AMA Action Sports Grand Prix Combines Motocross and Woods Racing
A new AMA-featured series for 2013 kicks off this month in Athens, Ohio. The Action Sports Grand Prix Series showcases grand prix racing – a mix of motocross, open woods racing and grass tracks. The eight-round series runs from April 13 through Nov. 16 in Athens, Ohio.
Chuck Weir (AMA Off-Road Manager) says: “Grand prix racing never went away, but for several years it has taken a back seat to motocross and hare scrambles racing, which is typically tighter and rougher than a typical grand-prix course. Recently, though, amateur grand prix racing has been coming back in a big way. Over the past several years, AMA-chartered promoters have created events and series built around grand prix competition.”
Action Sports Promotions Drew Wolfe, who runs the Action Sports Grand Prix Series, said the events grew out of the group’s existing motocross and hare scrambles events.
Drew Wolfe says: “We’re getting a lot of motocross riders who don’t like tight trails, and we’re getting a lot of hare scrambles and enduro riders who want a change from riding hours in the woods. The course is easier and faster than hare scrambles, but not quite as fast as motocross.”
Wolfe held his first grand prix in 2003, but the local series didn’t kick off until 2009. Each year has seen an increase in riders, with 2012 seeing a nearly 100-rider increase in each round, Wolfe said.
Drew Wolfe says: “Grand prix racing is also a good value. You get a lot of ride time, but you can be in and out in a couple hours if you only race one class. If you want to stay longer and race two or three classes, it’s half price for each additional class.”
AMA-sanctioned grand prix has been a staple of motorcycle competition for decades. The first motocross and scrambles races resembled what racers today call grand prix. A classic event of the mid-20th century, the Catalina Grand Prix, was one of the biggest races in the country, and in recent years it has made a comeback, attracting some of the country’s top off-road racers to its unique location on Catalina island off the southern California coast.
2013 AMA Action Sports Grand Prix Series Schedule:
- Round 1: Saturday, April 13 – Action Sports Moto Park, Athens, Ohio
- Round 2: Saturday, May 11 – Action Sports Moto Park, Athens, Ohio
- Round 3: Saturday, June 22 – Action Sports Moto Park, Athens, Ohio
- Round 4: Sunday, July 14 – Action Sports Moto Park, Athens, Ohio
- Round 5: Saturday, Aug. 24 – Action Sports Moto Park, Athens, Ohio
- Round 6: Saturday, Sept. 21 – Action Sports Moto Park, Athens, Ohio
- Round 7: Sunday, Oct. 20 – Action Sports Moto Park, Athens, Ohio
- Round 8: Saturday, Nov. 16 – Action Sports Moto Park, Athens, Ohio
For additional information, visit actionsportsracing.com, or call (740) 591-7223.