Insets: Dirt track (Dewanna Comer); ice racing (speedpunksimages.com/Matthew Pranger; Mid America MX (courtesy Mike Gibbs)
AMA Racer is published by the American Motorcyclist Association, Copyright (c) 2012. Printed in USA. Send story ideas and photos to submissions@ama-cycle.org. All submitted material becomes property of the AMA. Return of special items may be arranged, but call (614) 856-1900 before submitting.
2012 AMA Ice Race Grand Championships
Kyle Johnson: AMA Ice Racer Of The Year
The AMA recognized its first champions of 2012 with the AMA Ice Race Grand Championships, Feb. 11-12, in Cadillac, Mich. Promoted by North American Action Sports, the amateur championship event took place at the William Mitchell State Park.
“While this year’s relatively warm weather forced a date and venue change, we were pleased with the level of talent that showed up to compete for AMA national No. 1 plates,” says AMA Director of Racing Joe Bromley. “This event always brings out some incredibly tough racers, and 2012 was no exception as we crowned several champions in a number of classes.”
In addition to 30 championships in classes featuring riders of all ages competing on bikes ranging from lightly modified off-road machines to full-on, purpose-built ice racers, the AMA also recognized two riders for outstanding performances. Kyle Johnson, from Twin Lake, Mich., won the 2012 AMA Ice Racer of the Year Award and Nathan Gross from Clio, Mich., won the 2012 AMA Youth Ice Racer of the Year Award.
This was the second consecutive year that Johnson won AMA Ice Racer of
Table of
the Year honors. Johnson claimed AMA National Championships in both the 251-500 DTX class and the 450 Modified class.
“Winning this [for] the second year in a row is pretty cool,” says Johnson, whose younger sister, Kaley, races the 450 DTX, 250 DTX and 250 B classes. “When we went to the awards ceremony, I wasn’t sure I would get it, so I was pretty surprised. My races went well. I won all my heats, then got a good holeshot in both main events. Sunday was a real nice day, and the sun was shining. But the track got real challenging at the end of the day. When it’s rough like that, it just pounds your body.”
Gross won an AMA National Championship in the 65 Mod class and finished second in the 65 Stock class.
“I got first in one race, but I had a bad start in the second one, and I got second,” he says. “I’ve been ice racing for three years. It’s fun because you don’t have to stop. You can just ride wide open. Railing the corners also is fun.”
For more information and full results from the event, see BajaMX.com.
Snapshot
Kyle Johnson
Pit Board
Four Questions With… Mid America XC Promoter Mike Gibbs
For many racers, AMA-chartered clubs and promoters are the face of the sport of motorcycle racing, and a good organizer can make all the difference.
One promoter in the Midwest who’s working hard to surpass racer expectations is Mike Gibbs. Gibbs recently elevated his Mid America XC Championship to an AMA Featured Series for 2012. The primarily Indianabased series runs from March through October and features both open crosscountry style course sections as well as tighter hare scrambles trail.
We caught up with Gibbs to talk about the growth of the series and find out more about his approach.
AMA Racer: How did this series get started?
knew we had to work hard to give racers a championship-style series. With the economy like it is, having a regional series close like this one meant the timing was right.
Also, we wanted to have a series that gave back to the racers. My sons have raced hare scrambles and I have a long sprint-car racing background, so we definitely bring a racer’s perspective to promotion. That really comes down to a few basic things—improving organization, registration, track quality and, definitely, payouts and recognition.
For example, our pro purse is a set amount each round—it isn’t dependent on rider counts—and every other class down to beginner receives product
AMA Racer: What is the atmosphere of at one of your events?
Gibbs: Like the vast majority of hare scrambles, it’s very family oriented. We get a lot of family participation. We have one family where the grandfather races the Super Senior class, the dad races an adult class and a son races the youth. In what other sport but motorcycle racing do you see that at the same event? In what other sport can you find a college kid who can come and hang out with his mom and dad all day?
“If
Mike Gibbs: We started this in 2010 and ran four races. We expanded to nine races in 2011, and this season we added one more race to make 10. Racing is strong in this area, and we
we don’t have any kids competing, our sport’s dead. There are a lot of things out there to get their interest, some good and some not so good.”
— Mike Gibbs, Mid America XC Championship
awards in addition to trophies.
AMA MID AMERICA XC CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Series contact: Mike Gibbs, (317) 418-6084, gibbs11x@yahoo.com, TheMAXC.com
March 3: ................................... Greenfield, Ind.
April 21: TBA
June 9-10: Casey, Ill.
June 17: ......................... Riley Hospital Miracle Trail Ride and Race, Springville, Ind.
July 21: Martinsville, Ind.
Aug. 11: ........................................ Merango, Ind.
Sept. 8: Canaan, Ind.
Sept. 22: Spencer, Ind.
Oct. 13: Veedersburg, Ind.
Oct. 27-28:...........................................Casey, Ill.
AMA Racer: What do you try to do to improve the rider experience?
Gibbs: The organization of the race day is a big thing. We have really good people who help us out. Avoiding long registration lines was the top thing on our list. We want registration to go fast and smooth—a quick process with friendly faces. Then, we make sure that our advertised times are our start times.
As for the A classes, we have a set payout for every event. It doesn’t depend on how many A class riders show up. Racers know what to expect.
This is just one reason AMA affiliation has always been important to us. While we’re out here competing, the AMA is in Washington, D.C., protecting our rights to ride and to race. The success of fixing the lead law to exempt youth motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles from the ban was a perfect example. If we don’t have any kids competing, our sport’s dead. There are a lot of things out there to get their interest, some good and some not so good.
AMA Racer: Is there a highlight race on your schedule?
Gibbs: We designate one race the Riley Hospital Miracle Trail Ride and Race. This year it’s June 17 in Springfield, Ind. We donate 100 percent of the proceeds to the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. We work together with DNR of Indiana and ABATE of Indiana for this event. We look for a big turnout, and our goal is to raise $40,000 for Riley.
More information about all AMAsanctioned events can be found at AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Racing.
Photos Gibbs: Courtesy Mike Gibbs; Galfer
Studio: Jeff Guciardo; Galfer
Inset: Kelly Huffman
AMA Member Tested Galfer Brakes
Although KTMs are known for strong stock brakes, there’s always room for improvement, right? To find out, I’ve been testing the Galfer Tsunami Oversize Rotor kit on a 2012 KTM 200 XC-W. The kit includes the 270mm rotor, the caliper bracket and new brake pads.
Right away I was impressed with the machining and finish quality. But the factory KTM front brake system is so good, I was a bit skeptical there would be much improvement in braking performance.
The installation was straightforward and only took about 30 minutes, which included weighing the old and new components, and taking a few pictures and notes. The OEM rotor weighed 1 pound, 0.2 ounces. The new replacement weighed in at 1 pound, 7.8 ounces. There are no surprises there, of course. I expected the new unit to weigh more, with the larger 270mm diameter rotor and aluminum caliper spacing mount. Everything fit perfectly, and the instructions were clear and concise. On bikes such as the XC-W, with the magnetic pickup for the speedometer on the rotor, remove the circlip and reinstall the pickup in the machined hole in the Tsunami rotor. Put some blue Loctite on the mounting bolts, torque to factory specs and put on the wheel.
I installed mine on a Friday afternoon, then tested the brakes gently in my driveway a few times to seat the pads before loading up for the 28th Annual Red River Dirt Rider’s Enduro in Bulcher, Texas. It is a challenging race held where the infamous Red Bull Last Man Standing races were held a few years ago. It would be a great place to test out the new system.
By the end of the first test section, I felt like the pads were broken in, and the stopping power was working really well. This race is popular due to the diverse terrain and excellent course setup with the tight, wooded trails. I was hard on the brakes the whole race and never experienced any fade. (Although the improved stopping power never let me down, I did seem aware of the additional weight on the front axle.)
The next weekend, we raced a hare scrambles put on by Texas Xtreme Off Road Racing. It was a two-day event on a short course without much technical terrain, and with a lot of high-speed grass track and open sections.
I really liked the grab of the Galfer system. I also noticed that under fast, hard braking, there was less vibration transmitted into the bars, especially in sections with bad ruts and corners with deep braking bumps. I attributed this to the floating-type rotor.
The factory KTM front brake is a fantastic system and will stop the front wheel in a hurry. But this Galfer system offers an improvement in stopping power, and requires much less effort—a light touch goes a long way.
Even with the slight weight increase, the stronger stopping power and less vibration transmitted into the bars make this system a good value. The installation was easy and the quality is excellent. If you are looking at replacing your worn OEM brake components, or wanting to upgrade, the Galfer Tsunami kit is a great choice.—Kelly Huffman
On Your Minute?
AMA Featured Series Includes Traditional Time-Keeping Enduros
West Coast enduro racers who enjoy all forms of enduro competition— including the tradition and unique challenge of time-keeping enduros—have a new AMA Featured Series in which to compete in 2012.
The AMA Western Checkpoint Enduro Championship welcomes all formats of enduro competition, including timekeeping, start control and International Six Days Enduro Qualifiers.
The 2012 series, created in partnership with AMA District 36 (Northern California), AMA District 37 (Southern California), and the AMAchartered Arizona Offroad Motorcycle Racing Association, brought 345 riders to the Silver Dollar Enduro in Johnson Valley, Calif., on Jan. 15.
James Ptarcinski of Sunnyville, Calif., took the overall as well as the Vet 30+ class win at the first round.
The next round of the AMA Western Checkpoint Enduro Championship is March 18 in Red Mountain, Calif.
AMA WESTERN CHECKPOINT ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP
Series Contact: Erek Kudla, reaganplaysdisco@msn.com, www.ridechec.com
March 18: Gold Rush Enduro, Red Mountain, Calif. April 1: ..................... Sawmill Enduro, Cow Mountain, Calif. May 19-20: Hungry Valley Two-Day ISDE Qualifier, Gorman, Calif. Oct. 7: Wild Horse Enduro, Dayton, Nev. Oct. 21: Ghostrider Enduro, Red Mountain, Calif. Nov. 11: WFO Enduro, Stonyford, Calif.
MiniMotoSX Open For Entries Big Track, Small Bikes, Monster Fun
The ninth annual AMA-sanctioned GEICO MiniMotoSX will take place during the AMA Supercross finals weekend in Las Vegas. On Sunday, May 6, you can put your own gear on and hit the track inside the Orleans Arena.
Billed as the largest mini-bike race in the world, 300-plus riders of all ages will compete for AMA recognition and the largest purse in mini-bike racing.
There are eight adult classes and three youth classes as well as a women’s class. For the third year, the MiniMotoSX will conclude with the World Final race that pits the top three finishers from the expert and youth classes plus the women’s champion against the international champions for bragging rights and cash.
For more information, full rules and to sign up, see MiniMotoSX.com
AMA Class C Referee Training Now Available Start Your Journey Here
AMA Class C referee training is now available. This training and testing program provides the foundation for the AMA’s efforts to expand the ranks of trained referees.
To start the process of becoming a trained AMA referee, first download the study guide to review and then take the online test. You’ll find the information at AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Clubs & Promoters > Resources & Forms.
If you pass, you’ll receive an AMA Class C Referee certificate. For questions about the AMA’s referee training program, email lcox@ama-cycle.org.
Are You Ready For AMA EnduroCross?
Entries Open, Tickets Available For 2012 Season
Entries are open and tickets are available for the 2012 GEICO AMA EnduroCross Series, presented by Lucas Oil.
The series will kick off on Friday, May 4, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., during the Monster Energy Supercross finals weekend. On June 9, the EnduroCross series will visit Sacramento, Calif., for the first-ever Northern California event. These two opening rounds will also serve as qualifiers for the 2012 X Games Enduro X, which will be round three for the expert riders.
The EnduroCross series then takes a summer break before going to Ontario, Calif. Denver, Colo., is next on the schedule followed by Everett, Wash., Boise, Idaho, and the traditional Las Vegas, Nev., finals. The series will increase from seven to eight events in 2012.
“In 2011, we exposed the talent of some of the world’s best off-road riders to millions of people,” says Mike Karsting, vice president of events at series promoter Source Interlink. “Our team is very happy about the continued progression of the series for 2012.”
For more information, see EnduroCross.com.
AMA Assembles Speedway Advisory Group
Experts Will Advise The AMA On Key Issues
A newly created group of speedway advisors will work with the AMA to improve the sport of speedway racing, including the U.S. effort in FIM World Team Cup competition.
The advisory group includes former World Team Cup Champion and Speedway GP World Champion Billy Hamill; former World Team Cup Champion and Speedway GP competitor Josh Larsen; Richard Child, team manager of FIM World Champion Greg Hancock; and promoters Steve Evans, Jason Bonsignore and Dave Joiner.
AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant and AMA Director of Special Projects Bill Cumbow are also on the committee.
“The members of this advisory group represent the best and the brightest in U.S. speedway racing,” Saillant says. “This advisory council will help us on everything from World Team Cup team selection to fund raising to rulemaking.”
Bonsignore is the current promoter of Inland Motorcycle Speedway in San Bernardino, Calif., and Champion Speedway in Owego, N.Y. The former National Hockey League Player and host of Speedway USA Television has been promoting speedway racing for 15 years.
“I am honored to be a part of the new advisory board,” Bonsignore says. “The board is made up of motivated and experienced people who are passionate about speedway and are willing to make needed changes to advance the profile of our great sport. I thank the AMA for their willingness to step forward and extend a hand, and I am excited and anxious to see where future opportunities can lead.”
Hamill is one of the greatest U.S. speedway racers of all time also has high hopes for the council.
“This advisory board is a big plus,” Hamill says. “The members
possess a lot of knowledge on many levels of business and practical experience. Dialogue between the AMA and American Speedway is fundamentally the key here. Good things can come from this if we work in the same direction collectively. We are off to a good start!”
Joiner is one of the country’s longestactive speedway promoters and is a past AMA Track Racing Promoter of the Year.
“I am looking forward to organizing speedway motorcycle racing events with the AMA Speedway Advisory Council,” Joiner says. “We hope to gain new AMA promotions along with elevating one of the AMA’s most historic racing events. We will work to bring the AMA National Speedway Championship Series to a higher level, manage FIM World Championship speedway competitors in FIM Events world wide, facilitate FIM Speedway Grand Prix in the United States and growing speedway racing at local levels.”
Steve Evans promoters Victorville Speedway and opened the Perris, Calif., and Ridgecrest, Calif., speedway tracks.
“I’m excited and privileged to be invited onto the new AMA Speedway Advisory Council,” Evans says. “This committee will be hands-on and all action. Every member is here on merit and [that] includes valuable experience and wisdom, riders who have raced at the highest level, and the visionaries of a new and brighter future. The AMA is very serious about this effort, and it’s a new and fresh approach.”
Speedway racers compete on purposebuilt motorcycles around a circle track, typically in an indoor stadium setting. More information about speedway and other forms of racing is at AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Racing.
ISDE Update
Are You Qualified?
If you are considering competing for the U.S. team in the 2012 International Six Days Enduro Sept. 24-29 in Saxony, Germany, it’s time to get qualified. Each country participating in this event can have six riders representing the Trophy Team, four riders under the age of 23 representing the Junior Trophy Team, three female riders representing the Women’s World Cup Team and three riders for each Club Team entered to represent their country. The United States will field a three-rider Senior Club Team if participation warrants it.
• The World Trophy winner is determined by totaling the teams’ best five individual riders’ scores each day for six days, with the lowest team score after six days being the winner.
• The Junior World Trophy is determined by totaling the teams’ best three individual riders’ scores each day for six days with the lowest team score after six days being the winner.
• The Women’s World Cup is determined by totaling the teams’ best two individual riders’ scores each day for six days with the lowest team score after six days being the winner.
In addition, the United States will field several Club Teams. These teams will score all three riders each day. U.S. Club riders are selected based on their performance in the U.S. ISDE Qualifier Series. The schedule for the 2012 qualifiers is below:
June 2-3, 2012
Boise Ridge Riders
Peter Reynolds (208) 384-5141
info@boiseridgeriders www.boiseridgeriders.com
LOC: Idaho City, Idaho
June 9-10, 2012
Appalachian Dirt Riders
William Defue Jr. (740) 384-6379
adrohio@frontier.com
www.ADROhio.org
LOC: Wellston, Ohio
Photos Speedway: Michael Kirby; ISDE: Steve Berkner
MotoTrial Carries Cody Webb Higher
GRAVITY GAMES
The AMA/NATC MotoTrial National Championship Series was pretty much a Pat Smage runaway in 2011, with the four-time champ winning five of the seven rounds to beat out 2010 title-holder Cody Webb for the championship.
However, if you look at Webb’s schedule, you’ll understand why 2011 may have been an off year.
In addition to MotoTrials competition, the Beta rider was also a major player in last year’s AMA EnduroCross series and extreme events in Europe. It was a big leap for Webb, who spent much of his time working on his off-road technique last year, letting his trials riding take a back seat to his newfound off-road endeavors.
That won’t happen this year, says Webb, who spent the winter practicing his trials craft near his home in Santa Cruz, Calif., as well as training areas in Arizona with up-and-coming MotoTrials riders Bryan Roper and Karl Davis Jr. Having ridden trials most of his life, Webb is relatively new to EnduroCross.
And, like Geoff Aaron, another trials rider turned off-roader, Webb found that he’s a natural when it comes to extreme off-road racing, thanks to the skills he developed riding trials. However, trials competition is where Webb is rooted, and the 24-year-old isn’t about to abandon the sport he grew up on and continues to enjoy with his family (Cody’s father was a top pro in the ’80s, and his two sisters, Sabrina and Regina, as well as his mother, have competed over the years as well).
At 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, Webb has a build similar to Aaron. And he is starting to show the same aggressive
style as the 10-time AMA MotoTrials National Champion. Webb also should be right at home when this year’s series kicks off with a doubleheader in Southern California, a venue that will feature dry, grippy and massive obstacles, which tend to cater to a more hard-hitting style.
Colorado’s doubleheader will be similar in nature, giving Webb fourstraight rounds of home field advantage. Not that he struggles in the slippery
Story and photos by Shan Moore
conditions found back east. On the contrary, Webb says he’s just as much at home in the wet, but that his aggressive style may be more suited to the dry. Nevertheless, the title will go to the rider who can ride all types of terrain well.
“I grew up riding big, grippy stuff, but I really feel comfortable riding slippery terrain,” says Webb. “I’ve worked hard over the years to be at my best in all conditions, and up where I live we have a little of both—wet and dry.”
For sure, Webb says he will be “more at one” with his bike this year. After two years of riding the four-stroke Sherco for Sherco USA, Webb signed on to ride a Beta for the U.S. importer, American Beta, before the start of the 2011 season. Switching brands is tough enough, especially at this level, but going from a four-stroke to a twostroke complicates matters considerably.
Webb now has a full year on the Beta, however, and says he shouldn’t suffer from some of the “silly” mistakes he had during the early rounds of 2011. Webb was in the hunt at every round last year, but mental errors attributed to too many fives, which kept him from scoring as well as he should have.
“I made some really immature mistakes last year, like missing a marker and stalling my bike and that really hurt my chances,” says Webb. “I tried to put my head down and get it going, but Pat was riding really good all year. I came into the final round in Tennessee behind in the series points but I knew I was capable of winning the title.
“I had proved to myself the year before that I could win and I felt confident going in and felt I could do it, but I just did some really dumb stuff, stuff I hadn’t done in a long time. There were some really poor decisions on my part and it cost me bigtime in the end, but it’s stuff I can correct and this year is a new year.”
Despite the mental focus on MotoTrials, Webb says he’s not backing down his schedule for this year. He will once again try to juggle a rigorous off-road schedule that includes racing in several disciplines. One point in his favor is that the 2012 MotoTrial schedule is rather dense compared to other years. With back-toback weekends in May and two more in June, the series will be a short one, and
Series Spotlight: MotoTrials Talent On Display
The 2012 MotoTrials series covers a lot of ground in a short period of time, starting in Southern California with a doubleheader on May 19-20 and wrapping up in Rhode Island on June 23-24, with stops in Howard, Colo., and Toronto, Ohio, in between.
Eight rounds over the course of four weekends, within the span of a sixweek period, means the trials faithful will spend much of May and June on the road.
The terrain varies widely from east coast to west, which means to win a title riders have to be well versed in all types of terrain, from dry to wet. The California and Colorado rounds will each be dry with plenty of traction on menacing walls and steps. The two eastern rounds will feature more logs and slippery terrain, including dirt banks and climbs.
The North American Trials Council (NATC) is the organizing body for the AMA-sanctioned Mototrials National Championship Series.
And the series is not just for high-level riders. Each event offers 20 classes that cover a wide range of abilities and age groups, and there are even classes for twin-shock bikes, youth riders and women. Not only is trials one of the best spectator motorsports on the planet, it’s also one of the best ways to learn how to ride a motorcycle well—and safely.
For more information on series, see MotoTrial.us.
will allow him to divide his focus more easily between his two disciplines.
“I’m looking forward to making a run at the title again, I want to win it back,” says Webb. “I had a lot on my plate last year but now I think I’m better equipped to handle it. I’ve learned a lot during the last year and I look forward to the challenge of competing in both the
MotoTrials and the Endurocross series, and I think I can give both series my best effort.”
Shan Moore is the editor and publisher of Trials & Enduro News, a monthly newspaper devoted to the two disciplines since 1974. For more info, visit www. tandenews.com.
AMA KENDA HARE & HOUND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP NationalHareAndHound.com
March 25: Murphy, Idaho: Bill Walsh, Dirt Inc.; (208) 459-6871, DirtIncRacing.com
April 22: Lucerne Valley, Calif.: Steve Williams, Vikings MC; (310) 490-4575, VikingsMC.com
