AMA Pro Racing Purses Slashed

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

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Mladin leads teammate Hayden at Fontanas first American Superbike race.

Mat Maldin is gone for 2010 and with him goes a lot of purse money, especially in American Superbike.

In what seems like a push to try and slowly eliminate privateers from AMA Pro Road Racing, Daytona Motorsports Group has dramatically slashed purses for next year. One of the few good things they did for the series last year in their takeover was to increase payouts in all classes. They have now cut them so drastically that they are below where it was pre-DMG.

In their 2010 entry form it is outlined that American Superbike will be slashed from $73,500 per weekend ($110,000 at Daytona) to a mere $6500 per event for next year. Daytona SportBike is also following suit, but not as bad, dropping from $73,500 to $30,500. This also shows that AMA has decided Daytona SportBike is without question its “premiere” class, something they said they would let the fans decide last year.

The purse is now as follows: American Superbike pays $3500 for first, $2000 for second and $1000 for third. Nothing paid out beyond third. As for Daytona SportBike, it’s $5000 to win, $3000 for second and $2000 for third, while fourth through 10th gets $1500 and 11th through 20th pockets $1000.

Erion Hondas Tyler Odom takes the win over the Suzuki GSX-R600s of Joey Pascarella and James Wikle in AMA SuperSport.

The SuperSport class is restructured for next season, split into Young Guns and Top Guns. Sounds like an '80s Air Force movie to us.

In the entry from it also outlines a new format for the SuperSport class, which now features two categories: Young Guns and Top Guns.

Top Guns are Expert Licensed club racers of all ages that are now allowed to compete alongside the Young Guns for ‘10. Points and scoring will be separate, and like the other classes, it features a reduced purse. Top Gun points will count toward the purse each weekend but will not go toward regional or national championships. All Top Gun riders will be invited to a Top Gun Shootout at Daytona at the end of the season to determine the Top Gun National Champion.

Young Guns are age 16-21 and need to hold a 2010 AMA Pro membership and a 2010 National Junior License. They will get points each weekend and will once again be split into East and West Regional Championships. The final round in Daytona will once again hold a Young Gung Shootout to determine the 2010 National Champion. Young Guns are now also banned from jumping up and riding in Daytona SportBike or American Superbike for 2010 as well.

It was also announced earlier that the Moto-GT Endurance Series would hit the cutting room floor for 2010.

2009 AMA Superbike Gallery

Latest AMA Superbike News

See More AMA Superbike Racing News

View all articles by Steve Atlas
View all articles in AMA Pro Road Racing 2010 News

Comments

bill -what a mess July 13, 2010 04:07 PM
dmg's slide into oblivion will speed up with their new rules.
I am particularily incensed by their censorship of riders speaking out or disagreeing . Fines for speaking your mind.
I say you should listen to what your critics say as this is a very good way of finding out your faults. the ama/dmg are afraid of criticism and that is not good for any racing.If there is no feedback there is NO progress. I dont want a club race on 600's. that is a stepping stone for the real thing...I want the fastest ,most powerful machines that can be raced.
they are afraid of criticism....they are weak and therefore doomed. couldnt happen to a nicer bunch of jerks.

RENDELL -exciting December 24, 2009 07:43 AM
I agree, World SuperBike is fantastic and exciting to watch. Once I started watching World Super Bike I was hooked, the action and suspense is addictive. Respectfully, I prefer it over Moto GP. AMA/DMG is just too boring to me. Some like it and that's their choice. Too bad because I think we may loose some future world champs that were made in AMA like Hayden, Edwards, Spies, and many others.

Daniel -DMG December 23, 2009 10:22 AM
What a joke the DMG is.....after they ruin the racing, the dumb asses can run congress...Job security follows money hungry crooks no matter what they do.

SAMxrl -Pitiful?! December 4, 2009 06:17 AM
I hate to say it but this is no big loss. The series has totally sucked for the last couple of years. Suzuki seemed like it was the only manufacturer that really cared about the series and it showed in the predictable results. The AMA/DMG turned Daytona into a total joke and the racing was to the point where whatching figure skating seemed like a more entertaining alternative! True bike racing fans want close competition and all manufacturers in the game. For that, they'd have to tune in to the World superbike/supersport series. Many times it was on par and even better than MotoGP.

Frak! -DMG December 4, 2009 05:55 AM
Slowly fading away? Seems pretty clear to me, that its already dead & this is their way of telling the riders. As for Buell, funny thing about Erik being able to support a series race bikes 'for privateers', when this move will single handedly guarantee NO privateers will participate. The ONLY way DMG can come back from this debacle is to scrap all their bonehead moves & adopt the WSBK format.

DRMANIA -NOT ENOUGH! December 3, 2009 12:34 PM
There really should be some more rules and regulations changes for '10. DMG should have enforced "The 2 Valves Law" last year already, these multi valve bikes are such a waste of time. And what's the whining about the purses? This money will go now for a good cause, banking on every one of those twisty tracks around the nation, for real racing. I'm too cannot escape form the "King Kenny Era" thoughts...I really do hope that riders and teams will not bend over for this horse crap, and some motorcycle lovin people will take matters to their hands. Sport bikers unite!

SteveO -RE: DMG and SpeedTV December 3, 2009 10:19 AM
Just to chime in here real quickly to give you all something to think about. Why would Speed TV pick up such a low-profile and struggling series? Well, consider the fact they are owned by NASCAR and NASCAR is Speed TV's bread and butter. So, makes one think that the France family probably used NASCAR to leverage Speed into carrying the series or they would take the mucho-money NASCAR elsewhere, doesn't it?

Mister R1 -DMG December 3, 2009 10:00 AM
The way this organization running this sport, it's a matter of time before professioanl motorcycle racing in USA is fading away. Who in the right mind would want to race for a living with that little payout or attracting talented riders. A lot of American talented riders would be flogging to Europe and other regions real soon. I can't believe the riders or teams have not been more outspoken on this issues.

Racer1 -Sigh... December 3, 2009 09:45 AM
I have learnt to expect the worst from DMG and they never fail to come up with one bone headed move after another. However, even I never expected this drastic and destructive a measure though. If they hate motorcycle racing why not just move aside and let someone else have a go? Cars and motorcycles are different animals, so are their riders and so are their fans - DMG simply does not understand that a one-size-fits-all NASCAR type approach is wrong and does a disservice to everyone involved. I am disgusted.

KM -This is Crazy!!!!! December 3, 2009 09:11 AM
I really don't know what to say; I guess this is the end of American Super Bike racing. Thanks DMG for killing the only real racing that I love.

Doug -DMG and SpeedTV December 3, 2009 08:43 AM
Hmmm, do you think SpeedTV knew that there would only be 3 to 6 riders in each superbike race when they signed up to be the tv host of the 2010 series?
Would you buy commmercial time for that program?

Planned Obsolescence -DMG December 3, 2009 06:20 AM
Please oh please will another sanctioning body step up??? Mirror World Superbike regs so that wildcards can have a shot and the transition to the world level will be smoother. DMG has taken what seem to be deliberate steps to crush the series; national level club racing will be the end product. No manufacturer involvement. They push out every manufacturer except Buell and then what happens; the very butt they have been kissing turns out to be DOA - they are left with nothing. Please tell me how they intend to have an XR1200 spec class when HD can't even afford to support the majority of it's dirt track exploits for 2010. Way to go guys.......just when I thought you couldn't get any more incompetent. MIC where are you?????????

v34-3 -oh wow... December 2, 2009 09:46 PM
man...i don't even know what to say. First DMG, then the approval of running that friggin Buell with the 600's, then the exit of mladin. Thanks AMA for letting NASCAR forge a crap path for the Motorcycle community. My two cents is boot DMG, and have 3 classes ONLY in the AMA ranks (125's for the RedBull youngins, 600 & 1000 class that mirrors WSB). America can do better than this, we have the talent but seriously...we NEED to lift all these bike restrictions and let the teams build their bikes like SBK. If racers would rather go to BSB than the AMA, that should tell you something about our series. I know WSB/MotoGP is the dream most racers would like to end up, but the American series is going down hill a lot faster than I expected. And with Mladin out, we will need more than a Ben Spies to keep the AMA name alive for the image of being the premier...this sucks

WilCon -DMG December 2, 2009 07:45 PM
This is the single dumbest thing to ever happen to motorcycle racing. What is this the Kenny Roberts era in MotoGP? Safety issues, no money for the riders. If they don't want to have racing then cancel it. I blame the AMA for selling the series. They do a lot of good for riders but this is a horrible decision and the leadership that did this deal should step down and be replaced.

Fella -DMG December 2, 2009 07:22 PM
One way or the other DMG will intentionally kill superbike and now that Buell is out of the seen DMG really does not want superbike.

I will look on the bright side of things now Moto ST/GT is dead and soon to follow behind it will be DMG. This move with the purses will only accelerate the inevitable so now I won’t have to wait 5 or more years for DMG to die now it will only take a season or two. Hopefully they will bring back the pace car now that Buell won’t be providing pace bikes this would for sure end DMG’s existence by mid season…come on pace car …come on… Oh, and mid season this year would be after only four rounds. So by July 2010 DMG should be courting a new buyer for the race series. Hopefully DMG will sell it to an organization that knows more about moto racing than they do, someone like the WWF or WNBA. One last thought I can’t wait to see how Eslick does this year with all of his raw talent racing a bike equal to his opponents.