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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 11, 2008

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- AMA Sports announced today that new rules regarding rider

advancement to “A” class amateur motocross competition will not be implemented in 2008. The

decision follows a collaborative review process between promoters, congress delegates, OEM

representatives and AMA Staff,

2007 marked the first year of implementation for the AMA’s National Advancement System in

amateur motocross. The goal of the system is to provide a consistent source or enforcement

regarding rider eligibility at the “C” class level, and then progress riders through the “B” and “A” class

rankings.

“After our review, we felt that many riders were being pushed into our highest level of amateur

racing too quickly and that we’d be taking a step backwards after the recent progress we have made

in creating a better system,” stated the AMA’s Director of Motocross and Supercross Ryan Holliday.

In recent years the AMA has undertaken measures to create a more fluid transition through the

amateur ranks and into professional racing. One of these measures was to create a clear path of

progression from the minibike level to the Schoolboy class, eventually transitioning riders to the

appropriate skill level.

“This system was developed by the motocross committee of the AMA Congress and was first

utilized at the District level before being applied nationwide in 2007,” said Holliday. “The recent

changes in the AMA’s class structure had an unforeseen negative impact on young riders being

advanced into the ‘A’ class, namely the increase in age limits for the youth divisions, but the exclusion

of ‘A’ level riders in these classes.”

A contributing factor was the late release of rider advancement notification. In accordance with

the AMA rulebook, advancements were to take effect on December 31, 2007. With the qualifying

rounds of the AMA’s Amateur National Motocross Championship already underway, as well as many

other local racing series, the implementation of the “A” class rule was not in the best interest of AMA

members.

“The AMA feels the National Advancement System is a very promising program and we will

make the necessary changes through our rules-making body in the AMA Congress later this year to

create a fair and simplified ladder of progression regarding rider advancement to the ‘A’ class,” said

Holliday. “Rider advancement from the ‘C’ class to ‘B’ class will be implemented as planned in 2008.”

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