The Rock Stars National Hare Scrambles was every bit a national caliber event. If any of you read some of the quotes and interviews with the pro riders following the event, they all agreed. Jason Raines came to Arizona expecting a wide open desert race. He left thinking the race was more tight and technical than most of the east coast rounds. It was most certainly a tough race; one in which if you did not fall down a time or two you weren’t riding fast enough. I know that I ended up have to throw a helmet in the trash after the race. And guess what, we get to do it again to begin our ’08 season! Who knows who the newly formed AMA Western National Hare Scrambles series will bring out?
That brings me to the FAST’R Christmas GP. Our event was fast and jumpy and maybe not the AMRA norm, but ask anybody who raced and they will tell you it was super fun. The conditions were epic, and I think we laid out a really fun course. This was certainly not the first GP held by an AMRA club, and I for one hope it wasn’t the last. Variety in race types will only make us all better riders, and allows us to attract a bigger audience. I guarantee there are now a bunch of MXers out there who have at least heard of AMRA who hadn’t before…………..for whatever it is worth.
Looking ahead to 2008, we have some really exciting changes and events. 2008 will see two Nationals on our calendar; the Rock Stars National HS in February and OCMC’s National Enduro in October. I don’t know about you, but I am very excited to see the National Enduro series return to Arizona. Thanks to ATR, this was the only quality racing we had in Arizona before AMRA. Kudos to OCMC for stepping up. You better get your entries in early, however. The new National Enduro format (no timekeeping) has really boosted attendance. Some of the rounds last year had 500+ riders. I am sure ATR’s event in March will be epic as well, as I have a feeling they are going to give us a taste of what is in store for us in October. Once again we will be returning to Monticello with WeBe in August, and as I mentioned above, I hope with more participation this time. Partnering with WeBe really is a good fit for AMRA. Webe runs quality technical events similar to AMRA, and is our geographic neighbor. Co sanctioned events benefit both series, and allow us to strategically fill out our calendars. Besides, what better excuse is there to get out of the summertime heat and head north for some quality riding and racing? Also back on the calendar for ’08 is the FAST’R/Speedworld GP, so get your moto on early. FAST’R is also working on a new venue for our May event. What is this world coming to when the club most associated with slacking is the only club planning to hold two events (keep your fingers crossed)?
As far as changes, one of the biggies is a change in class structure. We will be abandoning our current class structure for one more in aligned with the AMA and other series. We will no longer differentiate between 4-stroke and 2-stroke displacements. Instead, the classes will simply be 0-200cc, 201-250cc and 251cc and up. This means that 450f’s will race in the open class, and 250f’s will race with 250 2-strokes. I personally think that the class structure we had was a good one and a fair one, but unfortunately it was not a common one. We were a bit ahead of our time, especially juxtaposed with the AMA.
Another big change will be the creation of a mini series. We have been running mini races at the majority of the events this year, but they have been loosely structured and just for fun. For 2008, we hope to have an officially structured series with points, numbers, classes etc. We really are not sure of the exact structure yet, or any of the nuts and bolts for that matter, but this is really something Todd and I are passionate about. We want it to be the legacy we turn over to the next administration. It is an investment in the future of our sport and our series. You may have noticed that AMRA is busting at the seams in some of the age classes, but pretty light in the displacement classes. We need to get our offroad hooks in some of these kids before they become corrupted by moto (just kidding moto dudes, we love you too. Now go put on some new graphics or something.)
In all seriousness, how cool would it be if AMRA was the breeding grounds for future champions like ADRA was for Destry Abbott? With that being said, we are looking for input on how to structure this thing. We want a structure that still is fun and low key, not one fraught with mini dads (and moms). So, drop us a line if you have any suggestions. The first scheduled race will be in conjunction with the Rock Stars event on February 24th. We are also looking for people to step up and help run the mini series. It really will put a lot of extra burden on the clubs if we don’t do this thing right, so here is your chance to make a difference in the future of our sport.
I want to conclude by especially thanking the clubs, without who there would not be an AMRA. It really is a spectacular thing we have done in the last 3-4 years, and here is to many more years of success. I know, however, that there are still a lot of riders in Arizona that we have not reached; riders who this series is perfect for. Perfect because the AMRA series is whatever you want it to be. It can be a highly competitive series where you fight tooth and nail for every point throughout the season, or it can simply be organized trail rides with buddies for bragging rights. The clubs have cultivated a very family friendly atmosphere at the races. I look forward to camping and hanging out sometimes as much as racing. But we still put together quality upper echelon racing that attracts some of the best riders around. Just ask Destry Abbott, Steve Hatch, Steve Hengeveld, Ryan Clark, Ron Schmelzie, Robbie Jenks, Justin Williamson, Jason Raines…….etc.
So, let’s get out there and spread the word.
Tell everyone you know what a great series we have here. Drag them to the races. Get our 2008 race schedule up on the window at your local shop. As a club based, not for profit series, we all are responsible for growing AMRA, the premier offroad series in Arizona.
--GB, VP |
