AMA: Superbike Series From Road Atlanta Brought to you by FAST
11 December 1997
FIRST AUTO SPORTS TELEVISION TO PROMOTE ROAD ATLANTA DOUBLE-HEADER WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association announced today that World Superbike organizer First Auto Sports Television (FAST) will present a round of the AMA Superbike Series at Road Atlanta May 30-31, 1998. "We are excited to return to a great market like Atlanta," said Merrill Vanderslice, director of competition for AMA Pro Racing. "The addition of Atlanta will give us a good balance of races from around the country, and will answer many requests from our members and fans." The Atlanta round will showcase the first and only event in the 1998 AMA Superbike Series to offer two points-paying Superbike races on the same weekend. This unprecedented format is designed to improve weekend attendance by giving fans a great show on both Saturday and Sunday. The higher stakes will make Atlanta the most important race weekend on the calendar for Superbike teams since twice as many points will be up for grabs. The two-race format is just one of the ideas that FAST plans to use in Atlanta from the successful World Superbike format it used at last year's Laguna Seca World round. "In addition to world-class racing, we will offer fans an opportunity to see all the latest motorcycles and accessories in our motorcycle expo. Several of the top manufacturers, including Honda and Kawasaki, have already agreed to bring significant displays and more commitments are expected soon," said Dan Murphy, President of FAST. The weekend will also offer numerous other attractions including a vintage bike display, a trials demonstration and world renowned stunt rider Gary Rothwell. "Most fans at the World Superbike event felt that Gary alone was worth the price of admission," said Murphy. "We want this weekend to be enjoyable to anyone who has a interest in motorcycles, regardless of whether they follow racing on a weekly basis," he added. "We need to offer more than racing if we want to expand our fan base beyond the motorcycle enthusiast, which is the goal for the teams, manufacturers, AMA Pro Racing and FAST. Road Atlanta has been undergoing a major facelift since the track was sold to Dr. Donald Panoz late last year. "The track and facilities will have a completely new look and feel for the AMA race weekend in 1998," said Jim Kanley, President and CEO of Road Atlanta. "Upgrades to the facility, which have been continuous for the past five years and will continue into the future, will include additional modifications to the track itself to further improve safety. Infield modifications will also provide improved facilities and spectator views." "We plan to make the marketing investments it takes to make this event a premier AMA event right out of the blocks. I'm confident that the manufacturers, vendors and print magazines will get behind us to make this event more than a race weekend, but rather a motorcycle extravaganza," states Murphy. For additional information on the Road Atlanta race weekend, contact FAST at 303-377-3278. -30- American Motorcyclist Association http://www.ama-cycle.org