Nominees for 2020 AMA Racing and Organizer Awards Released

Tuesday, January 5, 2021 | 4:05 PM

Nominees for 2020 AMA Racing and Organizer Awards released
AMA members invited to vote for AMA Athlete of the Year categories

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association has announced the nominees for the 2020 AMA Racing and Organizer Awards, which recognize individuals and organizations that excelled in AMA-sanctioned competition and recreational activity during the past 12 months.

“The AMA honors this year’s national and regional champions and recognizes individuals and clubs who have gone above and beyond to support and protect the motorcycling lifestyle,” AMA Director of Racing Mike Pelletier said. “We are grateful for the opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of motorcycle and ATV competitors, volunteers and advocates across the nation.”

AMA members help choose the winners of selected racing categories, including the coveted AMA Athlete of the Year awards. Members may visit surveymonkey.com to cast votes for the 2020 AMA Racing Awards. Voting ends at midnight on Jan. 8.

The AMA recognizes hundreds of top racers from across the country in disciplines ranging from flat track to motocross to woods racing and everything in between.

Recreational riding organizers will be recognized in road-riding and off-road categories.

“We appreciate the hard work that goes into organizing recreational riding events,” AMA Director of Member Activity Heather Wilson said. “The organizers nominated for awards have continuously produced quality events. We also are happy to recognize volunteers in three categories—rights, riding and racing—who have committed their expertise and time to motorcycling.”

The AMA Club of the Year and the AMA Media Award also will be recognized.

The annual AMA Championship Banquet and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

2020 AMA Racing Award Nominees

AMA Athlete of the Year: National Championship Series

• Grant Baylor — Champion, AMA National Enduro Championship Series
• Trystan Hart — Champion, AMA Tennessee Knockout Extreme Off-Road Grand Championship
• Dante Oliveria — Champion, AMA National Grand Prix Championship
• Kyle Peters — Champion, AMA Arenacross National Championship
• Kailub Russell — Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series
• Dalton Shirley — Champion, AMA National Hare and Hound Championship
• Maximus Vohland — Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship

AMA Athlete of the Year: Grand Championships

• Gabriel Da Silva — Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award Winner
• Kody Kopp — Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award Winner
• Danny Lewis — AMA Tennessee Knockout Extreme Off-Road Amateur Grand Champion
• Stilez Robertson — Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award Winner

AMA ATV Athlete of the Year

• Walker Fowler — Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series
• Max Lindquist — Champion, AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series
• Landon Wolfe — Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series

AMA Veteran/Senior Racer of the Year

• Larry Engwall — Champion, AMA National Hare and Hound Championship
• Nicholas Hayes — Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship
• Simon Neto — Champion, AMA Flat Track Grand Championship
• Robby Norwood — Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series
• Brandon Scharer — Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship

AMA Youth Racer of the Year

• Jack Brucks — Champion, AMA Flat Track Grand Championship
• Grant Davis — Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series
• Ryder DiFrancesco — Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship
• Charlie Engnes — Champion, AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship
• Kaitlyn Lindsey — Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series

AMA Female Racer of the Year

• Katie Benson — Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship
• Britney Gallegos — Champion, AMA National Hare and Hound Championship
• Jordan Jarvis — Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship
• Becca Sheets — Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series
• Kayla Yaakov — Champion, AMA Road Race Grand Championship

2020 AMA Organizer Award Nominees

AMA Motocross Organizer of the Year

• Arizona Cycle Park, Buckeye, Ariz.
• East Fork MX, New Vienna, Ohio
• MX Sports Inc., Morgantown, W.Va.

AMA Off-Road Racing Organizer of the Year

• Mid East Racing, Shelby, N.C.
• National Enduro Promotions Group, Eaton Rapids, Mich.
• National Grand Prix Championship, Signal Hill, Calif.

AMA Track Racing Organizer of the Year

• MotoAmerica, Costa Mesa, Calif.
• Pioneer Motorcycle Club, Waterford, Ohio
• Southeastern Short Trackers, Pewaukee, Wis.

AMA ATV Organizer of the Year

• ATV Promoters Group, Morgantown, W.Va.
• Mid East Racing, Shelby, N.C.
• New York Off-Road Association, Cortland, N.Y.

AMA Recreational Road Riding Organizer of the Year

• Concours Owners Group, El Campo, Texas
• Tour of Honor, Auburn, Calif.
• Wildflower Productions, Littleneck, N.Y.

AMA Recreational Off-Road Organizer of the Year

• Kato Cycle Club, Mankato, Minn.
• Pine Barrens Adventures, Hammonton, N.J.
• Twin Cities Trail Riders, Jordan, Minn.

AMA Club of the Year

• Blue Comet Motorcycle Club, Schwenksville, Pa.
• Metropolitan Sports Committee, East Durham, N.Y.
• Oakland Motorcycle Club, Oakland, Calif.

AMA Media Award

• MPG Creative Group — Motoplayground
• Racer TV
• Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology

AMA Volunteer of the Year — Rights

• Don Gomo, Rockville Centre, N.Y.
• Tod Peterson, Stanwood, Wash.

AMA Volunteer of the Year — Riding

• Don Gomo, Rockville Centre, N.Y.
• Gary Spencer, Albany, Ohio

AMA Volunteer of the Year — Racing

• Chip Mann, Newark Valley, N.Y.
• Gary Spencer, Albany, Ohio
• Fred Sumrall, Foresthill, Calif.

About the American Motorcyclist Association
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world's largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders' interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit americanmotorcyclist.com.

Not a member? Join the AMA today: americanmotorcyclist.com.