We’re starting to get into the powerhouse states for amateur motocross in America in the Scott Sports Countdown to the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. Each day we’re tracking the titles that each state (and some countries and U.S. territories) has won at the ranch since 1982, the first year of the big race being held in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. (And here’s a nod to the pre-Loretta Lynn’s Champions who raced the old AMA Youth and Amateur Nationals, from 1974-’81. We are working on a Vault for those results as well.)
Today, we reach three states all tied with 21 wins apiece, from three decidedly different parts of the country: Illinois, Louisiana, and Utah. There are some AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers in this batch, and some for-sure future HOFers.
Let’s start with Illinois, historically known as the Land of Lincoln, but for our purposes, it’s the land of current AMA 450 Pro Motocross points leader Chase Sexton. Hailing from Le Moille, he won two titles at the ranch: 85cc (9-13) Stock back in 2011 and then Open Pro Sport in 2016. But in the time since he turned pro Sexton has become a full-on superstar, with two 250SX East Region titles in his formative years, and then the ’23 AMA Supercross Championship in the 450 class. Ironically, he’s not the winningest rider in either amateur or pro ranks to hail from Illinois. For amateurs, there’s East Moline’s Junior Jackson, who won four titles at the ranch back in the ‘80s. For professionals, there’s three-time AMA 125cc Pro Motocross Champion Mark “Bomber” Barnett, who also won the ’81 AMA Supercross Championship. Originally from Bridgeview, Barnett won a pre-Loretta Lynn’s AMA Amateur title in 1975, and then came to Loretta Lynn’s to race—and dominate—the Junior +25 class in 1988. Barnett is indeed an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer.
Other Illinios standouts in amateur motocross are Marshall’s Gary Peak, who won two Masters’ titles in the ‘90s and “Bad” Billy Fosnock of Collinsville, who won the 125 A class in 1989. Charleston’s Jace Owen has a pair of titles, as does Desoto’s Marty Vaughn. And on the horizon is Oak Lawn’s Krystian Janik, who has two titles, including one just last year.
Louisiana’s 21 wins are most due to two fast Bayou natives. Baton Rouge’s Kevin Windham is one of the all-time great amateur talents, with eight total wins at Loretta Lynn’s between 1990 and ’94. Then he went on to a Motorcycle Hall of Fame career as a pro—he’s in the Class of 2024 so congratulate K-Dub when you see him this year at the ranch, because he will be there with his Farm 14 training camp “Farm Animals!”
The other big winner from Louisiana is Breaux Bridge’s Matthew LeBlanc, who won six titles between 2015 and ’20, from 65cc to 450 B.
Windham isn’t Louisiana’s only Hall of Famer. In 1984 a rider named Trampas Parker won the 125 B Modified class. He then tried to make a go of it as a pro on the AMA circuit but that didn’t work out. But then he went to Europe and ended up becoming America’s first two-time FIM Motocross World Champion! And then years later, after his pro career ended, Parker came back and won the Senior +45 in 2013.
Other fast Cajuns include Kentwood’s Wendell Simmons (1998 Vet B/C), Destreham’s Stone Edler (College in 2014), and keep an eye on rising star Easton Graves of Walker, who won the 65cc (10-11) title just last year.
Finally, we move our attention to Utah, the “State of Sport.” Their best amateur ever is Coalville's Garrett Marchbanks, who won eight titles across all classes between 2011 and ’17. After he turned pro, he would win the Daytona Supercross 250SX main event, and is currently a member of the Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha team.
Marchbanks isn’t the only current top pro from Utah—Sandy’s Pierce Brown, a two-time champion at Loretta Lynn’s (65cc class in ’12 and Mini Sr. in’15), is a member of the Red Bull/Troy Lee Designs/GasGas team.
Utah has also produced some very fast female racers. St. George’s Sophia Phelps has two LLMX titles while Riverton’s Tayler Allred has three. And Clinton’s Amanda Maheu has a couple of Girls’ titles as well.
Salt Lake City’s Kade Johnson is a two-time title in recent years, West Haven’s Tayce Morgan won the 65cc class in 2021, and Layton’s Rene Rodriguez won the 250 C class in 2017.
