AMA Announces Agreement To Sanction WORCS
Events For 2009
PICKERINGTON, Ohio--The American
Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is proud to
announce that it will sanction the World
Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) for
2009. In addition, the AMA and WORCS will
also partner on several rounds of the AMA
Western Hare Scrambles Series, which will
lay the groundwork for future cooperative
endeavors.
"Off-road racing is a unique area of
motorcycle competition where both the
country's top athletes and recreational
amateur racers frequently compete in their
respective classes at the same events," said
AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman.
"Thousands of our members are die-hard
off-road racing enthusiasts, and the AMA
remains steadfastly committed to this form
of competition on all levels. As one of the
premier series for off-road racers in this
country, WORCS represents an excellent
additional partner for the Association as we
continue to grow and improve this area of
competition."
With the addition of
WORCS events, the AMA adds another of the
country's top off-road series to its fold,
which also includes the AMA FMF Racing
National Enduro Series, the AMA FMF Racing
National Hare & Hound Series, the Can-Am AMA
Grand National Cross Country Series, the
AMA/MAXXIS National Endurocross Series, the
AMA/NATC National Observed Trials Series and
the AMA Eastern and Western Hare Scrambles
Series.
AMA Off-Road Director Chuck
Weir added that the benefits of sanctioning
WORCS will go beyond that series alone.
"The AMA is thrilled with the opportunity to
sanction this world-class championship, and
honor the WORCS champions with AMA
recognition," Weir said. "In addition, by
working with WORCS on the AMA Western Hare
Scrambles Series, both programs will be
elevated and better racing will result for
the competitors and fans. This is a win/win
relationship that will start paying
dividends immediately."
Sean
Reddish, CEO and founder of WORCS, said that
he has long wanted to affiliate WORCS with
the AMA, the world's largest motorsports
sanctioning body and the leading advocate
for motorcyclists' rights in the United
States.
"WORCS has looked at
partnering with the AMA for the last three
years and now the time is just right,"
Reddish said. "With the growth of the WORCS
series and the new direction AMA has taken
in sanctioning, we knew that 2009 was the
year to make it happen. Many positive things
can be said of the AMA, and the one that I
and WORCS consider the most important is the
protection of our right to ride and race."
Reddish added that WORCS hopes to
co-sanction three to four races with the
Western National Hare Scrambles program in
2009.
"This will bring all the
talent west of the Mississippi together to
make for some of the best racing anywhere,"
Reddish said. "As WORCS grows into new areas
of off-road racing, we will lean on the
experience of the AMA. The future of Western
off-road racing just took one big step
forward, and I am proud to be part of that."
Including a mix of off-road and
motocross, WORCS races feature some of the
fastest, most intense racing in the country,
with competitors riding full-tilt for well
over two hours. Some of the world's best
off-road riders compete in WORCS, including
many of the AMA riders who contested this
year's International Six Days Enduro on the
U.S. Trophy Team.
About the American
Motorcyclist Association
Since 1924, the
AMA has promoted and protected the
motorcycling lifestyle. AMA members come
from all walks of life and they navigate
many different roads on their journey to the
same destination: freedom on two wheels. As
the world's largest motorcycle organization
with nearly 300,000 members, the AMA
advocates for motorcyclists' interests in
the halls of local, state and federal
government, the committees of international
governing organizations and the court of
public opinion. Through member clubs,
promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions
more motorsports competition events than any
other organization in the world. Through its
Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA
preserves the heritage of motorcycling for
future generations. For more information,
visit
www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com.
