AHRMA out at VMD

[brian kirby]

Press release at the AMA website.

http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/story.asp?id=781

Sounds like the AMA is going to have their own racing at Mid-Ohio.


Brian

'73 Berkshire

[brian kirby]

The text of the release in case you cant open the link:

"The AMA is pleased to announce that AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, set for July 24-26 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, will feature the inaugural AMA Racing Vintage Grand Championships, which will honor the top riders in a variety of disciplines with championship titles and AMA Racing No. 1 plates.

In addition, the AMA Racing Vintage Grand Championships will crown a single AMA Racing Vintage Grand National Champion. The Grand National Champion will be the rider who has the highest cumulative premier-class point total across multiple vintage disciplines held at the event. Featured will be road racing, motocross, dirt track, hare scrambles and trials.

"AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days is the country's premier event for vintage bike enthusiasts, and the world's largest celebration of motorcycling's heritage," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "It's only appropriate to recognize the top competitors at the event with AMA Racing National Championships. In addition, naming an AMA Racing Vintage Grand National Champion echoes an honor that has been very important in the shared history of motorcyclists, and allows us to recognize one outstanding individual who excels across multiple disciplines."

Class champions from the AMA Racing Vintage Grand Championships, as well as the 2009 AMA Vintage Grand National Champion, will be invited to attend the end-of-year AMA Racing annual awards banquet, where AMA Racing National Champions from around the country will be honored for their 2009 accomplishments.

In addition, riders winning titles in the premier classes at this year's AMA Racing Vintage Grand Championships, and the No. 1 plates that go with those titles, will earn the right to run and defend their plates at the 2010 AMA Racing Vintage Grand Championships.

Full details of the program, such as which classes will be considered premier and therefore eligible for AMA Racing No. 1 plates and points toward the title of AMA Racing Vintage Grand National Champion, will be announced in the near future."

Brian

'73 Berkshire

[Ernie Phillips]

Have AHRMA and the AMA gone NUTS!  I wonder what the "deal-breaker" was?  Did egos and personalities trump logic and reason?  I'm just guessing, but if the AMA uses any format/rules that could be construed as having originated at AHRMA, you can bet AHRMA will defend its territory.  The Vintage pie keeps getting cut up with the pieces becoming smaller and smaller with each squabble.  Before long, there will only be crumbs.

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[brian kirby]

I really dont understand what is going on because on the face of it none of this makes any sense to me.

Brian

'73 Berkshire

[G Ellis]

Boy am I glad that I didn't send in my membership. I think I will wait to see what is going to happen. Later Gary

[Larry Perkins]

AMA wants to cash in on what is a BIG payday.  AHRMA will greatly suffer from the loss of this payday and quite honestly I don't think AHRMA has the money to court challenge AMA on anything they imploy as far as robbing goes.  Many people will like the idea of a single day National Championship.  It is far easier to win and less expensive.  I will be curious to see how the AMA splits things up class wise and ability wise and to see what AHRMA says as this makes the previous stated deadline a moot point.

Larry P

[firstturn]

AMA can have their day, but I will not support it as they are up to just cashing in and not really caring about the racing and racers.  As Larry says it is all about money and AMA is now just going to be a pack of attornys (sorry to all the great attorneys reading this including my oldest Son), and that way they can have it their way.  AMA has looked at the big picture and their pension is paid for by racers.  
If this sounds like I am mad at AMA I am not.  I am just explaining the real world.  I do read their releases and how they boast about their the achievments....well what they get done is the least I would expect....maybe I expect more.  Come to think of it I do and am proud of it.  I hope they have fun at Mid Ohio.

Ron Carbaugh

[Dwight Rudder]

Maybe AHRMA will start their own VMD.  I will not attend VMD Ohio at all now.
Dwight

[firstturn]

Dwight,
  Great idea and make it make it located in Central USA or rotate it every three years to a new location.  AMA needs to understand that Columbus Ohio isn't the center of the universe!  Actually it isn't central to anything except I guess that is where Columbus landed?[8]  Why do I feel like AMA is trying to do like the old days where you either raced with them or you were blackballed??  
  Well I am in enough trouble early in the day so I will not kick the dead horse anymore.  Maybe they are going to have a Goldwing Class...I want to be sure the saddle bags are safety wired on[8D].

Ron Carbaugh

[paul a. busick]

Well, what do you know?  The vintage motorcycle competitors just got sucker punched.  Where was the referee?  Somebody should have been looking out for the geezer guys.  I thought we were all motorcyclests and were to act like adults and share what little bit of fun time we have left.  I'm hoping that the powers to be can find some common ground and stop what they are doing and remember who they are suppose to represent. And who would that be? Maybe US-the dues paying members cought in the middle of this mess. I think this is the place that the bearded guy says, a house divided can not stand. Or something to that effect.  You get my drift.  Booooo, Hiiisssss to both sides!
 
That being said,
I'll see you down Old Dusty,
Paul Busick  [V]

[SouthRider]

I just submitted the following to the AMA on the feedback portion of their website:

"I just read your press release about VMD, and would like you to know that I am dismayed, nay disgusted.

Does anyone there actually care about the riders?

This is a money grab, plain & simple. Ahrma has built something good, and now AMA wants to steal it.

In the old days we ONLY joined AMA because we had to to race. It was by & for the manufacturers, and the Grand National Championship Series, yet was paid for by the tens of thousands of amateur racers.

Now we have a choice - I will stick with AHRMA, and will not renew my AMA membership....."

I would suggest that those concerned contact the AMA & post their own thoughts.


Clark


Clark A Gristina


1979 SERA Louisiana State Champ

[tomale]

Why would AMA doing anything else, They make it sound like without them there would be no racing at all. It was not that way in the 70's and it is not that way now. When I first started racing (71')I joined the AMA because I thought I needed to, but it soon became clear that very few races were actually AMA sanctioned.Remember they wanted nothing to do with Motocross? It is still true today...(they only care about the Pro stuff.  I get the feeling that it has not been about the riders for a very long time. To be honest I am not all that impressed with AHRMA either...Though I will admit they do put on alot more races than AMA ever did.

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)74'
250 hare scrambler (project bike)
72'sixday (project bike)

[chuck]

In the bigger picture what impact is this going to have on AHRMA. AHRMA has admitted that they are not financially sound...for many reasons not to get into here. Without the big pay day that comes from VMD can AHRMA survive in its current form? Regardless if you agree with AHRMA decisions and actions over the past few years, this is the time for members to step forward and help...that is if you want to have a national vintage racing organization.

chuck


72 125 Six Days
72 100 Berkshire
74 250 Hare Scrambles
72 Wassel

[rd400pi]

Poggers,
  My minimal understanding is this:  Some AHRMA road racer decided to start his own thing after being dissapointed with AHRMA.  AHRMA told him to pound sand when he wanted to call his series or event some name used or copyrighted by AHRMA.  This road racer is a lawyer by trade.  Lawyer gets pissed and tells AHRMA that he is going to ruin them (ie: sue them into the ground).  AHRMA's legendary stubborness has played a part in this as well.  Sooooo, it seems to boil down to this: two entities (egos) are in a pissing contest over some seemingly stupid things.  Carnage ensues in the form of lawsuits by lawyer when he gets his panties in a wad.  I ask you knowledgeable insider type folks out there, is this about right?  Nice to see that we can all get along.  Cheers.

  Mike H.
  Tulsa POG

[brian kirby]

Mike, that is it in a nutshell. The one other thing to add about the Mr Iannucci is he is the original founder of AHRMA before it was a not for profit.

Brian

'73 Berkshire