AMA National Supermoto Championship
Round 1: Kern County Raceway Park
Courtesy of USA Pro Supermoto
In less than a month’s time, the AMA Supermoto Championship will kick off 2016 with the season opener presented by Sully’s Chevron and fueled by Jumpstart Energy Shot at the all-new Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, California, on April 9.
Gage McAllister will return to defend his crown and attempt to garner a third straight title in the Open class, which would further cement his dominance of the premier class in the new-era of the AMA National Supermoto Championship.
“I’m really looking forward to the start of the season,” McAllister said. “Kern County is a venue I’ve never been to before, so I’m stoked to be there for round one to kick off the season in my home state. I’ll be riding for a new team this year, so it’s going to be fun learning the new bike.”
Also hungry to kick off 2016 is two-time Huntington Beach Honda WAR Supermoto Series Pro Champion and last year’s Supermoto Lites runner-up Josh Jackson. Fueling that hunger even more is that he’ll be starting the season at home, in front of family and friends.
“It’s a new track layout, so it’s going to be new to all of us,” Jackson said. “So I don’t really have a hometown advantage on them. I think it’s more my mindset, knowing that I have a lot of friends and family there. It’s definitely going to push me to do everything I can to win this event.”
The event is also special to Jackson in that his dad built the place.
“My dad built that facility, so it means a lot to me, because I remember standing out there when that place was a level dirt lot,” Jackson said. “It took a lot of years for that place to actually get finished, so I sat there and thought about this for a lot of years. So for it to actually finally happen means a lot to me.”
Jackson isn’t alone in the excitement of kicking off the season at the all-new venue. The state-of-the-art short-track facility promises to showcase some great Supermoto racing.
“I’m really excited about starting the season off at Kern County Raceway,” said USA Pro Supermoto chief of operations Matt Stewart. “The venue is brand new and one of the best short tracks in the country. Plus, the layout of their facility is perfect for a Supermoto race, and the track’s staff is as excited about Supermoto as we are.”
In addition to the race action, there will be a stunt bike show during the intermission.
About USA Pro Supermoto
USA Pro Supermoto was founded in 2012 and has been the promoter for the AMA Supermoto National Championship Series since 2014. The series crowns both Professional and Amateur champions. The Professional series features two classes: the Open class and the Pro Lites class. For more information about the AMA Supermoto National Championship Series, please go to http://www.amanationalsupermoto.com/
About Supermoto
Supermoto originated in the United States in the late 1970s as a made-for-TV “Superbikers” show. Supermoto is a cross-discipline event in which road racers, dirt trackers and motocrossers compete on a unique track that combines pavement and dirt, resulting in a very competitive racetrack. The races feature jumps, high speeds, and back-it-in sliding. Tracks can range from football stadiums to closed-course streets to parking lots and more.