AMA SPORTS ANNOUNCES NOMINEES, THANKS SPONSORS
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (October 31, 2006) - The fourth annual AMA Sports Awards Banquet will be held Nov. 17, 2006, at The Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. Nearly 400 national champions in more than a dozen forms of motorcycle and ATV competition will be honored for their achievements in 2006.
The 2006 Awards of Excellence also will be presented to the year's top riders, promoters and members of the media.
The banquet will take place at a new venue in 2006, The Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, which will be the center of activity during the AMA Las Vegas Invasion weekend. Other weekend events include the AMA Pro Racing Championship Awards Banquet, also at the Rio, and the Maxxis EnduroCross at The Orleans Arena. The AMA Sports evening includes a reception at 6:30 p.m., dinner beginning at 7:30 p.m., and the awards presentations starting at 8:30 p.m.
SPEED TV host Greg White and MX Sports' Tim Cotter will share the master of ceremonies honors at this year's banquet.
In addition, a number of the 2006 AMA Sports Awards will be presented to the stars of tomorrow by today's motorcycle-racing superstars.
Reserve your seat or table at the banquet by registering online or by downloading a mail-in registration form.
For additional information, contact Sue Mason at (614) 856-1900, extension 1244, or smason@ama-cycle.org. Thanks to Banquet sponsors
The 2006 AMA Sports Awards Banquet enjoys great support from its sponsors, including presenting sponsor Wisenburg Insurance; returning reception sponsor Gear Designs Inc.; gold-level sponsors American Honda, American Suzuki Motor Corp., Girlyz Clothing Co., KTM North America, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Nationwide Insurance, Sunoco Race Fuels, Timothy Owens, Web Cam Racing Camshafts, and Yamaha Motor Corp.; silver-level sponsor Clarke Mfg. Co. Inc.; and bronze-level sponsor MR Products. Other sponsors of this year's event include FMF, Arizona Trail Riders, and Cobra Motorcycles.
Nominees for major 2006 AMA Sports Awards:
AMA Sports Athlete of the Year
Geoff Aaron, Bailey, Colo. - Observed Trials
Cory Burleson, Harrison, Ark. - Road Racing
Greg Hancock, Costa Mesa, Calif. - Speedway
Josh Hill, Yoncalla, Ore. - Motocross
Juha Salminen, Finland - GNCC
AMA Sports Veteran/Senior Rider of the Year
Thomas Carringer, Salinas, Calif. - Dirt Track
Charlie Coleman, Courtland, N.Y. - Road Racing
Jimmy Evans, Riverside, Calif. - Motocross
AMA Sports Female Rider of the Year
Louise Forsley, Bernardston, Mass. - Observed Trials
Tarah Geiger, Vero Beach, Fla. - Motocross
Shayna Texter, Willow Street, Pa. - Dirt Track
AMA Sports Youth Rider of the Year
Walker Fowler, Rogers, Ohio - GNCC ATV and Bike
Hayden Gillim, Owensboro, Ky. - Dirt Track / Road Racing
Josiah Mizell, Cleveland, Texas - Observed Trials
Jessy Nelson, Templeton, Calif. - Motocross
ATVA Athlete of the Year
Bill Ballance, Bowling Green, Ky. - GNCC
Joe Byrd, Union City, Tenn. - Motocross
Tim Farr, Massillon, Ohio - Dirt Track
Wayne Matlock, Lakeside, Calif. - Hare & Hound
Frank Wilson, Delbarton, W.V. - Hillclimb
ATVA Amateur Rider of the Year
Tyler Lenig, Shamokin, Pa. - GNCC
Mitch Reynolds, Greenbrier, Ark. - Dirt Track / Motocross
Josh Upperman, Louisville, Ohio - Motocross
ATVA Veteran/Senior Rider of the Year
Ken Marcou, Millston, Wis. - Dirt Track
Dave Simmons, Painesville, Ohio - GNCC
Tommy Tantillo, Manorville, N.Y. - Motocross
ATVA Female Rider of the Year
Angela Butler, Laveen, Ariz. - Motocross
Traci Cecco, Shamokin, Penn. - GNCC
Candace Lee, Four Oaks, N.C. - Dirt Track
ATVA Youth Rider of the Year
Walker Fowler, Rogers, Ohio - GNCC
Richard Lindsey, Atco, N.J. - Motocross
Kendall Webb, Branson, Mo. - Dirt Track / Motocross
ATVA Organizer of the Year
Pine Lake, Ashtabula, Ohio
Racer Productions, Morgantown, W.V.
Victory Sports, Blountville, Tenn.
AMA Sports Broadcast Journalist of the Year
Xtreme Speedway Action - Mark Williams
Rodney Tomlin
Jason Weigandt
AMA Sports Photojournalist of the Year
Harold Martin
Shan Moore
Tony Scavo
AMA Sports Print Media Journalist of the Year
Steve Berkner
DeWanna Comer
Charlie Williams
AMA Sports Website of the Year
www.atvriders.com
www.flattrack.com
www.sponsorhouse.com
AMA Sports Motocross Organizer of the Year
Millcreek Motocross / Bama Cycle Park, Pell City, Ala.
Raceway Park, Englishtown, N.J.
Red Bud, Buchanan, Mich.
AMA Sports Off-Road Organizer of the Year
Cycle City Promotions, Stillwater, Okla.
Racer Productions, Morgantown, W.V.
Trials Training Center, Sequatchie, Tenn.
AMA Sports Track Racing Organizer of the Year
Indianhead Cycle Club, Red Wing, Minn.
Sideways Promotions, Westminster, Mass.
USA Speedway, Mt. Vernon, Ohio
About AMA Sports
AMA Sports is the amateur and pro-am competition arm of AMA Racing. AMA Sports sanctions over 4,000 events in 24 different disciplines each year and supports over 80 thousand active members. For more information about AMA Sports, visit www.amadirecklink.com/amrace/amasports.asp.