AMA Pro Racing Announces Re-brand of American Flat Track series
DAYTONA BEACH , Fla . ( Sept . 25 , 2016 ) - AMA Pro Racing has proudly announced the official rebranding of the all-new American Flat Track ( AFT ) series - formerly known as AMA Pro Flat Track . The rebranding of the series coincides with the dawn of a new era for America ' s favorite motorcycle sport , which includes a restructured class system as well as a re-envisioning of the event format . While holding true to the legacy of a sport rich in history , the modifications are designed to provide a more understandable and exciting format for the modern fans and make the series more accessible to new fans .
" We are extremely excited about the rebranding of the series ," said Michael Lock , CEO of AMA Pro Racing . " The rejuvenation of the sport will bring a new level of excitement to racers and fans . Everyone will be able to easily understand what ' s happening on the track and will be able to enjoy all of the action from the moment they arrive to when they head home . It ' s a very exciting time for the sport of professional Flat Track racing ."
The restructured class system consists of the AFT Twins class , the premier class where the best Flat Track riders in the world battle for top honors on firebreathing Twins , and the AFT Singles class , which will host dirt track racing ' s stars of tomorrow .
The reclassification of the new series is categorized in an easily comprehensible format :
The AFT Twins class will consist of twin-cylinder motorcycles ( 650 - 999cc ), which contain the latest in motorsport technology and will be piloted by the fastest athletes on the dirt .
In the AFT Singles class , the up-and-coming riders will command the tracks on 450cc single-cylinder motorcycles as they compete for their chance to make it to the prestigious AFT Twins ranks .
There are also changes to event format which promise an action-packed program of racing . The traditional
format will move to a tournament style format , where the fastest 48 riders from timed qualifying advance to the heats . From there , the race program will consist of four six-lap Heats with nine of the 12 riders transferring to one of the two Semis . What was traditionally a last chance effort to make the Main , the new Semi format is a knockout round where 18 riders duke it out for the nine spots that transfer them to the 18-rider Main . The Main events themselves see little changes , with the premiere AFT Twins class keeping its traditional 25-lap Main and the support AFT Singles class sees a slight increase from 12 to 15 laps .
Adding to the excitement in 2017 , the American Flat Track series will also be the battleground for one of the oldest rivalries in motorcycle racing - Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle . The American Flat Track series in its entirety will continue its growth by introducing new global manufacturers to the sport and will see elevated support from current and new partners .
In keeping with the goals to streamline and modernize the series , AMA Pro Racing has worked diligently with the Advisory Group to rewrite and enhance the rulebook for the 2017 season . The driving force behind the updated rulebook is to focus on the safety and performance of the overall racing experience . The list of partners and the 2017 rulebook will be available at later dates .
Earlier in the 2016 season , AMA Pro Racing announced the formation of subsidiary company AFT Events and the brand-new apparel line American Flat Tracker . These companies have served as a springboard for the launch of the American Flat Track series and will continue to innovate in new ways to elevate the level of the entire event experience for fans , teams and the overall sport of professional Flat Track .
For more information about American Flat Track and to keep up-to-date with the latest news in professional Flat Track racing , please visit http :// www . amaproracing . com / flat-track .
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America , operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines . Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www . amaproracing . com .