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/858916
MOTOCROSS 36TH ROCKY MOUNTAIN ATV/MC AMA AMATEUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AUGUST 1-5, 2017 LORETTA LYNN RANCH / HURRICANE MILLS, TENNESSEE P82 In 450 B Limited racing, Indiana's Ezra Hastings used steady 2-2-2 finishes to better the 1-5-1 of Texas KTM rider Zane Merrett and Maryland's Justin Rodbell (3-1-3). Utah's Garrett Marchbanks, already a six-time AMA Amateur National Champion, added his seventh title in the highly competi- tive 250 B class. Marchbanks was challenged by Pennsylvania's Seth Hammaker, who won the first moto and claimed second overall, as well as his fellow Utah rider Pierce Brown and California's Derek Drake. In 250cc B Limited action, Drake would sweep all three motos for his first-ever AMA National Championship. Marchbanks also won the Schoolboy 2 (12- 17) class, sweeping all three motos ahead of KTM-mounted Pierce Brown and Texan Parker Mashburn. California's Tanner Basso didn't win a moto in the College (18-24) class, but his steady 2-2-2 finishes were enough to clinch the title. Mexico's Felix Lopez was disappointed with second overall, having won the first two motos before finishing fifth in the final stanza. Mike Brown last raced Loretta Lynn's in 1990, when he was a promising 125 A rider. He went on to a long and successful profes- sional career, and then ventured into off-road been close to winning titles at the ranch several times, just like his father Brian back in the late eighties and early nineties. The Deegans finally got to take home a championship trophy from the ranch when Haiden beat out his friend and KTM teammate Dax- ton Bennick in the 65cc (7-11) class. Deegan split moto wins with Bennick and then grabbed the last moto win and the title. Worse for Bennick was the 65cc (10-11) Limited class. He won the first two motos there and seemed set on claiming the title, only to have a crash and a mechanical problem with two laps to go in the last moto leave him back in 34th. Georgia's Casey Cochran stepped up to claim the third-moto win over Deegan, as well as the title. In the Schoolboy 1 (12-16) B/C class, Mason Gonzalez was able to capitalize on a final-moto breakdown for fellow Floridian and Rockstar Husqvarna rider Jalek Swoll and take the win with solid 1-2-1 moto scores. The 125cc (12-16) B/C class was a wild one, and when all was said and done Wisconsin's Carter Biese was able to claim the number-one plate with unlikely 3-2-6 moto scores, as moto winners Swoll, Ethan Mann and Palmer Neely all offset their good race with bad ones. Mann's 5-10-1 earned him runner-up honors. Pennsylvania's Broc Papi grabbed the 450 B win after out-dueling Can- ada's Marco Cannella for a second- place finish in the last moto. The Suzuki-mounted Papi ended up with a 3-1-2 moto tally that bettered the 1-5-1 of Texan Carter Halpain. Canella claimed third with 4-2-3 scores. (Above) Garret Marchbanks won the Top Amateur award. (Right) Mike Brown tore it up in the 25+ and 40+ Vet classes.