Midohio Sportscar Course

KTM To Make AMA Superbike Debut at Mid-Ohio

KTM Motorsports has teamed up with HMC Racing to formulate the first official KTM Superbike Racing effort in the AMA Pro Superbike Road Racing Championship Series.

The HMC/KTM Superbike Race Team will compete in three rounds of the AMA Pro Superbike Road Racing Championship Series. The three rounds are scheduled to be: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (July 8-10), Virginia International Raceway (August 12-14) and New Jersey Motorsports Park (September 2-4). The team will be headed by HMC Racing owner, Mitch Hansen and will be taken to the track by Chris Fillmore.

Hansen and Fillmore both have an extensive history with the KTM brand. Hansen led the HMC/KTM Supermoto Team to 10 National Championships from 2003-2009 and was also the face behind the U.S. Red Bull Rookies Cup effort from 2008-2009. Fillmore raced for the HMC/KTM Supermoto Team at the young age of sixteen in 2003 and again in 2008 where he finished 2nd overall in the AMA Pro Supermoto Championship while also competing on the KTM 990 Super Duke in select events.

“Together, Mitch and Chris formulate the perfect team to launch the development of our Superbike racing effort in the United States,” stated KTM North America, Inc. Vice President of Sales Brad Hagi. “They have both been tied to every major road racing effort KTM has assembled in North America and we are excited to see it escalate to this level of competition. With the national success KTM has had in the German Superbike Championship (IDM) and with a brand nucleus of 'Ready to Race' it is the obvious move to take our motorcycle to the next logical step: U.S. AMA Superbike Racing.”

Hansen remarked:

“After seeing the improvements in the KTM 1190 RC8 R over the past three years we are excited about the opportunity to race it in AMA Superbike. We are confident Chris will deliver and provide decent results for the bike in its first year of competition. We are thrilled to work with KTM and see where this will lead for the future.”

Fillmore will compete aboard the KTM 1190 RC8 R Race Spec motorcycle.

“The RC8 R Race Spec is a new production model for 2011 and it is built specifically for competition use," said KTM Product Line Manager, John Hinz. "This is a unique motorcycle in that KTM has taken the necessary steps to remove the parts that are not necessary for racing and then added only the best race specific parts, directly from the factory.

Green Savoree Buys Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, The Mid-Ohio School ...

INDIANAPOLIS, March 2011 – Green Savoree Racing Promotions, through newly formed, wholly owned subsidiary Green Savoree Mid-Ohio, LLC, has purchased Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and The Mid-Ohio School from Dublin, Ohio-based TrueSports, Inc.

Green Savoree, which also owns and operates the Honda Indy Toronto and Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, will assume operations of the Lexington, Ohio motorsports facility and performance driving and riding school immediately, retaining TrueSports’ offices and staff and promoting Mid-Ohio’s 2011 schedule of spectator and non-spectator events and school course dates.  Other terms of the sale were not announced.

“Properties like Mid-Ohio don’t come on the market every day,” said Green Savoree Co-Owner, President and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Savoree. “It was a great opportunity to invest in a property with a great history and tradition that, like us, has deep roots in sports car and Indy car racing. It was also a chance to extend our relationship with Honda, which is a longtime partner of Mid-Ohio and our other properties.”

“This is a positive and very exciting deal, and one that serves all our interests,” said TrueSports, Inc. President Michelle Trueman Gajoch. “Kim (Green) and Kevin have a great track record as team owners and event promoters, and will bring a new energy and perspective to the operation.  That’s great news for our associates and fans and for the many loyal partners we’ve been doing business with for so many years.  They’re the right people to steward the track through its next 50 years.”

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will celebrate its 50th season of racing in 2011.  The track’s golden anniversary schedule is set to include the Vintage Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio, June 24-26; Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire, July 8-10; AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, July 22-24; Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge/The Honda Indy™ 200 at Mid-Ohio, August 5-7; NASA Championships presented by Toyo Tires, September 9-11; and EMCO Gears Classic presented by KeyBank, September 16-18.  The Mid-Ohio School has nearly 180 course dates currently scheduled for 2011 beginning in March, and the track and school both have private events scheduled throughout the year.

“I’ve been racing at Mid-Ohio since 1981 and have seen the pride Michelle and her team have put into the facility and the tradition they’ve established,” said Green Savoree Co-Owner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Kim Green. “It’s a legacy we’ll carry on with great pride.

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