The following is from AMA Pro Racing…
The AMA Flat Track Championship will visit two new venues in 2005 including the half-mile track at Metrolina Speedway in Concord, N.C. and Darke County Fairgrounds half-mile in Greenville, Ohio. Returning to the 2005 calendar is the mile track at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, and Ionia Raceway Park (formerly known as I-96 Speedway) in Lake Odessa, Mich. Additionally, there are 11 returning events scheduled in the 2005 Championship including the season opener in Daytona Beach, Fla., during Bike Week, the historical TT and mile events at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield and the Peoria TT event in Peoria Ill., among others.
According to AMA Pro Racing Flat Track Series Manager Bruce Bober the 2005 schedule provides a good mix of the various disciplines comprising the AMA Flat Track Championship. “So far we have 15 confirmed events on the schedule with the possibility that more will be added later,” said Bober. “Of that 15 four are mile events, two are short tracks, seven are half-miles and two are TT races. This will provide a great mix of racing to our fans and competitors.”
Chris Carr is seeking his fifth consecutive (seventh overall) title in the historic 51st year of AMA Grand National racing. Carr, who won the AMA Pro Racing SPEED Channel Athlete of the Year Award in 2003, is one of the most successful Flat Track racers in the history of the sport. Carr’s Grand National win total is at 68 and he has the most wins in the short track and TT categories. Joe Kopp, Ken Coolbeth and Johnny Murphree, who finished last year’s championship in second through fourth, respectively, are also expected to return in 2005.
The 2005 AMA Flat Track Championship schedule is as follows:
Date – Location – Type – Series
March 10 – Municipal Stadium, Daytona Beach, FL – S.T. – GNC
May 21 – Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, IL – Half-mile – GNC/HDSP
May 28 – Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL – T.T. – GNC
May 29 – Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL – Mile – GNC/HDSP
June 18 – New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY – Mile – GNC/HDSP
June 24 – Atomic Speedway, Oak Ridge, TN – S.T. – GNC *
June 25 – Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH – Half-mile – GNC/HDSP
July 2 – Ionia Raceway Park, Lake Odessa, MI – Half-mile – GNC/HDSP
July 16 – Metrolina Speedway, Concord, NC – Half-mile – GNC/HDSP
July 23 – Darke County Fairgrounds, Greenville, OH – Half-mile – GNC
July 30 – Hagerstown Speedway, Hagerstown, MD – Half-mile – GNC/HDSP
Aug. 6 – Farley Speedway, Farley, IA – Half-mile – GNC/HDSP
Aug. 9 – Black Hills Speedway, Rapid City, SD – Half-mile – GNC/HDSP *
Aug. 21 – Peoria Race Park, Peoria, IL – T.T. – GNC
Aug. 27 – State Fair Speedway, Sedalia, MO – Half-mile – GNC/HDSP *
Sept. 3 – Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL – S.T. – GNC
Sept. 4 – Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL – Mile – GNC/HDSP
Sept. 10 – Vernon Downs, Vernon, NY – Mile – GNC *
Oct. 1 – Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, Du Quoin, IL – Mile – GNC/505
Date and locations subject to change
* Tentative. To be confirmed
