Scouting Report: Notable Riders Following the Loretta Lynn Regionals, Part II

The road to Loretta Lynn’s is jam packed with traffic right now. Anyone and everyone is fighting through the traffic to get to their exit in their selected regions but as we saw last weekend, some missed their exit and have to circle back around (to the other side of the country) and fight through the traffic again to hopefully make their second (and last) exit opportunity. The end of June is ALREADY sneaking up on us and you can feel the yearly tradition of Regional Qualifier stress building as we get closer to wrapping up Regional szn. 

Enough suspense building, lets talk results. 

If you missed Part I, check it out!

North East Vet Regional: Tomahawk MX, WV

Open Pro Sport: Would it be a conversation about North East motocross without having the legend himself Robby Marshall in the mix?! Marshall was certainly in the mix all weekend with a 1st overall in Open Pro Sport but it didn’t come without a TON of heat from Justin Cokinos and Cullin Park. These three went at it, mixing up the results each and every moto. Marshall went 2-3-1 for the overall, Cokinos locked up 2nd with 3-1-2 scores and Park would round out the podium with 1-2-3 scores. Always rad to see the young guns duking it out with he wily veterans. 

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Cullin Park and Justin Cokinos would do battle once more in 250 Pro Sport, this time Park would be the victor grabbing 2-1-1 scores over Cokinos’ 3-2-2 with Jack Rogers spraying himself some champagne in 3rd overall with 1-3-3 scores. 

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Marshall would also take the 25+ class, going 1-1-1 over Aaron Lampi and Nick Hayes. 

Katie Benson v. Jamie Astudillo: Womens: Now, while I may not have been there, the results always tell the story of the battles. Benson put in 1-2-2 scores over Astudillo’s 6-1-1. Astudillo’s 6th would be costly but her 1-1 scores in the final two motos showed she is the real deal as we roll through the summer and into Hurricane Mills. 

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Rylan Smith: College 18-24: Smith went full Ryan Dungey, proving once again consistency is the king going 4-3-2 to take the overall over Alex Panzarella and his 5-5-4 scores and Jacob Ingram’s 6-6-3 for 3rd overall. This class was all over the map in regards to results but nothing beats putting yourself in good positions all day to punch those tickets! Shoutout to the rest of the qualifiers from this class: Hayden Justice, Noah Chambers, and Cole Jones! 

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Nick Hayes: 30+: Hayes had himself a good weekend grabbing the overall in 30+ and as noted above, also punched his ticket in the 25+ class as well. 

Andy Mathieu: 40+: Mathieu had one heck of an eventful weekend as his 30+ results didn’t go quite as planned but my dude from Maine bounced back like Big Sean going 1-1-1 in 40+. Edward Walston, Chad Gochenour, Shawn Nutt, and Chris Hunter would all battle for the remaining podium spots. In the end Walston’s 1-3-2 would beat out Gochenour’s 2-2-4 for 2nd place. Nutt, Hunter, and Onorino Fascelli also punched their tickets in the ever fast 40+ class. 

Sidenote: There was 57 enteres in the 40+ class. HOLY SMOKES! 

Keith Johnson: 45+ & 50+: The man needs no introduction. Johnson would sweep both classes in convincing fashion. That is all. Carry on. 

Southeast Vet Regional: Lazy River, GA

Jamal Porter: Open Pro Sport & 25+: Welcome back to the scene my dude! After many many years away from the sport to pursue his career and family, Porter has made his return and man did he come out swinging in the process. He secured his place for Loretta’s in both Open Pro Sport and 25+ with a pair of 4th overall finishes. #dontcallitacomeback

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Tayla Jones: Womens: Lazy River MX was home to some stellar women’s racing featuring Tayla Jones, Hannah Hodges and Ignacia Riveros. These three would swap spots on the podium all weekend but the overall win would ultimately fall Jones’ way with 1-2-1 scores to Hodges’ 2-1-3 finishes and Riveros’ 3-3-2 was enough to secure 3rd overall. Once again, the women’s class is going to be one to watch at the Ranch. 

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Cory Rogers: College 18-24: After a bumpy showing at Tomahawk, Rogers turned his fortunes around down south putting together 1-1-4 scores for 1st overall in the College class over the likes of Alex Jorgensen, Alessio Sasso and company. 

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Mike Brown: 25+ & 45+: MIKE FREAKING BROWN, the man just keeps on hauling ass regardless of age. It will be interesting to see how 25+ goes for him at the Ranch. 45+ might just be his for the taking with Kris Keefer having to bow out of this years race due to a knee injury. Brownie is always worth keeping an eye on. 

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South Central Vet Regional: Swan MX, TX 

Pierce Knight: Open Pro Sport & 250 Pro Sport: Texas stand up! Pierce Knight went to war with Branden Walther all weekend in Tyler, TX swapping 1st and 2nd places. Knight would become your South Central Regional Champion in both Pro Sport classes with Walther taking 2nd in both as well. 

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Kaeden Amerine: Open Pro Sport: Amerine wouldn’t be shut out of the conversation as he grabbed a moto win in Open Pro Sport going 3-1-4 for 3rd overall. He is showing that he is the real deal after of his solid performance at the Thunder Valley National going 26-24. I’d say he’s ready for the full time transition to the pros. Amerine also qualified for the 250 Pro Sport at Wildcat MX. 

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Kyle White: College 18-24 & Open Pro Sport: White did work in his home state grabbing a 4th overall in Open Pro Sport punching his ticket with the big dogs then brought it home in the College class sweeping the motos and riding off into a beautiful Texas sunset with two tickets in his possession. 

Viva México: 40+, 45+, 50+: Shout out to Martin Garcia (40+) and Gabriel Guardado (45+, 50+), as both did work in the Vet classes sweeping all three with 1-1-1 scores! Garcia even punched his ticket in 30+ with a 3rd overall. 

Northeast Youth Regional: Pleasure Valley Raceway, PA

Levi Leddy: Mini E, P-Dub, 51cc 4-6 Limited: Here at Vurb we try our hardest to not be biased toward riders, be it pro or amateur, but here is where I get to break that rule. Levi may or may not live less than two miles from my house (for now, typical Michigan residents moving south) but this kid was on it in PA. He broke his radius and ulna six short weeks ago, ripped his cast off just in time to make his regional and showed out sweeping Mini-E and 51cc 4-6 Limited and capped it off with a 5th place in the P-Dub class. Now the question is, what classes will be he racing at Loretta’s? 

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Travis Schneider: 65 7-9 Limited: Having already punched his ticket in the Mod class, Schneider was looking to secure his second ticket and he did just that going 1-1-1. Look for him to be a force in both stock and mod classes on his Cobra. 

Luke Roche: 65 7-9 Mod: With Schneider out of the picture in the Mod class, Roche took full advantage and showed he isn’t here to play games in these ever deep 65cc classes. Roche took the overall in Mod with 1-3-3 scores over Braxton Baldock’s 4-1-4 scores. This classes results were all over the map as Tatum Michales captured 3rd overall with 2-7-1 scores. The parody will hopefully continue into August. 

85cc 10-12 Limited & Mod: Wyatt Bass and Canyon Richards would set sail and do battle in Limited swapping moto wins. Bass was the victor with 1-2-1 scores over Richards’ 1-1-2. Richards would bounce back and get back to his normal winning ways in the Mod class going 3-1-2 to Alex Colley’s 1-8-3 scores. Bass had a less than stellar 1st moto but found his grove taking the 3rd moto win, once again showing he is threat for a Loretta’s title. 

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Thor Powell: Mini Sr 1 & 2: Powell made the haul up from Florida to Pennsylvania and made his trip worth while taking home a pair of overall wins in Mini Sr. 1 and 2. Consistency and putting yourself in good positions is the name of the game and Powell was hella consistent going 3-2-2 in Mini Sr.1 and 3-1-1 in Mini Sr. 2. 

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Supermini 1 & 2: Welcome to the Supermini class Luke Fauser! Fauser punched his first Supermini ticket after an untimely injury almost took him out of Loretta’s all together. Fauser put up 1-2-1 scores for the overall, Randall Myers and William Canaguier would round out your Supermini 1 podium. 

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Supermini 2 would belong to Jude Smerlick who put in an impressive 1-1-1 ride. Fauser would end up 2nd overall with 1-2-2 scores and Meyers rounded out the podium in 3rd. 

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Mid-East Amateur Regional: RedBud, MI

250B: Myles Gilmore, Daxton Bennick, Alex Ransom, Patrick Murphy, Jaxon Pascal and Rush Chapman all found themselves with top three finishes in their results but it came down to the best, worst moto, if you will. Gilmore landed 1st overall with 1-2-3 scores to Bennick’s 3-5-1 and Ransom’s 3-4-2 finishes. The B class never disappoints. Jayden Clough would have a weekend he would rather forget after crashing in 450B, taking him out for the rest of the weekend. He does have a back up region which he has yet to race so there is still time for Jayden to punch his tickets. 

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250B Limited: Much like all of the other B class races, 250B Limited was a barn burner. Patrick Murphy would find himself sweeping the class going 1-1-1 over the Fro Sho, Jordan Biese’s 2-5-2 scores. When Biese isn’t racing snowcross or hucking gold wings he is putting in the work and it’s showing! Ayden Shive made the haul from Florida to punch his tickets in the great white north to grab himself a podium as well. 

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Brady Weir: 250C/250C Jr Limited: Weir had himself an excellent showing in the C classes going 1-4-2 for the overall in 250C then capping it with a 4th in 250C Jr Limited. The names I’m about to list off all had podium motos and were dicing it up in 250C and in doing so all punched their tickets to the big show! Cody Beckwith 1-6-5, Chris Schroeder 12-1-1, Keegan Rowley 3-10-3, Aron Kaip 4-3-9 and Peyton Crisp 2-12-4. Congratulations, guys! 

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Mitchell Pratt: 450C/250C Limited: After an hiatus from the sport Pratt is making his comeback and is doing so in stride capturing a 2nd overall in 250C Limited by winning moto 3 and going 6-2-1. He then followed it up with a 6th in 450C giving him two tickets to the Ranch after just a few short months back on the bike. 

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Austin Kapoukranidis: 450B Limited: Kapoukranidis continues his breakout season going 1-1-2 in 450B over Cameron Skaalerud and Nick Laurie who would take 2nd and 3rd overall. After a solid spring national stretch Kapoukranidis is looking to keep the ball rolling in the right direction going into August. He will be a top 5 guy if he can stay out of trouble. He also qualified in 450B Limited. Big bikes only for the kid from Vermont. 

125cc B/C + Schoolboy 1: There is no replacement for that sweet sweet two-stroke smell as Bryce Shelly put his stamp on the 125cc B/C class going 1-2-1 for the overall. The class was stacked as Trevor Colip, Noah Stevens, Justin Allen, Wyatt Creighton and Ryan Canaguier battled it out, some through traffic and some with a clear track around them to lock up their tickets for Loretta’s. 

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Throw in Konnor Bouchard in the Schoolboy 1 class and you have the same group of dudes slugging it out for the coveted Schoolboy 1 title. Shelly would once again be the victor followed up by Trevor Colip and Justin Allen. 

Schoolboy 2: Ah yes, the other B class. Patrick Murphy’s consistency would pay dividends going 2-2-2 for the overall to Jaxon Pascal’s 2-4-3. Myles Gilmore put up 6-3-1 scores securing 3rd overall. That first moto came back to haunt him in the end but walking away with a couple tickets isn’t so bad. 

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Next week we will be covering the Mid-West Regional from Porterville, CA along with all of the other happenings around around the country as Loretta’s szn winds down.