AMA RULES YOU NEED TO KNOW
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NO IV NEEDLES
ÿ”At no time during a meet will a rider receive any type of intravenous rehydration…” Consider this the Doug Henry rule. If a rider requires an IV for heat stroke or exhaustion, he is done for the day.
NO BUTTS PLEASE
ÿ”Smoking is not allowed in the pits, grid, signal areas or other restricted areas.” Does that mean the riders can light up on the track?
NOT PIT RATS
ÿ”Persons under 16 years of age are not allowed in the pits, grid, signal area or other restricted areas.” Pets aren’t allowed either.
NO GHOST RIDING
ÿ”No rider may, at any time, ride in such a manner as to endanger life or limb of other riders, officials or the public.” If that rule included the rider himself half the 125 class would be disqualified.
NO BOUNDARIES
ÿ”125 Supercross riders may compete in both East and West regions, provided they are not in the top ten in points in their home region.” And by home region the AMA means a post office box on whatever coast best suits them.
NO RM’s, CR’s or YZ’s
ÿ”Front number plates must be flat…Any attempt at streamlining, such as curved plates…is prohibited.” With a few well-timed protests Kawasaki could win every race.
NO DOUBLE CLASSING IT
ÿ”In National Championship Motocross meets, a rider may enter only one class.” However, he can ride as many classes as he wants in supercross.
NO HELPING HANDS
ÿ”Exchanging gate positions with other riders is not allowed.” Once you roll up to the gate you have lock yourself in.
NO AIR NIKES
ÿ”Boots must be at least eight inches high.” Is anybody actually measuring them?
NO CIVIL RIGHTS
ÿRiders will be punished for “engaging in a rider boycott, public protest or other similar concerted activity meant to stop, delay or otherwise inhibit the start or completion of any…AMA professional event.” Does this rule apply to lame half-time shows?
NO GRUNGE LOOKS
ÿ”Riders and mechanics must present a clean and neat appearance.” Talk about unenforceable.
NO MATH DROPOUTS
ÿ”Displacement = B2(0.7854)HX. B = Cylinder bore; H = Stroke; X = number of cylinders (bore x bore x0.07854 x stroke x number of cylinders).
NO COUNTING CROWS
ÿRiders will be punished for “receiving radio transmission while in competition.” That will kill Walkman sales.
NO MICHAEL BRANDES
ÿRiders will be punished for “engaging in a fight.” In fact, they will be soundly thrashed.
NO COORS LIGHT
ÿ”There shall be a zero tolerance with regard to alcohol. Any rider or official discovered to have a measurable blood alcohol content during a professional racing event shall be…bared from…the event.” That puts a damper on the champagne spraying.
NO TRACTION CONTROL
ÿ”Electronic devices designed specifically for traction-control are prohibited.” Oops, there go all the ’97 Hondas.
NO OLD TIMERS CLASS
ÿ”All former National Champions will be exempt from qualifying requirements.” Although no special efforts will be made to help them up on their bikes.
NO GARDENING
ÿ”There will be no grooming in front of the starting gate…Grooming may be done behind the gate provided no shovels, tools or other implements are used. Watering of starting lanes is…prohibited.” Rototillers are thus illegal.
NO SHORT PEOPLE
ÿ”The use of starting blocks or other elevating devices is prohibited.”
What have they got against Ricky Carmichael?
NO SHORT STARTS
ÿ”Starting area must be 120 feet in length…” That is exactly 17 bike lengths.
NO LONG KNOBS
ÿ”Tires with lugs over 0.750? are prohibited.” The average knobby is 0.600? tall.
NO SHORTCUTS
ÿ”No one at any time will be permitted to ride a motorcycle in the wrong direction on the track…”
NO TIES ALLOWED
ÿ”In the event that any Professional Motocross series ends in a tie for the Championship, that tie will be broken based on the number of moto wins. If that method fails to produce a winner, the number of second place motos will be counted, then third place, etc. until the tie is broken.” There have only been two ties in history. Gary Semics tied Tim Hart in ’74 500 Supercross and Broc Glover tied Danny LaPorte in the ’77 125 Nationals.
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