AMA: 27 national champions crowned at 1999 AMA Amateur Motocross Nationals
14 August 1999
PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- A full week of intense competition at the American
Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Amateur Motocross Nationals has narrowed the
field of more than 6,000 up-and-coming motocross racers nationwide to an elite
group of 27 national champions.
Of those 27 motocross champions, who competed in the Aug. 2-7 nationals at
Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., five riders scored two national
championship titles. 13-year-old Loretta Lynn's veteran James Stewart Jr., of
Winter Haven, Fla., added two more national championships to his racing resume
by winning all six motos he entered in the competitive 85cc (ages 12-13) Stock
and the 85cc (ages 9-13) Modified classes. Ben Riddle of Campbellsville, Ky.,
dominated the amateur B classes with five of six moto wins to take titles in the
125cc B Modified and 250cc-Open B Modified classes.
125 C racing was ruled by Jeremy Durrett, 16, of Euless, Texas, who won
five of six motos en route to national championships in the 125cc C Stock and
Modified classes. And 28-year-old Kevin Walker of Kingsport, Tenn., swept all
six motos for titles in the 201-650cc Four-stroke and the 25-over classes.
Annapolis, Maryland's Travis Pastrana won two national championships --
250cc Open A and 125cc A -- but took home three trophies. Pastrana, 15, capped
off the week by winning the prestigious AMA Motocross Horizon Award, which goes
to an outstanding amateur rider displaying great potential as a pro rider. Also
known for his spectacular jumping skills, Pastrana's performance at Loretta
Lynn's helped seal an offer from the Suzuki factory team to contest next year's
AMA 125cc Eastern Region Supercross Series.
One of the week's closest races was between Italian Stefy Bau and Jessica
Patterson, of Tallahassee, Fla., in the 105cc, 125cc-Open Women's class, with
the final moto winner
taking the title. Patterson chased Bau, a heavy favorite, the entire race before
muscling by in the last set of jumps before the finish line.
The 18th annual AMA Amateur Motocross Nationals saw more than 1,200 entries
compete in 32 different classes of competition based on engine size, age and
skill levels, ranging from 4-year-olds aboard 51cc minicycles to aging baby
boomers on various machines.
Following are the top three finishes in each class of competition.
1999 AMA AMATEUR & YOUTH MOTOCROSS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Loretta Lynn's Ranch, Hurricane Mills, Tenn.
August 2-7, 1999
YOUTH: 51cc Stock, shaft-drive, ages 4-6: Kalen Fitzpatrick, Port Richey,
FL, Yamaha; 2. Cody Robbins, Huntersville, NC, Yamaha; 3. Jacob Renkenberger,
Ft. Wayne, IN, Yamaha. 51cc Stock, ages 4-6 #1: Ian Trettel, Graham, NC, Cobra;
2. Garret Toth, Carlisle, PA, Cobra; 3. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, CA, Cobra.
51cc Stock, ages 4-6 #2: 1. Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, NC, Cobra. 2. Vince
Friese, Cape Girardeau, MO, Cobra; 3. Lowell Spangler, Lebanon, PA, Cobra. 65cc
Stock, ages 7-9: 1. Joshua Hill, La Center, WA, KTM; 2. Zach Osborne, Abingdon,
VA, KTM; 3. Austin Stroupe, Lincolnton, NC, KTM. 85cc Stock, ages 7-11: David
Milsaps, St. Cloud, FL, Suzuki; 2. Kyle Chisholm, Seminole, FL, Kawasaki; 3.
Grant Moreland, Stanton, MI, Suzuki. 65cc Stock, ages 10-11: 1. Mike Alessi,
Moorpark, CA, Kawasaki; 2. Jason Lawrence, Estell Manor, NJ, KTM; 3. Mitchell
Dougherty, Whitesboro, NY, Kawasaki. 85cc Stock, ages 12-13: 1. James Stewart
Jr., Winter Haven, FL, Kawasaki; 2. Broc Hepler, Kittanning, PA, Suzuki; 3.
Bryan Johnson Jr., Kissimmee, FL, Suzuki. 85cc Modified, ages 9-13: 1. James
Stewart Jr., Winter Haven, FL, Kawasaki; 2. Shane Lusk, Bainbridge, GA, Honda;
3. Teddy Maier, Ft. Dodge, IA, Honda. 85cc Stock, ages 14-15: 1. Colt Humphrey,
Morris, OK, Honda; 2. Shane Bess, Oxnard, CA, Suzuki; 3. Michael Blose, Phoenix,
AZ. 85cc Modified, ages 14-15: 1. Shane Bess, Oxnard, CA, Suzuki; 2. Colt
Humphrey, Morris, OK, Honda; 3. Gavin Gracyk, Blissfield, OH, Kawasaki. 105cc
Super Mini, ages 12-15: 1. Gavin Gracyk, Blissfield, OH, Kawasaki; 2. Michael
Blose, Phoenix, AZ, Yamaha; 3. Jesse Casillas Jr., Jamul, CA, Yamaha. 125cc
Stock, ages 12-15: 1. Bobby Bonds, Maricopa, CA, Yamaha; 2. Ryan Morais,
Turlock, CA, Yamaha; 3. Steve Mertens, Sonoma, CA, Yamaha. 125cc Modified, ages
12-15: 1. Ryan Morias, Turlock, CA, Yamaha; 2. Bobby Bonds, Maricopa, CA,
Yamaha; 3. Chase Reed, Lone Grove, OK, Yamaha. 80-105cc Women, ages 12-15: 1.
Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan, MI, Yamaha; 2. Kristi Myers, New Braunfels, TX,
Kawasaki; 3. Brandi Davis, Oklahoma City, OK, Yamaha.
AMATEUR: 125cc A: 1. Travis Pastrana, Annapolis, MD, Suzuki; 2. Tyson
Hadsell, Hudson, FL, Yamaha; 3. Mike Corder, Rainer, OR, Kawasaki. 125cc B
Stock: 1. Sean Hamblin, Quail Valley, CA, Yamaha; 2. Johnny Marley, Moore, OK,
Yamaha; 3. Joshua Woods, Flint, MI, Kawasaki. 125cc B Modified: 1. Ben Riddle,
Campbellsville, KY, Kawasaki; 2. Joshua Woods, Flint, MI, Kawasaki; 3. Johnny
Marley, Moore, OK, Yamaha. 125cc C Stock: 1. Jeremy Durrett, Euless, TX,
Kawasaki; 2. Nate Larsen, Flushing, MI, Yamaha; 3. Dwane Mitchell, Honea Path,
SC, Yamaha. 125cc C Modified: 1. Jeremy Durrett, Euless, TX, Kawasaki; 2.
Timothy Ballentine, Andover, OH, Honda; 3. Glenn Herbert II, Kentwood, LA,
Kawasaki. 250cc-Open A: 1. Travis Pastrana, Annapolis, MD, Suzuki; 2. Tyson
Hadsell, Hudson, FL, Yamaha; 3. Mark Thompson, Copper Canyon, TX, Yamaha.
250cc-Open B Stock: 1. Chase Reed, Lone Grove, OK, Yamaha; 2. Andrew Short,
Black Forest, CO, Kawasaki; 3. R.J. Thompson, Moorpark , CA, Kawasaki.
250cc-Open B Modified: 1. Ben Riddle, Campbellsville, KY, Kawasaki; 2. Jesse
Ketcham, Valley Springs, CA, Suzuki; 3. Clinton Shealy III, Gainseville, FL,
Kawasaki. 250cc-Open C: 1. Kyle Hochstetler, Panama City Beach, FL, Kawasaki; 2.
Nate Larsen, Flushing, MI, Kawasaki; 3. Jon Replogle, Capitola, CA, Kawasaki.
201-650cc Four-stroke: 1. Kevin Walker, Kingsport, TN, Yamaha; 2. Kevin Foley,
Arvada, CO, Yamaha; 3. Jesse Allen, Rainier, OR, Yamaha. 105cc, 125cc-Open,
Women: 1. Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee, FL, Kawasaki; 2. Stefy Bau, Broomall,
PA, Kawasaki; 3. Kristy Shealy, Willis, TX, Kawasaki. 25-over: 1. Kevin Walker,
Kingsport, TN, Yamaha; 2. Mark Musselman, Brookville, OH, KTM; 3. Larry Gessner,
Jeffersonville, IN, KTM. Veteran 30-over A: 1. Kevin Foley, Arvada, CO, Yamaha;
2. Dag Boyesen, Slatington, PA, Suzuki; 3. Larry Gessner, Jeffersonville, IN,
KTM. Veteran 30-over B/C: 1. Jack Lambert, Lees Summit, MO, Yamaha; 2. John
Lewis, Indiana, PA, Honda; 3. Gregory Frey, Cheswick, PA, Yamaha. Senior
40-over: 1. Craig Pickett, Linden, MI, Yamaha; 2. Larry Witmer, Elkhart, IN,
Suzuki; 3. Donny Banks, Macon, GA, Suzuki. Master, 50-over: 1. Steve Lewis,
Liberty, SC, Yamaha; 2. Isaac De Jagger, Cary, NC, Honda; 3. Gary Peak,
Marshall, IL, Yamaha.
PRO SPORT: 125cc A: 1. Billy Payne, Simi Valley, CA, Kawasaki; 2. Keith
Johnson, Albuquerque, NM, Yamaha; 3. Damien Plotts, Loveland, OH, Yamaha.
250-Open A: 1. Damien Plotts, Loveland, OH, Yamaha; 2. Billy Payne, Simi Valley,
CA, Kawasaki; 3. Ryan Clark, Albuquerque, NM, Kawasaki.
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