Morgantown, W.Va. (January 18, 2012) – The ATV Promoters Group (ATVPG) announces today a change in the location of the opening round of the AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series. Round one, originally scheduled for March 24-25 at Millcreek in Pell City, Ala., will now take place the same weekend at Aonia Pass Motocross in Washington, Ga.

“Aonia Pass proved last year that their facility is worthy of holding the opening round of ATVMX and it just makes sense to make the change to this location for 2012,” said Sam Gammon, Director of the ATVPG. ”

Aonia Pass MX will remain the host for round two of the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series March 17 and 18, while the ATVMX will take place the following weekend, March 24 and 25.

“On behalf of the ATVPG, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. However, we hope series sponsors will find this move as the most convenient choice. Please find the revised 2012 schedule below,” Gammon added.

2012 ATVMX Schedule *REVISED
March 24-25 • Aonia Pass MX • Washington, GA

April 21-22 • Muddy Creek Raceway • Blountville, TN

May 5-6 • Budds Creek • Budds Creek, MD

May 19-20 • Sunset Ridge • Walnut, IL

June 2-3 • Ballance MX • Oakland, KY

June 16-17 • High Point Raceway • Mount Morris, PA

July 30-1 • Sunday Creek • Millfield, OH

July 14-15 • Unadilla • New Berlin, NY

July 28-29 • RedBud • Buchanan, MI

August 11-12 • Loretta Lynn’s • Hurricane Mills, TN

For questions regarding the schedule change, contact Victory Sports at (423) 323-5479 or contact@victory-sports.com. For more information on the series, visit www.atvmotocross.com.

About the AMA ATV Motocross Championship
The AMA ATV Motocross Championship is the nation’s premier amateur and professional ATV motocross series, hosted at top motocross facilities nationwide. The 10-round series features the Nation’s best racers, teams and sponsors, and is America’s largest and longest-running ATV national motocross program. Since 1985, the series continues to expand and produce top talent from the amateur ranks, while premiering the professional class. For more information, please visit http://www.atvmotocross.com.

“No one can match Yamaha’s support of the sport combining a top racing program, event and track-side support programs and the most comprehensive line of sport ATVs,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV/SxS group marketing manager.  “This is an exciting time for Yamaha racing as we look forward to the 2012 season with a stellar team and the most high-performance and consistent race quad in the YFZ450R.”

Yamaha’s Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) team will again be led by ATV racing legend Bill Ballance as team owner and manager of Ballance Racing.  Taylor Kiser, who took third overall in the 2011 XC-1 Pro class, is back on blue again for 2012 and looking to build momentum.  Walker Fowler, the 2011 AMA ATV Racer of the Year and XC-2 Pro Am champ, will move up to join Kiser in the XC-1 Pro class for 2012.

Eight-time Women’s champ Traci Cecco, who recaptured the #1 plate in 2011, will also return to GNCC competition and continue her run as the most successful women in all of ATV racing while battling for a record ninth overall championship.

Returning to the Yamaha QuadX Series is five-time and reigning Pro champion Dustin Nelson.  Nelson had a perfect season in 2011 winning every stop in the Western motocross series.  He will also compete in the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) again, hoping to build on his fourth place overall finish from 2011.

In the AMA ATV Motocross series, Thomas Brown is returning to Yamaha after finishing fifth in 2011.  For 2012, Brown will be joined in the AMA ATV series by Chad Wienen and his Wienen Motorsports YFZ450R.

“Yamaha focused its efforts in the off-season to further strengthen our team and trackside support programs,” said Donnie Luce, Yamaha ATV/Off-Road racing coordinator.  “2011 was a great year of ATV championships and record seasons, and we expect 2012 is going to be another exciting season for Yamaha’s ATV racing programs.”

Yamaha is expanding its ATV trackside support program working with Layne Barnes and Pro Motorsports (http://www.promotorsportsiowa.com/) from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, to now include all AMA ATV national events.  Barnes is a longtime ATV enthusiast, and he and his staff will offer support for Yamaha riders by stocking replacement parts and providing technical assistance on race days.

Yamaha will also continue to support the QuadX Series with help from Roy Bloodworth and his Big Kid Racing team (http://www.bigkidracing.com/) who will continue providing parts, service, technical assistance and race information to competitors throughout the season.

“Yamaha embraces the excitement and family atmosphere of ATV racing,” Luce said.  “The sport is in the company’s heritage and fuels our passion for the races and racers.  On the track and on the trails, we expect big things from team blue next year and look forward to Yamaha riders competing for championships in the many series we support.”

Senate Amendment 264, co-sponsored by Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), would exempt youth OHVs from the lead-content provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008, which is commonly known as the lead law. Those provisions contain overly restrictive lead-content limits that have virtually destroyed responsible youth motorized recreation.

SA 264 would amend S. 493, which is a small business program reauthorization bill.

The CPSIA bans the making, importing, distributing or selling of any product intended for children 12 and under that contains more than a specified amount of lead in any accessible part. It also requires that all children’s products undergo periodic testing by independent laboratories approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which is responsible for implementing the law.

The CPSC has delayed enforcing key portions of the law until after the end of the year. Unless the CPSIA is changed, the sale of youth-model motorcycles and ATVs will effectively be banned.

The Klobuchar amendment is similar to H.R. 412, the Kids Just Want to Ride Act, introduced by Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) and supported by 55 of his colleagues. The AMA has enthusiastically supported Rehberg’s legislation, and now also supports SA 264.
 
About the American Motorcyclist Association
Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights organization, 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 and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through its support of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

February 26-27 #1 Washington, GA @ Aonia Pass

March 19-20 #2 Pell City, AL @ Mill Creek

April 2-3 #3 Oakland, KY @ Ballance MotoX

April 16-17 #4 Mechanicsville, MD @ Budds Creek

May 7-8 #5 Walnut, IL @ Sunset Ridge

May 21-22 #6 Delmont, PA @ Steel City

June 4-5 #7 Millville, MN @ Spring Creek Motocross

July 2-3 #8 Millfield, OH @ Sunday Creek

July 16-17 #9 New Berlin, NY @ Unadilla

July 30-31 #10 Buchanan, MI @ Red Bud

August 13-14 #11 Hurricane Mills, TN @ Loretta Lynn’s

For more information about the series, visit www.ATVMotocross.com, or email info@atvmotocross.com.

The Morehead Motorsports/ Media Allstars ATV & UTV Race Teams are now accepting resumes for the 2011 ATV MX, UTV, & GNCC race seasons. Everyone from 50cc to Pro Am racers are welcome to apply.