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AMA MBNA Superbikes Head for Loudon

29 July 1997

R97082			
July 28, 1997		
For Immediate Release	

MLADIN TOPS SECOND ROUND OF MBNA SUPERBIKE BONUS PAYOUT

WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- Victories at Elkhart Lake, Wis., and Loudon,
N.H., helped Australian Mat Mladin become the top money-winner in the
second round of the American Motorcyclist Association MBNA Superbike
bonus payouts. Mladin took $5,000 of the $30,000 second-round bonuses.

Defending AMA Superbike champion Doug Chandler banked $4,000 in the
second-round payoffs, making him the top MBNA bonus money earner so
far in 1997, with $9,000.

The second round of payoffs went to the top 20 riders from the Elkhart
Lake, Loudon and Brainerd, Minn., rounds. MBNA will pay a total of
$100,000 in championship bonus money, plus $25,000 in event bonues to
the top AMA MBNA Superbike Series riders in 1997.

In addition to the series bonuses, MBNA is also paying $2,500 per
event to the top three riders at each round of the 10-race
series. Combining the series payoffs with the event bonuses, Chandler
has earned a total $12,300 in MBNA bonus money.  Mladin follows with
$11,600, and Miguel Duhamel is third with $8,000.

A total of 27 AMA MBNA Superbike riders have won MBNA bonus money
after the first two rounds of payouts.

The biggest payout of the season will come after the AMA MBNA
Superbike Series finale at Las Vegas October 5. A total of $40,000
will be paid to the top 20 riders in the final four rounds of the
series.  MBNA America is the world's largest issuer of the Gold
MasterCard_ credit card and the world's second-largest lender through
bank credit cards.

Contact: Connie Fleming 
Phone: (614) 891-2425   
Fax: (614) 891-7368     

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