Welcome to another day of the Scott Sports Countdown to the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s and another tie between two states with a lot of fast talent. Today we reach a total of 34 championship titles from the ranch, a mark shared by Oklahoma and New York.
Whenever we think of Oklahoma and motocross, we immediately think of three things: Guy Cooper, Ponca City, and Robbie Reynard. Guy went practically straight to pro in the 1980s, and Ponca City’s NMA Grand Nationals was a thing long before Loretta Lynn’s was. But Robbie Reynard built his reputation as one of the fastest amateur prospects ever at the ranch in the early 1990s. Reynard, who hailed from Moore, Oklahoma, was a Kawasaki Team Green standout who won six titles on minicycles and 125s before turning pro literally the weekend he turned 16 years old. Unfortunately, his pro career was wrecked by injuries, and Reynard never reached his full potential, though he did have a couple of “Fastest Man on the Planet” days. He also remains the youngest rider to ever win an outdoor national, which he did at Steel City at the end of the ’93 season.
But Robbie’s story at Loretta Lynn’s continued when he returned as a vet rider and added four more Loretta Lynn’s titles, giving him 10 all together. He’s also working with and training young riders and has his fingerprints on many other championship trophies from the ranch.
Other fast, multi-time champions from Oklahoma back in the day include Elk City’s Trey Canard, who went from winning four LLMX titles to winning 250 championships for GEICO Honda in both AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross. Cushing’s Justin Bogle also won multiple Loretta Lynn’s titles and a 250 SX title for GEICO Honda as a pro, and like Canard, he also won a 450 National.
Guthrie’s Johnny Marley was a three-time champion, while Lone Groves’s Chase Reed took two, and way back in 1983 McCloud’s Tracy Smith won both 250 B titles.
More recent fast Oklahomans are Piedmont’s Kyleigh Stallings, who has taken a title at each of the last three Loretta Lynn’s, and Mounds’ Kade Nightingale, one of the fastest young riders in the country.
New York boasts three current factory riders on the SX/MX professional tour, all three of whom helped contribute four titles apiece to the Empire State’s 34 championships at Loretta Lynn’s. Red Bull/TLD GasGas boss Justin Barcia hailed from Monroe, NY and took four LLMX titles (and like Canard and Bogle, he turned pro with GEICO Honda and promptly won AMA 250 Supercross titles). Also, Coldspring Harbor’s Justin Cooper won a 250 SX title with Yamaha Star Racing, after picking up four class titles at Loretta Lynn’s. His teammate there is Bayside’s Nick Romano, currently completing his first full season on the pro tour.
Back in the day Germantown’s Scott Sheak won two titles, sweeping the A Modified classes in 1993 before going on to ride for Team Honda and win the ’97 High Point 125 National. Even further back is Rochester’s Billy Silvarole, who won two titles in 1989, and Ithica’s Paul Carpenter who won 250 B Stock in 1997 before embarking on a long career. Back in the eighties’ our friend Troy Bradshaw of Irondequoit, NY took a pair of titles in Open A and Junior +25.
And we can’t forget Rochester’s Bart Lucas, a very fast and very funny vet rider who took the Senior +40 title in 2000. Also, Lancaster’s Brandon Mays in the 65cc class in 2005 and Clintondale’s Ryan Mills, the 125 A champ in 2002.
Finally, there was 1985, a year the race was hit by a hurricane, and New York’s 125 riders really thrived in the mud. Skanaeteles’ Chris Coleman became the 125 B Mod Champion in 1985, while Bath’s Jimmy Wooldridge became the 125 B Stock Champion. And Walworth’s Mark Buscher ended up winning the 125 Scoolboy (12-15) title in the mud.
Tomorrow, we’re going to visit New York’s neighbor to the south, the Keystone State.
