MX Rookie at Lommel on August 1
VALKENSWAARD (THE NETHERLANDS), 6 April 2008 – The opening GP of the 2008 campaign at Valkenswaard hosted the presentation of a new important initiative, the MX Rookie, to take place at Lommel, Belgium, on August 1st.
The event, which will open the weekend of the eleventh Grand Prix of the season, is dedicated to all the MX2 machines mounted amateur riders who will have the privilege to race the final on the GP circuit.
With the selection process being carried out on a separate race track during Wednesday and Thursday, the scenery of the final will move to the Grand Prix circuit and the eventual top three finishers will receive their trophies on the World Championship podium.
MX Rookie General Director Mr. Eric Geboers and FAM (Federation of Amateurs Motocross) Secretary Mr. Guido Verboven recognized the amateur riders as the base of a pyramid structure where the top is represented by the FIM Motocross World Championship. Setting up the MX Rookie right next to the Grand Prix circus will represent the chance to connect the base with the top, with the event representing the bridging.
FIM Motocross World Championship promoter Youthstream’s President Mr. Giuseppe Luongo said: “What matters for us is the sport of Motocross. Of course we have professionals and amateurs, and of course all professional have been amateurs in their early days of racing.”
Then Mr. Luongo continued by saying: “Now subject to the FIM final approval and to the homologation of the track, I will give the Youthstream approval to make the MX Rookie final on the official Grand Prix track on the Friday and to use the World Championship structures, including the podium.”
Youthstream is the company that manages the exclusive television, marketing and promotional world wide rights of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the FIM Motocross of Nations, the FIM SuperMoto World Championship, the FIM SuperMoto of Nations, the FIM Snowcross World Championship, the UEM Motocross European Championship and the UEM SuperMoto European Championship.