New Pro Licensing Procedures For AMA MX & SX

During the rider's meeting at Steel City, the AMA Pro Racing Motocross Manager Steve Whitelock was distributing bright yellow sheets to the riders and team managers. The colorful handout outlined the new qualifying procedures for acquiring an AMA Motocross License, and a new, harder-to-get Supercross and Supercross Lites license endorsement.

The new licensing procedures have been in the works for about a year, and are designed to serve a couple purposes…to help reduce the number of what Steve termed, "Hobby riders," by making the Supercross licenses harder to qualify for, and to help advance riders through the AMA's, "Pyramid of progress."

Steve joked that while selling fewer licenses would cost him money from his budget, he also felt that it will help eliminate riders being sent home from races for being unqualified to ride Supercross events. In the past, riders who skirted whoop sections, or were unable to jump triples were told to pack up after practice. Steve explained, "Supercross is the top of the pyramid, our hardest event, and we want the quality of the riders to reflect that."

There's also new emphasis on using the AMA National Arenacross series as qualifying races to earn points toward a Supercross Lites or Supercross endorsement. Steve noted that, "If you ride National Arenacross races and get good results, as soon as that series ends you could advance to the Eastern Division Supercross Lites series."

Steve also mentioned that in the future there may be some changes to the qualifying procedures for the Supercross events, where the reduced number of entries would allow for the elimination of daytime qualifiers, and they would instead use qualifying times from practice to set the heat races in the night program.

To answer one often-asked question, there are provision for immediate advancement for riders who have factory or factory-support rides.

Steve conceded that the system may prove unpopular. "I know that this is hard, and everyone's going to beat me up on this, but it's what we need to do to get control."

Check below for the text of the new licensing system.

AMA Pro Racing Licensing Fact Sheet

Who is qualified to apply for an AMA Professional Motocross License?

Motocross

A Motocross License is the basic license that every rider must have. A Supercross and Supercross Lites License is an endorsement to the basic Motocross License that only qualified riders may apply for and receive.

AMA Pro Racing Motocross License applicants must meet one or more of the following requirements:

• Previously held an AMA Pro Racing Motocross, Supercross or Supercross Lites License.
• Earned 100 points in the AMA National Arenacross Series in 2006 or 2007.
• Won three AMA National Arenacross main events in the Arenacross class in 2006 or 2007.
• Finished in the top five overall in the AMA National Arenacross Series in the Arenacross class in 2006 or 2007.
• Finished in the top five at Loretta Lynn's National Final in 2006 in the 125A, 250A, 125 Pro Sport or 250 Pro Sport classes.
• Earned 100 points at the Spring East/West Pro Qualifier Series or the Pro AM Motocross Championship Series. The points must be earned in one series. The East/West Qualifier Series is considered one series.
• Riders that do not meet the above criteria would need written recommendation from AMA Sports' Ryan Holliday.

Supercross Lites Endorsement

Riders must have a valid 2007 AMA Motocross License and have met one or more of the following requirement criteria and also meet the Supercross Lites Eligibility and Regional requirements:

• Competed in the Supercross Lites class in 2006 and qualified into the evening program in at least one event or have competed in the Supercross Lites class in 2005 and qualified into the evening program a minimum of three times.
• Earned 100 points in the MA National Arenacross Series in 2006 or 2007.
• Won three AMA National Arenacross main events in the Arenacross class in 2006 or 2007.
• Finished in the top five overall in the AMA National Arenacross Series in the Arenacross class in 2006 or 2007.
• Finished in the top three at Loretta Lynn's National Final in 2006 in the 125A, 250A, 125 Pro Sport or 250 Pro Sport classes.
• Earned 100 points at The Spring East/West Pro Qualifieir Series or the Fall Pro Am Motocross Championship Series. The points must be earned in one series. The East/West Qualifier Series is considered one series.
• Earned AMA Motocross or Motocross Lites Championship points in 2006.
• Riders who do not meet the above criteria, but have a contract with a Factory or Factory Support Team, along with a written recommendation from the OEM that has control of the Factory or Factory Support Team will be considered for a Supercross Lites Endorsement.

Riders finishing in the Top 20 in the Supercross class in either of the last two Supercross seasons, 2005 or 2006 may not ride in the Supercross Lites class.

Supercross Endorsement

Riders must renew their AMA Pro Racing Supercross License or Supercross Lites License and meet one of the following requirement criteria:

• Competed in the Supercross class in 2006 and qualified into the evening program in at least one Supercross event or have competed in the Supercross class in 2005 and qualified into the evening program a minimum of three times.
• Competed in the Supercross Lites class a minimum of one season and earned a minimum of 20 points in the 2006 season.

Supercross Lites Regional Classification

1. East/West Regions


1. The number of events will be divided as equally as possible between the AMA Supercross Lites East and West Regions
2. The last round of the AMA Supercross Series will feature an East/West Shootout between the Region Champions and the top point scoring riders from both regions. The rider selection will be limited to 40 riders. This selection will be split as equally as possible between the East / West top scoring riders who apply for entries.


2. Supercross Lites Endorsement Eligibility and Regional Guidelines


1. Riders must choose the region in which they intend to participate.
2. After a rider has chosen a region, transferring between regions is not permitted.
3. However, a rider in a region that is injured and has not qualified for an evening program in the rider's chosen region, my transfer regions. The rider then must remain in the new region for the rest of that season.
4. Riders are not permitted to ride practice and not attempt to qualify for the program at several events and keep their eligibility to change regions.
5. Riders competing in a region may ride outside their region only in the Supercross class, and only if the rider meets the requirement of a Supercross endorsement.
6. Riders who have earned a Motocross Championship, Supercross Championship, or 250 World Championship (MX1) may not ride in the Supercross Litest East/West Regional Championship.
7. Riders earning the Number 1 plate in their region may defend the title only once or attempt to win the other region. Riders will not be allowed to defend a second AMA Supercross Lites Championship in either region.
8. Supercross Lites East/West Regional Champions prior to 2004 will not be considered as defending their title and will remain eligible to compete in the Supercross Lites class until such time they meet the criteria listed above.
9. Riders earning 100 or more regional championship points in three consecutive seasons must move to the Supercross class.
10. Riders finishing in the Top 20 in the Spercross class in either of the previous two Supercross seasons of 2005 or 2006 may not ride in the Supercross Lites class.
11. Riders who have lost their Supercross Lites eligibility, but have failed to earn a Supercross or Motocross National number in the top 100 for two consecutive seasons, will regain their Supercross Lites eligibility.

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