HURRICANE MILLS, Tenn. — Racers at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch were greeted with a second day of weather delays on Friday morning, which once again resulted in a condensed schedule for the fourth day of action at the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, presented by AMSOIL.
Racing was able to get started in the late morning, which led to a jam-packed afternoon schedule and ultimately pushed back all the third, championship-deciding motos to Saturday’s finale.
Moto 2: 250 Pro Sport
After an impressive 11th to second ride in the first moto, GASGAS Amateur Team rider Mark Fineis made life much easier on himself in Moto 2 of 250 Pro Sport by capturing the STACYC Holeshot. Fineis’ lead didn’t last long as GASGAS rider Evan Ferry took over the top spot, only to crash out of the lead and hand the position back to Fineis, ahead of KTM rider Cody Williams and Yamaha rider Brad West. Moto 1 winner Julien Beaumer started deep in the top 10 aboard his KTM Orange Brigade ride.
The clear track in slick conditions paid big dividends for Fineis as his lead continued to grow. Williams dropped out of podium contention, which allowed West to assume the spot with NSA Yamaha Amateur Factory Team rider Gavin Towers pressuring from third. Towers soon took over second from West, but faced a deficit of more than 10 seconds to Fineis. Multiple riders took turns running third, until Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Daxton Bennick asserted himself into the spot following a 15th-place start. Further back, Beaumer experienced misfortune after getting stuck under his KTM following a crash but successfully returned to the track, well out of contention.
Fineis went wire-to-wire to seize control of the overall classification entering the third and final moto. Bennick’s stellar charge landed him in second, while Towers held on for third.
Moto 2: Schoolboy 2 (12/17) B/C
After a breakthrough ride to claim a moto win in 250 B, Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Krystian Janik was brimming with confidence for the second moto of Schoolboy 2. Janik led the field into the first turn to open the moto with the STACYC Holeshot, while misfortune struck both Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Casey Cochran, the Moto 1 winner, and NSA Yamaha Amateur Factory Team’s Logan Best.
As was the case so often this week, the clear track helped Janik open up an early lead while his Team Green counterparts Drew Adams and Enzo Temmerman gave chase. A miscue by Adams cost him several spots and allowed Temmerman to assume second, while a fierce battle ensued between KTM rider Jordan Renfrow and GASGAS rider Landin Pepperd.
Temmerman kept his Kawasaki teammate honest, but some miscues late in the moto ultimately allowed Janik to finish in full control of the moto and follow up his winning ride from yesterday with another moto triumph. Temmerman made it a Team Green 1-2, while Pepperd got the better of GASGAS rider Casey Benard Jr, with a late pass for third.
The win puts Janik atop the overall classification with one moto remaining, followed by Temmerman and Cochran.
Moto 2: 450 B Limited
After trading wins throughout the week, NSA Yamaha Amateur Factory Team rider Leum Oehlhof and KTM Orange Brigade’s Jeremy Fappani had the chance to square off once more in the second moto of 450 B Limited. However, a tale of two starts ultimately gave Oehlhof a significant upper hand on Fappani, who found himself outside the top 10 out the gate.
While Oehlhof didn’t emerge with the early lead, he positioned himself near the front of the field and methodically worked his way forward with passes on Honda rider Alvin Hillan for third, KTM rider Reece Clason for second, and eventually early leader and STACYC Holeshot recipient Tommy Callow aboard his KTM.
Oehlhof took the lead with his fastest lap of the moto and quickly established a major advantage over the field that surpassed 10 seconds. While the Yamaha rider ran away with the moto, a multitude of riders traded third place over the course of the race. Husqvarna rider Evan Stewart secured a firm grasp of third and pressured Callow for the runner-up spot.
Oehlhof surged to another moto win while Fappani never factored into the race, getting as high as seventh before a miscue dropped him outside the top 10 once more. Back out front, Oehlhof captured the moto win with ease over Stewart, while Callow completed the moto podium. Fappani settled for eighth.
Oehlhof sits in control of his own destiny headed into the final moto, while Fappani sits tied with Yamaha rider Jadon Cooper for second, several points behind.
Moto 2: Supermini 2 (13-16)
Another rider carrying momentum into Friday’s action was KTM mounted Deacon Denno. After capturing the Supermini 1 victory on Thursday a motivated and confident Denno lined up for Moto 2 in Supermini 2 with aspirations for more success.
As the field exited the first turn KTM rider Canyon Richards was leading the way for the STACYC Holeshot with the KTM of Logan Mortberg tucked in behind him. Giving chase behind the front pair was Denno and Moto 1 winner Landen Gordon aboard his Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green machine.
Denno went on the attack and was able to make the move around Mortberg for second and applied heavy pressure on Richards for the top spot before taking control of the moto on the second lap. Gordon was able to make his move into third and continued a battle with Mortberg for the position.
Both Denno and Richards were able to pull away from the field, with Denno comfortably ahead of his counterpart. With second place in hand, Richards encountered misfortune in the late stages of the moto and was unable to finish, which allowed Gordon to take second on the final lap.
Denno took the moto win by more than 20 seconds over Gordon, while KTM Orange Brigade’s Seth Dennis clawed his way into third after a hard-working moto in which he overcame an eighth-place start.
Moto 2: 85cc (10-12) Limited
The second moto of 85cc Limited saw the KTM of Nolan Ford surge out to the early lead after grabbing the STACYC Holeshot with the GASGAS of Darren Pine in pursuit. Ford looked to take advantage of the clear track but a determined Pine made the pass.
Pine soon sprinted out to a multi-second advantage as Ford settled into second. Behind the leaders the Husqvarna of Braxtyn Mes moved up to third and looked to track down Ford.
Back out front, Pine continued to add to his comfortable lead, which expanded to more than 20 seconds over the second half of the moto. Ford, meanwhile, needed to continue to minimize mistakes to keep a persistent Mes at bay.
Pine was never challenged and successfully rebounded from his disqualification in Moto 1 to capture the Moto 2 win. A strong close to the moto allowed Ford to maintain his runner-up result, while Mes followed in third.
Pine’s consistent 2-2 finishes have him poised to bring home the title entering the third and final moto.
Moto 2: 65cc (10-11)
After an assertive victory to open the week, Rocky Mountain ATV/MC – Rides Unlimited KTM’s Easton Graves looked to maintain his control of the 65cc division entering Moto 2. When the field stormed out the gate to open the second moto it was Graves out front for the STACYC Holeshot, which he took full advantage of to establish a lead of nearly eight seconds by the completion of the opening lap.
The big lead proved to be all Graves needed to dominate the moto. He increased his advantage to double digits and continued to run away from the field. Behind him, JK Powersports KTM’s Jackson Vick held an equally firm hold on second place, well clear of any challengers.
Graves was in a class of his own and wrapped up another moto win to establish a 1-1 mark and be in full control of his own destiny entering the final moto. Vick finished strong in the runner-up spot, while GASGAS rider Eidan Steinbrecher prevailed with the third and final spot on the podium.
Keyword: It’s All Fineis At Loretta Lynn’s