Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1122949
VOL. 56 ISSUE 21 MAY 28, 2019 P49 "The extreme off-road racing discipline is very important to the AMA as an organi- zation and to many of our members," AMA Director of Racing Kevin Crowther said. "We will continue to work toward securing a promotional partner that meets the re- quirements for operating an AMA extreme off-road national championship series." Promoters Eric Peronnard and Tim Clark introduced EnduroCross to America in 2004 as a one-off race in Las Vegas inside The Orleans Arena. Ryan Hughes was the winner. EnduroCross quickly grew and was expanded into an AMA National Champion- ship in 2007. Peronnard and Tod Hammock, the Kicker Arenacross Series promoter, have joined efforts and have plans to resurrect an indoor off-road racing series. Less than a week after the announcement that the 2019 EnduroCross Series had been canceled, Peronnard and Hammock an- nounced, via its own release, its intentions to launch a new indoor extreme off-road series. It reads: In an effort to ensure the future of indoor off-road motorcycle rac- ing, Tod Hammock, the Kicker Arenacross series promoter, and Eric Peronnard, the creator of EnduroCross, look to study all possibilities to keep INDOOR ex- treme off road racing alive. These two are storied in promoting the motorcycle lifestyle and there is no better duo to take the reins. Hammock has been promoting Arenacross races across the United States since 1995, totaling over 300 successful races. His most recent achievements include expanding his 2019 Winter Racing Series to two new large markets (Greensboro and Salt Lake City) as well as launching a national television partnership with Fox Sports. His relationship with top indoor venues across the country, expansive knowledge of the sport of off-road racing (he is an avid rider as well) and proven success of the promotion of these events makes him the ideal candidate to continue building on previous successes that INDOOR ex- treme off road racing requires. In 2004, Eric Peronnard brought the first-ever EnduroCross to life. His resume is full of experience working in moto- cross, supercross and X Games world- wide. His knowledge and passion for off- road racing/riding is unparalleled. Hammock and Peronnard are the ideal team to successfully keep INDOOR extreme off road racing alive in the short term and grow it in the long term. Their experience and proven track record will provide a seamless transition and prove to be an invaluable partnership for the American Motorcyclist Associa- tion (AMA). Key people such as Shane Schaeffer (renowned track builder), Mike Hathaway (longtime EnduroCross Race Director) and Sean Finley (media relations and marketing) will be part of new team. Preparations for a three-race series for 2019 are already in the works with plans for a full series in 2020 and expansion of the number of races in years 2021 and 2022. Proposed races and dates for 2019 are as follows: August 24, 2019 | Prescott Valley, Arizona October 19, 2019 | Denver, Colorado October 26, 2019 | Boise, Idaho Hammock and Peronnard are ex- tremely confident in this venture and look forward to speaking further with the AMA about the future of INDOOR extreme off-road racing and working together to ensure its continuation and growth. Fur- ther details will be released by the end of June 2019. CN First, the bad news: The 2019 AMA EnduroCross Championship has been canceled. The good news: Plans are already in the works to create a new EnduroCross-like championship.