T
he first time a starting gate
ever dropped at Loretta
Lynn's Ranch happened 41
years ago, on August 4, 1982, to
be exact. It was the first time a
motocross of any kind had oc-
curred at the Ranch, owned and
lived on by country singer Lo-
retta Lynn, who needs no further
introduction.
According to Cycle News'
coverage of the race, written by
Tim O'Haver and photographed
by Werner Straube, 983 entries
were filed and 25 class champi
-
ons were crowned.
Back then, the race was called
the AMA/Kawasaki Amateur and
Youth National Championship
Motocross. Kawasaki was a big
supporter of that first race. So
much so that all their contracted
amateur racers were required to
race it. At that time, Kawasaki
was just getting going with its
Team Green racing program.
Kawasaki has been a major part
of the Loretta Lynn's Amateur
Nationals ever since.
The Loretta Lynn's Dude
Ranch race site, discovered by
promoters Dave Coombs and
Paul Schlegel, was chosen for
several reasons. The main ones
were that it was somewhat
centrally located in the U.S. and,
most importantly, offered a neu
-
tral battleground. No one would
have the home-field advantage
here since no one had ever rolled
a wheel around this new track,
not even the event promotor's
kids, Tim and Davey Coombs.
CNIIARCHIVES
P142
THE FIRST LORETTA LYNN'S
BY KIT PALMER
Paul Denis leads Bobby Moore (22)
and Danny Storbeck (33) at the very
first Loretta Lynn's Amateur Nationals
in 1982.
PHOTOS: WERNER STRAUBE
