Loretta Lynn’s Showcases Top Amateurs
Team AMSOIL continues support for popular event

Hurricane Mills, Tenn. ~ From a talented pack of over 23,000 entries, 33 AMA Amateur National Champions were crowned at the 25th Anniversary AMA Amateur National Championships at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch presented by AMSOIL. The entries at the Area and Regional qualifying levels were narrowed down to 1,386 finalists, (42 per class) to compete in three 20-minute motos in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., to determine the 2006 champions.

Team AMSOIL was well represented at the annual event of the nation’s top amateurs.  AMSOIL sponsored Wil Hahn, the brother of Team AMSOIL supercross pro rider Tommy Hahn, finished tenth overall in the 125 A/Pro Sport class and seventh in the 125 A class.  Hahn won his first moto in the 125 A/Pro Sport class and finished third in his final race, but a DNF in the second moto dashed any title hopes for the young rider.

John Highbee, who is sponsored by AMSOIL Dealer Scott Mattice, finished 26th overall in the 250/Open B Stock class.  The Catlett, Va. native finished 20, 21 and 31 in his three moto’s at Loretta’s.

Nicholas Howard finished 37th overall in the 250 open B/Stock class.  Howard ran moto’s of 37, 34 and 35).  AMSOIL Direct Jobber Daniel Dean sponsors the Milton, Ky. rider.

Mitchell Oldenburg, a Minnesota native who is sponsored by AMSOIL Direct Jobber Ray Schmidt, took part in two classes in Tennessee.  Oldenburg finished tenth in the 65cc Stock 10-11 class after turning in moto’s of 9, 11 and 10.  He also raced in the 85cc Stock 7-11 class.  Oldenburg finished 15th but had strong runs of seventh and sixth before a flat tire gave him a DNF in the third moto.
 
AMSOIL Direct Jobber Jason Keranen had four sponsored riders qualify for Loretta’s this year.  Dillon Huddleston took 15th in the 85cc Mod 12-13 class and 18th in the 85cc Stock 12-13 class.

Brandee Payne was among the top AMSOIL sponsored riders in Tennessee last week.  Payne finished sixth in the girls G5-105 9-13 class.  Payne turned in moto runs of 10th, 5th and 8th for her second straight top-10 finish at the Amateur Nationals.

Tyler Jorgensen made his first trip to Loretta’s a successful one.  Jorgensen finished 13th in the 51cc 4-6 Stock Oil class.  Jorgensen, from Arizona, ran moto’s of 10, 13 and 15.

Finally, Brandon Smith took part in the 51cc 4-6 AMA Class 1 and finished 25th overall.  The Aztec, N.M. rider had moto runs of 33, 29 and 15 in his first trip to the ranch.

Team AMSOIL rider Tyler Bowers also qualified for the weeklong event, but was unable to attend due to an injury during practice. 

Team AMSOIL rider Kevin Windham was named as an alternate for the Motocross des Nations race this year.  Windham was a member of the 2005 winning team.  One of the top pro’s, K-Dub was a multiple winner at Loretta Lynn’s during his amateur days.

Dubé Makes Canadian Motocross des Nations Team
Continues to battle for points in Canadian motocross series

Morden, Manitoba ~ Team AMSOIL member Marco Dubé continues to battle the Canadian competition this summer.  Soon, however, the Quebec native will have to deal with the world’s best.  Dubé has been named to the Canadian team for the upcoming Motocross des Nations.  It’s the first time Dubé has been named to the team, which will compete at the annual event in late September in England.

Closer to home, Dubé has been busy racing.  Two weeks ago in Morden, Manitoba Dubé battled for sixth place in both his motos for sixth overall.  The top 10 finish put the young rider just 13 points behind fourth place for the end of the year points race.

Last weekend, Dubé was looking for a podium finish but a run-in with another rider ripped two bolts off his shroud, causing significant drag for the remainder of the race.  Despite the problems, he was able to finish fourth in the first moto.  In the second moto, Dubé muscled his KTM back into fourth place, but mechanical problems pushed him back to eighth.  Dubé will be back in action in two weeks when he travels to New Brunswick.

Brady Smith Sets Record Time at Deer Creek
Team AMSOIL late model driver fastest around 3/8-mile oval

Spring Valley, Minn. ~ The Brady Smith Racing team posted a solid eighth place finish on Saturday night in the annual 'USA Nationals' at the Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis.  After setting the eighth fastest time in qualifying on Friday night, the "Deuce" ran second in his heat race to earn a coveted starting spot in the 100-lap A-Main.  In the feature, Smith rolled off 13th for the $50,000 feature event and improved his starting spot by five spots en route to the eighth place effort in one of the premier events in the 2006 racing season.

Earlier in the weekend at Cedar Lake, Smith finished 21st in the WDRL Series sanctioned event on Thursday, August 3.  The race was continued from June when Mother Nature postponed the show after heat race action.  Smith was fourth in his B-Main, one spot out of a transfer position, but received a provisional to gain access to the $10,000 to win, 50-lap feature event. 

“I think we had a pretty good showing at Cedar Lake this weekend,” said Smith.  “There were 60-plus cars present and we ran up front with them all weekend.  It was unfortunate that I got caught up in that first-lap wreck on Thursday night because I think our #2 car could have came forward in that race.  The track was in great shape all three nights and the fans should have loved all the racing action.”

Smith will be in action Thursday night at the Freeport (Ill.) Raceway Park for a WDRL sanctioned event.

Co-op Sponsorships

If you are a T-1 certified AMSOIL Dealer looking to sponsor a local racer through the AMSOIL Co-op Race Program, please fill out the G-2074 and send it the AMSOIL Racing Department.  Teams who were sponsored last year will need to fill out the form once again.  Also, please remember to send in your race results, as they will be included in the Checkered Flag.