This may eventually be lost to history, but the first motorcycle road racing series to be shown from first round to last on American TV was the WERA Pro Formula USA Series in 1990. Cable television stations were exploding during the 1980s and regional sports networks sprang up and some eventually made it on the channel lineup of cable systems across the country. Such was the case with Prime Sports and in 1990 Prime broadcasted the entire F-USA Series. This photo features the main TV crew. I don’t recall who the gentleman on the right side is, but that’s producer Paul Winters on the left, then Motorcyclist Magazine editor and pro racer Nick Ienatsch sitting on the Valvoline Suzuki and next to him with the microphone is author and racing instructor Keith Code. Ienatsch and Code were the main commentators on the F-USA shows. A few years later AMA Superbike finally made it on TV. We’ve come full circle today with the 2013 AMA Superbike Championship not on TV this year so far. It marks the first time in over 20 years we won’t have an American road racing series on TV on regularly scheduled basis.
I don’t recall who the gentleman on the right side is, but that’s producer Paul Winters in the yellow hat, then Motorcyclist Magazine editor and pro racer Nick Ienatsch sitting on the Valvoline Suzuki and next to him with the microphone is author and racing instructor Keith Code at Road Atlanta in 1990. Ienatsch and Code were the main commentators on the F-USA shows, the first series that was broadcast on TV nationally. (Larry Lawrence photo)
Rider Files 
If I remember right, the opening round was at Willow Springs. We were so excited to see the race on TV. There were gale force winds, so the video was shaky and the blowing sand ruined some of the commentators’ mics, but we loved it anyway.
LikeLike
Larry, sometimes I wonder if only you and I saw that series on TV. If I remember correctly, Robbie Krieger from the Doors wrote and performed the show’s music intro.
LikeLike
I watched it too when able. Great, exciting series reminiscent of the Can-Am car series of the late ’70’s early ’80’s where the “only rules are, there are no rules” and run-what-ya-brung racing was not bogged down by rule books.
We SO need that series back again.
DH
LikeLike