Flat Track Racing
The AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship is the oldest and most traditional form of motorcycle racing.
This type of motorcycle racing can trace it’s roots back to the early 1900’s when young daredevils tested each other on county fairground ovals all around the United States.
In 1954, the first Grand National Champion was crowned, as Joe Leonard had accumulated the most points in the new series.
Since then, the motorcycle racing series has seen major changes but remains strong 56 years later.
At the end of the 2010 season, the rider who accumulates the most combined points in Expert Twins and Expert Singles events will be crowned as the 2010 AMA Pro Grand National Champion and carry the #1 plate.
A motorcycle racer will also be crowned champion in each of the following classes, Pro Singles, Expert Singles and Expert Twins.
While the motorcycles have evolved greatly, the close, elbow-rubbing action remains.
Grand National Twins races are contested on half mile and mile ovals with top speeds approaching 140 mph on the miles with twin-cylinder bikes ranging from 500cc to 1250cc.
The Grand National Singles races are held on short track ovals and TT courses with 450cc single-cylinder production frame machines.
Each Grand National Championship event (Twins & Singles Nationals) will include the "Pro Class" competing on 450cc single-cylinder production frame machines to support young competitors coming up through the ranks, while also providing a platform for additional manufacturers and teams to go dirt track racing at the Grand National level.
For many years the venerable Harley-Davidson XR-750 has been the weapon of choice in the Grand National Twins Championship, but over the last few years the rules have been tweaked in an effort to open the class to a variety of manufacturers.
The 2009 and 2010 motorcycle racing season saw riders entered on machines from Suzuki, Triumph, Yamaha, Kawasaki, KTM and BMW, all challenging the dominant Harley flagship.
This marks the second year of the "production" frame singles in the Grand National Singles class. Riders will be entered on Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM and Husqvarna, which promises to tighten up an already competitive field.
Click this video to watch the 2010 Springfield Mile, venue that has hosted competitive motorcycle racing since 1910, making it one of the oldest speedways in the United States.
