On Saturday at the 2022 Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch we saw the completion of the remaining third and final motos of the week-long championship. Earlier, we grabbed some of the Friday champions to get their reactions. Now, here are the reactions from the champions crowned on Saturday.
Junior 25+ | Cole Martinez | 1-1-2
Well thanks for keeping it dramatic and interesting, that’s probably not the way that you wanted to do it, you were a little bit buried back there.
Cole Martinez: Oh man, that start was so slick, and I’ve got the paddle on. It spun like a concrete start up there, I should have just sat like a concrete start. It was crazy and I was buried and like you said, a little dramatic. I got out there and started clicking them off, for a minute Jake [Baumert] was up there between me and Mike [Alessi] and I was like “All right I need to push.” He was going pretty good and then he made a mistake and kind of gave it to me. Once I saw Heath [Harrison] was out and I saw Mike right there, I figured I would just take it safe, track is a little deep and slick, so I am just amped to be up here.
Absolutely. That awesome that you decided to come back, but was it like win or bust, did you expect this to happen or were you not sure how it was going to go?
I mean, I wanted to win. I didn’t come here to lose, I’ve been at Game Moto for the last two weeks, left my family at home and put some work in. Because I race off-road, so we don’t have near the traction this place has on the West Coast. So, I knew I needed to do something if I wanted to contend for this thing. You know I guess all of the hard work paid off and I am just thankful to the good Lord for blessing us to be out here, and to still have the ability to be out here racing.
WMX | Sophia Phelps | 3-1-1
In the end it just made it even more epic and wild and an even bigger accomplishment to do what you did but first of all what put you so far back? We didn’t even have you on timing and scoring at the beginning of that race.
Sophia Phelps: So, my start was okay but I kind of made some mistakes so I got pushed to the inside, I kind of got cut off which is what happens. So, I came around, one, two corners and going down the straightaway I tried to get around some girls, but someone was doing the same thing and I hit her, so I apologize because she went down as well. It put me on the ground on that first good straightaway. I tried to hold my tears back then, because I was like, “There’s no way…” Then I stood up and I was like “If you say there is no way, there is no way.” So, I said “Yeah, there’s a way.” Holy crap. I don’t know where I started but, I didn’t think I finished here either, I just thought I finished somewhere in the top ten and I was happy enough with that. Sorry guys I don’t mean to cry again. I cried last year I don’t need to do it again.
This means a lot we get it.
But yeah, all of these girls know, to be training for a whole year and then to come out and then tip over in the first 30 seconds of the race, it’s like “Oh you did not just do that.” So it was an insane ride, I am really grateful for everyone who’s helped me prepare to come here, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to hold that out for that long.
Did you ever know where you stood, either in the moto or that you had gotten the points that you needed, did you know that?
Umm I saw “7th” on the board twice in a row when I had kind of hit a spot without very many girls, so I was like, “Okay seventh.” But then I stopped counting because if I count, I’ll mess up, so I didn’t really have any clue. I knew top ten, and I hoped top five.
Unbelievable, you won the title last year and you told us a story where you had to learn to lift this bike so you could get it on this stand on the stage, but I feel like you took another step this year. What was the difference to make even more gains?
I think I honestly just did the same stuff; my dad had told me the repeat is going to be more difficult. So, I was like “Okay what do we need to change in the program?” He was like “Your program is good keep at it.” So yeah, I was able to put it up here again, one of the Kawi guys ran up here so thank you, but he offered “Here I’ll put your bike up.” But I love to put the bike up because it’s like that’s finished. End scene or whatever. That kind of tied it off.
450 B Limited | Avery Long | 1-1-1
I’ve asked you this almost every moto, but something special, is this something that you think you can carry through for the rest of your career?
Avery Long: Yes sir, unbelievable week. It means a lot. I can’t thank everyone enough for putting this blue bike up here.
What comes next for you?
I’ve got Ironman combine in a couple of weeks, so I am ready to go out there and do that. Hop on a 250 and show everybody that I am not just a 450 guy.
Schoolboy 1 (12-17) B/C | Casey Cochran | 3-1-1
I don’t even know if you can remember everything that went on in that moto, it was spectacular to watch. Probably not the way that you wanted it to go. What did you see and what do you remember happening out there?
Casey Cochran: The start was decent, but I just got pinched off there, I came around in third. Then Noah [Stevens] went down, and I ended up running into him and I went down. I though Logan [Best] had it. I thought it was over, but we just put our head down and charged. I saw that Logan fell and then I just gave it all I had to catch Noah and I finally got there and made the pass. Unreal moto, I showed what I had out there, and good to come home with the title. I mean it’s amazing.
![Casey Cochran pointing to his family after winning the final Schoolboy 1 (12-17) B/C moto, which gave him the overall title.]()
Casey Cochran pointing to his family after winning the final Schoolboy 1 (12-17) B/C moto, which gave him the overall title. Mitch Kendra ![Casey Cochran]()
Casey Cochran Mitch Kendra
Open Pro Sport | Cole Martinez | 4-3-1
It was unbelievable, you had the start, and you had the lead, but any time those kids try to put in a charge, and they put in 1:57 laps, you did a 1:57 also. You were just hauling out there.
Cole Martinez: Yeah, I mean it was a hot one. I knew I had the pressure, but I had a little lead and he like, “5-6 seconds” on the board, and I am like “All right we got like two laps to go,” and then the two lap board didn’t come out and I was like “Oh boy we got another lap or so.” I got Heath [Harrison] at the beginning and I was like, “Come on Heath hang in there man, try to hold these boys up because I know they are going to be coming.” And it worked out. I can’t believe it, it’s two, I guess I got the overall so that’s pretty badass. I am just happy to be up here, back at the Ranch and enjoying it with my family and friends.
You win the age division which is I am sure what you wanted to do but were you looking at this as, “Oh I’ll run Pro Sport and try to win it, or just I’ll ride two classes and see what happens?”
Yeah, obviously I wanted the 25+ but I knew these kids were going to be good here. Honestly, I didn’t know where I was going to stack up. I just figured I’d try and get good starts and wherever I land I land. I guess we landed on top of the box! [Laughs]
Senior 45+ | Jimmy Jarrett | 1-1-2
Were you thinking about last year when it slipped away [bike problems] and it really wasn’t your fault?
Jimmy Jarrett: Well for the first couple of months I told myself I was never coming back to this place again, but then about halfway through the year I was like, “Okay we gotta go back.” So, I am pretty pumped to get this win, like you said I thought about it for a while, putting three motos together isn’t easy, so it was a little nerve racking going into that third one, but we took care of it.
I have always thought of you as a great off-road racer, GNCC and all of that, but where does this moto speed come from? Have you always been a moto guy or is this something that you are focusing on later in life?
I think most off-road guys practice motocross throughout their career, and it’s always been a part of my life, just never tried to take it anywhere. It’s just fun coming down here with all these guys in the age groups and having fun.
Schoolboy 2 (12-17) B/C | Haiden Deegan | 1-1-1
I said the same thing to Dax [Bennick] you guys grew up battling each other for titles here, you go out battling for titles here.
Haiden Deegan: Yeah, we have been battling since we were really little, so it’s good to keep it going. I had a good moto, had a good start, tried to leave it on all the way into the first turn, came around pretty good, got into the lead and then just started hammering. And broke a big gap so I was happy with that. And had a fun race.
I think the number one question everyone has here, we knew you were going to be good this week, but what comes next for you? Can you say?
No that’s a secret but you guys will see soon.
Hopefully in a few weeks. You got to feel good if this is your last Loretta’s you’ve got to feel good about the experience you’ve had here.
Yeah definitely, it’s always a good experience here at Loretta’s, tracks amazing, super rough, and fun.
![Haiden Deegan]()
Haiden Deegan Mitch Kendra ![The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team and the Deegans celebrating Haiden's title.]()
The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team and the Deegans celebrating Haiden's title. Mitch Kendra
Girls 11-16 | Kyleigh Stallings | 1-2-1
Great to see you up here again Kyleigh, they kept you pretty busy. First of all, how hard is it to ride those two classes? That’s really two completely different motorcycles that’s not something most people do.
Kyleigh Stallings: Yeah, it's pretty hard jumping from a 250 [four-stroke] Kawi to a supermini Husky, but I try to make it work as best as I can.
Going into this, you have won it before, but still any title at Loretta’s has got to feel sweet, you must be pumped.
Yeah, so I won it last year, and again this year. I am beyond blessed to be up here again. And so grateful for the Lord and my family and everyone who helps get me here again. Thanks for the support.
Main image by Mitch Kendra
