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Has the AMA ever considered getting more into the preservation of our sport at the local level in regard to track insurance, liability waivers?

Agree with most of this. The B and A classes are not really the 1% unless you are talking about the top 3-5. With Combines and SMX Next they top kids race fewer local races than before for sure.

It is a long standing policy that only A/Pro riders can receive a cash payout. Some areas like Michigan give dealer checks instead of a trophy. Cash is a line in the sand between Amateur and Pro.

Mike thank you for taking the time for this. The last few years and prior have seen some terrible injuries such as Jerry Robin. I was always under the assumption the AMA was heavily involved in insurance for these injured riders? I guess not as it seems the injured riders have to create things like a Go Fund me. What exactly is my AMA membership I pay for every year doing for me as a racer insurance wise?

Does your organization keep a record of the amateur races that were sanctioned by AMA? I'd like to look up the races I entered at Glen Helen (Yamaha Dealer Series; CA State Championships for instance,) and view who some of my competitors were back in the day.

How come amateur racers can't get a cash payout instead of a trophy? I'm talking about local races, not the professional "amateur" races like LL's etc.. I would've gladly taken cash value for any the trophies I was supposed to get. I've never really gotten a clear answer from anyone on this subject.

Not in the pro class, but there is an option for the electrics to race the events.

Thanks, but Im gonna give his mom most of the credit!!

Hi there! Chiming in with my list of questions for you. Thank you for allowing this opportunity. I actually joined ama (kiddos and husband have been members) so that I could apply for a committee seat when open. Issue: There’s no public pre-event safety inspection checklist that specifies jump lip profiles, landing zones, sight lines, fencing/bale placement, marshal post spacing, etc., for amateur MX. Much appears promoter-discretionary. Question: Can AMA release a national MX track-inspection checklist (design + day-of-race prep) and require sign-off by an AMA-trained official before practice? Issue: Limited public detail on audits, penalties, or probation for promoters...

What is District racing? What purpose is it intended to serve? At the whim of a promoter, the Districts were apparently erased in Texas this year. What's the point of having them if they don't mean anything.

Yes but that’s of the b class riders that made it to Loretta’s. Now compare those same top guys from “b class” to the local guy who is racing the same “b class” They’ll absolutely destroy him.

Killer outlook. The other 99% really does need the attention. Building tracks that cater to the 1% will continually scare people away and keep people hurt and keep tracks under fire. Awesome having this convo.

Nothing really to add but Matt is awesome, well done raising him.

Million Dollar question: Off the top of my head 1. Continue refining class structure to match the current climate in amateur and pro racing. For example what is the right age to race a 250F, 450F. What is the youngest age to ride an 85? All of the bikes are much more capable today that they were 10 years ago. 2. Do a better job of educating tracks in risk management. For example I had a track submit a 7-15 65-85 class. Obviously we said no. Imagine defending a lawsuit where a second grader got hit by a high school...

Great reply one follow up and I’m done. You said 450c was 14 seconds off open pro sport fastest lap to fastest lap. What about the fastest 450c lap time vs the slowest 6 finishers in open pro sport. That’s where a large amount of the issue I have lies.

Could we please get a way to qualify riders based on speed instead of essentially zero objective data. Our current system advances riders based on results and number of riders in each class they race. We also only advance at the end of the year so as to not affect people riding in series that last all Summer. It uses results from Nov 1st thru October 31st and advancements take place on Jan 1st. If you did it on speed at an event riders would be bouncing back and forth all year depending on the track. Also, if you used...

Could we please get a way to qualify riders based on speed instead of essentially zero objective data. You have guys at the front of c class or b class that can qualify for nationals. It makes local racing complete insanity. Qualifying and grouping people based on lap times is how every other racing form does it, but moto we go by , eh I’m c. It would be epic to race in a class of people close to my speed and could eliminate a ton of classes by only ranking by a few factors like maybe speed and a...

Don't think it was a bad title at all. My first thought was that you might have asked him if he was considering retiring this year. Not the move to KTM. You are really the only journalist out there asking interesting questions. Thank you. Hope the riders actually appreciate you asking such questions instead of the same old boring ones.