IN
THE
WIND
P28
RAINEY GETS DORNA BACKING
A
s reported earlier, Dorna has
now confirmed its backing
for the hoped-for U.S. road-rac-
ing revival, led by former three-
time World Champion Wayne
Rainey.
Rainey is heading the KRAVE
Group and the new MotoAmerica
series, with three partners: long-
time Team Roberts manager
Chuck Aksland, plus marketing
expert Terry Karges and busi-
nessman Richard Varner.
In the past weeks, the group
has acquired the AMA road-
racing rights from the Daytona
Motorsports Group, which took
over in 2008. Since that time the
once vital and highly competitive
series has dropped in techni-
cal and competitive status, and
shrunk in size, with only seven
rounds (and 11 races) on the cal-
endar in 2014.
It was a significant comedown
for a championship that supplied
a string of American World Cham-
pions between 1976 and 1993.
Confirming Dorna's backing,
CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said:
"The American Championship
has always been a key reference
for our sport."
Rainey said: "It means a lot
to me to have Dorna's and Car-
melo's support for our new road-
racing series. I got the oppor-
tunity to compete on the world
stage because of AMA road rac-
ing, and I want to help give all of
our American riders that same
chance."
The last AMA Superbike
Champion to achieve success in
MotoGP was 2006 World Cham-
pion Nicky Hayden.
MotoAmerica is an all-new
North American series, with de-
tails yet to be confirmed.
Michael Scott
Dorna's Carmelo Ezpeleta (right)
has given Wayne Rainey (left) and
his new MotoAmerica series his full
support.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
WEBB TO KTM
A
fter weeks of speculation, FMF/RPM/
KTM Racing Team Maxxis announced that
Cody Webb has officially signed with the team
for the 2015 race season. Webb will compete
for FMF/RPM/KTM Racing Team Maxxis in
the GEICO AMA EnduroCross Series, the FIM
World Indoor SuperEnduro Series, ESPN X
Games, and other prestigious off-road events.
Webb, 26, is a multi-time National Trials
Champion and is currently in a tight battle with
Taddy Blazusiak for this year's AMA EnduroCross
Championship. He currently rides for Beta.
Webb will start out the 2015 season by
contending the FIM World Indoor SuperEn-
Cody Webb will
switch gears for
2015 and ride
for the FMF/
RPM/KTM team.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
SHAN
MOORE
continued on page 30
