The AMA has been sanctioning and promoting motorcycle racing since the association was created in 1924. Today, the AMA sanctions more motorcycle events in America than any other entity by a wide margin and is quite possibly the most active motorsports sanctioning body in the world. Much of that activity is in the discipline of road racing.
Motorcycle road racing features contests of speed on closed, paved courses. Riders compete on a range of bike styles, from nearly stock street-legal sport bikes modified to be safe for the competition to purpose-built road race machines. Most road race bikes are fully faired, aerodynamically designed with aggressive ergonomics, although some classes feature more traditional road chassis and nonfaired machines. The history of road racing in America has deep ties to dirt track racing. At one time, the AMA Grand National Champion was determined based on combined points in both road racing and dirt track.
The AMA does not work alone. Over its history, the association has partnered with countless clubs, organizations, and companies to hold events and manage series. From local non-profit enduro clubs to large national corporations, the AMA has worked with a range of partners to improve the sport.
The AMA’s partner in professional road racing in America is MotoAmerica.
Professional Racing
Led in part by AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer and national and world champion road racer Wayne Rainey and backed by a dedicated team of experienced motorsports professionals, MotoAmerica is the best-funded, most-capable and most-talented road racing promoter in America. The group acquired the commercial and promoting rights to professional road racing in America in 2014 and has been enormously supportive helping shepherd AMA professional road racing toward a bright future.
As the sanctioning body, the AMA staff officials at each round of the professional series, manages the rule enforcement and appeal process, licenses riders and awards champion an AMA National No. 1 plate. In addition, as the U.S. affiliate of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme and a member of FIM North America, the AMA administers MotoAmerica’s FIM North America Continental Union sanction.
MotoAmerica, in consultation with the AMA, is responsible for maintaining a competitive and commercially viable class structure, drafting the rules of competition and event procedures, selling series sponsorships, negotiating with tracks, processing crew, and media credentials and engaging with fans.
Amateur Racing
By virtue of its responsibility to issue licenses for professional road racing in America, the AMA is exclusively charged with advancing amateur road racers to the professional ranks. Full licensing procedures can be found on the licensing criteria section of this website.
The AMA works with a number of additional road racing organizations to manage amateur road racing in America. These organizations maintain their own class structures, schedules, supplemental rules, and additional licensing requirements.
Click here for the 2021 AMA Competition Rulebook
- Competition Bulletin (updated Dec. 2020)
WERA Motorcycle Roadracing
WERA Motorcycle Roadracing Inc. is one of the oldest and largest national sanctioning bodies conducting motorcycle races at road courses across the United States. Since 1974, WERA has enabled thousands of racers at all levels the opportunity to compete across the country. WERA offers rider’s schools and entry level motorcycle racing for anyone with a motorcycle.
From entry-level club racers, all the way to past, present, and future champions, the best racers on the planet have taken the grid at WERA events.
From the current crop of superbikes to minis, to vintage bikes, WERA has a class for almost any sportbike.
The WERA racing schedule can be found at wera.com.
American SportBike Racing Association
The American SportBike Racing Association LCC, owned and operated by Kevin Elliott, is the parent company for the Championship Cup Series. Both companies are based in Fort Worth, Texas. ASRA started in 2006, offers competition on several levels. ASRA offers GT classes and, for endurance lovers, there is the ASRA Team Challenge Series. The Championship Cup Series, founded in 1984, offers a competitive racing environment for beginning and seasoned riders, alike–all centered on increasing the “fun factor” in a safety-conscious atmosphere.
For additional information and schedules, please visit ccsracing.us or asraracing.com.
AMA Road Race Grand Championship
The AMA Road Race Grand Championship is a single national championship event that determines AMA amateur and expert national road racing champions. This format mirrors what is done in dirt track, motocross, Arenacross, Hillclimb, ice racing and other disciplines. A highlight of the event is the Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award, which is awarded to the rider showing the most promise for success in the professional ranks. Past winners of the Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award have included Jason DiSalvo, Hayden Gillim, Jake Lewis, Ben Spies, Miles Thornton, and Blake Young.