Motourage

AMA Pro Racing is proud to announce Airfence brand inflatable soft barriers will be deployed for the 2010 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship, beginning with the Daytona Short Track Nationals on March 3-4, 2010.

Due to concerns for rider safety, the Illinois Motorcycle Dealers Association (IMDA) has agreed to donate its fleet of 30-foot sections of Airfence inflatable soft barrier to the Roadracing World Action Fund (RWAF), which will assign a total of 46 sections to AMA Pro Racing for deployment exclusively at flat track racing events.

In 2005, the IMDA purchased 30 sections of Airfence with a grant received from Ford Motor Company, and donations to the RWAF by fans, racers and sponsors funded the purchase of 16 additional sections. Those 46 sections have been deployed by IMDA at flat track events, mostly in the Midwest.

Tommra Kiesow, Director of the IMDA said, “We are proud to be able to donate such an important asset to the sport of flat track racing, with the help of the RWAF. We are confident AMA Pro Racing will handle the Airfence with expert care and get many more years of use.”

Airfence in use at the Springfield Mile

Airfence inflatable soft barriers are designed and manufactured by Airfence Safety Systems (Australia) Pty. Ltd. and used extensively in motorcycle racing to help protect riders from hitting hard walls or objects as the result of a crash.

“When I first heard the Airfence was going to be available, I thought ‘Wow.’ I know from my experience as a board member of the Roadracing World Action Fund the logistical and financial commitment it takes to deploy Airfence at races on the Grand National Championship is no easy task,” said Chris Carr, seven-time AMA Pro Grand National Champion. “I applaud the IMDA and AMA Pro Racing’s proactive approach to rider safety.”

Mike Kidd, AMA Pro Racing Director of Flat Track said, “The IMDA has done a great job providing Airfence to their mile races and other events which needed extra protection. I am glad we can now extend that same safety protection to all our half-mile and mile events along with selected short track and TT races.”

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.

AMA Pro American Superbike racer Chris Ulrich, working with significant support from track day provider Fastrack Riders, broke several records during the fifth annual Thanksgiving weekend fundraiser for the Roadracing World Action Fund November 28-29 at Auto Club Speedway, in Fontana, California.

For a minimum $50 donation to the Roadracing World Action Fund, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization which advocates and promotes the use of soft barriers to help prevent rider injuries at racetracks, Ulrich took donors for fast, multi-lap rides on his 185-horsepower Team Roadracingworld.com Suzuki GSX-R1000K8 racebike around the 2.3-mile, 21-turn infield road course. And by the end of the two-day fundraiser, Ulrich had set records for number of two-up rides given, 57; two-up laps completed, 180; and money raised, $3270.

Over the last five years Ulrich has raised a total of $9000 giving two-up rides. That’s in addition to raising the awareness of motorcycle road racing by giving general interest media representatives rides at AMA Nationals, the two-seat Superbike’s primary mission.

“We had a really good turn out,” said Ulrich. “We’ve been building this event over the years, and we promoted this one pretty well. In spite of some inclement weather and delays on Saturday we ended up taking 57 people for rides.

“We couldn’t have done that many if it hadn’t been for the durability of our AMA-spec Dunlop slicks. We used one front the whole weekend, and one Dunlop 6680 Medium compound rear lasted for well over 90 laps of two-up rides, which is really impressive.

“It’s really good that even in these trying economic times people are willing to come out and donate their hard-earned money to help keep racers and track day riders safe. I just want the thank all of them for coming out and supporting the Roadracing World Action Fund and to thank all the people who made it possible — everyone at Fastrack Riders, the staff at Roadracing World Publishing.”

In addition to his other records, Ulrich also set a new personal two-seater lap record. After mounting a new Dunlop rear tire on Sunday, Ulrich took 14-year-old USGPRU racer Ryan Matter around the track in just 1:34.606, undercutting his previous best, a 1:36.2 he did last year with racer Melissa Paris riding as a passenger. To put that in perspective, Ulrich’s best lap times during the AMA American Superbike National earlier this year at Auto Club Speedway were in the low-to-mid-1:26 range.

Fastrack Riders has partnered with Ulrich and the Roadracing World Action Fund to hold the Thanksgiving weekend fundraiser each year for the last five years, providing track time, riding gear and staff support.