AMA Pro Road Racing announced today that the 2009 season-opening Daytona 200 by Honda weekend, March 4 - 6, will pay the richest purse in AMA Pro's history at the legendary Daytona International Speedway.

A total of $286,000 in posted team support will be on the line for the Daytona weekend, which will feature four AMA Pro Road Racing classes. In addition to the AMA Pro American Superbike opener, Friday's schedule will feature the AMA Pro Daytona SportBike class in the first Daytona 200 by Honda at night and under the lights in the long history of America's premier motorcycle road race. The weekend card also features the AMA Pro SuperSport class and the AMA Pro SunTrust Moto-GT division.

The record Daytona payout is part of AMA Pro Road Racing's 2009 team support that has also been increased across the board for the entire season, although AMA Pro confirmed today that the total posted support has been adjusted since it was announced late last year. The 2009 combined total of over $2.1 million in team support is a full 50% greater than 2008's posted awards but has been decreased since the previously announced total. The adjustments were necessary due to the ailing economy, which has prevented AMA Pro and many organizations from realizing their revenue goals for 2009.

"We are proud to offer record team support for the Daytona 200 weekend and an overall AMA Pro Road Racing season-long support package that is substantially larger than what was posted in 2008," said AMA Pro Racing President Roger Edmondson. "We obviously were shooting for a greater total, and that will always be our goal, but the current economic situation just wasn't going to let us get there this year. Previously committed sponsorship dollars evaporated in light of the global downturn in the economy."

Despite the unforeseen decreases, AMA Pro Road Racing's 2009 team support program compares favorably with purses offered in any other road racing motorsports series. The 2009 AMA Pro Road Racing contingency program also offers a variety of potential awards and bonuses to competitors in each of the four road racing divisions.

Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com