AMA hands over control of pro road racing to Wayne Rainey-led MotoAmerica

The American Motorcyclist Association announced that KRAVE Group LLC, led by three-time motorcycle world champion and Wayne Rainey, will manage a new professional road racing series in North America.

"Daytona Motorsports Group (DMG) confirms the transfer of sanctioning, operational, promotional and commercial rights for professional motorcycle road racing to the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and KRAVE Group," AMA Pro Racing said in a brief statement. "Following the 2014 AMA Pro Road Racing season finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park on Sept. 13-14, DMG no longer will conduct and promote the professional road racing discipline. The company will continue to sanction AMA Pro Flat Track, Motocross and Hillclimb."

In coordination with the AMA, KRAVE Group LLC announced that it has entered into an agreement to take over promotional and management rights for AMA Road Racing properties in North America as part of the newly formed MotoAmerica series. The move will allow MotoAmerica to award AMA and FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) North America No. 1 plates to class champions beginning in 2015. Races and venues will be announced at a later date.

"When I was a kid first learning how to race, my ultimate goal – the goal of every young racer – was to compete in the AMA," said Rainey (LEFT), a two-time AMA champion (1983 and 1987) and three-time 500cc world champion (1990, 1991 and 1992) who will serve as president of MotoAmerica. Rainey, who notched 24 grand prix race wins during his career, was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999 and is also in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the MotoGP Hall of Fame and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.

"The United States has produced some of the fastest riders in the world," Rainey continued. "To bring that status and excitement back to the U.S. we need to start fresh – and that is our ultimate goal. MotoAmerica is going to bring one of the most exciting sports on earth back to the forefront; to recruit the next generation of young riders while supporting and highlighting today's established stars."

Alongside Rainey, the newly formed KRAVE Group LLC (dba MotoAmerica) includes Chuck Aksland. From a racing family, Aksland enjoyed a brief career as a well-respected road racer. After retiring from competition, he managed Team Kenny Roberts for 20 years and also guided the careers of World Superbike star Jonathan Rea and current U.S. Road Racing championship contender Roger Hayden. Recently, Aksland served as VP of Motorsports Operations at Circuit of The Americas.

Another partner in KRAVE Group LLC is Terry Karges, a former motorsports marketing executive and team owner who spent 17-years at Roush Performance before being named Executive Director of The Petersen Automotive Museum. Richard Varner is the fourth partner in KRAVE (Karges, Rainey, Aksland, Varner). Founder of Champions Moto motorcycles, Varner is also an energy sector entrepreneur and businessman.

"If you are an amateur or professional motorcycle road racer in America, if you are a fan of road racing or if you are a company that does business in this industry, this is an exciting day," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "Our goal has always been to entrust the promotional and commercial rights for professional racing to a talented, dedicated, well-capitalized professional entity, and MotoAmerica certainly offers all that and more."

The agreement between the AMA and KRAVE Group LLC (MotoAmerica) was finalized on Sept. 3. The new group said more information will be released shortly, including future race dates, classes, rules and event information.