The 2024 Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship Presented by AMSOIL came to a thrilling conclusion on Saturday, as the final 17 classes took to the track one last time. Once the dust settled on another memorable week of racing, MX Sports celebrated all 36 championships and additional special award recipients at the annual banquet on Saturday evening.
On the heels of capturing the 250 Pro Sport title one day earlier, Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Drew Adams entered Saturday’s final moto for Open Pro Sport in control of his own destiny thanks to wins in the previous two motos.
When the gate dropped to begin Moto 3 it was the KTM of Noah Stevens out front for the STACYC Holeshot, but he was quickly passed by the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine of Cole Davies. Adams emerged within the top five and showed patience on the opening lap as he settled into fifth.
As the opening laps unfolded it was Davies who continued to lead, while NSA Factory Yamaha Team’s Avery Long gave pursuit from second and Adams following in third. The lead trio remained unchanged through the middle portion of the moto, which is when Adams started his push to the front. The Tennessee native got around Long for second and then erased a deficit of more than three seconds over the next couple laps to catch Davies and seize control of the moto lead. From there, Adams quickly distanced himself from the field.
The Kawasaki rider went unchallenged the rest of the way and easily completed the 1-1-1 sweep of the motos by a margin of 8.8 seconds over Davies, with Long in third. SLR Honda’s Parker Ross was fourth, with NSA Factory Yamaha Team’s Leum Oehlhof in fifth.
Adams capped off an impressive performance at the Ranch with his second championship of the week and sweep of the Pro Sport divisions. Long earned another runner-up finish (7-2-3) to secure second place in each Pro Sport class, while his teammate Oehlhof finished third overall (3-8-5).
Open Pro Sport Moto 3 Results
Drew Adams, Chattanooga, Tenn., Kawasaki
Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha
Avery Long, New London, Minn., Yamaha
Parker Ross, Herald, Calif., Honda
Leum Oehlhof, Oak Hills, Calif., Yamaha
Open Pro Sport Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)
Drew Adams, Chattanooga, Tenn., Kawasaki (1-1-1 // 3)
Avery Long, New London, Minn., Yamaha (7-2-3 // 12)
Leum Oehlhof, Oak Hills, Calif., Yamaha (3-8-5 // 16)
Drew Adams capped off a dominant week at the Ranch with a 1-1-1 sweep in Open Pro Sport. Photo Courtesy: MX Sports, Inc.
Moto 3: Schoolboy 2 (12-17) B/C
Much like the 250 B class, the battle for the Schoolboy 2 title came down to a head-to-head battle between Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green teammates Caden Dudney and Landen Gordon. Dudney’s back-to-back moto wins entering Saturday gave him a two-point advantage over Gordon, with Dudney carrying an added boost of confidence by capturing the 250 B crown the day prior.
As the field exited the first turn to begin Moto 3 the two title combatants positioned themselves at the front of the field, but it was the Rock River Yamaha of Logan Best who grabbed the STACYC Holeshot and assumed the early lead. Best remained out front through the opening lap, but Dudney was on the charge and successfully moved into the lead on the following lap. Knowing he needed to keep his teammate within reach, Gordon made a push to climb from fourth to second, which put the championship rivals 1-2 in the running order.
Gordon was the faster of the two early on and was able to get within striking distance of Dudney as they approached the halfway point of the moto. As he looked to apply pressure on the lead, Gordon slid out and experienced a small tip over that didn’t cost him a position but did allow Dudney to reestablish a comfortable lead. Not long after he remounted, Gordon’s bike hit the dirt again, which caused him to lose several positions and drop outside the top five.
With no threat behind him, Dudney enjoyed a double-digit lead over the field that he managed all the way to the finish to complete a 1-1-1 sweep of the motos by a margin of 4.3 seconds. A spirited battle for second saw Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Amateur Team rider Landon Gibson make a late charge in which he completed a last-lap pass for second place, which dropped EBR Altus Motorsports Yamaha’s Landon Hartz to third.
Dudney’s second championship of the week came in dominant fashion as he secured the Schoolboy 2 crown by seven points over Gordon (2-2-6). Gibson’s last lap pass in the final moto proved to be significant in the overall standings as it moved the Husqvarna rider into podium position in third (5-4-2).
Schoolboy 2 (12-17) B/C Moto 3 Results
Caden Dudney, Athens, Texas, Kawasaki
Landon Gibson, Peachtree City, Ga., Husqvarna
Landon Hartz, Wilsonville, Ala., Yamaha
Ryder Malinoski, Wyoming, Minn., Yamaha
Alexander Fedortsov, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha
Schoolboy 2 (12-17) B/C Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)
Caden Dudney, Athens, Texas, Kawasaki (1-1-1 // 3)
Landen Gordon, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki (2-2-6 // 10)
Landon Gibson, Peachtree City, Ga., Husqvarna (5-4-2 // 11)
Caden Dudney captured his second title of the week in Schoolboy 2. Photo Courtesy: MX Sports, Inc.
Moto 3: Supermini 1 (12-15)
Another tight battle headlined the final Supermini 1 moto as KTM rider Grant McDonald’s exceptional consistency gave him a slight edge over fellow KTM rider Aidan Zingg, who had gotten on a hot streak with multiple moto wins across each Supermini division.
As Moto 3 got underway both title contenders were able to position themselves up front, but it was the GASGAS of Dannyn Reed who started with the STACYC Holeshot and jumped out to an early lead over the field. McDonald slotted into second, while Zingg was not far behind in third. While Reed inched away from the field, Zingg looked to apply pressure on McDonald for second.
Reed enjoyed a multi-second lead as the moto approached the halfway point, only to get caught in a rut and tip over. That allowed McDonald to take over the lead with Zingg right behind in second, while Reed remounted in third. Zingg took hold of the moment and went on the attack. He made the pass for the lead at the halfway point and was able to quickly establish a multi-second lead that he added to over the second half of the moto.
Needing a win to boost his title hopes, Zingg wrapped up his second straight moto victory by 4.4 seconds over McDonald, followed by Reed in third.
Zingg’s strong finish to Supermini 1 action came up a single point short in the end, as McDonald relied on a trio of second place finishes to emerge with the championship, despite not winning a moto. Zingg finished in the runner-up spot (5-1-1), while Reed rounded out the overall podium in third (5-1-1).
Supermini 1 (12-15) Moto 3 Results
Aidan Zingg, Hemet, Calif., KTM
Grant McDonald, Cairo, Ga., KTM
Dannyn Reed, Payson, Utah, GASGAS
Vincent Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna
Kane Bollasina, St. Louis, Mo., KTM
Supermini 1 (12-15) Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)
Grant McDonald, Cairo, Ga., KTM (2-2-2 // 6)
Aidan Zingg, Hemet, Calif., KTM (5-1-1 // 7)
Dannyn Reed, Payson, Utah, GASGAS (3-6-3 // 12)
Unparalleled consistency allowed Grant McDonald to capture the Supermini 1 title. Photo Courtesy: MX Sports, Inc.
Moto 3: Supermini 2 (13-16)
Even though he narrowly missed out on capturing the Supermini 1 title, Aidan Zingg still had a championship within reach in Supermini 2, where he carried a one-point advantage over Team Husqvarna Amateur Racing’s Vincent Wey and a two-point lead over Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Carson Wood.
With three riders in the hunt for the Supermini 2 crown, tensions were high when the gate dropped to begin Moto 3, which served as the final race of the 2024 event. As the field emerged from the first turn it was Reed who earned another STACYC Holeshot aboard his GASGAS, but he was soon passed by the KTM of Kane Bollasina, who held the lead briefly until both Zingg and Wey stormed to the head of the pack to occupy the top two spots.
Despite heavy pressure from Wey, Zingg maintained the lead for a couple laps, but Wey went on the attack and posted the fastest lap of the moto to take control of the lead. Once out front, Wey continued to push the pace and was able to move out to a lead of 4.4 seconds. Unfortunately for Wey, his pace slowed dramatically just past halfway. He lost the lead to Zingg and continued to lose positions, eventually dropping outside the top five and well out of contention.
Back up front, Zingg was in control of the moto, but did need to contend with some pressure from Reed in second. Less than two seconds separated the lead duo in the closing laps, but a slight miscue by Reed on the final lap gave Zingg the breathing room he needed to bring home the moto win by 4.1 seconds. Wood, who was forced to climb through the field, battled his way up to third, while Bollasina and Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Ryder Ellis rounded out the top five.
Zingg’s 1-3-1 moto scores earned him the Supermini 2 championship by four points over Wood, who earned a runner-up finish (5-1-3). Reed took the final spot on the overall podium in third (8-4-2) via a Moto 3 tiebreaker with Wey (3-2-9).
Supermini 2 (13-16) Moto 3 Results
Aidan Zingg, Hemet, Calif., KTM
Dannyn Reed, Payson, Utah, GASGAS
Carson Wood, Zephyrhills, Fla., Kawasaki
Kane Bollasina, St. Louis, Mo., KTM
Ryder Ellis, North Fork, Calif., Kawasaki
Supermini 1 (12-15) Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)
Aidan Zingg, Hemet, Calif., KTM (1-3-1 // 5)
Carson Wood, Zephyrhills, Fla., Kawasaki (5-1-3 // 9)
Dannyn Reed, Payson, Utah, GASGAS (8-4-2 // 14)
Aidan Zingg’s breakout week culminated with the Supermini 2 championship. Photo Courtesy: MX Sports, Inc.
Moto 3: Junior (25+)
All week long the Junior division had been one of the most competitive of all 36 classes at the Ranch as three riders were in the thick of the hunt for the championship. A three-way tie headlined the first moto of the morning on Saturday, as Phoenix Racing Honda’s Heath Harrison looked to capture his third class title in four years, with both Honda rider Jacob Hayes and Yamaha rider Cole Martinez looking to prevent a successful title defense for Harrison.
With a winner-take-all scenario on the line, excitement was high as the field stormed out the gate to begin Moto 3, which saw Hayes seize the moment to secure the STACYC Holeshot and grab the early lead on a clear, fresh racetrack. The early advantage for Hayes put immediate pressure on Martinez and Harrison, who were able to jockey for position on the opening lap and ultimately settle into second and third, respectively.
As had been the case all week, the battle amongst this trio raged on, as they each mirrored one another’s lap times and stayed within a few seconds of one another. Despite the persistent pressure behind him, Hayes rode incredibly solid out front and never put a wheel wrong. Even as Martinez closed in and got alongside Hayes in the closing laps, the Honda rider didn’t flinch and was able to put some distance on Martinez coming to the white flag.
Hayes impressed every step of the way in a wire-to-wire effort that put an exclamation point on his third career Loretta Lynn’s title. He took the checkered flag 4.3 seconds ahead of Martinez, who held off a late charge from Harrison, who finished third. Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha’s Brandon Haas finished fourth, with Kawasaki rider Steven Mages in fifth.
Hayes’ back-to-back moto wins completed a 3-1-1 effort for the week, which clinched the Junior title by a single point over Martinez in the runner-up spot (1-3-2). Harrison rounded out the overall podium in third (2-2-3).
Junior (25+) Moto 3 Results
Jacob Hayes, San Antonio, Fla., Honda
Cole Martinez, Campverde, Ariz., Yamaha
Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., Honda
Brandon Haas, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha
Steven Mages, Sardinia, Ohio, Kawasaki
Junior (25+) Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)
Jacob Hayes, San Antonio, Fla., Honda (3-1-1 // 5)
Cole Martinez, Campverde, Ariz., Yamaha (1-3-2 // 6)
Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., Honda (2-2-3 // 7)
Jacob Hayes prevailed with the title in a hotly contested Junior division. Photo Courtesy: MX Sports, Inc.
Special recognition goes out to Owen Covell (Schoolboy 1), who joined Adams and Dudney on Saturday in sweeping all three of the motos in their respective classes en route to capturing class championships. All said, only seven athletes achieved the 1-1-1 sweep at Loretta Lynn’s in 2024, which remains a rare and challenging feat.
2024 Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Champions
250 C: Ryan Jaramillo, Los Lunas, N.M., Yamaha
Girls (11-16): Lachlan Turner, Gardnerville, Nev., GASGAS
College (18-24): Noah Stevens, Danbury, N.C., KTM
65cc (7-9): Kannon Zabojnik, Rowlett, Texas, Cobra
250 C Jr. (12-17) Limited: Drew Roberts, Kemp, Texas, Yamaha
450 B Limited: Diesel Thomas, Raymond, Neb., Husqvarna
85cc (10-12) Limited: Nolan Ford, Fairfield, Calif., KTM
Schoolboy 1 (12-17) B/C: Owen Covell, Plymouth, Mass., Yamaha*
Senior (45+): John Boruff, Maynardville, Tenn., Kawasaki
250 C Limited: Austin Ellis, Grass Valley, Calif., Honda
WMX: Kyleigh Stallings, Yukon, Okla., Kawasaki
65cc (10-11): Jaydin Smart, Berry Creek, Calif., Cobra
Source : DirtBikeMagazine