The American Motorcyclist Association congratulates the 252 AMA Regional Motocross Champions who will lead the race for AMA national titles July 29 through Aug. 4 at the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships at the Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.
"The journey toward an AMA National Motocross Championship is long, brutal and intensely competitive," said AMA Director of Racing Joe Bromley. "This August, that journey will culminate at Loretta Lynn’s when 36 national champions claim their AMA national No. 1 plates."
In addition to national titles, the best riders will compete for the coveted AMA Motocross Horizon Award, presented to the amateur racer who demonstrates the talent and readiness to excel immediately in the pro ranks. As in past years, the rider who takes home the prestigious AMA Horizon Award will compete in the fastest classes at Loretta’s — typically, the Open Pro Sport, 250 A and 450 A.
Leading the charge for these titles at the National will be the regional class champions.
These include multi-class regional champions such as Suzuki’s Joey Savatgy, from Thomasville, Ga., the Mid-East Open Pro Sport, 250 A and 450 A champion; Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin, from Millville, Minn., the Southeast Open Pro Sport, 250 A and 450 A champion; Honda’s Zachary Bell, from Cairo, Ga., the Northeast Open Pro Sport and 250 A champion; Kawasaki’s Mitchell Oldenburg, from Alvord, Texas, the South Central Open Pro Sport and 450 A champion; and Kawasaki’s Dillan Epstein, from Thousand Oaks, Calif., the Northwest Open Pro Sport and Southwest 450 A champion.
Individual Open Pro Sport regional champions include Kawasaki’s Bogen Cochran, from Calhoun, Ga. (North Central); and Kawasaki’s Alyas Wardius, from Ridge Field, Wash. (Southwest).
Individual 250 A regional champions include Suzuki’s Eric Goodson, from Connersville, Ind. (North Central); Kawasaki’s Blake Savage, from St. George, Utah (Northwest); Honda’s Vann Martin, from Houston, Texas (South Central); and Suzuki’s Brandon Scharer, from Gardena, Calif. (Southwest).
Individual 450 A regional champions include Kawasaki’s Blair Miller, from Fisherville, Tenn. (North Central); Yamaha’s Luke Renzland, from Hewitt, N.J. (Northeast); and Kawasaki’s Austin Burns, from Scottsdale, Ariz. (Northwest).
"With each of these riders selecting just two classes to compete in at Loretta Lynn’s, it’s anyone’s guess how the field will stack up for these Horizon hopefuls," Bromley said. "It’s clear that each of these riders has shown he can bring the speed to race for a title. Regardless of what classes they race at Loretta Lynn’s, it will be a tight battle for national bragging rights."
Another rider who will draw a lot of attention at the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships this year will be Suzuki’s Ricky Carmichael, from Havana, Fla. Carmichael, who had the most dominant professional AMA motocross career in the history of the sport, earned his amateur stripes competing against the country’s fastest at Loretta Lynn’s. This year, like many retired pro racers before him, Carmichael is returning to Loretta Lynn’s in the 25+ class, where he will enter the National as the regional class champion from the Southeast region.
