AMA Pro Racing just stated the following in a press release: "After additional investigation and consideration, AMA Racing officials have concluded that the fuels in question from the January 20, 2007 Anaheim, Calif., round of the Amp’d Mobile AMA Supercross Series were correctly found to be in non-compliance with the 2007 AMA Supercross/Motocross rulebook. Testing has shown that the illegal substance Methyl Butynol is being added to the majority of fuels being used in Supercross.
Because of the apparent widespread use of fuels using this substance in the Supercross paddock, and the fact that AMA Racing and its competitors could not have foreseen these circumstances..." and it goes on to state things are on hold as far as enforcement.
"Points, purse and trophies of penalized riders, Nicholas Wey and Joshua Hill will be reinstated."
So what really happened? When the AMA's testing lab discovered too much oxygen in Wey and Hill's fuel, it seemingly comfirmed what the AMA expected and didn't want to see, that VP Fuels had formulated fuel that was "playing with fire," or too close to the limits.
Fuel specs for 2007 were revised, and these were done to make unleaded pump fuel an option. What VP did and what caused some behind the scenes concern, was VP made race fuel (a new "dash 1" blend) for $30 a gallon that fit the specs for pump fuel. VP tested it for compliance, made a batch and shipped it. Everyone in supercross that selected that blend used dash 1 fuel from the same production run at VP.
When oxygen discrepancies were found at Phoenix, the AMA checked again at A2, and it seemed to have a cut and dried case. The oxygen was pretty far off.
At press day for A3, Reed and Ramsey both mentioned that Yamaha has it's own sample and it checked good, and something is wrong with the AMA's lab. Not good. This kicked around and it seems different labs say different things, which it's too scientific.
As time went on, the plot thickened and people stopped talking to the press.
The next chapter was this Methyl Butynol thing. This is an additive that supposedly got mixed in to everyone's fuel that used "dash 1" the 2007 good stuff. The AMA says it's not approved stuff. So assuming this is correct - VP used an unapproved additive to get their fuel oxygen up to newer limits. VP and Yamaha's testing did not pick up on this because they used the new fuels chemistry into account when they checked it. This could account for all the differences in agreement on who's test is right and who's wrong - this led to the Methyl Butynol in the first place.
So cutting to the chase, fuel testing found something, but not what it went looking for. Everyone got a lot smarter, and the fairest and wisest thing for the AMA to do would be just what they did - hand the points back and accept this one as muched learned for all of us.
The fuel thing with Jason Thomas was a different issue.
No one needs to be piling on the AMA this time. As far as Wey and Hill, we should give them credit for knowing when to stop and investigate, and do the right thing.
