AMA Pro Racing announced today that by 2015 it will overhaul the racing class structure and rules for the AMA Pro Road Racing series. The changes are designed to make America’s premier road racing series more cost-effective, and to bring AMA Pro Road Racing inline with other national and international racing divisions.
Perhaps the most important change to the racing structure, AMA Pro Racing says that the Superbike class will see incremental changes made to the technical rules package over the next two seasons “in the interest of rule commonality, performance parity, and cost containment.”
This likely means that AMA Pro Superbike will adopt rules similar to the rules progression seen in World Superbike, with EVO-spec bikes that more akin to Superstock series motorcycles being the mode du jour from 2015 and onward.
Most of the changes being made to AMA Road Racing occur in the middleweight category, with the Daytona SportBike class being merged into AMA Pro Supersport class for 2015. The Supersport class will also no longer be split between East and West divisions, instead becoming one singular racing series for the 2014 season.
The Harley-Davidson XR1200 racing class will remain on the schedule through 2015, but AMA Pro Racing says it is considering a small-displacement class, likely 250cc to 300cc, as a development series for AMA Pro Road Racing as well. Details beyond this on the small-displacement class do not exist, though it seems like a logical choice for AMA Pro Racing to make.
“These long-term, strategic moves have been planned with careful consideration and after many conversations with our motorcycle manufacturers, teams, riders and event promoters,” said Michael Gentry, Chief Operating Officer of AMA Pro Racing. “We feel that these changes will help us elevate the sport of professional motorcycle racing in North America to greater heights.”
Source: AMA Pro Racing; Photo: Michael Jordan Motorsports
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