AMA
Sports Black Cat Gold Dirt Track Grand Championships
celebrate another successful year
Brad Baker wins the AMA Sports Dirt Track Horizon
Award; Jr. Addison, Molly Terry, Rex Fisher also honored
PICKERINGTON, Ohio--The 2008 AMA Sports Black Cat Gold Dirt
Track Grand Championships came to a close over the Fourth of
July weekend, following more than a week of intense
dirt-track racing action by the world's fastest young
dirt-trackers. Held at the rolling landscape of the Du Quoin
State Fairgrounds in Du Quoin, Illinois, this was the 32nd
running of the event.
With 1,129 entries and racing in all four dirt-track
disciplines, including TT, half-mile, short-track and the
world-famous Du Quoin Magic Mile, there was wall-to-wall
excitement as riders battled for both individual race honors
and overall Grand Championships in 22 classes.
The most-coveted honor of the week, the AMA Sports Dirt
Track Horizon Award, was hard-fought, as usual. The AMA
Sports Dirt Track Horizon Award recognizes an amateur rider
poised to make an impact at the next level of racing, the
professional ranks. Past recipients have been Nicky Hayden,
Jared Mees, Roger Lee Hayden and Bryan Smith. Two
front-runners for the award, Washington State's Brad Baker
and Michigan's Stephen Vanderkuur were tied in championship
points in two classes with one race to go. The decision was
in the air until the final short-track race of the event.
When the dirt settled, Baker had dominated the short-track,
edging to the front for both No. 1 plates and claiming the
Horizon Award. The Chehalis, Washington, rider was quick to
share credit for the honor.
"My brother, dad and I have been working on our bikes
getting them ready since the nationals last year,"
Baker said. "We have been practicing and working hard
so that I would be ready to do my best. I especially want to
thank my brother, Scott, because he has really worked his
butt off. My mom and dad are so supportive, and they spent
all this money to get me out here. I'm really happy."
Baker qualified for every main event he attempted, won Grand
Championships in the 251cc-500cc DTX and 451cc-505cc
Modified class, and finished runner-up in the 450cc Modified
class.
The AMA Sports Youth Dirt Tracker of the Year Award, given
to an outstanding rider from the youth ranks, went to Jr.
Addison, from Bucyrus, Ohio. Addison won Grand Championships
in the 85cc DTX 9-13 class and finished second in the 85cc
Mod 7-11 class by one point.
Addison also benefited from a shot of good luck, winning a
new Honda CRF250R, donated by Erion Honda-backed road-racer
Jake Zemke, who came up through the amateur dirt-track
ranks. This is the third year in a row that Zemke has given
away a dirt-track equipped Honda CRF to one lucky kid at the
AMA Sports Black Cat Gold Dirt Track Grand Championships.
Molly Terry, from Creve Coeur, Illinois, earned the AMA
Sports Fast Brain Award, which is presented to the young
rider who shows skill and determination both on and off the
track. Terry submitted a straight-A report card to
demonstrate her ability in the classroom and finished fourth
in championship points in both the 65cc DTX 7-11 class and
65cc Modified 7-11 class.
In the adult amateur ranks, the top rider was Warren, Oregon
rider Rex Fisher, who won every Vet 30+ main event of the
week and brought home the AMA Vet/Senior Dirt Tracker of the
Year Award. No stranger to a dirt-track, Fisher is former
national No. 12. Fisher said that he initially only planned
to bring his son, Davis, to compete at the event, but
discovered there also was a class for him, too, and signed
up.
Families are a major presence at the AMA Sports Black Cat
Gold Dirt Track Grand Championships, which traditionally
occur around the Fourth of July holiday. Cookouts and other
family-friendly activities--in addition to literally
hundreds of races, with semis, heats and main events--pack
the schedule.
One family that epitomizes the spirit of the event is the
Bromley family from Warrington, Pennsylvania. Father Joe
Bromley-recently elected to the AMA Board of Directors--has
supported the Dirt Track Grand Championships for more than
two decades, with this being his 25th year of competition.
This year, Joe was joined by his oldest son, Daniel, and
youngest son, Joseph. Together, the family finished on the
box a total of 11 times, bringing home three wins, six
seconds and two thirds.
"The 2008 AMA Sports Black Cat Gold Dirt Track Grand
Championships were a major success this year," said
Bryan Cohn, senior director of AMA Racing. "Of course,
the AMA Sports team is not alone making such a big event
happen. First of all, we need to thank Black Cat Gold
Fireworks for backing this event for the second year, as
well as the other sponsors who made it happen. Dozens of
volunteers helped out, as well, many of them committing
their summer vacations to this great event."
Other sponsors of the 2008 AMA Black Cat Gold Dirt Track
Grand Championships included Lancaster Harley-Davidson,
A&A Racing, Service Pavilion, Lightshoe and the Du Quoin
State Fairgrounds.
About AMA
Racing
AMA
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For amateur racing information, visit www.amadirectlink.com/amrace/amasports.asp