2014 AMA Schedule... What Gives?

[JBZ1k]

So I'm looking for the schedule when I see this...

The 2014 AMA Pro Road Racing schedule is as follows:
March 13 - 15 - Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.
May 30 - June 1 - Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.
June 21 - 22 - Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Ala.*
July 19 - 20 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio*
September 13 - 14 - New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, N.J.*
* - These events will feature the two-day event schedule

5 events with a possible 6th TBD.

Maybe they are focusing on cost cutting since the economy is so effed off.

 

[joeyb]

That's some bs, 10 races total!!!??? They need to rethink their business plan!!!

 

[D-Swens]

There will be a 6th race weekened, but its still rough to digest. Its the best we got right now though... Just hoping for TV deal

 

[vinny337]

Intresting...

 

[GriffinD]

D-Swens;297411 wrote: ... Just hoping for TV deal

We NEED this. For the people that can't make it to the actual event, at least they are able to watch / record it.


opcorn:

 

[Quickone4u]

GriffinD;297421 wrote: We NEED this. For the people that can't make it to the actual event, at least they are able to watch / record it.


opcorn:

I agree. If we can't even get the series televised, I don't see things getting better anytime soon!

 

[mjkuhno]

Quickone4u;297425 wrote: I agree. If we can't even get the series televised, I don't see things getting better anytime soon!

If they can't get a television deal done this season I don't see how DMG/AMA can survive.

Can you imagine how tough it must be for teams to put together a good argument justifying sponsorship for a series that's cut their # of dates in half and is not getting eyeballs from the TV?

Really hope their able to put together a great season, increase the number of race weekends (and PLEASE come back to VIR) and ink a TV deal for the good of our sport!

 

[Quickone4u]

mjkuhno;297428 wrote: If they can't get a television deal done this season I don't see how DMG/AMA can survive.

Can you imagine how tough it must be for teams to put together a good argument justifying sponsorship for a series that's cut their # of dates in half and is not getting eyeballs from the TV?

Really hope their able to put together a great season, increase the number of race weekends (and PLEASE come back to VIR) and ink a TV deal for the good of our sport!

Agree with every word! Sad state of things for sure.

 

[D-Zum]

Agree with the Agree....AMA Road Racing is in SERIOUS trouble.

It's tragic to see this happen.

 

[Backmarker]

I plan to see first hand at least two of those rounds.
Three if I can.

Support what's left before its get flushed.

 

[jimgl3]

the writing has been on the wall for a while now though... Aaron Yates is racing World Superbike in 2014. like it or not, the rest of the world cares a LOT more for road racing than the average ASSCAR fan. sorry if that offends any of you that like watching cars go in circles, oh, sorry, ovals.

 

[dickiedoo]

jimgl3;297437 wrote: the writing has been on the wall for a while now though... Aaron Yates is racing World Superbike in 2014. like it or not, the rest of the world cares a LOT more for road racing than the average ASSCAR fan. sorry if that offends any of you that like watching cars go in circles, oh, sorry, ovals.

:agree: and it's super sad. I'll be at the Barber round... may even race it, but it sucks for the real pros who can't continue to do this for a whole season.

 

[mjkuhno]

jimgl3;297437 wrote: the writing has been on the wall for a while now though... Aaron Yates is racing World Superbike in 2014. like it or not, the rest of the world cares a LOT more for road racing than the average ASSCAR fan. sorry if that offends any of you that like watching cars go in circles, oh, sorry, ovals.

Definitely stoked to see Geoff May, Aaron Yates and EBR representing in WSBK though and I'm sure there's quite a few riders that would love to make that jump!

But I'm sure we'd all love to see a national series in the US as strong as they are in Europe.

 

[Ruhe52]

Best way to correct this is to not bitch about it but support it. Get out to the races and show your support.




Mike Ruhe
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2006 Yamaha R6
2009 Yamaha Zuma 125
2010 BMW S1000rr
2011 Suzuki GSXR 750

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[hurricanejohn]

Ruhe52;297537 wrote: Best way to correct this is to not bitch about it

Don't think anyone bitching about it, just conversation from I reading. Truth is with little to no TV interest or involvement, dwindling US support money, big named teams and riders moving out, and Europe being the stronger market there's no wonder the migration is happening.

HJ

 

[Ruhe52]

I read it as bitching see the world how you wish. I'll maintain my opinion you most certainly can have yours.

 

[hurricanejohn]

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=dont+worry+be+happy&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=dont+worry+be+happy&sc=8-19&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=E993B935E2F72CA5E338E993B935E2F72CA5E338

 

[JBZ1k]

2014 AMA Schedule... What Gives?

My reason for starting this thread was not to have a so called bitchfest but merely to post the schedule and see the opinion of fellow riders presumably people engaged in what is going on in professional racing. I would not say that the sport is going down the drain but just like so many of our employers have done cutting cost is the name of the game when cash flow gets tight. So, are the other venues not interested in hosting the AMA? Turnout at those tracks not worth the investment? Maybe a mixture of both but one thing is for sure, the level of racing that the AMA brings to the table is as entertaining as ever and top notch or else riders would not have the chance to race WSB or Moto 2. The riders are not jumping ship they are just moving up.
But to Ruhe's point we should all quit "finger popping" and get ourselves out to the races and hell even bring a friend or two.

 

[physicistkev]

So, we see world level racing take a dive. MotoGP brought in the CRT class just to put more bikes on the track. Not that the TV shows the CRT teams and they rarely get mentioned in the broadcasts. At least on the feed that goes to FoxSports 1 (formerly Speed). MotoGP doesn't have a Suzuki or Kawasaki in the paddock. That's 2 of the top 4 manufacturers.

Moto2 is based on a Honda engine and a bring what you like chassis. Not exactly something that translates to the average user.

Moto3.... see above

World Superbike doesn't have competition outside of Kawasaki, BMW and Aprillia. Two of those are not common bikes in the states. We see them at the track, but on the roads they are few and far between. BMW doesn't have a small bike so you get the 1k or you go home. Not a great plan in the states. Honda wasn't competitive last year, Suzuki was just barely there and Yamaha was a practical no show.

In showrooms everywhere, the costs of sport bikes are unreal. I don't think you can get a 600 sport bike for less than 10k. How the hell are they going to get younger people in the sport with such a high starting price. Yes you can get a nice track bike for around 3k, but most people don't come to the track. It's hard to get a modern sport bike on the street for a reasonable price. Not that the bike type is that important (as I point out later)

If you can't put people on the machines, they aren't going to watch it on TV. Does anyone wonder why we don't have televised ice racing or snowmobile racing on the TV. It's because there is no market for it in the majority of the states. I think that the motorcycle racing days are numbered in this country until...


the price of gas goes way up. Once you get more people on 2 wheels, sport bike or not, you will get more interest in the racing aspect. Until then, we are a small market of people that many corporations are not going to spend a lot of money on.

 

[JBZ1k]

I would agree with most of the post above. On the upside if new bikes keep going up like they have been I'll be able to get what I paid out of a bike I bought new in 08. It's getting a little crazy out there. $8 to eat McDonalds, $1.75 for a coke, even hookers have gone up from what I hear.