AMA Red Bull Cup cancelled

By John Hopkins

There will be no Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup in 2009. The news came in a press release from Red Bull Thursday afternoon.

"In a time when companies around the world have been affected by the current state of the economy, the racing industry has not been immune," the release said. "Due to a significant reduction of key partner support, Red Bull has made the tough decision to trim the 2009 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup calendar to eight races at six Grands Prix and cancel the 2009 Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup season."

The news comes as a tough blow to Keene, ON's Jodi Christie, who was due to be announced as one of the riders chosen for the 2009 U.S. series and was considered by some observers as a legitimate title contender. The 15-year-old winner of last year's Armour Bodies Amateur 600 Sport Bike national title will now likely try to put together a program for the Yoshimura Pro 600 Sport Bike class.

Emerson Connor of Burlington, ON, who finished eighth in last year's AMA Rookies Cup, was also expected to be invited back to the series.

The top riders from last year's AMA series, Americans Benny Solis and Hayden Gillim will compete in the MotoGP Rookies Cup. The schedule for that series is as follows:

May 2-3, Jerez – Spain (doubleheader)
May 30, Mugello – Italy
June 27, Assen – Netherlands
July 18, Sachsenring – Germany
July 25, Donington – England
Aug. 15-16, Brno – Czech Republic (doubleheader)