When the Schoolboy 2 B/C class rolled onto the line for its first moto it featured many of the same top-tier competitors from 250 B, including Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Jett Reynolds and Chance Hymas, Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing’s Nick Romano, and KTM Orange Brigade’s Nate Thrasher.
Out of the gate it was Romano who grabbed the STACYC Holeshot, but the Kawasaki of Reynolds moved into the lead to control the moto, leaving Romano and Hymas to give chase. The clear track proved to be a huge advantage for Reynolds as he established a comfortable lead by the end of the opening lap. Hymas was all over Romano and successfully made the pass for second. He then set his sights on his Team Green teammate.
Hymas applied heavy pressure on Reynolds, and even showed a wheel in some corners, but as they navigated through lappers Reynolds was much more efficient, and it helped prevent Hymas from attempting a pass. Even with Hymas just a few bike lengths behind throughout the entirety of the moto, Reynolds maintained his composure and brought home the moto win by three seconds over Hymas. The final spot on the podium went to Thrasher, who overcame a 14th-place start to make a torrid charge through the field and get by Romano in the closing laps.
After storming to victory in the opening 250 B moto on Tuesday, Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing’s Matt Leblanc was left feeling a little bittersweet with a third-place finish in 450 B. On Wednesday he returned to the track in search of redemption aboard the large displacement machine, and was successful in doing so.
After starting second behind SmarTop/Bullfrog Spas/MotoConcepts/Honda’s Luke Kalaitzian, who earned his second STACYC Holeshot, Leblanc hounded his rival for the lead, resulting in a captivating head-to-head fight between the two that carried on through the first half of the moto. Leblanc’s persistence finally paid off just past the halfway point when he was able to make the winning pass and carry on to his second moto win of the week by almost four seconds. Deep South Kawasaki’s Luca Marsalisi, who won the Moto 1, followed in third after starting 12th.
Leblanc and Marsalisi now sit tied atop the overall classification after two motos, with Kalaitzian in third.
After starting off his week with a victory in the opening moto of Supermini 2 on Tuesday, Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Ryder Difrancesco was back in action on Wednesday for the first moto of Supermini 1. Once again Difrancesco would be forced to contend with fellow Team Green rider Gavin Towers as well as KTM rider Ben Garib.
Out of the gate Difrancesco gave himself the advantage he was looking for by racing to the STACYC Holeshot, which put him at the head of the pack just ahead of Towers and Garib. The lead trio were in a class of their own and each solidified their hold on each respective position. Difrancesco consistently added to his advantage and went on to claim a decisive moto victory by just over eight seconds on Towers, while Garib rounded out the top three.
After a perfect start to his 2020 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship on Tuesday with a pair of moto wins, KTM Orange Brigade’s Haiden Deegan was looking to keep his undefeated streak intact on Wednesday for the second moto of Mini Sr. 2. While he had to work a little harder for his success on day two, it was more of the same from the second generation racer.
While Deegan came away with the STACY Holeshot to start Moto 2, he was passed and forced to settle for third on the opening lap. Highly motivated, he methodically worked his way into second, passing Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Krystian Janik, and was there to take advantage of a miscue by the leader, Triangle Cycles/bLU cRU/Yamaha’s Logan Best.
Once out front, Deegan checked out on the field and easily raced to his third moto win, and a continuation of his undefeated streak. Janik followed with his third podium finish of the week, while ECSTAR Factory Suzuki’s Casey Cochran finished third.
Deegan leads the way in the Mini Sr. 2 overall classification, with Janik in second and Best in third.
Both 65cc (10-11) divisions were in action on Wednesday, with the Limited class contesting its second moto of the week. In each the story was the same as KTM Orange Brigade’s Seth Dennis and Yamaha/Rock River/bLU cRU Amateur Motocross Team rider Canyon Richards were the class of the field.
Dennis took advantage of the STACYC Holeshot to assume the early lead in Limited Moto 2, where he quickly established a multi-second advantage that he’d never relinquish. While Richards, who started third and moved up to second by lap two, did all he could in pursuit, he was forced to settle for another runner-up finish, followed by second generation racer Vincent Wey in third aboard his Husqvarna.
Dennis leads the way in the overall classification for 65cc (10-11) Limited, with Richards second and Wey third.
The opening 65cc moto saw Richards take the STACYC Holeshot, only to drop back several positions outside the top five. That allowed Wey to get the edge over his rivals early on by leading the first couple laps of the race. After starting third, Dennis progressively moved forward and positioned himself out front after a miscue caused Wey to lose several positions. With the lead in hand, Dennis rode to a pressure-free win ahead of Richards, who rebounded to finish second. Wey recovered to finish third.
History was made on Wednesday at Loretta Lynn’s when the Mini-E class took to the track for the first ever electric bike moto at the AMA Amatuer National Motocross Championship. The class consisted of the youngest competitors at the event and signified a landmark moment for the sport.
When the gate dropped on the final moto of the day it was all Kade Nightingale aboard his KTM. After capturing the first ever STACYC Holeshot for an e-bike moto, the young rider was absolutely dominant en route to a historic first win in the Mini-E division, where he took the checkered flag 21 seconds ahead of second.