Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128169
AMA/Air Nautiques Amateur and Youth National MX C'ships The brightest stars seemed to come from states known for sunshine, especially California and Florida. And shining brightest was Suzuki prospect Evan Laughridge, a Californian who was making only his second visit to Loretta Lynn's, but was hoping to follow in the footsteps of past Suzuki amateur talents like By JASON WEIGANDT PHOTOS BY TFS AND TOE HURRICANE W hile ""u.s, TENNESSEE, AUG. 6-11 past editions of the AMA/Air Nautiques Amateur and Youth National Motocross Championships at Loretta Lynn's Dude Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, Travis Pastrana, Buddy Antunez and Branden Jesseman. With the -oppor- have been dominated by such notable names as Ricky Carmichael, James tunity to steal the spotlight, the Suzuki/Varner/lndependent Suspension/ Thor/Scott rider had the field covered en route to titles in both the 250cc/Open A class and the 125cc A/Pro Sport class. As a result, he was awarded the coveted AMA Horizon Award, given to the rider deemed most likely to carry on toward future Stewart, Kevin Windham and Damon Bradshaw, this year's event, you might say, returned to its roots. Without a marquee graduate on the card, the Nation's top amateur prospects some already known, and some not yet established on the motocross map - had a chance to shine at the world's biggest motocross race. 28 AUGUST 28, 2002' success in the sport. cue • e n e _ os "I'm not sure if a lot of people knew about me before," said Laughridge, who follows recent AMA Horizon Award winners Stewart (2001), Pastrana ('99) and Nick Wey ('97). "But I hope they know now!" The lightly regarded Laughridge was joined in the double-title ranks by a trio of past Loretta Lynn's champions: Davi Millsaps (125cc 12-15 Stock and Mod), Kevin Walker (25+ and 30+) and Mike Alessi (85cc Stock 12-13 and 85cc Mod 9-13). These four riders will all look dominant in the record books, but they faced stiff competition along the way. Laughridge dealt with strong challenges from Ohio's Gavin Gracyk, Florida's Troy Adams and future Yamaha of Troy team pilot Josh Hansen. Alessi battled the blazing fast Yamaha minicyclist Ryan Villopoto, from Washington. Millsaps had a stacked class of talent, with 125cc A winner Ryan Mills, from New York. And the veteran Walker, an amateur legend from Tennessee, faced perhaps the most formidable opponent of all: former AMA Supercross and Motocross National Champion Jeff Emig. This deep talent roster for the MX Sports-organized event, which was founded in 1982 by the late Dave Coombs Sr. and Paul Shlegel, was just a small sample of the massive