Loretta Lynn´s 2023: The Champs!

Take a look at the new Open Pro Sport, 250 Pro Sport, 250B and Schoolboy 2 2023 champs!

A week of fun, excitement, and intrigue came to a fitting conclusion on Saturday at the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, presented by AMSOIL, as all 36 classes of competition hit the track for the championship-deciding third and final motos. Another day filled with rain added a layer of complexity to the action on the track, but the same grit and determination that has defined this event for more than 40 years was as prevalent as ever with championships on the line.

Open Pro Sport: Daxton Bennick 1-1-1

The first two motos of Open Pro Sport proved to be showcases of dominance for Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Daxton Bennick, who entered Saturday with a pair of moto wins and largely unchallenged performances. The odds-on favorite to become the newest Open Pro Sport Champion and latest recipient of the Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award simply needed to keep doing what he’d been doing.

In the third and final moto, Bennick battled his way into third by the second lap and quickly latched onto the rear fender of Hayes for second. Despite being the faster rider, Bennick needed a couple laps to make a move and was faced with a five-second deficit to the leader once he completed the pass. On the ensuing lap, Bennick laid down the fastest lap of the moto to move within striking distance of the lead. He applied heavy pressure on Harrison, who kept him at bay for a little while before Bennick made the winning pass with just a couple laps remaining.

Bennick completed the sweep of Open Pro Sport by just over two seconds on Harrison, while Hayes was unchallenged en route to third.

Top 5 Open Pro Sport overall:

Daxton Bennick #41 (Yamaha) 1-1-1
Parker Ross #12 (Honda) 3-5-8
Bryce Shelly #34 (Yamaha) 7-4-6
Gavin Towers #15 (Yamaha) 5-3-10
Jacob Hayes #90 (Kawasaki) 12-7-3

250 Pro Sport: Gavin Towers 3-3-2

With 2-1 moto scores coming into the final moto, GASGAS Amateur Team rider Mark Fineis was in control of his own destiny in 250 Pro Sport. However, incredibly wet and muddy conditions from the rain would ultimately be the biggest obstacle to overcome for the entire field.

Fineis was mired deep in the field on the star of the decisive moto, completing the opening lap in 18th. Fineis’ tough start got even worse when misfortune dropped him to the tail end of the field and eventually out of the race, dashing any aspirations for the title.

With Fineis out, the battle for the class championship came down to Towers and Bennick, who followed one another in second and third, respectively.

Towers brought home a runner-up finish to complete an incredibly consistent weekend that saw him prevail with the 250 Pro Sport Championship. It signifies the first ever Loretta Lynn’s title for Towers, doing so in one of the event’s most high-profile classes.

Top 5 250 Pro Sport overall:

Gavin Towers #15 (Yamaha) 3-3-2
Daxton Bennick #41 (Yamaha) 7-2-6
Parker Ross #12 (Honda) 6-5-7
Julien Beaumer #29 (KTM) 1-17-1
Jayden Clough #3 (Kawasaki) 5-12-3

250B: Krystian Janik 6-1-1

With three motos and a week full of racing at Loretta’s, the ability to get hot as the week progresses isn’t uncommon. Perhaps no one personified that ascension better than Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Krystian Janik. The Illinois native took a big step in 250 B with a win in Moto 2 and had all the confidence in the world knowing a championship was within reach.

The final moto began with Yamaha rider Dilon Blecha out front for the STACYC Holeshot, which he sustained for a couple laps before Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Aden Keefer came on strong and successfully made the pass for the lead. However, Keefer’s lead was short lived as well, as his fellow Team Green rider Janik stormed all the way from seventh to first in a matter of a few laps.

Janik closed out the moto emphatically and ultimately won the final two motos to clinch his second career AMA National Championship. KTM rider Jordan Renfro followed in second, while Keefer rounded out the moto podium.

Top 5 250B overall:

Krystian Janik #27 (Kawasaki) 6-1-1
Drew Adams #30 (Kawasak) 2-2-6
Casey Bernard Jr #75 (GasGas) 7-4-4
Jordan Renfro #17 (KTM) 10-5-2
Enzo Temmerman #81 (Kawasaki) 3-11-12

Schoolboy 2: Casey Cochran 1-5-1

After he was seen pulling off the track with apparent discomfort to his arm earlier in the week, concern surrounded whether Casey Cochran’s pursuit of championships would continue. While the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider did forgo 250 B competition, his pursuit of the Schoolboy 2 crown continued.

Cochran capped off his championship-winning performance with a wire-to-wire victory to secure two of three moto wins and clinch his sixth career Loretta’s title. Pepperd finished second but did have to withstand a late charge by fellow GASGAS rider Casey Benard Jr. from third.

Top 5 Schoolboy 2 overall: