On September 25th, two young flat track riders lost their lives due to injuries sustained during the 2016 flat track season finale. The loss of these racers have added to an already treacherous season of AMA Pro Flat Track racing, but the series is determined to move forward. New changes have been announced for next season, but will these changes help or hurt the series?
Change is Coming to AMA Flat Track Racing
The first and probably biggest change for AMA Pro Flat Track Racing is its name. Following in the steps of the MotoAmerica series, American Flat Track (AFT) is the new brand name of the racing series, but the name isn’t the only big change coming.
Series officials have also changed the racing format. A new tournament style race will see 48 riders advancing from a timed qualifying session and into four six-lap initial heats. Only 24 riders will move on from those sessions and into the two semi-final heats, and only 18 riders will rise to the 25-lap final. The last chance qualifier has been completely eliminated.
There have also been tweaks to the classes as young riders start out in the AFT Singles class—450cc single-cylinder bikes—and experienced riders battle it out on 650-999cc twin-cylinder motorcycles in the AFT Twins class. Couple this new racing format to the television deal that AFT has struck with NBCSN, and a new experience unlike anything else awaits the motorcycle racing fan. But what do you think about these changes?
Will AFT make flat track racing stronger? Are there other modifications AFT needs to make for safety? Voice your thoughts on our Facebook and Twitter and keep following the attorneys that ride on our blog for the latest motorcycle news and updates.