferences, nor did AMA spokesman Pete terHorst. One party who had submitted a bid said on Tuesday he’d heard nothing about the completion of the sale process.
j100
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3/5/2008 9:15am
back to square one, lol.
3/5/2008 9:35am Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:19pm
[quote="Darth Fader":1mtk3qyp]Cyclenews just updated the story to say the announcement will be made tomorrow and changed the part about them taking over all of racing a little to make it clear that the only sure thing is probably the road racing part.

ROAD RACING - UPDATED: AMA ...[/quote:1mtk3qyp]

Wow, I saw it too. I thought it was a cameltoe there for a second.

That shows the "one buyer" rumor is wavering right now. If NASCAR doesn't get everything, that means YS is probably in for MX.

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