AMA renames Amateur Athlete of the Year Award to honor late racer Dan Bromley
Less than two weeks after the tragic death of champion flat-track racer Dan Bromley, the American Motorcyclist Association has announced that its Amateur Athlete of the Year Award will permanently bear his name, ensuring one of the sport’s most accomplished grassroots competitors is remembered by future generations.
The newly renamed Dan Bromley AMA Amateur Athlete of the Year Award recognizes the top amateur competitor in AMA national championship competition each year. Bromley earned the honor himself in 2011 before launching a successful professional racing career.
Bromley, the 2018 American Flat Track Singles champion and 2025 Adventure Trackers champion, died June 27 following a racing incident in Lima, Ohio. The racing community has continued to honor his legacy, with the AMA’s announcement marking one of the first permanent tributes following his passing.
“AMA amateur racing represents the grassroots of the sport,” AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman said in a statement. “It’s where memories are made, friendships form, family bonds strengthen and future professional racers develop. Dan Bromley, along with the entire Bromley family, epitomizes all those aspirations, and he did so with a humility and excellence rarely matched. It is my great honor to announce that Dan’s accomplishments will be forever memorialized in the Dan Bromley AMA Amateur Athlete of the Year Award.”
Bromley’s amateur résumé remains one of the most impressive in AMA history. Before turning professional, he captured 36 AMA amateur national championships, a total the organization believes may be unmatched during more than a century of AMA-sanctioned competition. He later added additional national titles in vintage and off-road competition, finishing his career with nearly 40 AMA National No. 1 plates.
His breakout 2011 season included the AMA Dirt Track Horizon Award, Grand Championships in the 250cc Modified Two-Stroke and 250cc DTX classes, along with multiple national titles across short-track and TT competition.
Despite his success, Bromley was known for his humility. After receiving the Amateur Athlete of the Year Award in 2011, he credited his younger brother Joseph for helping shape his racing career.
“Having a brother to race and compete with is really helpful because he’s out there helping me on the track, and I’m helping him,” Bromley said at the time. “His lines are usually better than mine, so that helps. Having someone there supporting you on the track and off the track is really important.”
Beyond racing, Bromley had recently transitioned into a leadership role within the AMA after earning a business degree from Penn State. He was hired earlier this year as the organization’s assistant track racing manager, where he helped oversee amateur flat track, road racing and hillclimb competition.
“As arguably the AMA’s most prolific amateur champion, well-educated and with a strong work ethic and level head, Dan was a much-welcomed addition to the AMA Racing Department,” said AMA Chief Operating Officer James Holter. “Dan was poised to help lead AMA racing initiatives well into the future, and all of us at the AMA, who knew Dan as not just a colleague but a friend, are heartbroken over this tragic loss. Through the Dan Bromley AMA Amateur Athlete of the Year Award, future generations of racers will be inspired by Dan’s heart, integrity and indelible dedication to win.”
A third-generation racer from Warrington, Pennsylvania, Bromley grew up immersed in the sport. His family’s dealership, Bromley Motorsports in Trevose, Pennsylvania, became a launching pad for numerous racing careers over six decades, continuing a legacy started by his grandfather, Bob Bromley.
The AMA’s decision to rename its premier amateur award ensures Bromley’s impact will continue to be recognized each year, linking one of the organization’s highest amateur honors with a racer whose career embodied the path from grassroots competition to professional championship success.
Legacy Fund established
In addition to the AMA’s tribute, the Dan Bromley Legacy Fund has been established through Back on Track to support Bromley’s wife, Connar, and their two young children following his passing. Those wishing to support the family can donate or share the fundraiser through the Dan Bromley Legacy Fund.
