"We are honored to announce the AMA U.S. Drag Racing Championship and proud to be in the company of other AMA Pro Racing U.S. Championship series," said Prostar President Keith Kizer. "I am excited to be involved in the direction that AMA Pro Racing is taking motorcycle racing."

The new series will not affect class structure or the three basic levels of the Prostar program - Professional, Sportsman and E.T. (elapsed time) - that accommodate racers from the all-out factory-backed professional to the hobby racer. The Professional level includes the astounding 240-plus mph Top Fuel class plus the traditional Pro Modified, Pro Stock, Superbike and the now-popular Streetbike Shootout classes. The Sportsman level includes the Top Eliminator, Top Gas, Super Comp, Super Gas, 600 SuperSport and the all-new, Yamaha-sponsored Hot Rod Cruiser classes. E.T. classes, based on bracketing of elapsed-time performances to create handicap starts, is broken down into two classes Pro E.T. and Street E.T. - and forms the backbone of drag racing events.

"Keith Kizer has done an incredible job of marketing and growing Prostar over the past decade and we will utilize his expertise as we continue to commercially develop our growing stable of motorsports properties." said AMA Pro Racing CEO Scott Hollingsworth.

The immediate added value will be the ability to create multi-faceted events combining the strengths of several AMA Pro Racing U.S. Championship properties, such as the 2001 Houston Cyclefest April 20-22. The Houston Raceway Park will combine the AMA U.S. Drag Racing Championship and AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championships to give fans a weekend full of race action.

"In creating more events like the Houston Cyclefest, AMA Pro Racing will increase exposure in major markets for our sponsors, promoters and racers," continued Hollingsworth. "The success of combination events such as the World Superbike and AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship weekend at Laguna Seca in 2000 and the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days/AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship week-long event at Mid-Ohio is obvious. Our combined event at Laguna Seca, the Honda International Superbike Classic, is the most highly attended motorcycle racing event in the U.S. and that attendance rivals many other types motorsports events worldwide."