Wall Of Death At AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days

Press Release: Motorcycle daredevils will be riding on a vertical wall inside a wooden silo, thrilling a crowd of 150 spectators every hour during AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, July 8-10 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Called the Wall of Death, this show features a motor drome — a silo-shaped wooden cylinder 30 feet across — and motorcycle riders performing trick, fancy and acrobatic riding along its vertical wall.

“This team of highly skilled riders from the American Motor Drome Co. put on an astounding show that delights people of all ages,” said AMA Chief Operations Officer Jeff Massey. “We are very happy to have the Wall of Death return to Vintage Motorcycle Days this year. Every performance draws a capacity crowd.”

Spectators stand at the top a 14-foot board wall and look down as the daredevil riders race around the cylinder. The smell of burning rubber permeates the air, and the crowd can feel the whoosh of air as the motorcycles pass by just inches away. The circling motorcycles ride perpendicular to the wooden walls, exerting more than 3g of force.

Motor dromes started at carnivals and fairs 100 years ago, and the American Motor Drome Co. keeps this history alive. The show features antique Indian and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

The Wall of Death riders will be performing a show every hour during AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days.

Other activities at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days include North America’s largest motorcycle swap meet, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Bike Show, a classic motorcycle field meet, demo rides of current production bikes, seminars, live music, Builder’s Row featuring some of the country’s best custom bike builders, two premier raffle bikes on display, a beer garden with the region’s best craft beers, the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days Adventure Bike Challenge, the AMA Pit Bike TT and displays by some of the AMA’s most active classic clubs.

AMA members who buy event tickets directly from the AMA before June 6 receive an exclusive price discount. AMA members can call (800) 262-5646 to purchase a weekend pass for $45, a one-day pass for $25 for Friday or Saturday, or a $20 pass for Sunday, a $5 savings off the regular advance rate. There is no service charge for AMA members when purchasing through the AMA.

Schedules and entry information are available at www.amavintagemotorcycledays.com.

For 2016, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days will celebrate the championship-winning career of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Wes Cooley and the 40-year anniversary of AMA Superbike racing. Cooley will be on hand throughout the weekend to sign autographs, participate in Q&A sessions and perform demonstration laps on his championship-winning GS1000 each day.

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, a fundraiser for the nonprofit AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, includes vintage and post-vintage motocross, trials, hare scrambles, vintage road racing and mini road racing in the upper paddock. A half-mile dirt track event will be held at the nearby Ashland County Fairgrounds.