HURRICANE MILLS, Tenn. — Racing at the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, presented by AMSOIL, kicked off on Tuesday with an opening day that featured a full slate of 23 motos.Â
Open Pro Sport: Moto 1
Arguably the most high-profile class at the Ranch, a lot of attention centered on the first Open Pro Sport moto.
A slew of contenders lined up on the gate, which saw Yamaha rider Mitchell Frantz emerge with the STACYC Holeshot, only to be overtaken by multiple riders. From there it was Bryce Shelley who took control of the lead aboard his Yamaha, followed by GASGAS rider Evan Ferry and Honda rider Noah Viney.
The Yamahas of Keegan Rowley and Daxton Bennick slotted into fourth and fifth, respectively.
A couple laps into the moto, Bennick went on the charge and began a march to the front. He moved into the top three by the completion of the second lap and didn’t relent, passing both Viney and Shelley on the same lap to seize control of the moto. He then dropped his fastest lap to establish a gap he would never relinquish.
As Bennick walked away with the moto, the action for a spot on the moto podium was compelling.
The early frontrunners of Shelly, Viney and Ferry soon came under pressure from a bevy of hard chargers. After starting ninth, Parker Ross piloted his Yamaha into the top five and continued a march into the top three halfway through the moto. Right behind him, Yamaha rider Avery Long was on a big move forward from 15th off the start.
Shelly went from the early lead to dropping multiple positions in the second half of the moto, while Viney battled it out with Ross and Long. Bennick took an assertive opening moto win by a double-digit margin, while Long closed out the moto strong with a late pass on Ross for the runner-up spot. Ross followed closely in third.
250 B: Moto 1
Fresh off a win at the first Scouting Moto Combine of the year early in July, Husqvarna rider Casey Cochran carried the momentum into the Ranch in the opening moto of 250 B.
Out the gate, it was Hayes Edward who led the field through the first turn aboard his Yamaha to grab the STACYC Holeshot. Yamaha rider Logan Best looked to challenge for the lead but crashed, which allowed Cochran to apply sole pressure on the top spot. He closed in and made the move before the completion of the opening lap to control the moto.
As Cochran looked to establish a lead, Kawasaki rider Aden Keefer made his own push into second and dropped Edwards to third. Misfortune struck Edwards on the ensuing lap and caused him to lose multiple positions.
The vacancy for third was filled by Kawasaki rider Drew Adams. A short time later a battle of Kawasaki’s unfolded as Adams was able to get the better of Keefer and take second. Adams proceeded to establish a firm grasp on the position.
While the lead duo asserted themselves out front, a multi-rider battle for third headlined the second half of the moto. Keefer fended off GASGAS rider Landin Pepperd and Kawasaki rider Enzo Temmerman for several laps, but eventually dropped from third to fifth as both his rivals were able to get by.
As this unfolded, Temmerman vaulted his way from fifth to third on a single lap and successfully established some breathing room over Pepperd in fourth. Cochran built his lead to more than 20 seconds in the closing laps and cruised to a dominant opening moto win.
Adams climbed from sixth off the start to an impressive runner-up effort, while Temmerman also impressed in a march from 13th to third.
Senior (40+) & Masters (50+): Moto 1
A pair of AMA Pro Motocross champions headlined the battle across both opening motos in the Senior and Masters division, as KTM mounted rivals Mike Brown and Jeff Emig squared off.
When the dust settled on this pair of motos, the legends each came away with a moto win.
The first class to line up on the gate was Senior, which saw Kris Keefer out front early with the STACYC Holeshot aboard his Yamaha. Brown was within striking distance after emerging in fourth, while Emig had work to do with a start just outside the top 10. It didn’t take long for Brown to make his presence felt as he charged from fourth to first on the opening lap and never looked back.
By the second lap Brown’s lead had surpassed double digits, which shifted the attention to Emig’s climb through the field.
He was able to break into the top five in just a few laps and then set his sights on the podium with a pass on Yamaha rider Robert Fitch for fourth. Emig then closed in on Keefer, who fell from second to fifth in the opening laps of the moto and battled his way back to reclaim the spot. Emig made the move on Keefer to complete his run to second.
Brown won with ease while Emig enjoyed a hard-fought runner-up ahead of Keefer in third.
When Masters lined up later in the afternoon, Emig was in search of redemption to give Brown the kind of pressure he never faced in their initial outing. When the gate dropped the battle was on immediately as Brown and Emig emerged in first and second, with Brown earning the STACYC Holeshot.
Brown looked to make an early statement on his fellow past titleholder and leveraged the clear track to build a lead of more than five seconds on the opening lap. Emig easily settled into second, but continued to lose ground to Brown. As the moto entered its final five minutes things took a dramatic and race-changing turn when Brown overjumped an obstacle and damaged his front wheel.
His pace dropped dramatically and allowed Emig to take big chunks out of what was a 19-second deficit prior to Brown’s misfortune. Emig closed in late and easily moved around a hampered Brown into the lead. He carried on to win by more than a half minute while Brown was able to salvage an important runner-up result.
Suzuki rider Barry Carsten finished third.
Mini Sr. 1 (12-14): Moto 1
Jayce Wolf, Franklin, Wis., KTM
Jonathan Getz, Old Town, Fla., GASGAS
Cole Blecha, Fruita, Colo., KTM
Vincent Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna
Colby Lessar, Centennial, Colo., KTM
Mini Sr. 2 (13-15): Moto 1
Vincent Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna
Jonathan Getz, Old Town, Fla., GASGAS
Cole Blecha, Fruita, Colo., KTM
Colby Lessar, Centennial, Colo., KTM
Jayce Wolf, Franklin, Wis., KTM