DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 9, 2015) – The wait is over.
The much-anticipated 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track season will kick off at DAYTONA Flat Track March 12 and 13 and fans not in attendance can catch all the action from the quarter-mile limestone track situated just outside Daytona International Speedway’s west banking live, in high definition and free of charge at FansChoice.tv.
Between the elite GNC1 class, featuring the best dirt track racers in the world, and the GNC2 class, reserved for the nation’s top up-and-coming riders, roughly 100 riders have pre-entered the event.
On-track action begins both days with practice sessions at 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. PT). The pre-race show is slated for 6:15 p.m. ET (3:15 p.m PT) to 7:15 p.m. ET (4:15 p.m. PT) and opening ceremonies are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT). The GNC2 main is set for a 9:40 p.m. ET (6:40 p.m. PT) start with the Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson GNC1 main slated to see the green flag at 10:10 p.m. ET (7:10 p.m. PT).
Every session from the “World Center of Racing” will be streamed live for fans around the world at FansChoice.tv.
Jared Mees will begin his GNC1 title defense, sporting the No. 1 plate for the third time in his career, but he’ll be facing off against the likes of Bryan Smith – last year’s runner-up for the GNC1 title – Brad Baker, Kenny Coolbeth, Jr., Jake Johnson and the rest of the star-studded field.
In 2014, Briar Bauman and Coolbeth kicked their seasons off on the right note. Bauman took the first checkered flag on opening night with Coolbeth putting on a clinic in Round 2 to earn the victory.
In the GNC2 class, Ryan Wells and Brandon Wilhelm left Daytona Beach with victories to start the season.
Kyle Johnson, the 2014 GNC2 champion, and Jarod Vanderkooi, winner of four GNC2 races last year, highlight a rookie class moving up the elite ranks to challenge Mees, Smith, Johnson and the others.
The GNC1 lineup is full of potential winners. Sammy Halbert, Johnny Lewis, Mikey Rush and Brandon Robinson have all won main events at DAYTONA Flat Track since the new circuit debuted in 2010, and none can be counted out in 2015.
DAYTONA Flat Track will also play host to, for the first time in AMA Pro Flat Track in history, a brother and sister racing with National Numbers. Shayna Texter will debut her new No. 52 and join her brother, Cory Texter, owner of No. 65.
Baker, the 2013 Grand National Champion, will be back in the saddle after suffering a shoulder injury at the Superprestigio exhibition race in Barcelona, Spain, in December. His status has been the subject of speculation recently, but the Factory Harley-Davidson rider has confirmed he’ll be in the field Thursday.
Jared Mees’ wife, Nichole Mees, will not be in the field at Daytona, but plans to run other races in 2015, which she said will be her final season.
The GNC2 ranks will see a number of new faces, but Wells returns as a major threat to take the victory, as does 2014 GNC2 runner-up Davis Fisher, who ended last year with a pair of victories.
Between both classes, a total of six full-time road racers are also scheduled to race at DAYTONA Flat Track. JD Beach will run in the GNC1 class with Hayden Gillim, Jake Lewis, Shane Narbonne, Miles Thornton and Nick McFadden set to race in GNC2.
The entry list also has plenty of international flair with Doug Lawrence and Michael LaBella representing Canada in the GNC1 ranks and Italian Vittorio Marzotto and England’s Alan Birtwistle racing in GNC2.
In total, five manufacturers, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki and Yamaha, will be represented between both classes.
For tickets and more information, please visit: http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/Tickets-Events/Events/2015/DAYTONA-Flat-Track/DAYTONA-Flat-Track.aspx
For more information on Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson, sponsors of the GNC1 main events at DAYTONA Flat Track, and a full list of Bike Week events at the dealership, visit: http://www.brucerossmeyer.com
How to Watch:
FansChoice.tv will be the official home for live streaming coverage of AMA Pro Flat Track events in 2015. Log on and tune in at http://www.fanschoice.tv/watch-live/ama/flat-track.
About AMA Pro Flat Track:
AMA Pro Flat Track is a national motorcycle racing series in North America and is considered one of the oldest forms of motorcycle racing. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the Series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track racing in the world. The 2014 schedule consists of 16 rounds on the country’s finest flat track courses. For more information on AMA Pro Flat Track, please visit www.amaproracing.com/ft.
AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.
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