PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- Amateur roadracers in the American Motorcyclist Association will compete for national championships on Sept. 21-22 when the 2013 AMA Roadrace Grand Championships go to Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Va.

"The annual AMA Roadrace Grand Championships feature the most-talented up-and-coming young roadracers in the United States," said AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant. "We're looking forward to bringing this event to the top-notch facility at Virginia International Raceway. This is an excellent venue for our amateur racers to compete for AMA national No. 1 plates in several skill-, age- and displacement-based classes."

The AMA has partnered with the American Sportbike Racing Association and Championship Cup Series to help run the AMA Roadrace Grand Championships. The grand championship event will run in conjunction with CCS and U.S. Grand Prix Racer Union classes. As always, the 2013 AMA Roadrace Grand Championships will welcome racers from all clubs and organizations, and is open to all licensed roadracing AMA members.

"As an organization involved in the sport of motorcycle roadracing, there is no greater honor than to be part of the AMA Roadrace Grand Championships," said CCS President Kevin Elliott. "Bringing the AMA Roadrace Grand Championships to VIR during the CCS End-of-Summer Cyclefest is a real boost for the event and the championships. Not only will the weekend be packed with top-caliber sportsmen racing, but the AMA-sanctioned USGPRU finals will complement the action. This will be an awesome weekend for racers and fans alike as we get to see competitors from all over the country battle for national titles."

Riders will get ample track time and an opportunity to race against the country's fastest amateur racers. The best compete for the AMA Roadracing Horizon Award, which is awarded to the rider showing the most promise for success in the professional ranks. Past winners of the AMA Roadracing Horizon Award have included Jason DiSalvo, Hayden Gillim, Jake Lewis, Ben Spies, Miles Thornton and Blake Young.

Other awards at the event include the AMA Roadracing Youth Award, the AMA Roadracing Top Novice Award and the AMA Racing Vet/Senior Award, presented to a standout rider who's 30 years old or older.

Torrance, CA: American Honda Motor Co., Inc., is proud to announce the upcoming arrival in the USA of the 2012 HRC NSF250R. Newly developed for FIM GP road racing competition in the Moto3 class, the NSF250R is powered by an all-new liquid-cooled single-cylinder 249cc four-stroke engine specifically designed for racing. In 2012, this globally distributed model will also be legal in the USGPRU Moto 3 and WERA Motorcycle Road Racing classes in the USA, as well as in other local racing events.

Technical highlights include a front-intake/rear-exhaust configuration with high charging efficiency, plus an engine layout with the cylinder tilted back 15 degrees to concentrate mass. To generate strong power throughout the high-rpm range, the NSF250R incorporates titanium valves for both intake and exhaust to reduce friction and lighten the valve train. Furthermore, the design reduces friction between piston and cylinder and improves durability by offsetting the cylinder centerline and applying nickel silicon carbide (Ni-SiC) for the cylinder surface treatment. The cassette gearbox design was selected for quick and easy gearset changes for the close-ratio, six-speed transmission, thereby allowing gear selection to be optimized over a large variety of racing circuits. This lightweight, well-balanced machine offers impressive power output and superb handling to achieve a great blend of high performance plus rider-friendly traits well suited to up-and-coming racers.

“This is a great opportunity for people who want to start road racing with a full-on track bike,” said Keith Dowdle, Assistant Manager Honda Riders Club of America® (HRCA®). “Now riders have the option of buying a purpose-built race-ready motorcycle right out of the box, as an alternative to modifying a street bike—all at a reasonable price. Just as off-road riders can purchase and race one of our full-on CRF450R or CRF250R motocross bikes, now road racers have the means to buy a race-ready track bike.”

In the United States, the NSF250R will be included in American Honda’s 2012 racing contingency program with levels of awards similar to those granted to racers competing on CBR models. Complete contingency payout details will follow with the 2012 contingency program announcement. The NSF250R will be made available to all Honda motorcycle dealers who wish to become an authorized NSF250R dealer, and delivery is estimated for February 2012. However, dealers will only be able to place orders up to the cutoff date of September 2, 2011, so riders planning to purchase an NSF250R will need to visit their dealer before that date to place an order. MSRP for the NSF250R has been established at $28,599.

For more information and images, go to http://powersports.honda.com/racing/road/headlines.aspx.

On Thursday 2nd June 2011 at the Catalunya Circuit, Barcelona, Honda Racing Corporation will present the NSF250R 4-stroke machine to be used for the future Moto3 class in 2012 that will replace the current 2-stroke, 125cc model used in the GP125 class.

This high-performance, lightweight and compact racing machine inherits important elements from the RS125R and will allow users to ride with the same sense of comfort whilst learning the basics to move up from entry level to the premier class, serving as a springboard in creating future MotoGP Championship riders.

From 1976's MT125R to the RS125R, which finished production with the 2009 model, Honda has produced an accumulative total of 15,000 market racing machines and over this long period of 34 years, Honda has broadened the base of 2-wheel motorsports both in Japan and Worldwide whilst also supporting a number of riders.

During this time, Honda has nurtured all 29 Japan Championship 125 cc class champions, a grand total of 130 Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix (WGP) victories, 11 manufacturer championships and 9 champions with the RS125R. Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso, currently riding the RC212V in MotoGP, both won World Championships aboard the RS125R and built up a great deal of experience. Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) has also supported customers by selling kit parts to make the engine and other components more powerful while continuing with sales of base vehicles, thereby expanding constructor business opportunities.

Later, environmental challenges for mass production models were pushed to a global level, accompanied by a similar shift to 4-strokes for motorcycle racing machines. The shift came from the the pinnacle of World Championship Grand Prix racing, moving from the GP500 (2-stroke, 500 cc) to the MotoGP (4-stroke, 990 cc or less at the time; currently 800 cc and next year returning to 1000cc) in 2002 and starting the Moto2 (one-make 4-stroke, 600 cc Honda engine) in place of the GP250 (2-stroke, 250 cc) in 2010.

The new NSF250R will be presented at the Catalunya Circuit at 15h30 on Thursday, 2nd June in the Relax Area of the MotoGP Paddock. This will be followed by a demonstration lap ridden by Alex Crivillé at approximately 17h00 on Friday 3rd June and a further demonstration lap after the MotoGP Warm-Up session on Sunday 5th June.