Posted on Saturday, July 19, 2008 - 12:49 pm:

This just in from DMG:


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AMA PRO RACING OFFERS THREE SUPERBIKE CLASSES FOR 2009

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA (JULY 19, 2008) - Today DMG released their plan for the 2009 AMA Superbike Series. Last week the contract with AMA and DMG was unanimously approved by the AMA Board of Trustees. In the future, DMG will do business as AMA Pro Racing and further releases will be under that trade name.

After four months of meetings and discussions, listening to suggestions, comments, and ideas from the broad spectrum of interested parties, AMA Pro Racing is presenting a program designed to provide exciting competition that will appeal to fans and participants alike. "The program we are releasing today represents the best combination of our vision and the vision shared with us by the manufacturers, promoters, fans, and independent teams" said Roger Edmondson of AMA Pro Racing.

The primary classes are Factory Superbike, American Superbike, and Daytona Superbike. Each of the classes has their own regulations and character. Secondary programs include the Red Bull AMA US Rookies Cup and Sun Trust Moto-ST, which will be added at select events.

Time will be built into each race weekend format to allow for local special activities, fan-walks on pit road, extended pre-race rider introductions, and post-race podium celebrations, complete with public rider interviews for fans and private briefings for the press.

Factory Superbike is a new program, free from the constraints of attempts to balance the resources of the factory teams to those of private entries. Featured are liter class sport bikes, operating at the highest level of technology and performance. Plans call for full implementation of FIM World Superbike rules by 2011, but to ease the transition from current equipment, in 2009 Factory Superbikes will be prepared to the specifications agreed to in 2007 by the AMA Rules Committee and manufacturers. Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Yamaha, have all requested use of those rules for 2009. The required Factory Pro license will only be issued to riders with a proven record of experience and performance at the top level of the sport. Other features of this new competition include single-bike qualifying, open tire selection, and unlimited testing.

Factory Superbike will be the final race on most event weekends. "Works bikes, salaried star riders, rules written by and requested by the manufacturers, special tires, no-holds barred superbike racing by the strongest teams in America.....what more could a racing fan ask for?" said Edmondson. "It will be a shooting war among the big guns and the meek need not apply."

American Superbike is for the same big-bore machines as Factory Superbike, but at a lower level of modification and performance. As in FIM World Superbike, there will be a single tire supplier. All approved machines and after-market parts will be homologated, and must be available to all competitors. Testing will be limited to reduce costs to the teams and sponsors. "SuperPole" qualifying for the ten fastest riders in timed practice will set the front of the grid. Riders in American Superbike must have a Factory Pro or Superbike Pro license. Motorcycles entered in American Superbike may not be entered in Factory Superbike.

Daytona Superbike departs from the traditional displacement and weight regulations and introduces power-to-weight and dynamometer controls to limit horsepower. This class is expected to be contested mostly by 600cc four-cylinder motorcycles, however the rules will provide for close competition with 675cc triples and up to 1200cc twins. All approved machines and after-market parts will be homologated, and must be available to all competitors. Daytona Superbike will feature Superpole qualifying, limited testing, single tire and fuel suppliers, and may be contested by all Superbike licensed riders (Factory Pro, Superbike Pro, and Limited Pro).

Homologation of motorcycles and approved after-market accessories and parts will begin August 1st. Provisional rules are attached to this release. The Official Rule Book will be published in September.