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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May
7, 2008
Contact:
Brandon Short
Media@MXNationals.com
(951) 203-2605

Opening
Round of 2008 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Makes
Triumphant Return to Southern California
SAN
BERNARDINO, Calif. (May 7, 2008) After a four-year
hiatus, the opening round of the 2008 AMA Toyota Motocross
Championship presented by FMF returns to the heart of
the motocross industry in Southern California for the
13th Annual Giant RV AMA Motocross National presented
by Yamaha at Glen Helen Raceway Park, on Memorial Day
weekend, May 24-25.
Since becoming a part of the schedule in 1996, Glen
Helen has established itself as one of the most unique,
fastest and action-packed circuits on the circuit. In
1998, it became the series opening round event,
quickly becoming a Mothers Day tradition before
moving to the last race of the season in 2004. Thanks
to a schedule overhaul that features logistical changes
and a more compact season, Glen Helen returns as the
lead-off event, with a later starting date than ever
before, giving riders and teams more preparation time
and much needed rest.
In an effort to create a more exciting experience for
fans and riders alike, track designer Jody Weisel and
his crew have brought a more technical course that will
challenge the worlds best, slow down the overall
speed and bring the action closer to the fans. As the
field blasts through the infamous Talladega
turn out of the starting gates, it will be presented
with a myriad of challenges, including a new canyon
section featuring saddle back twin peaks, a much longer
sand section and the legendary Yamaha Hill ran in reverse.
Additionally, fan viewing has been increased by 20%
as a result of the alterations, with a larger shoreline
for motocross diehards to witness the on-track action.
Located just miles from a numerous race shops, test
tracks and riders homes, the local atmosphere
adds an extra element of excitement to the weekend,
bringing out legends and hall of famers alike. An autograph
session featuring past and present stars of the sport
on Saturday, May 24, is just one of the many highlights
the weekend has to offer.
Adding to the weekend festivities is the inclusion of
three invitational events on Saturday morning. Scheduled
to begin at 9:45 a.m., with the ITP Tires/Yamaha Quad
Pro Invitational moto for $1,500, the pre-AMA events
will also include a $2,000 moto with the L.A. Sleeve/Pro
X 2-Stroke Pro Race, and conclude with the Legends Invitational,
featuring past champions Jeremy McGrath, Greg Albertyn,
Jeff Emig, Jeff Stanton, Steve Lamson and Jeff Ward
along with freestyle icons Mike Metzger and Brian Deegan.
Notably, Team Kawasakis James Stewart is also
expected to make his return from a knee injury that
forced him to miss the tail end of the 2007 AMA Toyota
Motocross Championship and the majority of this season's
Monster Energy AMA Supercross. If healthy, Stewart figures
to make a strong run at earning his first AMA Motocross
title.
Tickets to the opening round of the 2008 AMA Toyota
Motocross Championship presented by FMF are now on sale.
General Admission for Wednesday-Sunday
Adults $45
Juniors (6-12 years) $30
Children 5 and under FREE
Sunday Only Tickets
Adults $30
Juniors (6-12 years) $20
Children 5 and under FREE
For more information about the weekend festivities,
log onto www.glenhelen.com or call the tracks
24-hour information line at 909-880-3090. Also, check
out The Riverside Press-Enterprises Wheels, Off
Road, and Waves section online for further promotion
of Glen Helen events at www.pe.com/wow.
Interview opportunities are available to the media by
contacting AMA Toyota Motocross Championship media coordinator
Brandon Short via email at Media@MXNationals.com or
by phone at 951-203-2605.
For more information on the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship,
presented by FMF, log on to www.amaproracing.com
for live timing and scoring at @theWireLIVE!. Racer
X Illustrated will host a new and improved webcast on
www.motocross.com, with live racing action hosted by
Jason Weigandt. The Racer X Motocross Show on Motocross.com
has also been added on Saturday night of each race weekend,
featuring practice footage and interviews taken earlier
in the day.
Credential requests for each round of the 2008 AMA Toyota
Motocross Championship Presented by FMF must be submitted
via email to Media@MXNationals.com three weeks prior
to the race. Media members interested in interviews
with the riders of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship
Presented by FMF should contact Brandon at 951-203-2605
or email Media@MXNationals.com.
About the National Promoters Group
(NPG)
The National Promoters Group (NPG) comprises 12 individual
promoters of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented
by FMF which sanctions outdoor motocross events throughout
the United States, and remains the Nation's premier
outdoor motocross championship series. NPG's mission
is to raise awareness of motocross racing through the
production of professional championship racing events
nationwide.
About AMA Pro Racing
AMA Racing is the competition arm of the American
Motorcyclist Association and is the leading sanctioning
body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its
professional properties include the Ampd Mobile
AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship
presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented
by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat
Track Championship, the AMA Supermoto Championship and
the AMA Pro ATV Championship. In amateur and pro-am
competition, AMA Racing sanctions over 4000 events in
24 different disciplines and supports over 110 thousand
active members. For more information about professional
racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.
Accredited media outlets can also access an on line
Press Room at www.amaproracing.com/pressroom.
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