VIR abruptly cancels AMA Superbike race

[BobHWS]

I'm disappointed about this news. I was planning to head up to VIR (90 miles from my home) to take some photos at this event. I did so a few years ago and I really enjoyed my first exposure to motorcycle racing. VIR is a great track, but this move makes them look very bad from a management viewpoint. It sounds to me like a case of "Well, we did a poor job promoting this event and we didn't sell enough tickets in advance, so we're cancelling the race. Sorry, too bad."

AMA Pro Racing’s David Atlas on VIR’s sudden cancellation of AMA Pro Road Racing event
AMA Pro Racing COO talks to Sport Rider about Virginia International Raceway's sudden cancellation of upcoming August 12-14 event, throwing AMA Pro season end schedule into chaos
July 12, 2011
By Kent Kunitsugu

The terse press release from Virginia International Raceway was a short two-sentence statement: "No AMA Pro Racing event will take place at VIR in 2011. If circumstances are conducive in 2012, VIR looks forward to renewing its relationship with AMA Pro Racing." Um…what? With the race scheduled literally five weeks away?

It wasn’t much longer until AMA Pro Racing issued its own statement: “It is with deep regret that AMA Pro Racing is forced to announce VIR’s cancellation of the Suzuki White Lightning Nationals, Round 8 on the AMA Pro Road Racing season calendar. Despite AMA Pro Racing’s efforts to preserve the originally scheduled August 12-14 event, VIR staff notified AMA Pro Racing late Monday, July 11, of its final decision not to host or promote the race weekend. ‘AMA Pro Racing has made VIR a part of its season calendar for the past decade,’ said AMA Pro Racing COO and Managing Member David Atlas, ‘and I am gravely disappointed by the impact this will have on our paddock, fans, and other series participants. I assure all of those involved parties that a significant effort was made to negotiate an arrangement that would have preserved the event.’”

Besides the fact that the cancellation occurred within sight of the event weekend, the AMA Pro Racing press release indicated that the cancellation was a complete surprise to AMA Pro Racing. And that was indeed the case, according to Atlas in a phone interview with Sport Rider...

[chunder]

Nothing surprises me about the AMA, so do not read too much into that press!

[BobHWS]

Originally Posted by chunder

Nothing surprises me about the AMA, so do not read too much into that press!

Chunder, as you suggest, there are probably two sides to the story. Without knowing the facts about the contract dispute, it's hard to know who's most at fault. It's too bad for the fans, the riders and their teams and the people in the area.

VIR responds to canceling pro event
Written by Staff
07/12/11

“As with any disagreement, there are two sides to every story,” the VIR statement said...

According to the VIR statement, the controversy surrounded the contract for the event...

“Despite requests by VIR beginning in December, 2010, AMA Pro Racing did not deliver its proposed contract for the 2011 event to VIR until early June 2011. Resulting discussions made it apparent that insufficient time remained to negotiate the new terms in the proposed contract and, if agreement were reached, to plan, promote and conduct the event in a professional manner.

“In an effort to preserve the date, VIR went to extraordinary lengths to reach an alternative agreement with AMA Pro Racing, which AMA Pro Racing chose to reject,” the statement continued...

[chunder]

I had a look on soup last night, they are suggesting there were all sorts o issues, as I say AMA nothing amazes me! Anyone who lets Honda run their series by introducing Formula Xtreme years ago deserves to be dis-credited!!

[BobHWS]

Here's another opinion about who is at fault. This writer blames VIR more than the AMA.

FIRST PERSON/OPINION: How Greed And Sloth Killed The AMA Pro Event At VIR
Roadracing World
Jul 14, 2011
By John Ulrich

Greed and sloth—or maybe greed and ignorance—killed the 2011 AMA Pro event at VIR...

...I think Nyholm's decision to cancel at the 11th hour demonstrates the VIR administration's focus on wanting to make more money (greed) without actually doing the hard work (sloth).

[mountainstar]

Connie Nyholm is not the easiest person to deal with so good luck with that. She is a good example of "you better have that in writing" and even then....

I think she'd eventually like to kick out anything that resembles riff raff out of VIR and turn it into a private resort for all the rich folk to come down from NY to drive and sip wine and eat cheese.

[chunder]

Lol, its not that great a circuit, none are in teh USA really.

They should have every round at Barber, at leats that looks nice and is reasonably safe??

Shame the AMa is still struggling, two sort of factory teams and some has been riders who really whould have tried something else but cant coz they get lazy and paid too much to stay in the USA!

Fair play to Zemke coming over and slumming it in the UK!!