Previous race winners Ward and Chandler also set for round three of
AMA Red Bull Supermoto Championship
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Oct. 1, 2003) -- It will be a busy weekend for Troy
Lee Designs Honda's Jeremy McGrath. Not only will he be inducted into
the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, but he'll also be renewing a friendly
rivalry with former AMA Motocross/Supercross foe Doug Henry in round
three of the AMA Red Bull Supermoto Championship Sunday, Oct. 5 at
PromoWest Pavilion in downtown Columbus, Ohio.
McGrath and Henry are just two of the star-filled lineup of riders
slated to compete in Columbus. McGrath, who'll be inducted into the
Motorcycle Hall of Fame in a dinner ceremony Saturday night, will be on
the track Sunday attempting to win his first AMA Red Bull Supermoto
race. He was third in the opening round at Mazda Laguna Seca in July,
and was among the leading qualifiers for the August round in South
Boston, Va. McGrath is an eight-time AMA National Champion. Henry, a
three-time AMA Motocross Champion, is making his supermoto debut in
Columbus, riding a factory-supported Yamaha.
Henry thinks his motocross background gives him an edge. "I'm used to a
motocross bike and I know how it reacts and how it handles to certain
obstacles and certain situations, so I feel like I have a little bit of
a jump on maybe a road racer or a flat tracker who is coming off of a
different type of a machine," he says. "Flat track bikes are similar to
motocross bikes, but they don't use brakes very much. I think that we
motocrossers will have an advantage with the braking over the flat
trackers. With road racers I think we'll have an advantage because we're
riding more of a motocross bike."
It was former multi-time AMA Motocross and Supercross champ Jeff Ward
who won the first round and three-time AMA Superbike champ Doug Chandler
who won round two, so maybe it will be a flat tracker's turn to win in
Columbus. There's no shortage of top-level flat track racers slated to
race in Columbus. Brett Landes is hot off a victory in the AMA
Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championship this summer and he's
scheduled to ride on the CMH Exhaust McAllister Motorsports Honda.
Joining Landes from the flat track ranks is 2002 Ricky Graham AMA U.S.
Flat Track Rookie of the Year Jake Johnson. Johnson will ride a
Moroney's Johnson Honda. Rusty Rogers and Steve Beattie are also hoping
to give the flat track community its first supermoto victory.
Other big names in the Columbus Supermoto race in include former Daytona
200 winner David Sadowski, Freestyle Motocross champ Mike Metzger and
former AMA Supersport champ Mike Smith.
While the big name riders are getting most of the attention, some lesser
known riders are trying to steal the spotlight with their excellent
supermoto skills. Australian Mark Avard is enjoying great success with
the Pacifico Supermoto Suzuki team. Avard is a leading supermoto racer
in his native Australia and is a former ISDE rider. Along with Avard is
Mark Burkhart, a rider from AMA Pro Racing's hometown of Pickerington,
Ohio. Burkhart was a promising motocross racer before injuries put a
damper on his career. He reportedly trains with Larry Pegram at a local
Columbus-area kart track. After finishing in the top-10 in each of the
first two rounds he's proven that he's found a new home in supermoto
racing.
In the team competition it's Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 1
that holds a strong lead in that category. Troy Lee Designs Honda is
second and McAllister Motorsports Honda is in third. Top teams will be
awarded a year-end championship bonus. The individual riders are vying
for premium starting positions for the championship finale in Las Vegas
on Nov. 21.
Chris Fillmore, a 16-year-old phenom, is leading the Supermoto Unlimited
class. Fillmore, who won the South Boston round came up in motocross,
but could be the first American to race supermoto exclusively as a
professional. He's leading Superbike and dirt-track journeyman and Red
Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Team 2 teammate Larry Pegram. Pegram, from nearby
Baltimore, Ohio, will have plenty of hometown friends and family in
Columbus to cheer him on.
The AMA Red Bull Supermoto Championships will be televised on Outdoor
Life Network (OLN) this fall. For additional information on the event at
PromoWest Pavilion call (800) 326-4000 or visit www.amaproracing.com and
click on the Supermoto tab.
Schedule of Events
A.D. Farrow Cup, PromoWest Pavilion, Columbus, Ohio
Saturday, October 4
3:00 - 6:00 PM - Registration: Riders, Crew, Sponsors & Guests
3:00 - 6:00 PM - Tech inspection
Sunday, October 5
7:00 AM - 3:00 PM - Registration: Crew, Sponsors & Guests
9:00 AM - Entries Close for All Classes
7:00 AM - Tech Inspection Opens
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM - Practice: 1. Supermoto Unlimited - 10 minutes; 2.
Honda Red Riders Jr. Supermoto Challenge - 8 minutes; 3. Supermoto Group
A - 10 minutes; 4. Supermoto Group B - 10 minutes
9:00 AM - Gates Open to Public
9:10 AM - Mandatory Riders Meeting
10:00 AM - Timed Qualifying Session #1: 1. Supermoto Unlimited - 10
minutes; 2. Supermoto Group A - 10 minutes; 3. Supermoto Group B - 10
minutes;
10:45 AM - Honda Red Riders Jr. Supermoto Challenge Practice - 10
minutes
11:00 AM - Timed Qualifying Session #2: 1. Supermoto Unlimited - 10
minutes; 2. Supermoto Group A - 10 minutes; 3. Supermoto Group B - 10
minutes
11:40AM - 12:30 PM - Lunch Break/On Track Autograph Session
12:30 PM - Heat Races: 1. Supermoto Unlimited - 2 races, 8 laps; 2.
Honda Red Riders Jr. Supermoto Challenge - 6 laps; 3. Supermoto - 4
races, 8 laps;
2:30 PM - Opening Ceremonies
3:00 PM - Semi-Finals: 1. Supermoto Unlimited - 6 laps; 2. Supermoto - 6
laps
3:45 PM - Supermoto Superpole (top 8 riders from heats)
4:30 PM - Supermoto Unlimited Final - 24 laps
5:00 PM - Intermission
5:10 PM - Honda Red Riders Jr. Supermoto Challenge Final - 10 laps
5:30 PM - Supermoto Final - 24 laps