Slaw Dog
The biggest revelation coming out of the Loretta Lynn’s AMA Amateur National Championship last year was Levi Kitchen. An unknown entering the week (seriously, Slaw had never heard of the dude) he lit the damn Ranch on fire.
The Washington State native dominated the 250 and 450 B Limited classes (he was winning by like half a minute!) and won the AMA Amateur Rider of the Year (awarded to best B rider).
He carried that over to the Mini O’s, where he swept the 250 and 450 A and 250 and 450 Pro Sport classes in Supercross. He then went 1-1-2-DNF in the motocross portion and won the Dunlop Silver Tire Award, awarded to the rider in the Pro and A classes that accumulates the highest number of points in the supercross main and motocross overall combined.
He then signed with Monster Energy/Star Racing Yamaha team, which we think now has 101 riders, and went 2-1 in 250 A Pro Sport and Open A Pro Sport at the JS7 Spring Championship at Freestone.
Check out our Almost Black & White with Kitchen at Freestone:
Well, it looks like Levi will race Loretta’s again in 2021. In a recent interview with Racer X (you can watch the entire video here), he said he for sure is doing Loretta’s but may do a round or two of Pro Motocross to get his feet wet and then do the remaining rounds of Pro Motocross after Loretta’s.
“I’ve had a few small injuries when I first signed on the team but now lately I’ve just been kind of getting back into doing 35 minute motos and stuff and just trying to get as prepared as I can for whenever I’m going to go outdoors,” he told Racer X. “I still don’t know when that is, but I just want to be ready for when that time comes. I’m for sure going to do Loretta’s so I’m not sure if I’ll do a few outdoors before Loretta’s just to get my feet wet but as of now I would like to do Loretta’s and then do the last five after that”
A recent rule change would allow Levi to race Pro Motocross and then Loretta’s, as long as he doesn’t compete in more than three events or earn more than 40 points. Here is the rule:
a. Riders competing in the Final 40 in Pro Motocross (250 or 450 class) in the current or previous year; Provided, that riders may earn up to 40 Pro Motocross points (250 or 450 class) in the current year, so long as they did not compete in more than 3 professional motocross events prior to the Amateur National. The total number of points earned applies at the time of the entry of the professional motocross event, not after.
It will be dang interesting to see if he can dominate again this year.
Main image: Jeff Simpson
