IN
THE
WIND
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RAINEY NAMED AMA
MOTORCYCLIST OF THE YEAR
T
he AMA announced its 2015 AMA Motorcy-
clist of the Year: AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame
Legend Wayne Rainey. Rainey, three-time world
champion, two-time AMA Superbike champion
and now president of MotoAmerica, leads a team
that has revitalized professional road racing in the
United States.
The AMA Motorcyclist of the Year award rec-
ognizes the person or persons who had the most
profound impact within the motorcycling com-
munity in the previous 12 months. It is awarded
annually by the AMA Board of Directors.
"Wayne Rainey and his partners and employ-
ees at MotoAmerica demonstrated in 2015 that
they had the knowledge, fortitude and collective
wisdom to not only restore professional road rac-
ing in America to greatness, but to reinvigorate
an industry and fan base that had been languish-
ing for years," said AMA President and CEO Rob
Dingman.
"That success is built firmly on the foundation
of Wayne's character and perseverance to be
successful at what so many before him have real-
ized is one of racing's most challenging tasks,"
Dingman continued. "Where others failed, Wayne
is succeeding, and his efforts transcend the sport
itself in many ways.
"It is therefore my great honor to recognize
Wayne Rainey as the 2015 AMA Motorcyclist of
the Year," Dingman concluded.
MotoAmerica took the reins of professional
road racing in late 2014. That's when a deal was
struck between and among MotoAmerica, Dayto-
na Motorsports Group and the AMA that enabled
MotoAmerica to take over commercial and promo-
tional responsibility for professional road racing in
America, and restored the AMA as the sanctioning
body for professional road racing.
In 2015, MotoAmerica operated the first season
of its professional road racing series, sanctioned
by the AMA and FIM North America. The Mo-
toAmerica series, the new home of the AMA
Superbike Championship,
built a strong platform and
set professional road racing
in America on a new path for
success.
"One season alone does
not make a successful race
series," Dingman said. "But
guided by Wayne's ideals of
fairness and integrity, and his
overarching goal of preparing
U.S. riders to challenge for
world titles, MotoAmerica is
clearly on a path toward long-
term success." CN
Wayne Rainey was named AMA
Motorcyclist of the Year for his
work with MotoAmerica.
