Mary Morgan, of DeKalb, Ill., became the first female to win the Jeremy McGrath Scholarship when the seven-time supercross champion made the announcement at the Amp'd Mobile World Supercross GP/Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series finals at Las Vegas' Sam Boyd Stadium May 6. The Jeremy McGrath scholarship will cover tuition for the 57 week program at Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) for Morgan in 2006-'07.
Interested mechanics submitted an application and a two-minute video expressing why they should receive the 2006-'07 Jeremy McGrath scholarship. A panel of MMI executives narrowed the 60 best entries down to six and McGrath viewed the six competitors' videos at the Seattle stop of Amp'd Mobile Supercross the week before Las Vegas. McGrath narrowed the group down to three finalists and conducted phone interviews with them before choosing Morgan.
"It's time to see women technicians bring their talent to this level of racing," said McGrath. "Mary has the passion, the drive and enthusiasm to be successful. With her training from Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, the sky's the limit."
Last year's winner Eric Savala finished his Jeremy McGrath Scholarship at MMI and went on to work for professional motocross/supercross Team Subway Coca-Cola Honda Racing.
"We are excited to be working with Live Nation and Jeremy McGrath on this scholarship program," said Terry Emig, director of event marketing for MMI. "We've seen great things happen with the other winners"
"MMI has been a great partner to us over the years, and the MMI / Jeremy McGrath Scholarship has served as the perfect way for us to give back to the sport and to the racing community," said Ryan McSpadden, Vice President of Sales for Live Nation. "We are looking forward to continuing this incredible program in the future!"
For more information about the Amp'd Mobile World Supercross GP/Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series, please log on to www.supercross.cc.com.
About Amp'd Mobile World Supercross GP™/Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series
Amp'd Mobile World Supercross GP, produced and promoted by Live Nation is a 17-round global off-road motorcycle stadium racing circuit. Riders must compete in the international rounds to be eligible to win the world championship. In 2005-2006, the 17-event Amp'd Mobile World Supercross GP will be comprised of two international events and 15 of the 16 events that are conducted in major cities throughout the United States as a part of the Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series. Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series is a 16-event series solely conducted in the United States. The other Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series event held in Daytona Beach, Fla., is independently produced by the International Speedway Corporation and is not a part of the Amp'd Mobile World Supercross GP. An Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series rider will be crowned as the national champion for the series of events conducted in the United States only.
The FIM, Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme, is the body that globally governs motorcycle sport at the world level. Among other matters, the FIM groups together 85 affiliated National Federations relating to the sport of motorcycle racing. AMA Pro Racing is the National Federation representative that sanctions motorcycle-racing events in the United States. Dorna Off Road S.L. is an internationally recognized sports management group established in 1988 with an emphasis on major international motor sports events. Dorna is headquartered in Madrid, Spain with branch offices in Barcelona, London and Tokyo. In addition to its involvement with Amp'd Mobile World Supercross GP, Dorna manages the rights to MotoGP. For more information on Amp'd Mobile World Supercross GP/ Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series, log on to www.supercross.cc.com.
Live Nation is one of the world's largest diversified promoters and producers of, venue operators and sponsorship/advertising for, live entertainment events including music concerts, theatrical performances, and specialized motor sports events. Live Nation owns, operates or has booking rights for 150 venues worldwide including 107 domestic and 43 international venue sites. In 2005, promoted and/or produced over 28,500 events with attendance at venues exceeding 61 million persons.
About AMA Pro Racing
AMA Pro Racing is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States. Its properties include the Amp'd Mobile AMA Supercross Series, the AMA Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Ford Quality Checked Flat Track Championship and the AMA Supermoto Championship. For more information about AMA Pro Racing, visit www.amaproracing.com.
About Universal Technical Institute, Inc. and Motorcycle Mechanics Institute
Universal Technical Institute, Inc., is a provider of technical education training for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians. The company offers undergraduate degree, diploma and certification programs at 10 campuses across the United States, and manufacturer-sponsored advanced programs at 20 dedicated training centers. Through its campus-based school system, Universal Technical Institute, Inc., offers specialized technical education programs under the banner of several well-known brands, including Universal Technical Institute (UTI), Motorcycle Mechanics Institute and Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI), and NASCAR Technical Institute (NTI). For more information, visit www.uticorp.com.