Some of our readers might remember when “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” built a mini-supercross track in the studio and featured Travis Pastrana and Jeremy McGrath racing through the set. May 10 will mark another such leap in mainstream media coverage for moto-sports and another public relations coup for Clear Channel Media. It seems that Leno has decided to invite the stars of the IFMA freestyle series to show off their skills on another “extreme”-themed edition of the tonight show. More details can be found in the following press release from Clear Channel Media.
IFMA Freestyle Motocross to appear on “The Tonight Show with Jay
Leno”
Select Riders to Appear for Special Performance on NBC May 10AURORA, Ill., (April 15, 2002) – Clear Channel Entertainment’s Motor
Sports division announced today that star riders of the IFMA Freestyle
Motocross Series will appear on NBC television’s “The Tonight Show with Jay
Leno” on Friday, May 10, 2002.Mike Jones, Kenny Bartram, Dustin Miller, and Jake Windham headline
a cast of IFMA Freestyle Motocross ‘pilots’ who will showcase their talents
on the Tonight Show’s property at NBC Studios in Burbank, Calif. Viewers
can expect to see the riders perform a variety of aerial stunts including
the coffin, rock solid, cliff-hanger, and the kiss of death.Freestyle Motocross has received enormous international popularity
from NBC’s airing of both the “Gravity Games” and the “Vans Triple Crown of
Freestyle Motocross” televised programs, while the IFMA (International
Freestyle Motocross Association) has continued to build IFMA Freestyle
Motocross into the world’s largest series of Freestyle Motocross events,
reaching thirty different events in 2002.The riders of the evening are some of Freestyle Motocross’ finest.
‘The Cowboy’ Kenny Bartram, 2001 X-Games Gold Medal winner of the Big Air
competition and current IFMA Freestyle Motocross points leader. The
reigning 2001 IFMA champion and 2001 X-Games silver medal winner, Dustin
Miller will also be on hand to dazzle the viewers along with Jake ‘The
Jailor’ Windham, IFMA’s 2000 champion and 2001 X-Games Moto-X Bronze
medallist. ‘Mad Mike’ Jones, one of the founding fathers of freestyle
motocross is the 2002 Winter-X Games Silver Medallist and completes the four
IFMA competitors to make a the first ever appearance of Freestyle Motocross
on NBC’s Tonight Show with Jay Leno.“When I saw freestyle motocross at last year’s THQ U.S. Open in Las
Vegas, I was amazed. This is going to be a spectacular feature on the
Tonight Show and we’re looking forward to it,” said Steve Ridgeway, segment
producer of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.For two consecutive years, Clear Channel Entertainment-Motor Sports
helped produce “The Tonight Show Cup, ” an EA SPORTS Supercross post-season
race starring the top riders of supercross including Jeremy McGrath, Ricky
Carmichael and Travis Pastrana.“We’re extremely pleased to showcase IFMA Freestyle Motocross on The
Tonight Show and to the viewers of NBC. Everyone knows Jay Leno is a
motorcycle enthusiast, and the IFMA riders are enthusiastic to open their
unique bag of big-air tricks for Jay, ” said Charlie Mancuso, president of
Clear Channel Entertainment – Motor Sports.“The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” airs weeknights on NBC at 10:35
CST, 11:35 PST and is from Big Dog Productions in association with NBC
Studios. For more information, visit www.nbc.com.For more information on IFMA Freestyle Motocross, including rider
bios, visit www.pacefmx.com.