Washougal just announced they are requiring AMA licenses for local series races. This follows Portland International Raceway’s Thursday Night Motocross who did the same last year. PIR made the change after shutting down for 2 weeks due to their carrier dropping them. I’m sure Washougal is in the same boat.
The AMA takes a lot of sh1t here for their inconsistency in penalties, much of it deserved, but without them I think we’d be losing tracks left and right.
In the last 5 years I’ve seen a ton of changes at PNW tracks, all driven by insurance demands. And I get it. In that same 5 years we’ve had 2 surgeries at our house related to moto, and more missed time at work and school. Our medical bills have been well over $100k due to moto, the vast majority covered by insurance. We all know how unforgiving this sport is, and I fear for its future.
Crazy here in PA also. Until there is legislation protecting landowners/track owners it will only worsen. I’m really looking forward to next year when he’s 18 so I can be done carrying a briefcase of paperwork and wearing out my hand signing more paperwork so we both can ride. Barring blatant negligence from a track (machinery on live track etc) there should be protections put in place to stop the lawsuits or you are right, we won’t have to worry about growing the sport, there won’t be a sport.
This has been on my mind since I saw the announcement from Washougal.
I do not have a positive opinion of the AMA, but I will point out that AMA Pro Racing is not the same organization or personnel as the AMA that governs local amateur events.
If I have to join the AMA to race a couple of events a year and it helps to keep the track open, I can deal with that.
I can also deal with buying and wearing a chest pro, but I reserve the right to complain about that rule.
The two things that have to change to help the sport survive (as I see it) are mostly outside of our control. The economy does not look good for a strong middle class and the litigation surrounding tracks, medical, etc also does not look good.
On one hand, the insurance crisis is good for business (for the AMA) and on the other, they could save some payouts by pushing for state and/or federal legislation. The AMA should be leading the fight for some legal protection of these tracks and I have seen no sign that they are. It is up to motocross racers to demand this from the AMA.
There have been several recent articles in AMA magazine about how they are working with state and local governments to keep riding areas open, support Right to Repair laws (John Deer just paid a $100M fine for obstructing this), to advance legislation to allow filtering, and relevant to this thread, enact Inherent Risk Laws that protect facilities. Several states have added Inherent Risk laws recently (Texas and Arkansas both have), so I think the AMA is doing a pretty decent job at this. It's a long, tough, uphill fight in many places even tho equestrian and ski areas have been covered under these types of laws for years.
Yes. I'm afraid the two remaining private tracks I have within a two-hour drive will shut down for this reason.
The future of moto is looking like kart tracks with their insurance.
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I'm not trying to be a negative-Nancy, put forward a what-about-isms, or claim that I know a whole lot about what the AMA is doing behind the scenes...
Discussions like the one in the thread I've linked below keep me skeptical of the AMA and what they claim or publish.
After an article like this, they should be stepping up with a big effort and pushing this kind of thing through.
(I do realize that the article is forward progress in at least getting the word out for more support).
@Black Dog Moto, Is AMA doing more behind the scenes after publishing that article?
https://www.vitalmx.com/forums/moto-related/my-indiana-house-bill-made-it-american-motorcyclist-magazine
The AMA likes to swoop in and pretend they are affiliated with the legislative wins. But if you research the history of the issue, or ask the AMA directly, you'll see they didn't contribute anything.
If the Oregon Supreme Court upholds its ruling on allowing people to sue regardless of signing liability waivers I don’t see why any track in Oregon will want to stay open. Ski resorts already lost all but one insurer due to frequent lawsuits so it’s only a matter of time for the the mx tracks.
While liability for competitive racing in organized events is a problem, please don't confuse "the sport" of riding any motorcycle you want and off-roading on BLM, State, public lands to be in danger. It's alive and well in many places and still generates big bucks for dealers and the manufacturers. Usually requires an annual permit registering your bike, Jeep, sxs whatever but that goes to parks and rec maintenance + enforcement for the most part.
Interesting topic right now. There’s a ton of chatter by all the talking heads about the difference between AMA and AMA Pro Racing. I personally thought they were the same organization, but apparently not. It’s weird to me that they are touted as one organization
So good on AMA (non-profit) for stepping up and providing insurance to tracks.
And as a past supercross rider once said “AMA (Pro Racing) can suck it!
I listened to the latest LVK podcast this afternoon. At about eleven minutes in, @LewisPhillips talks about the two distinctly different organizations and how they reacted to youth safety issues when he wrote his article about that.
Start the video at 11:33 if it doesn't do that automatically.
https://youtu.be/-Ugz_mmiEBg?t=693
If the AMA is doing anything at all, they haven't told me.
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