AMA Supermoto Championship
{{Infobox motorsport championship
| name = AMA Supermoto Championship
| logo =
| image-size =
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| category = Motorcycle sport
Motorcycle racing
| country/region = United States
| inaugural = 2003
| inaugural2 =
| folded = 2009
| classes = Supermoto / Supermoto Premier, Supermoto Lites, Supermoto Unlimited, Honda Red Riders Junior Supermoto
| drivers =
| riders =
| teams =
| constructors = Honda{{·}}Kawasaki{{·}}KTM{{·}}Suzuki{{·}}Yamaha{{•}}Husqvarna Motorcycles
| engines =
| tyres =
| champion driver =
| champion rider =
| champion team =
| website = {{URL|http://www.amaproracing.com/}}
| current_season =
|constructor={{flagicon|AUT}} KTM}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2016}}
The AMA Supermoto Championship was an AMA Pro Racing-sanctioned Supermoto motorcycle racing series that ran from 2003 through 2009.{{cite news|title=Supermoto Gains Momentum|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5voDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA53|accessdate=November 22, 2013|newspaper=American Motorcyclist|date=August 2003|last1 = Assoc|first1 = American Motorcyclist}} AMA Pro Racing was a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Motorcyclist Association. An amateur national championship, known as AMA Supermoto and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association as AMA Sports,{{cite web|url=http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/asp/raceresults/typeindex.asp?year%3D2014%26s%3D94 |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2016-05-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150421033451/http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/asp/raceresults/typeindex.asp?year=2014&s=94 |archivedate=April 21, 2015 |df=mdy }} was launched in 2013 with USA Supermoto as the new promoter.{{Cite web |url=http://www.amanationalsupermoto.com/#!about/cjg9 |title=AMA Supermoto |access-date=May 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824162639/http://www.amanationalsupermoto.com/#!about/cjg9 |archive-date=August 24, 2016 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}
Classes
Main classes consisted of Supermoto (also later known as Supermoto Premier) for 400-450cc, four-stroke, single-cylinder motorcycles, and Supermoto Unlimited, open to two-stroke, single-cylinder motorcycles 490cc and greater, four-stroke, single-cylinder motorcycles.{{cite news|title=New 2003 Supermoto Championship series announced|url=http://www.motorsport.com/ama/news/new-2003-supermoto-championship-series-announced/|accessdate=November 22, 2013|newspaper=Motorsport.com|date=March 7, 2003|archive-date=July 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714235555/http://www.motorsport.com/ama/news/new-2003-supermoto-championship-series-announced/|url-status=dead}}
Support classes included the Honda Junior Supermoto Challenge with riders on identically prepared Honda CRF150Fs,{{cite news|title=Honda Red Riders Junior Supermoto Challenge Begins Its Third Year|url=http://www.supercrossking.com/newsitem.aspx?newsID=688|accessdate=November 22, 2013|newspaper=SupercrossKing.com|date=April 6, 2005}}{{cite web|last=DiSanto|first=Ralph|title=Honda Junior Supermoto Program Discontinued for 2006|date=December 19, 2005 |url=http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/264354-honda-junior-supermoto-program-discontinued-for-2006/|accessdate=November 24, 2013}} and, beginning in 2005, Supermoto Lites for 200-250cc, four-stroke, single-cylinder motorcycles.{{cite news|title=2005 AMA Supermoto schedule announced |url=http://motocrossactionmag.com/mobile/News/MARCH-241512005-AMA-SUPERMOTO-SCHEDULE-ANNOUNCED--2240.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131213011207/http://motocrossactionmag.com/mobile/News/MARCH-241512005-AMA-SUPERMOTO-SCHEDULE-ANNOUNCED--2240.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 13, 2013 |accessdate=November 22, 2013 |newspaper=Motocross Action Magazine |date=March 24, 2005 }}
Course design
Racecourses were designed with approximately 80% pavement and 20% dirt, with jumps, whoop sections, and a flat-track-style turn. Courses were between .6 and 1.1 miles in length.{{cite news|title=AMA Launches Super Moto Series|url=http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/updated-post-ama-launches-super-moto-series/|accessdate=November 21, 2013|newspaper=RoadracingWorld.com|date=March 6, 2003}}
Tabletop and Kicker "Urbancross" jumps were designed, fabricated, and then built on-site by ASD (a subsidiary of All-Access Staging and Productions) and these added an extra Motocross dimension to the paved portion of racecourses.{{cite web|last=Hoffman |first=Scott |title=All Access Portable Supermoto Ramps |url=http://www.supermotoracer.com/smr_backissues/smr_iss1-pdf/iss1-smr-1-21.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205091423/http://www.supermotoracer.com/smr_backissues/smr_iss1-pdf/iss1-smr-1-21.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 5, 2008 |publisher=SMR |accessdate=November 23, 2013 }}
Venues
Unique to the AMA Supermoto championship were the use of temporary race venues in addition to traditional, purpose-built courses.
Temporary venues such as Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (unused portion of the racetrack and a parking lot), Reno (public streets), Columbus (public streets and parking lots) Dallas (Reunion Arena parking lot), Las Vegas (Rio Hotel parking lot and Bally's Casino{{cite news|last=Pak|first=Mark|title=Veteran Ward ready to cap amazing Supermoto comeback|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/motor/2004-11-11-supermoto-ward_x.htm|accessdate=November 22, 2013|newspaper=USA Today|date=November 11, 2004}} parking lot), Copper Mountain (parking lot) were converted into racecourses complete with dirt sections and Urbancross ramps.
Kart tracks (Miller Motorsports Park, Road America, USA International Raceway{{cite web|title=Hiemer wins AMA Supermoto Championship debut| date=June 11, 2006 |url=https://www.espn.com/racing/news/story?series=99&id=2478671|publisher=ESPN|access-date=November 21, 2013}} ) were also used as the tight, winding circuits lend themselves nicely to the agility of Supermoto motorcycles.
Dedicated racecourses (oval automobile courses with infield road courses) were also used. Examples include South Boston Speedway, Irwindale Speedway, and Music City Motorplex.
2003 Championship Format
The 2003 Red Bull AMA Supermoto Championship (6 rounds) was structured in a winner-take-all format in order to attract riders from other motorcycle racing disciplines who may not have otherwise been able to compete in the new series.
The first five rounds were used as qualifying rounds for the final round, the Red Bull Supermoto-A-Go-Go held at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Riders and teams were able to participate in the final championship event based on points earned in earlier rounds. Seventy-four riders qualified for the Championship finale.{{Cite web|date=2003-11-11|title=Who Qualified For AMA SuperMoto Final|url=https://www.roadracingworld.com/news/who-qualified-for-ama-supermoto-final/|access-date=2020-09-14|website=Roadracing World Magazine {{!}} Motorcycle Riding, Racing & Tech News|language=en-US}}
The unique championship format was successful in attracting racers who were competing in other series. Examples include Ben Bostrom, Eric Bostrom, and Jake Zemke (AMA Superbike), Chris Carr, Joe Kopp, Jay Shelton and Roger Lee Hayden (AMA Flat Track), and Grant Langston (AMA Motocross).
In addition, many riders who had retired from competition in other disciplines participated in the 2003 series. Among them were AMA Supercross Champion Jeremy McGrath, AMA Flat Track and Superbike racer Larry Pegram, AMA Superbike Champion and Grand Prix racer Doug Chandler, ACU British National Motocross Champion Kurt Nicoll, Grand Prix Champion Kevin Schwantz, AMA Motocross Champions Micky Dymond and Chuck Sun, AMA Superbike racer Mike Smith, FMM Champion Omar Isaak, and French Ice Racing Champion David Baffeleuf.
2004–2009
In 2004 and subsequent years, the Supermoto Championship was a traditional cumulative points championship with points from each round contributing to the championship.{{cite news|title=AMA Pro Racing Announces 2004 Supermoto Schedule, Details|url=http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/ama-pro-racing-announces-2004-supermoto-schedule-details/|accessdate=November 22, 2013|newspaper=Roadracing World|date=May 26, 2004}}
Television
The series was broadcast tape-delayed on the Outdoor Life Network from 2003 through 2005, with the 2003 Red Bull Supermoto-A-Go-Go televised live on November 21, 2003.{{cite news|title=AMA Supermoto Championship To Air on OLN Starting in August|url=http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/ama-supermoto-championship-to-air-on-oln-starting-in-august/|accessdate=November 21, 2013}}
AMA Supermoto champions
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" | ||||
| style="background:#efefefef" | ||||
| Year | Supermoto | Supermoto Unlimited | Supermoto Lites | Junior Supermoto |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=center |2003
| 1) {{flagicon|United States}} Ben Bostrom (Honda) | 1) {{flagicon|South Africa}} Grant Langston (KTM) | | 1) {{flagicon|United States}} Mike Alessi (Honda) | ||||
| align=center |2004
| 1) {{flagicon|Scotland}} Jeff Ward (Honda) | 1) {{flagicon|UK}} Kurt Nicoll (KTM) | | 1) {{flagicon|United States}} Chad Cose (Honda) | ||||
| align=center |2005
| 1) {{flagicon|Germany}} Jürgen Künzel (KTM) | 1) {{flagicon|United States}} Micky Dymond (KTM) | 1) {{flagicon|United States}} Mark Burkhart (Yamaha) | 1) UNK (Honda) | ||||
| align=center |2006
| 1) {{flagicon|Scotland}} Jeff Ward (Honda) | 1) {{flagicon|United States}} Benny Carlson (KTM) | 1) {{flagicon|United States}} Cassidy Anderson (Honda) | | ||||
| align=center |2007
| 1) {{flagicon|United States}} Mark Burkhart (Yamaha) | 1) {{flagicon|United States}} Benny Carlson (Aprilia) | 1) {{flagicon|United States}} Brandon Currie (Yamaha) | | ||||
| align=center |2008
| 1) {{flagicon|Australia}} Troy Herfoss (KTM) | 1) {{flagicon|United States}} Steve Drew (KTM) | 1) {{flagicon|United States}} Brandon Currie (Yamaha) | | ||||
| align=center |2009
| 1) {{flagicon|France}} Sylvain Bidart (Honda) | 1) {{flagicon|UK}} Kurt Nicoll (KTM) | 1) {{flagicon|United States}} Danny Casey (Honda) | |