AMA Pro Racing names industry veteran Michael Lock as new CEO - MotorSportsTalk

AMA Pro Racing has announced the appointment of Michael Lock as the motorcycle racing organization’s new Chief Executive Officer.

Lock was most recently Chief Operating Officer for Automobili Lamborghini Americas. Prior to that, he spent nearly a decade at Ducati Motorcycles, where he was CEO, and also served in the same role for and established the U.S. subsidiary of Triumph Motorcycles in 1994.

“This is an exciting time for AMA Pro Racing,” Lock said in a media release. “I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to contribute to the future direction.”

Lock assumes his new position on Nov. 1. He has spent much of 2015 serving as AMA Pro Racing’s strategic business consultant, and will work together with Michael Gentry, who continues in his role as the group’s Chief Operating Officer.

“Adding Michael Lock to the executive team shows our commitment to elevating professional motorcycle racing in North America,” AMA Pro Racing principal Jim France said. “His expertise will be critical to the long-term success of the sport, and we are excited to have him join the team.”

Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., AMA Pro Racing is the lead organization and promoter of motorcycle racing in the U.S.

The organization also announced that it has named Gene Crouch Marketing and Communications Director.

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An IndyCar executive said there is “absolutely” disappointment that its long-awaited video game recently was delayed beyond its target date, but the series remains optimistic about the new title.

“Well, I don’t know how quick it will be, but the whole situation is important to us,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said during a news conference Monday morning to announce IndyCar’s NTT title sponsorship. “Motorsport Games has spent a lot of money, a lot of effort to create an IndyCar title. What we’ve seen of that effort, which is not completely obvious, is very reassuring.

“I think it’s going to be outstanding. That’s our shared objective, that when it is released, it’s just widely accepted. A great credit both to IndyCar racing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, something that our fans love.”

In June 2021, IndyCar announced a new partnership with Motorsport Games to create and distribute an IndyCar video game for the PC and Xbox and PlayStation consoles in 2023.

But during an earnings call last week, Motorsport Games said the IndyCar game had been delayed to 2024 to ensure high quality.

Somewhat compounding the delay is that IndyCar’s license for iRacing expired after the end of the 2022 season because of its exclusive agreement with Motorsport Games.

That’s resulted in significant changes for IndyCar on iRacing, which had provided a high-profile way for the series to stay visible during its 2020 shutdown from the pandemic. (Players still can race an unbranded car but don’t race on current IndyCar tracks, nor can they stream).

That’s helped ratchet up the attention on having a video game outlet for IndyCar.

“I wish we had an IndyCar title 10 years ago,” said Miles, who has been working with the organization since 2013. “We’ve been close, but we’ve had these I think speed bumps.”

IndyCar is hopeful the Motorsports Game edition will be ready at the start of 2024. Miles hinted that beta versions could be unveiled to reporters ahead of the time “to begin to show the progress in a narrow way to make sure we’ve got it right, to test the progress so that we’re ready when they’re ready.”

It’s been nearly 18 years since the release of the most recent IndyCar video game for console or PC.

“(We) better get it right,” Miles said. “It’s something we’re very close to and continue to think about what it is to make sure we get it over the line in due course.”