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Kevin Schwantz and Circuit of the Americas Reach Consensus

After about one year of court battle and attorneys paper-fighting, it looks like the dispute between former MotoGP racer Kevin Schwantz and the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) has finally come to an end. The COTA management acknowledged Schwantz as a motorcycle racing ambassador for the track, and it seems like this outcome is a win-win situation.
Kevin Schwantz 1 photo
Photo: motogp.com
The whole affair began when the COTA administration decided to cut Schwantz and his company 3fourTexasMGP out of the promotion deals for the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, and went on for a direct deal with Dorna Sports, the rights holder for MotoGP and World Superbike.

After failing to reach an agreement with the COTA management, Kevin Schwantz filed a law suit against the track’s administration and asked American racing fans to boycott the GP of the Americas round. After multiple hearings and Schwantz providing multiple evidence supporting his claims, it looks like the Circuit of the Americas finally got the idea and yielded.

Kevin Schwantz was appointed the official ambassador of the COTA and will also be in charge of promoting the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, this season’s second round, scheduled for April 11-13. From where we stand, this looks more like a true settlement before more negative publicity was created with things going even messier in the court. And negative publicity and legal liability are probably the things the COTA needs the least.

Below you can read the cheesy press release COTA provided.

"Kevin Schwantz joins Circuit of The Americas as motorcycle racing ambassador

AUSTIN, Texas (March 27, 2014) – Circuit of The Americas (COTA) and motorcycle racing legend Kevin Schwantz have amicably settled their legal differences and have reached a new agreement to collaboratively promote motorcycling racing at the Austin circuit and across the United States. Schwantz will serve as an official ambassador for COTA and work to promote the upcoming Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas MotoGP event set for April 11-13, 2014.

“Kevin is a great champion and partnering with him gives us an opportunity to learn from his deep knowledge, as well as continue to celebrate his accomplishments,” Circuit Chairman Bobby Epstein said.

“Kevin and I have always shared the desire to see him be a part of COTA, and it’s awesome to finally see it become a reality. A great American track and a great American champion in the same city can’t be kept apart. As a result, casual riders, current racers, future stars and the fans all win.”

“I look forward to being the ambassador for two-wheel racing for COTA, especially as the 2014 MotoGP season begins and returns to Texas,” Schwantz said. “Grand prix motorcycle racing has been my life, and to help COTA market and promote that moving forward is exciting!”

As a COTA ambassador, Schwantz will play a prominent role in a variety of promotions for the upcoming Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas event in April, including media availabilities and fan activities. For example, Schwantz will serve as Grand Marshal for the MotoGP race on Sunday, April 13, and will lead the parade laps scheduled for COTA’s personal seat license holders on Friday, April 11, between grand prix practice sessions.

Additionally, COTA will work with Schwantz to raise money for an important charity he supports, the Simoncelli Foundation, which was established in memory of Schwantz’s good friend, Marco Simoncelli, a MotoGP competitor from Italy who will be inducted into the MotoGP Hall of Fame as a MotoGP Legend this May. Simoncelli died after an accident during the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix. Today through Friday, April 4, COTA will donate $1 for every ticket purchased for the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas to the Simoncelli Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting humanitarian projects that benefit the disadvantaged.

“I am thankful for COTA’s support of the Simoncelli Foundation, a charity that’s important to all of us who knew Marco personally and fans that followed his career,” Schwantz added. “Marco was a great competitor and a very special friend. Now racing fans everywhere can honor his memory and help a cause important to Marco by purchasing a ticket to Austin’s MotoGP race.”

Source COTA
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