Local Racers and Promoters Nominated For AMA Awards

Dec. 13, 2016      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Media contact: James Holter Phone: (614) 856-1900, ext. 1280 E-mail: jholter@ama-cycle.org Click here for photos from the 2015 AMA Championship Banquet: http://gallery. americanmotorcyclist.com/AMA- Racing/AMA-Championship- Banquet/

Racing award nominees for 2016 AMA Championship Banquet announced   AMA members to vote on winners PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association has announced the nominees for the 2016 AMA Championship Banquet awards. The awards recognize individuals and organizations that excelled in AMA-sanctioned competition and recreational activity in 2016.  AMA members help select the winners of the competition categories with their votes, including the prestigious AMA Athlete of the Year honors. AMA members can vote at https://www.surveymonkey.com/ r/2016AMAAwards through Sunday, Dec. 18, at midnight Eastern Time. All AMA members who vote will be entered to win a $25 gift certificate to AMAGear.com.  Award winners will be announced at the 2016 AMA Championship Banquet on Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Hilton Downtown Columbus in Columbus, Ohio. Class champions from national and regional motorcycle and ATV championships also will be honored with No. 1 plates. Second- and third-place finishers will receive awards, as well.  "The AMA Championship Banquet is one of the most diverse celebrations in motorsports," said AMA Director of Racing Kevin Crowther. "Each year, we spotlight racers from all areas of motorcycle and ATV competition in what is always an amazing showcase for AMA racing. We honor everyone from youth champions to vintage racers and, of course, the country's top talent in several disciplines."  The AMA also will recognize AMA-chartered clubs and promoters that raised the bar for AMA-sanctioned activity in 2016.  The AMA Championship Banquet -- which includes dinner, door prizes and a bike show -- will recognize hundreds of top competitors from across the country in disciplines ranging from dirt track racing to motocross to woods racing and everything in between.  Tickets for the AMA Championship Banquet are $75 each. AMA Life Members receive a $10 discount. Register here: https://events.r20. constantcontact.com/register/ eventReg?oeidk= a07ecyqnjqo92aebedb&oseq=&c=& ch=  A free open house will be held at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, on Jan. 20. Attendees are encouraged to attend to see the historic bikes and memorabilia on display, featuring the 2016 inductees: motorcycling pioneer Gloria Tramontin-Struck, desert racing champion and tuner Chris Haines, the late motorcycle designer and engineer Charles Franklin, race frame builder Jeff Cole, road racing champion Miguel Duhamel, dirt track racer Ronnie Jones, desert racing champion Jack Johnson and engine builder and tuner Dennis Mahan.  The Hilton Downtown Columbus is located in the heart of downtown Columbus and less than 25 minutes from AMA headquarters and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, with easy access to the interstate and Port Columbus International Airport. Special room rates at the hotel are available through Dec. 20 by calling (614) 384-8600 and using group code AMA17 or by reserving online at https://aws.passkey.com/event/ 15881428/owner/9521521/home.  2016 AMA Racer of the Year Nominees  AMA Athlete of the Year: National Championship Series  Russell Bobbitt, Champion, AMA National Enduro Championship Series Ricky Brabec, Champion, AMA National Hare & Hound Championship Series Gavin Faith, Champion, AMA Arenacross National Championship Series Marc Freixa, Champion, AMA/NATC MotoTrials National Championship Series Colton Haaker, Champion, AMA EnduroCross National Championship Series; Champion, FIM Super Enduro World Championship Billy Janniro, Champion, AMA Speedway National Championship Series Gage McAllister, Champion, AMA Supermoto National Championship Series Brandon Paasch, Champion, AMA/FIM North America MotoAmerica KTM RC390 Cup  Taylor Robert, Overall Winner and member of Championship World Trophy Team, International Six Days Enduro Kailub Russell, Overall Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series  AMA Athlete of the Year: Grand Championships  Jody Barry, AMA Road Race Horizon Award Winner, AMA Road Race Grand Championship Jarred Brook, AMA Dirt Track Horizon Award Winner, AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship Eva Hakansson, Land Speed Record Setter, AMA Land Speed Grand Championship Ben Kelly, Top Amateur, AMA Tennessee Knockout Enduro Grand Championship  Trevor Kline, AMA Vintage Off-Road Grand Champion, AMA Vintage Grand Championship Nathan Prebe, AMA Hillclimb Racer of the Year, AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship Chase Sexton, AMA Motocross Horizon Award Winner, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship  AMA ATV Athlete of the Year  Colt Brinkerhoff, Pro ATV Champion, AMA National Hare and Hound Championship Series; Pro ATV Champion, AMA West Hare Scrambles Championship Series Walker Fowler, Overall ATV Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series Alan Myers, 450 A Champion and Production A Champion, AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series  AMA Female Racer of the Year  Nicole Bradford, Women's Champion, AMA National Hare and Hound Championship Series Eva Hakansson, Land Speed Record Setter, AMA Land Speed Grand Championship  Jordan Jarvis, Girls Sr. (12-16) and Women (14+) Amateur Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship Alicia McCormick, WXC ATV Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series  Becca Sheets, WXC Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series  AMA Vet/Senior Racer of the Year  Bart Bast, Track Champion, Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway Steve Bromley, 1970s 250cc and 1970s 750cc Champion, AMA Vintage Dirt Track National Championship Series John Grewe, Masters 50+ Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship  Fred Hoess, FIM ISDE Vintage Class Champion Gary Roach, AMA Vintage Off-Road Senior Grand Champion, AMA Vintage Grand Championship Billy Schlag, Senior A Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series; Open A Champion, AMA Full Gas Sprint Enduro Championship Series  AMA Youth Racer of the Year  Micah Hertrich, 125cc Expert Champion, AMA/NATC MotoTrials National Championship Series Troy Hill, Youth All-Star (13-15) and Schoolboy Sr. (14-17) Champion, AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series Sterling Martin, 150cc Youth Champion, AMA Youth Speedway National Championship Mason Matthies, Big Wheel (12-15) Champion, AMA West Hare Scrambles Championship Series Jett Reynolds, 85cc (9-11) Limited and 85cc (9-12) Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship Hunter Riemer, Super Mini Sr. (14-15), AMA Grand National Cross Country Series Tyler Scott, AMA Youth Dirt Track Racer of the Year, AMA Dirt Track Grand Championships  2016 AMA Organizer of the Year Nominees  AMA Motocross Organizer of the Year  2x Promotions; Porterville, Calif. Feld Entertainment Inc.; Palmetto, Fla. MX Sports Inc.; Morgantown, W.Va.  AMA Off-Road Organizer of the Year  Full Gas Sprint Enduro Championship Series; Hickory, N.C. Racer Productions Inc.; Morgantown, W.Va. National Hare & Hound Association; Los Angeles, Calif.  AMA Track Racing Organizer of the Year  Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway; Auburn, Calif. Steve Nace Racing Promotions; Paducah, Ky. California Flat Track Association; San Francisco, Calif.  AMA ATV Organizer of the Year  National Hare and Hound Association; Los Angeles, Calif. Racer Productions Inc.; Morgantown, W.Va. Western New York Offroad Association; Newfield, N.Y.  AMA Recreational Road Riding Organizer of the Year  Roar on the Shore; Erie, Pa. Schuylkill County Motorcycle Club; Schuylkill Haven, Pa. Midwest Motorcycle Club; Indianapolis, Ind.  AMA Recreational Off-Road Riding Organizer of the Year  Knapp Creek Fire Department; Knapp Creek, N.Y. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders; Neenah, Wis. Touratech USA; Seattle, Wash.  AMA Club of the Year  Trials Inc.; Louisville, Ky.  Polka Dots M/C (CA); Fair Oaks, Calif.  Ramapo Motorcycle Club; Congers, N.Y.  AMA Media Award  Racer TV; Morgantown, W.Va. On The Pegs; Sapulpa, Okla. Cycle USA; Franksville, Wis.  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 www.americanmotorcyclist.com. Not a member? Join the AMA today: www.americanmotorcyclist.com/ membership/join