The following is from the MIC…
Motorcycle Industry Council Evaluating Issuance of Request for Proposal for U.S. Road Racing Series
IRVINE, Calif., June 26, 2008 – The Motorcycle Industry Council, on behalf of its 300-plus members, is evaluating whether to issue a request for proposal seeking a series promoter and sanctioning body for a premier professional road racing series in the United States.
“Our members are better served by having alternatives to the changes for the AMA Superbike Championship that the Daytona Motorsports Group has so far described,” said MIC President Tim Buche. “We fully appreciate the expertise, hard work and connections the DMG may bring to motorcycling. However, the independent interests of the manufacturers call for a racing series that helps promote specific motorcycle brands. Historically, motorcycle makers have boosted bike sales based on their success in racing. It makes little sense for bike manufacturers to heavily invest in any competition that highlights sponsors and teams and downplays the machines themselves, as well as their technological development. So we are obliged to investigate alternatives that could do a better job of meeting our members’ respective marketing needs. This is especially true given that it’s now late June and there is still uncertainty over the DMG’s 2009 rules.”
The MIC intends to consider input from key industry stakeholders including racetrack owners, riders, interested sponsors, and enthusiast and trade media.
The MIC wants a racing series that best promotes rider safety, competition, innovation, racetrack attendance, television viewership and ridership. The MIC also wants a championship that ultimately benefits the consumer – an exciting, popular series that develops new technology that finds its way to production motorcycles. The series should be clearly recognized as the top level of U.S. road racing, drawing both world-class riders and upcoming stars.
Located in Irvine, Calif., the Motorcycle Industry Council is a not-for-profit, national trade association representing more than 300 manufacturers and distributors of motorcycles, scooters, motorcycle/ATV parts and accessories and members of allied trades.
