FIM keeps 500cc MX class alive;
U.S. GPs secure for '92
y a 10-2 vote, the FlM agreed at its annual au tu mn congress in New Zeala nd
to con ~i~ue recognizing three titles in . Worl.d Championship mot ocr oss
compeuuon (125, 250 and 500cc). Earlier this year, th e FlM co nsidered
eliminating th e 5~c class from World ~hampionship sta tus beginning in 1993.
Another reso lu tio n was passed that Will alte r the Grand Pr ix format from two
45·minute-plus-two-laps heats to three 25-minute-plus-two-laps heats. Add itionally, qualifying heats will be held on Saturday in place of timed practice to narrow
?unday's field to 40 riders. Under the new rules, all riders, regardless of positi on
m the po!nt s~ndings, must qualify for a starting position at every GP. Previously,
the top eight riders were automatically seeded.
While these changes came as a complete surprise to many industry insiders,
the. FIM !easons .that the new format will boost specta tor interest and intensify
racing With the increased number of starts and sho rtened motos. An additional
benefit should be increased attendance on Saturday due to the greater spectator
appeal of qualifying races over the traditional open practice sessions.
It has not yet been decided whether or not the new format will go into effect
in 1992 or '93.
Perhaps the most important development coming out of th e FIM congress was
the passag e of terms agreeable to th e AMA and U.S. GP promoters regarding
travel funds for this year's opening 500cc World Championship round at Glen
Helen OHV Park in San Bernardino, California, on April 5, and the 250cc round
at th e Unadilla Valley Sports Center in New Berlin, New York, July 19. The
FlM wanted th e U.S . ~P pro~oters to pay a ppro xima tely $4000 in travel expenses
for each European rider, which would cost the U.S . promoters approximately
$60,000 per event. According to Motolink's Yvonne Baumann, the promoter of
the 500cc GP at Gl en H elen, such a figure would have mad e it econo mically
unfeasible to hold GPs in the U.S.
"We told th e FlM we'd pay $2000 per rider (appro xi mately $36,000 total) or
no GPs," Baumann said. " We simply gave the FIM o ur offer and ba sically told
them to tak e it or leave it and they took it. We were pl easantly surprised. If
th ey turned us down , though, we were ready to host a Na tional at Gl en Helen
(instead of th e GP)."
B
prope r permits from co u nty officials
and must wait fo r th e next co m mis sioners ' m eetin g i n De cember to
reapply. •
Creek in Maryl and has been canceled
d ue to the im pending marriage of
