Motorcycle Veteran Jeff Ward Joins AMA Pro Racing

Courtesy of AMA Pro Racing
Motorcycle Veteran Jeff Ward Joins AMA Pro Racing

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (March 19, 2010) - Motorcycle racing legend Jeff Ward will bring his considerable amount of racing and career experience to AMA Pro Racing as rider liaison and advisor.  Ward has nine AMA Pro Racing Championships in Motocross, Supercross and Supermoto.  He also has a number of other significant motorcycle wins and achievements as well as an impressive auto racing resume that includes a Ganassi Indy Car win, Rookie of the Year at the 1997 Indianapolis 500 and a second place finish in that iconic event in 1999.  Jeff is also in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.  Among other responsibilities, Jeff will be the rider liaison and will fully engage with AMA Pro Racing's riders on the many issues that are important to or may cause concern from the rider's standpoint.  "Jeff has the perspective of an experienced, champion rider and can understand the concerns and questions that only someone who has experienced it from behind the handlebars would truly understand," said AMA Pro Racing COO David Atlas.  "And having Jeff represent that part of our sport and be one of our key advisors will further our efforts to be as available and responsive to our riders and teams as we can.  From the time he was a child and was featured doing wheelies in the classic motorcycle movie 'On Any Sunday', Jeff has devoted his entire sports life to winning and he is now cultivating his own children's successful motorcycle competition careers.  We felt that the spectrum of Wardy's experience, his down to earth sincerity and unassuming nature could be very helpful to many in our paddock."  Joining AMA Pro Racing Race Director David McGrath, who also has experience as a rider in the sport, Jeff and David McGrath provide AMA Pro Racing with a large baseline of firsthand racer experience that will greatly benefit the riders in AMA Pro Racing.         "I'm delighted to be joining the AMA Pro Racing series," said Ward, "I personally know many of the riders and am looking forward to helping them have a positive influence in the future direction of the sport and the way in which they plan and pursue their training, successful strategies and careers." Jeff will begin his duties at the upcoming March 26-28th Auto Club Speedway AMA Pro Road Racing event in Fontana, CA and will be a very approachable  presence in the pits and paddock at the AMA Pro Road Racing events in 2010.  Ward will also advise AMA Pro Racing on motocross and flat track rider matters which it sanctions too, as well as assist AMA Pro Racing with its relations with the motorcycle manufacturers and parts suppliers.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.  ;Was this post helpful? Add yours to our service or subscribe to our feed above.

Supermoto Returns to X Games 15

Image via Wikipedia

Courtesy of XGames 15
X Games 15 features the return of the most exciting racing on two wheels as the world's top motorcycle racers will vie for Supermoto Gold. Although race promoter Gavin Trippe gets credit for creating the concept of a hybrid roadracing/motocross competition for the original "Superbikers" race for ABC's Wide World Of Sports more than 30 years ago, it is the French who have really embraced the concept and have made the sport of "Supermotard" their own in recent years. In fact, 2007-2008 Supermoto World Champion Adrien Chareyre has just confirmed he will be coming from France to compete on the track at the Home Depot Center.

Adrien Chareyre will defend his X Games Supermoto title.

Supporting the super fast Supermotard racer will be a local dealer as San Diego's GP Motorcycles will be race-prepping Chareyre's Husqvarna SM450 motorcycle. As San Diego's only all-European motorcycle dealership and an authorized Husky dealer, GP Motorcycles was a natural to play host to the champ. Adding to the international flavor of this team is a French rider on an Italian-made motorcycle (the brand actually originated in Sweden) fueled by GP Motorcycles' owner Paul Lima's passion for the classic style and character of historic European motorcycle marques.

As he says, "the intent for opening the dealership was to fill a cultural void and create a cool place to hang out, eat, sleep, and breathe European motorcycles. Chareyre should feel right at home with his X Games team!" The fact that his team will be competing just up the road from Lima's home turf makes his commitment even deeper.

Nicknamed "Le Chat" the likable Chareyre has been racing motorcycles since he was 4 years old, competing in the European and French National Motocross Championships until he was 15. He then switched to the Supermoto discipline back in 2001, starting on a little 50cc minibike and working his way up through bigger bikes to ultimately become the World Champion. Check out www.adrienchareyre.com for the latest photos and video clips from recent competition. Adrien comes into the X Games having just won both legs of the World Supermoto Championships at the historic Mallory Park in the U.K. Leading the series with a perfect 100 point total he is one the American heroes - former X Games Gold medalist Jeff Ward and Supercross phenom James Stewart - will have to look out for at the Home Depot Center.

The X Games makes a seventh appearance in Los Angeles July 30-August 2 with events staged at the STAPLES Center, the Home Depot Center, and the Event Deck at LA Live. Events on tap this year are BMX Street, Moto X Best Whip, Women's Moto X Racing, Moto X Speed & Style, and BMX and Skateboard SuperPark.

To purchase X Games 15 tickets ( Click). Ticket are $10 - $20. Thursday, July 30 is Kids Day with FREE admission to all the practice sessions at the Home Depot Center.

X Games Venues: STAPLES Center, BMX and Skateboard Big Air, Moto X Best Trick and Step Up will be featured. The Home Depot Center features X Fest, the ultimate action sports festival featuring sponsor & industry booths, BMX and Skate Vert competitions, interactive parks, athlete appearances, demos and new-to-the-X Games BMX and skateboard SuperPark. Competitions to include BMX and Skateboard Vert, Moto X Men's and Women's Racing, Moto X Speed & Style, Moto X Freestyle, Skateboard and BMX SuperPark, and Rally Car Racing.

X Games on TV: A total of Twenty (20!!!) hours of live X Games programming will be shown on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC - all showcased in high-definition and aired July 30-August 2.

X Games Online: ESPN International, Xgames.com, ESPN Classic, ESPN360.com, SportsCenter, and ESPN2's X Center will also provide coverage. For additional X Games 15 info go to www.Xgames.com.

Troy Lee Designs Invades Summer X Games in LA

Courtesy of Troy Lee Designs

This week kicks off the fifteenth annual ESPN Summer X Games in Los Angeles. The action sports event has become one of the single biggest weekends of competition in the motorcycle industry and Troy Lee Designs will be there in force. With fourteen different athletes wearing TLD gear and/or helmets there will be no shortage of riders to cheer for.

In the Moto X Super X Event the stars of the Troy Lee Designs/ Lucas Oil/ PPG/ Honda Racing Team will be gunning for gold. Jake Moss (#42) has been shockingly fast at times throughout the season and the go-for-broke format of the X Games suits him well. If Jake Can get a good start and stay out of trouble you can bet he'll be at the front. His wingman, Chris Blose (#63), is finishing out the best season of his young career. Chris finished fifth in the west coast 250 supercross series and he rides the 450 just as well. Don't miss the Men's Moto X Super X Final at Home Depot Center on Saturday, August 1 at 4:30pm.

The King of Supercross, Jeremy McGrath (#2), will also be competing in the Moto X Racing discipline. Jeremy wears TLD helmets and is fresh off a silver medal last year.

He may be retired but it’s hard to count out a guy with 72 supercross wins.

MC will also get his Step-Up on at the Staples Center. Can he take down Carmichael and Renner? Tune in to find out.

If you are a Supermoto fan you'll have plenty of TLD riders to choose from. Two-time gold medalist and multi-time motocross and supercross champion Jeff Ward (#3x) will be trying to make it gold medal number three this year for the Troy Lee Designs/ Red Bull/ Honda Race Team. Wardy will be flanked by rookie Joey Pascarella (#25), Cassidy Anderson (#15) and team manager, David Pingree (#101), who is making a return to racing for this event. Other TLD Supermoto riders include Micky Dymond (#43), Josh Chisum (#10) and Gary Trachy #357). Supermoto Final takes place at Home Depot Center on Saturday, August 1 at 1:30pm.

Ronnie Renner has some gold medals under his belt and he'll be a threat to win more in both of the disciplines he competes in. The Step-Up Event was all Renner in 2008, until when Ricky Carmichael came in and stole the show. This time Renner wants to hand the GOAT a silver medal and walk away with another win. You can also catch Ronnie in the Best Whip Event; he'll be the guy upside down. Don't miss the Best Whip & Step-Up Finals at Staples Center on Thursday night.

The Women’s Moto X Super X Event features a rider new to the Troy Lee Designs family, Tarah Gieger. Tarah is the reigning champion from last year and she wants to back it up in 2009. She is fresh off a broken wrist from a GP race in Portugal but she’s gritty. Watch for the #68 Yamaha in her all-new TLD ladies gear. Also set to compete in the Women's Moto X Super X event are Sherri Cruse (#3) and X Games rookie Japanese rider Sayaka Kaneshiro (#678). Sayaka rides for Suzuki Japan, and is making her X Games debut.

Needless to say… there’s no shortage of Troy Lee Designs athletes in the 2009 Summer X Games.

Come out and join us for a weekend full of great competition.

PITS ARE OPEN to all spectators, TICKETS are $20

(or less depending on event and venue), and can be purchased from Ticketmaster.

For a complete list of air dates and times go to troyleedesigns.com/teamtld/xgames, and watch all the TLD riders make their bid for gold on August 1-2 in Los Angeles.

List of TLD’s - World’s Fastest Racers Competing in the Summer X Games in LA

(When and Where to Watch the Action)

FINALS – MAIN EVENTS Race# Event Location Date Time

Step-Up Staples Center Thursday, July 30 7:00pm

Ronnie Renner
Jeremy McGrath #2

Best Whip Staples Center Thursday, July 30 5:15pm

Ronnie Renner

Supermoto Home Depot Center Saturday, August 1 1:30pm

Team TLD - Jeff Ward #3x
Team TLD - Cassidy Anderson #15
Team TLD - Joey Pascarella #25
Team TLD - David Pingree #101
Josh Chisum #10
Micky Dymond #43
Gary Trachy #357

Men's Moto X Super X Home Depot Center Saturday, August 1 4:30pm

Team TLD - Jake Moss #42
Team TLD - Chris Blose #63
Jeremy McGrath #2

Women's Moto X Super X Home Depot Center Saturday, August 1 6:15pm

Tarah Gieger #68
Sherri Cruse #3
Sayaka Kaneshiro #678