Loretta Lynn's Countdown: Getting Faster

South Carolina’s biggest winners were a couple of legendary vet riders. Both Anderson’s Steve Lewis and Chesnee’s Robbie Neeley Jr. racked up six vet titles in the ‘80s and ‘90s at Loretta Lynn’s, which together account for more than a third of South Carolina’s 27 total titles. More recently Little River’s Caden Braswell posted three titles, and just a couple of years ago earned the AMA Nicky Hayden Horizon Award as the top prospect coming out of the ranch that year. York’s Les Smith was another three title winner, while Honea Path’s Dawson Cobb added two more.

The original fast kid from South Carolina was Society Hill’s “Hammerin’” Hank Moree Jr., who won a single 85cc (7-11) title, but had many more successes at other big events like the Mini O’s and the Ponca City NMA Grand Nationals.

Now here's where it gets tricky, again. PJ Larsen won two titles at Loretta's and was co-winner of the AMA Horizon Award (along with Darryn Durham) in his final year, 2008. He's known for being from Awendaw, SC, but our Loretta's Vault page lists him as hailing from Stanley, NC. We actually reached out to Larsen and he says he moved to Stanley for a few years, so that's why his titles count for the North.

But sometimes these state things even out. For example, the final state on today’s entry is Washington, with a rider that could just as easily belong to...well, South Carolina! Larry Ward grew up in Snohomish, Washington, but moved to South Carolina when he was relatively young. Like Moree, “Big Bird” won an 85cc (7-11) title at the Ranch, but that was all. Unlike Hank, who went from racing to a very successful business career, Ward had great success and a long career as a pro. He won SX/MX races in three different decades—1980s, ‘90s and ‘00s—and he was the first rider to ever win a 125 National on a four-stroke 250F (RedBud ’01).

But Ward is not the fastest rider ever from Washington. Rather, that accolade goes to Poolsbo’s Ryan Villopoto, who only won a single Loretta Lynn’s title himself but then had an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame career as a professional, winning nine major titles in Monster Energy AMA Supercross and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.

There is one current Washingtonian making a dent in the current SX/MX scene, and that’s Washougal’s own Levi Kitchen. The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider just won last weekend’s Spring Creek 250 National and is showing signs of embarking on a fine professional career—this after winning four of Washington’s 23 total titles at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch.

Honorable mentions go to double-class Washington winners Jason McCormick of Battleground, Steve Sullivan of Brush Prairie, Tristan Charboneau of Tenino, and finally Rick Simmett of Spokane.

So where are we in the Scott Sports Countdown? Here are the states listed today, and those below it in the total number of titles—the big hitters are coming up soon!