Friday in Vegas

The AMA Banquet and Maxxis EnduroCross weekend kicked off yesterday, with the third-annual AMA Sports Banquet and qualifying for the second-annual EnduroCross.

The EnduroCross qualified 10 additional riders into today's show, which has already been filled with invited entrants like Ryan Hughes, John Dowd, Mike Lafferty and Barry Hawk. Ironically, the fastest qualifier from Friday received a $1000 check from Dirt Rider magazine, and the win went to Ryan "The Dude" Dudek - who works for Cycle World!

Practice and timed qualifying begins today at 2 p.m. (Vegas time).

At the AMA Sports Banquet, big winners included 2005 Suzuki GNCC Champion Juha Salminen, who won the AMA Sports Athlete of the Year Award, and John Natalie, who won the ATVA Athlete of the Year Award. Champions in all manner of AMA Sports racing, from ice racing, to flat track to ATVs, off-road and motocross, received accolades, awards and honors for their accomplishments.

Racer X Shooter Jeff Kardas won Photojournalist of the Year, and MX SportsCenter, the internet recap show from Loretta Lynn's, won the Broadcast Journalist of the Year Award. Cycle News scribe Shan Moore won the Print Journalist of the Year Award.

EnduroCross is tonight, and on Sunday night comes the AMA Pro Racing Awards Banquet.