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The racing season at Infineon Raceway is over for 2008, with all of the racing championships decided.

In the American Motorcycle Association Superbike, Supersport, Superstock and Formula Extreme categories, the winners have been announced. In Superbike, Ben Spies and Mat Mladin, the boys from Suzuki, again finished one and two and between them, they won every race during the 2008 season - yawn. This has been going on for far too long and is making the Superbike fan base a little weak to say the least.

Ben Bostrom captured the 600 Supersport title, with Michael Jordan Suzuki's Aaron Yates completing his tremendous 2008 AMA Superstock championship, and Jake Zemke winning for Honda in Formula Extreme. Next year, the AMA schedule has May 15 to 17 slotted for Infineon Raceway.

Now, the question is, "What, exactly, is going to be the format?" Daytona Motorsports Group has taken over for the AMA and will produce the Superbike show for the foreseeable future, but the American distributors of the Japanese manufacturers just might create a road-racing show of it's own, if both sides don't come to some sort of certainty as to what the racing format will be.

In a private meeting held at Barber Motorsports Park, Daytona Motorsports Group's Roger Edmondson presented his 2009 plans for AMA Pro Road Racing to a group of representatives from the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers who currently participate in the AMA Superbike series. According to DMG's presentation, there will be four classes of racing in 2009: Daytona Superbike, LiterBike, MOTO-ST and a specialty racing series - the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup was given as an example.

"Like others, we've been frustrated by the cloud of confusion and controversy that has hung over the 2009 AMA Pro Racing season, but the time has come to make commitments and move forward," stated Steve Page, president and general manager of Infineon Raceway, regarding the announcement of the 2009 AMA Pro Road Racing Series schedule. "Infineon Raceway has a long history with Roger Edmondson - we have confidence in his integrity and judgment and we believe he will bring strong and fair management to a series that has lacked both. Along with the other premier tracks on this schedule, we have a commitment from Roger to maintain an aggressive outreach effort to draw all of the major industry players into this series. We know those efforts will continue and look forward to offering our fans a terrific weekend of racing next May."

ALWAYS A CROWD pleaser and a great fundraiser for Sonoma Valley, the Wine Country Classic - with the car parade from Infineon Raceway to the Plaza again being one of the highlights of the racing season - will take place in 2009 on May 30 and 31.

THE TOYOTA SAVE/MART 350 at Infineon Raceway, which was won by Kyle Bush, is one of only two road courses that NASCAR races on during the season. These are a couple of the most-watched races nationally during the 39-race season.

It's just something about going left and right with the steering wheel that brings a little more oomph to the series. Jimmy Johnson in the Lowes Chevrolet, took the 2008 NASCAR championship for the third year in a row.

NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series will return to Infineon Raceway on June 19 to 21, for the 22nd consecutive year in 2009 for the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

THE FRAM AUTOLITE NHRA Nationals' four pro-class champions are Tony Schumacher in Top Fuel; Cruz Pedregon in Funny Car; Jeg Coughlin Jr. in Pro Stock; and Eddie Krawiec - Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson V-Rod - in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

At Infineon Raceway in 2009, the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals will take place from July 24 to 26.

WINNING THE INDY Grand Prix of Sonoma County at Infineon Raceway was Helio Castroneves, with the SunTrust Racing team of Michael Valiante and Max Angelelli taking home the checkers in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series race. 

Earlier this year, the IndyCar Series announced a three-year agreement to keep open-wheel racing in the Sonoma Valley through 2011, with the 2009 event at Infineon slated for Aug. 21 to 23.

THE INFINEON RACEWAY 2008 season recently ended with the XTRM Supermoto Championship.

Troy Herfoss, of Australia, won the Premier class. Herfoss started in the last row for the 17-lap main event and finished the race in third place, giving him the championship.

Utah's Cassidy Anderson (Honda) took the checkered flag in the Premier feature after race-leader Mark Burkhart (Yamaha) crashed out on the white-flag lap.

In the 13-lap Supermoto Lites feature, Anaheim's Brandon Currie (Yamaha) completed a perfect weekend and the perfect season to clinch the division championship. Currie won every race this season, including both ends of the Infineon Raceway doubleheader, on the way to his second consecutive Lites championship.

San Clemente's Darryl Atkins (Aprilia) took the win in the 13-lap feature for Supermoto Unlimited, with Murrieta's Kurt Nicoll (KTM) second and Wisconsin's Benjamin Carlson (Aprilia) third.

Arizona's Steve Drew (KTM) claimed the Unlimited championship.

The event was supposed to be held in Texas but because of the hurricane damage, it was moved to sunny California. Hopefully, this won't be a one-time event.

2009 INFINEON RACEWAY MAJOR EVENTS

• Kawasaki AMA Showdown - May 15 to 17.

• Wine Country Classic Historic Car Races - May 30 to 31.               

• Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend - June 19 to 21.

• FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals - July 24 to 26.

• NHRA Division 7 Drag Races - July 31 to Aug. 2.

• Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma County - Aug. 21 to 23.

TICKETS FOR ALL of the Infineon Raceway 2009 major events go on sale to the public on Dec. 1. For more information, or special renewal options, call (800) 870-RACE (7223) or visit www.infineonraceway.com.

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