Slaw
The penultimate day of action at the 44th Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship Presented by AMSOIL kicked off the third and final set of motos at Loretta Lynn Ranch. Abundant cloud cover and balmy temperatures provided ideal conditions on Friday, as the first wave of AMA National Champions were crowned with 23 classes contesting their deciding moto.
Moto 3: 85cc (10-12)
All week long, Twisted Development KTM’s Sawyer Gieck had been the standard bearer in the 85cc divisions. He entered Friday’s final moto with a pair of convincing moto wins and enjoyed a comfortable margin in the standings. However, that didn’t deter Gieck from wanting to complete the sweep. As the field stormed out the gate for the last time it wasn’t Gieck out front, but rather BS Moto Lab Husqvarna’s Landon Lee, who grabbed the early lead over MotoBros KTM’s Anderson Waldele. Gieck started sixth, but made several passes early to move into third, within striking distance of the lead pair.
After a pass on Waldele for second, Gieck set his sights on Lee. Gieck’s pace was slightly faster, which allowed him to chip away at the deficit for multiple laps. He soon closed to within a second and just past the halfway point both riders posted their fastest laps of the moto. Gieck made a push to take the lead and successfully did so, quickly putting multiple seconds on Lee. Gieck never looked back and completed the 1-1-1 sweep by 3.5 seconds over Lee. Altus Motorsports BLU CRU Yamaha’s Jaydin Smart completed the top three, followed by KTM rider Eidan Steinbrecher in fourth and 110 Racing KTM’s Whalyn Ballenger in fifth.
Gieck led the way on the overall podium with a perfect 1-1-1 mark for three points and the AMA National Championship, while back-to-back second place moto finishes pushed Lee into the runner-up spot with 9-2-2 finishes for 13 points. Ballenger rounded out the overall podium in third with 6-3-5 results for 14 points.
85cc (10-12) Moto 3 Results
1 Sawyer Gieck, Alpine, Wyo., KTM
2 Landon Lee, Midland, Texas, Husqvarna
3 Jaydin Smart, Berry Creek, Calif., Yamaha
4 Eidan Steinbrecher, Fair Oaks, Calif., KTM
5 Whalyn Ballenger, Cairo, Ga., KTM
85cc (10-12) Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Score)
1 Sawyer Gieck, Alpine, Wyo., KTM (1-1-1 // 3)
2 Landon Lee, Midland, Texas, Husqvarna (9-2-2 // 13)
3 Whalyn Ballenger, Cairo, Ga., KTM (6-3-5 // 14)
Moto 3: Mini Sr. 1 (12-14) & Mini Sr. 2 (13-15)
Over the course of the week, a competitive rivalry had emerged across both Mini Sr. 1 and Mini Sr. 2 as Husqvarna rider Maddox Temmerman and Altus Motorsports BLU CRU Yamaha’s Tayce Morgan had positioned themselves atop the standings in each class. Temmerman began the week strong and held the edge in Mini Sr. 2, but Morgan started to shift the momentum into his favor and led the way in Mini Sr. 1.
Mini Sr. 2 was the first to hit the track on Friday, where Temmerman held a slim one-point lead on Morgan. As the race got underway, Morgan positioned himself into second behind GASGAS MOB’s Alex Campigli, while Temmerman looked to move forward from sixth. Out front, Campigli and Morgan traded fast laps until Campigli crashed out of the lead and dropped to fifth, which handed the top spot to Morgan. Parker MX KTM’s Hudson Vagele moved into second but battled with Temmerman for the position. Temmerman made the pass and found himself within striking distance of Morgan, but as he looked to make a move Temmerman went down, all but ending his title hopes. Morgan brought home his second moto win of the week by a margin of 4.5 seconds over Triangle Cycles BLU CRU Yamaha’s Cooper Johnson, with Vagele in third. Temmerman soldiered home in fourth, with Altus Motorsports GASGAS’ Elliott Bowsher in fifth.
Morgan’s 3-1-1 finishes gave him five points and made him an AMA National Champion. Temmerman’s seven points on 1-2-4 finishes resulted in a runner-up finish, while Johnson’s consistent 2-4-2 effort and eight points completed the overall podium.
Mini Sr. 2 (13-15) Moto 3 Results
- Tayce Morgan, Clermont, Fla., Yamaha
- Cooper Johnson, White Oak, Pa., Yamaha
- Hudson Vagele, Selkirk, N.Y., KTM
- Maddox Temmerman, Visalia, Calif., Husqvarna
- Elliott Bowsher, Clinton, La., GASGAS
Mini Sr. 2 (13-15) Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Score)
- Tayce Morgan, Clermont, Fla., Yamaha (3-1-1 // 5)
- Maddox Temmerman, Visalia, Calif., Husqvarna (1-2-4 // 7)
- Cooper Johnson, White Oak, Pa., Yamaha (2-4-2 // 8)
Morgan and Temmerman returned to the track one last time for Mini Sr. 1, set to determine who would walk away victorious. As the field roared into the first turn, the Yamaha’s of Johnson and Morgan led the way, while Temmerman was faced with an uphill battle after starting in 14th place.
As they paced the field early, Johnson and Morgan welcomed a third rider into the mix in Vagele, whose pressure on Morgan forced the Floridian to make a move on Johnson and take the lead. Vagele followed through into second and then latched on to Morgan’s rear fender. Vagele applied consistent pressure on the lead, but Morgan managed to fend off the advances several times. Morgan established a little breathing room in the closing stages while misfortune ultimately cost Vagele second place on the final lap. The leaders remained close throughout the moto as Morgan completed a winning afternoon by a margin of just 1.2 seconds over Johnson, with Vagele in third. Temmerman did all he could to move forward, logging the fastest lap of the moto, but couldn’t get any further than fourth. Bowsher finished fifth.
Morgan capped off a double AMA National Championship outing with 2-2-1 finishes for five points, while Temmerman secured another runner-up finish with 1-5-4 results for 10 points. Vagele completed the overall podium in third with 5-3-3 results for 11 points.
Mini Sr. 1 (12-14) Moto 3 Results
- Tayce Morgan, Clermont, Fla., Yamaha
- Cooper Johnson, White Oak, Pa., Yamaha
- Hudson Vagele, Selkirk, N.Y., KTM
- Maddox Temmerman, Visalia, Calif., Husqvarna
- Elliott Bowsher, Clinton, La., GASGAS
Mini Sr. 1 (12-14) Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Score)
- Tayce Morgan, Clermont, Fla., Yamaha (2-2-1 // 5)
- Maddox Temmerman, Visalia, Calif., Husqvarna (1-5-4 // 10)
- Hudson Vagele, Selkirk, N.Y., KTM (5-3-3 // 11)
Moto 3: 250 B
A major momentum shift in the second moto of 250 B put KTM Orange Brigade’s Deacon Denno in control of his own destiny entering Friday’s finale. The third moto was poised to be a showdown between Denno, Altus Motorsports BLU CRU Yamaha’s Owen Covell, and Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Vincent Wey. With a pair of rivals to contend with, Denno seized the moment.
Arguably the defining moment of the race came when Denno piloted his KTM into the early lead, taking charge from the outset of the moto. Covell slotted into third, while Wey looked to move forward from sixth, only to suffer a costly crash that dropped him outside the top 30. While Wey’s heartbreak effectively ended his title hopes, Covell moved up to second and attempted to track down Denno. However, the KTM rider never put a wheel wrong and continued to build on his advantage over the course of the moto, never giving Covell a chance. Denno took his second straight moto win by 13.1 seconds over Covill, followed by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Carson Wood in third. Future MX GASGAS’ William Canaguier was fourth, with EBR Performance/Altus Motorsports BLU CRU Yamaha’s Chace Lawton in fifth.
Denno’s exceptionally consistent 2-1-1 finishes for four points vaulted him to the AMA National Championship, with Covell’s six points from 1-3-2 results landing him in the runner-up spot. Lawton rounded out the overall podium with 5-4-5 finishes for 14 points.
250 B Moto 3 Results
1 Deacon Denno, Malakoff, Texas, KTM
2 Owen Covell, Plymouth, Mass., Yamaha
3 Carson Wood, Zephyrhills, Fla., Yamaha
4 William Canaguier, Hernando Beach, Fla., GASGAS
5 Chace Lawton, Foster, R.I., Yamaha
250 B Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Score)
1 Deacon Denno, Malakoff, Texas, KTM (2-1-1 // 4)
2 Owen Covell, Plymouth, Mass., Yamaha (1-3-2 // 6)
3 Chace Lawton, Foster, R.I., Yamaha (5-4-5 // 14)
Moto 3: 250 Pro Sport
As one of the hottest riders all week at the Ranch, Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Enzo Temmerman entered the final 250 Pro Sport moto with one goal – victory. His back-to-back wins through the first two motos gave him a healthy lead coming into Friday and while he certainly didn’t make life easy on himself, his Moto 3 performance epitomized the prowess he’d shown up to that point.
The moto began with Altus Motorsports BLU CRU Yamaha rider Kade Johnson in control, establishing a multi-second lead over Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Landen Gordon in second. Temmerman, meanwhile, started sixth and ultimately found himself more than 10 seconds behind the leader. Nevertheless, he methodically worked his way forward and moved into the top three before the halfway point. From there, Johnson, Gordon, and Temmerman settled in. Then, with just three laps remaining, Temmerman dropped the hammer and picked up the pace considerably. After running nine seconds back for most of the moto, the Kawasaki rider was all over his rivals late and successfully made the pass on Gordon for second. He continued his forward surge to catch and pass Johnson on the final lap. The gritty effort capped off a 1-1-1 sweep for Temmerman, winning by seven seconds over Johnson. Gordon settled for third, with Munn Racing Husqvarna’s Diesel Thomas in fourth and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Landon Gibson in fifth.
Temmerman’s impressive sweep of the motos showcased his ability to both lead from the front and also come from behind. His 1-1-1 finishes for three points easily clinched the AMA National Championship, while Gordon completed a 1-2 overall result for Team Green with 2-4-3 finishes and nine points. Gibson rounded out the overall podium with 3-2-5 results for 10 points.
250 Pro Sport Moto 3 Results
- Enzo Temmerman, Visalia, Calif., Kawasaki
- Kade Johnson, Hideaway, Texas, Yamaha
- Landen Gordon, Atascadero, Calif., Kawasaki
- Diesel Thomas, Raymond, Neb., Husqvarna
- Landon Gibson, Peachtree City, Ga., Tennessee
250 Pro Sport Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Score)
- Enzo Temmerman, Visalia, Calif., Kawasaki (1-1-1 // 3)
- Landen Gordon, Atascadero, Calif., Kawasaki (2-4-3 // 9)
- Landon Gibson, Peachtree City, Ga., Tennessee (3-2-5 // 10)
Moto 3: Supermini 1 (12-15)
One of the last scheduled races of the day also featured one of the closest and most unpredictable battles for the class title. After trading finishing positions through the first two motos, Roost MX GASGAS’ Colt Martin and JM Racing GASGAS’ Darren Pine came into Friday’s action tied atop the standings. An always exciting winner-take-all battle awaited.
The moto began with neither Martin nor Pine up front. Instead, Husqvarna rider Drew Marson and VIP Academy KTM’s Brecken Maas led the way initially, while Pine settled into third. The rider to watch was JM Racing KTM’s Kane Brown, who started eighth and made an incredible charge up the running order to take over the lead in just two laps. Once out front, Brown was given persistent pressure from both Pine and Martin. As Brown continued to manage a lead of about a second, Pine and Martin engaged in a battle of their own for second, with Martin taking the position for several laps. Pine responded and reclaimed the position just a few laps later. Back up front, Brown kept all challengers at bay to secure a thrilling moto win by 7.8 seconds over Pine, with Martin in third. KTM Orange Brigade’s Nolan Ford finished fourth, followed by KTM rider Noxx Lewin.
By virtue of his better finishing position, Pine captured the AMA National Championship with consistent finishes of 2-1-2 for five points. Martin was right behind in the runner-up spot, with 1-2-3 finishes for six points, narrowly missing out on victory. Brown’s impressive final moto performance vaulted him to third overall with 3-5-1 finishes for nine points.
Supermini 1 (12-15) Moto 3 Results
- Gauge Brown, Cypress, Texas, KTM
- Darren Pine, Montgomery, Texas, GASGAS
- Colt Martin, Talladega, Ala., GASGAS
- Nolan Ford, Fairfield, Calif., KTM
- Noxx Lewin, Chandler, Okla., KTM
Supermini 1 (12-15) Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Score)
- Darren Pine, Montgomery, Texas, GASGAS (2-1-2 // 5)
- Colt Martin, Talladega, Ala., GASGAS (1-2-3 // 6)
- Gauge Brown, Cypress, Texas, KTM (3-5-1 // 9)
2025 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship Friday Champions
Vet (30+): Brandon Haas, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha
450 B: Owen Covell, Plymouth, Mass., Yamaha
125 C: Kylon Belles, Colton, Ore., KTM
65cc (7-9) Limited: Shannon Tarnow, Thrall, Texas, Cobra
Senior (40+): Andrew Short, Smithville, Texas, KTM
450 C: Cooper Bergeron, Gray Court, S.C., Yamaha
250 B Limited: McKayden Fitch, Elbert, Colo., Yamaha
65cc (10-11) Limited: Raycin Kyler, Brooksville, Fla., Cobra
Junior (25+): Jacob Baumert, Heartland, Texas, Yamaha
125 Jr. (12-17) B/C: Tristan Prueitt, West Linn, Ore., Husqvarna
Masters (50+): Gregory Pamart, Birdsboro, Pa., Kawasaki
250 C: Alessio Chavez, Rock Springs, Wyo., GASGAS
Girls (11-16): Hannah Jamison, Henderson, Colo, GASGAS
Micro 2 (4-6) Limited: Rivers Rice, Fombell, Pa., Cobra
Micro 3 (7-8) Limited: Edwin Meyer, Adrian, Mo., Cobra
Micro 1 (4-6) Shaft Drive Limited: Steele Crocker, Laurens, S.C., Yamaha
Micro E (4-6) Limited: Wyatt Tedesco, Tecumseh, Okla., Cobra
