Bret Michaels recently teamed up with AMA Supercross to create a new award that supports athletes who've overcome hardship, on or off the track. The award is called the Bret Michaels Rock Hard-Ride Hard award, and it'll reward the hardest-charging, comeback rider of the 2011 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season.
The Poison frontrunner and star of the VH1 reality show Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It has experienced his own health obstacles recently: Michaels suffered from a brain hemorrhage and stroke last May and on Jan. 24 he'll be undergoing surgery to close a hole in his heart.
"It isn't whether you are going to go down, but when and how hard," said Michaels. "It's how you roll with the punches and how you get back up that counts. This award is about recognizing the hard charging rider that overcomes the worst odds and makes an amazing recovery."
The winner will be determined by a combination of votes from race fans and season rankings. Michaels will present the winner with the award -- a cash prize and a custom trophy guitar -- at the Supercross season finale at Las Vegas' Sam Boyd Stadium on May 7.
Michaels is a longtime supporter of motocross racing and a big fan of AMA Supercross. "Bret and I have been friends for quite some time, not only does he know how to rock an audience but he can rip off a killer lap time on a dirt bike," said SPEED and CBS Sports supercross broadcaster Ralph Sheheen. "He is a true motorcycle enthusiast who has a real passion for supercross, which is why this award is a perfect fit for Bret and the sport."
Said Michaels: "The Feld Motor sports team has been wonderful to work with and I am looking forward to continue working with them throughout the season."