Supermoto Racing Featured During AMA Superbike Weekend in Sonoma

by John Cardinale

SONOMA, Calif. -- Infineon Raceway will host more than just AMA Pro Road Racing at the Kawasaki Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts, May 15-17. There is also a full weekend of Supermoto action slated for the Infineon Raceway Karting Center.

The Supermoto weekend will be headlined by the second round of the 2009 AMA Supermoto XTRM Championship Series on Sunday, May 17. This marks the first time a Supermoto XTRM Championship Series national event will be held the same weekend as an AMA road-racing event at Infineon Raceway.

The addition of the XTRM Championship Series will give Infineon Raceway three full days of Supermoto racing at the kart center. Supermoto USA, which has competed during the AMA road-racing weekend each of the last four years in Sonoma, will be featured on Friday and Saturday.

On Sunday, XTRM Supermoto racing will take place in three professional categories: Premier 450 Supermoto class, the Unlimited Supermoto class, and the 250 Supermoto Lites class.

The XTRM event will feature a number of Northern California riders, including Vacaville native Joey Pascarella, who will vie for the Lites championship, as well as recognizable names like Jeff Ward and Mark Burkhart.

“I’m feeling good,” said Ward, 2008 Summer X Games gold-medal winner. “The series looks good this year and I am really stoked on our bike.”

This will mark the series’ second visit to the Sonoma Valley — it hosted its national championships at Infineon Raceway in October.

Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown

WHAT: Big O Tires Racing Season Presents: Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts

WHEN: May 15-17

CIRCUIT: 12-turn, 2.22-mile road course

NOTABLE: The weekend will also feature three days of Supermoto racing, with Supermoto USA running on Friday and Saturday, and the AMA Supermoto XTRM Championship Series on Sunday. There will also be SBFreaks Street Freestyle all weekend.

TICKETS: $15-$35 single day/$60 weekend; 12-and-under FREE and parking FREE.