OH MY! Big changes in Outdoor Nat tracks in '05!

[nikki]

Saw this on Motonews today... kinda shocked... :eek:


Motonews has learned that the AMA has sent letters out terminating 4 tracks from the outdoor national schedule, effective the 2005 season. The tracks on the way out, as of this writing, are Glen Helen, High Point, Southwick, and Kenworthy's.

This hasn't been confirmed with the AMA yet, but enough people know about it. Presumably the 4 tracks that will be added are identified, but nothing has leaked out. Texas is very likely to be one of the new locations.

The move surely came as a surprise to the tracks that were eliminated. Expect to hear much more about this in the weeks to come. One contention will be regarding the investments made by track owners who in good faith improved their facility, only to be left out now. Can we walk away from them? Does the AMA have any obligation to them? Who decides?



Glen Helen... the big season opener... gone!

High Point... a track owned(?) and operated by the Coombs... gone!

Southwick... the sandy soils of the east coast... gone!

And Kenworthy's... a big outdoor SX style track... gone!


And the next obvious question... of course... is will there be a new National track close to you? Cycle Ranch in TX? Lake Whitney in TX? Muddy Creek in TN? Gatorback in FL again? Monster Mountain in AL? Another west coast track to fill the Glen Helen void (Mammouth Mountain?)? Cooperland in OK (:confused:)?

And I also have to wonder if this decision is 100% final with the four tracks on their way out... :think:

 

[Papakeith]

I heard whispers about this almost a year ago.
I can only hope that they keep it where it is, at Southwick here in the New England. Yes, I realise that Unadilla is only in New York, but it is a 7 hour drive from RI, Nevermind if you were from New Hampshire, or Maine.
Like SX it seems that New England just isn't seen as a viable market :(

 

[Senior KX Rider]

It would be big news if they were dropping one venue. Four tracks is unbelievable :scream:

 

[karterron]

Glen Helen is the shocker for me. What would they replace it with? They would have to be the biggest idiots in the world (okay we are talking AMA here so thats possible) for them to not have an outdoor national in Southern California. What other national caliber track is there in SoCal?

Southwick is a suprise also given the heritage of that race. The other two are not all that suprising. You need National races in places like Texas and the Southeast and since other National races are somewhat close to those two I can see why they are expendable.

 

[Timr]

I agree that Glen Helen is a shocker!

Come on MX to the southeast.  I think Muddy Creek, Gatorback, and of course Monster Mountain, are all drivable from the major Southeastern markets.

Sounds like its going to get real interesting. 

 

[thebird]

I agree come on southeast! But like timr said I thought Glen Helen would be the last to go

 

[karterron]

They will have to have something to replace Glen Helen with. The AMA would be out of their minds to not have an outdoor National in SoCal. That would be plain stupid and I don't even live anywhere near there.

 

[Patman]

:think: I see a trip to Floresville in my future :yeehaw: :yeehaw:

 

[BEEF706]

I am kinda hoping that TX gets one somewhere, closer for me to drive. Glen Helen surprises me, and Southwick would make me sad, love to watch the pros do that sand.

 

[Timr]

Maybe the AMA is planning to move the opening round to the Soboba Indian reservation!  :scream:

 

[Camstyn]

Word is that by getting rid of four outdoor tracks, they can now have seven SX rounds at Anaheim!

 

[wardy]

with coombs sitting on the board I think that little rumor maybe interesting at best. WAIT they are just trying to let CCE in the door and run Outdoor racing to huh!!! go figure just when the SX stuff has settled down there has to be this crap, guess we'll see what happens, but High Point, na not a chance.

wardy

course this could be dirt tack? ouch.

 

[Timr]

AMA Pro Racing must be in negotiations with Dorna.  ;) :laugh:

 

[Earthpilot]

This has been brewing for over two years,, Southwick has been on the bubble due to pit/parking/land access issues, Kenworthys for the "SX" style track layout, although I hear this year they are changing it up,, too little too late?
High Point because of the "rowdies" that have brought negative publicity the past several years, and Glen Helen,, well there are several issues there, mostly political (World Cup etc) and track safety.. of course there is MUCH more to all this,, AMA vs NPG , throw in Dorna and even Parts Unltd,Coombs family influences....This issue will become larger and more drawn out than
the CCE vs AMA SX debacle,, Texas will have a Nat'l, possibly two..
No matter what, the outdoor natl's are three weeks away and the racing
will be awesome no matter what!

 

[Okiewan]

Interesting rumor to say the least. Would be sweet to see Kris get a national :)

the outdoor natl's are three weeks away and the racing
will be awesome no matter what!

I heard that! Getting tired of that ballet they call SX, let's see some racin'!

 

[Treejumper]

I can sort of see High Point just for the fact that the place is a pain to watch the race. I love the track but you cant see squat while there. I like Steel City better as a spectator compared to High Point. HP has worse parking, very steep hills making it hard to haul the cooler and BQ. :) I dont plan to miss HP's race here on May 25th and hope to still see it there in 2005 but if one of them has to go i hope its them.

 

[Timr]

The plot thickens.  It's not just rumor anymore.  DC validated these facts in his weekly only racerhead column.  Go over the RacerXill.com and check it out.  Apparently, the promoters of the four tracks mentioned aboved received letters from AMA pro racing yesterday, notifying them of the termination of their National MX effecitive with the 2005 season.

We'll see what happens.

 

[mxneagle]

Why not run gatorback in say...august yeah that would really have some crowd pulling power. I guess I just don't like change. Maybe the outcasts can start up a competing series and team up with CCE or does the AMA have the copyright on Motocross also?

 

[MX-727]

Got to say that when I read the first line, I expected to see Kenworthy's listed. Very sad. I had a blast watching that race.

 

[treefinder]

I suspect this is just the AMA trying to negotiate/extort something out of these tracks (more money? parking? portapotties?). Will be interesting to see if all 4 of these are actually missing when the schedule comes out.

 

[HiG4s]

Considering the # of top riders from Florida, Geogia, and Texas they should have had at least one national somewhere near both places a long time ago. And considering the heat they should be early in the season.

 

[karterron]

I thought the reason they cancelled Gatorback was the teams complained about having Nationals in the middle of the supercross season. These idiots at the AMA will not be happy until they COMPLETELY ruin the sport.

 

[yzguy15]

Whoohoo! Texas is getting a race. I've always wanted to go to a national, but since I'm more than a day and a half, more like two, away from any of them it hasn't been feasable. My dad has pictures from the early 80's at Whitney, pretty cool stuff. Here's one Texan with his fingers crossed.

 

[Senior KX Rider]

Originally posted by Okiewan

I heard that! Getting tired of that ballet they call SX, let's see some racin'!

Dittos on that :thumb:

 

[nephron]

Word in the Greeley County Tribune, of Tribune, KS (county seat a priori Horace, KS aka Horace, Greeley), is that Kendall, KS--population 42, will hold an AMA event next year south of the "Snow Ride Shop" just north of the Arkansas, River.

This is the same town made famous by 20/20 in the 70's when the K fell off the cemetary sign, indicating all 'expirees' ended up at 'ENDALL' cemetary. :silly:

Whad'ya think about the possibility that the AMA is being pressured to bring fresh tracks onto the scene to make it a more level playing field for the visitors, so to speak, like Reed, eg.?