Another year down, and more riders making names for themselves. But what does it all mean? Unless you’re deep into the amateur scene, you probably don’t understand the mishmash of classes at the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. As I do each year, I’ll try to break it down in a simpler form.
Coming Soon: The about-to-be-full-time pro racers compete in the two Pro Sport classes. “Pro Sport” means A-level racers who may have also tried a few pro races. Loretta’s used to have more A classes, but teams aren’t trophy chasing as much as you’d think. They would rather see all the A riders mashed up together, so they really know where they stand when pitted against each other. Get the elite to race the elite. That’s how it goes.
Daxton Bennick and Julien Beaumer were probably the most-hyped guys coming into this based on their SX Futures success earlier this year. Bennick pretty much came through, going 1-1-1 in Open Pro Sport. In 250 Pro Sport, though, he struggled to come through the pack after some bad starts, going 7-2-6. Still, the 1-1-1 sweep was enough for this year’s Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award.
Bennick has been winning at Loretta’s for a long time, as his first 50cc title at the Ranch came in 2013. He was often stride-for-stride with his old friend Haiden Deegan in minis. Then came two so-so years in B when he moved to 250Fs, one time getting overshadowed by Levi Kitchen’s big breakout, and another time struggling with illness. He re-established himself as a prospect by winning last year, then he took a big chance by leaving KTM for non-guaranteed deal with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing, essentially betting on himself to do well on their bike. So far, he’s done it, and now Star has given him a real deal. Unadilla begins his full pro journey.
Beaumer was somewhere in the pack until this year, when he started working with Davi Millsaps and went next level in Supercross Futures. His impressive start to the Futures seasons even earned him a ride with the KTM Orange Brigade program. At Loretta’s this year he went 6-2-16 in Open Pro Sport but won the first moto in 250 Pro Sport. Then he struggled with a bad start and crashes in the mud of moto two. The mud was even worse for moto three, but he dominated! His 1-17-1 scores left him fourth overall. Still, as a prospect, “JuJu” is looking good because he’s clearly a natural in the stadiums.
Recommended Reading
- The List: What Does It Mean? August 8 - 2:30pm
- World’s Best Amateur Athletes to Compete at SuperMotocross World Championship Finals August 8 - 2:20pm
- Gallery: ’23 Loretta Lynn’s Saturday August 7 - 1:00pm
- Redux: Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award Winners August 7 - 11:30am
- Wake-Up Call August 7 - 10:00am
- Loretta Lynn's Saturday Recap August 7 - 8:00am
With Bennick and Beaumer having problems in Open Pro Sport, Gavin Towers took advantage via 3-3-2 finishes. Originally from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, Towers has always shown bursts of speed and potential, but before he could harness it, injuries kicked in. After an ACL and a collarbone injury over the last year, he wasn’t as prepared as he wanted to be for the 25-minute motos, but he made the most of what he had to deliver his first title at Loretta’s. Towers is part of the second-tier NSA Yamaha amateur program, but is linked to a future deal with Star, and he's already riding and training at the GOAT Farm.
Another rider to mention is Mark Fineis, who is backed by GasGas. Fineis has always had speed and skills but this summer he’s been grinding at ClubMX and looked super fit. He went 2-1 in the first two 250 Pro Sport Motos, but the mega mud got him in his third moto, resulting in a DNF. You’ll probably see him try a pro race soon.
Next Up: These days the B classes are where the action is, because you don’t know when the A riders are going to turn pro full-time. For example, last year Nick Romano and Matt LeBlanc could have raced Loretta’s in Pro Sport and maybe one or both of them would have crushed it. Instead, they started racing Pro Motocross at round one and never made it back to Loretta's. That’s the same story for Haiden Deegan this year. Romano, LeBlanc, and Deegan never raced past the B class at Loretta’s.
B and Schoolboy 2 is where the stars really establish themselves these days. Here’s an example of some riders who went next level when they got to those classes: Dean Wilson, Aaron Plessinger, Chance Hymas, Levi Kitchen. Further, there are plenty of kids who were winning on minis that failed to convert that to big bikes. The riders that did keep it going, though, are ones you’ve heard of: Eli Tomac, Justin Barcia, Austin Forkner, Garrett Marchbanks, Jalek Swoll, Stilez Robertson, LeBlanc, Romano, Deegan.
Basically, if you can win in B, you’re a bad dude, especially in the 250 B and Schoolboy 2 classes, because they’re for modified 250Fs, which most closely mimics the pro scene. This year’s outstanding talent was Casey Cochran, who dominated the first motos of both of those classes. Then he crashed and dislocated his shoulder in the second 250 B moto, ending his title hopes there. In Schoolboy 2, he never gave up. After the shoulder injury, he managed a fifth in moto two after a bad start, then won moto three to still net the Schoolboy 2 title with 1-5-1 scores.
When Cochran went out in 250 B, Kawasaki’s Krystian Janik rallied to 6-1-1 scores to take that prestigious title. Another Kawasaki prospect, Drew Adams, didn’t have the week he was hoping for, failing to take a moto win, but Adams is just 15, two years younger than Cochran, for example. He will get more chances.
Unlike Pro Sport, the B classes are split up quite a bit, also offering 250 B Limited (stock bikes) and 450 B Limited (stock). Jeremy Fappani and Leum Oehlhof squared off in those divisions and split titles. Fappani had the best total scores in their six motos, going 1-8-1 in 450 B Limited and 2-1-3 in 250 B Limited, with Fappani winning that title. Oehlhof’s 2-1-3 claimed the 450 B Limited title. For that, Fappani won the AMA Amateur Rider of the Year Award (which goes to a B-level racer).
One other “breakout” rider to mention is Jadon Cooper, of Texas, who said he spent five years failing to even qualify for Loretta’s, then finally made his way in via the C classes. This year he caught fire, winning the 450 B class and taking third in 450 B Limited. Cool story there.
125ers: The amateur ranks still try to find places for 125s, to ease that transition to big bikes. This led to a breakout star this year with New Jersey’s Klark Robbins, who won both 125 titles, Schoolboy 1 and 125 Jr. Robbins was not factory kid by any means, but he’s probably headed to that level after these performances.
Minis: Okay, think of Minis in three groups: Superminis for the up-to-112cc bikes with larger wheels, then then traditional 85s divided into two age groups: Mini Sr., and 85 (10-12).
In minis, you know you’re seeing a talent if they’re not on a KTM/GasGas/Husqvarna. See, the Japanese brands haven’t updated their minis significantly in years. Yamaha has done some updates and the bikes are considered fairly competitive, but that’s it. If you see a Team Green Kawasaki kid up front, you know he’s really good, because, um, let’s just say he’s on a bike that’s a little too similar to what Ryan Villopoto was racing at Loretta’s 20 years ago. Have there been changes? Yes. Full redesigns like KTM does consistently? No.
So, this year’s standout is Landon Gordon, who took his Kawasaki KX112 to 1-2-2-3-2-1 scores in his six Supermini motos during the week. That have him a first and second overall in the two Supermini classes. He dug out one title with a last-to-second charge in the mud during a shortened moto on the final day. Riders were crashing all over the place on the final two laps, each pushing hard to try to get the crown. Somehow, Gordon got it. He was on the verge of tears after that one, because the race was such an emotional roller coaster.
Also in tears was the moto winner of that final race, Canyon Richards, who lost four motors during the week on his KTM. Richards could have went 2-2-1 to win the title, but instead his bike blew up with a few turns to go while running second in moto two. So he instead went 2-DNF-1. He went DNF-3-8 in the other Supermini class. Richards was attempting to win a Loretta’s Supermini title and a GNCC Youth Overall Championship in the same year. He could have….
Deacon Denno won the other Supermini crown, edging ahead of Gordon. Denno was third in the other Supermini class, so he was solid all week. The Supermini 2 (13-16) first moto was one of the closest races all week long as we saw great battling the whole way. Supermini always brings it, and there are at least five riders who probably felt like they could have won a title. Congrats to Gordon and Denno for getting it done.
The Mini Sr. classes were split between Vincent Wey and Colby Lessar. Wey looked like he might win both classes until he slid out in the mud about five feet after grabbing a holeshot, which left him in last place. He was still consistent enough to win the other class. With the other title up for grabs, Colby Lessar and Kevyn De Pinho took it down to the wire. On the last lap, De Pinho looked to have it, but Lessar made some clutch passes on the last lap to get it back and take the title. De Pinho had to settle for second in both Mini Sr. classes.
In 85 (10-12), Texas rider Darren Pine was the favorite, and he was rolling early. Then bike problems and crashes cost him any chance at the titles. Wyatt Thurman and Nolan Ford split those titles after more dramatic battles. The minis aren’t broken up by Pro Sport or B designations, so it’s generally the best 10-to-12-year-old kids dueling, which leads to great racing, and, also, some heartbreak when the luck runs out.
Beneath those classes comes 65cc and 50cc (Micro) divisions. The future stars of the sport are in those ranks, but careers can go in all directions for athletes that are still in the single digits, age wise. No doubt, many hope to be ready and winning by the time they’re on big bikes. We’ll see which names get mentioned in a few years.