Covell Leads Title Campaign for Yamaha bLU cRU at Loretta Lynn’s
Yamaha bLU cRU riders earn five titles and an additional 19 overall podiums at the 43rd running of the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship / Aug 5, 2024 /
Yamaha’s bLU cRU riders enjoyed another successful outing at this year’s Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, securing five titles and an additional 19 overall podiums at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. Leading the charge was NSA/Rock River/Yamaha Amateur Factory Team’s Owen Covell with a pair of titles – Schoolboy 1 (12-17) B/C Championship and 125 Jr. (12-17) B/C Championship. In the Vet (30+) category, Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha’s Brandon Haas put on a masterclass performance to win the title. Securing the crown in the 250 C Jr. (12-17) Limited Championship was Drew Roberts, and in the the Micro 1 (4-6) Shaft Dr LTD Championship, Wyatt Tedesco took home top honors with a pair of wins and a runner-up finish.
As riders made their championship runs at the 43rd running of the event, the heat and humidity made for punishing conditions at the revered venue in central Tennessee. Rising to the occasion was Covell, who won both of his class championships aboard his YZ125. After securing the 125 Jr. (12-17) B/C Championship with a 4-1-2 moto score on Friday, the NSA/Rock River/Yamaha Amateur Factory Team rider finished the weekend with a perfect moto score to claim the crown in the Schoolboy 1 (12-17) B/C class. For his outstanding performance, Covell was also named AMA Youth Rider of the Year.
“I had a very solid week at Loretta’s,” Covell said. “The track was good all week long and could not have been better. I built off every moto, and I have an outstanding team around me. I don’t have the words to say what it means to me, winning both championships. It’s a huge accomplishment for me. Getting the AMA Youth Rider of the Year award was amazing. I could not be more grateful for the week I had at The Ranch.”
After earning his first title in the Vet (30+) class in 2022, Haas returned to Loretta Lynn’s Ranch looking to reclaim the crown. The Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha Team Owner won all three motos aboard his YZ450F in dominant fashion, earning his second Vet (30+) Championship in two tries.
"Winning another championship in the +30 class was a great experience,” Haas said. “My goal was to get some redemption after not being able to race last year. I am honored and humbled to still be able to compete at this level, and I am grateful for the opportunity. It was also extra special to have my wife and kids there to be a part of the program and support me through it all. I want to give a big thank you to all of the people at ClubMX who support me and allow me to continue to pursue my dreams. And to Yamaha, FXR, and our long list of sponsors that make it all possible, a big thank you to all of them, too."
After a tough opening moto, Drew Roberts overcame adversity to earn top honors in the 250 C Jr. (12-17) Limited class aboard his Altus Motorsports YZ250F. The young Canadian finished ninth in the first moto but never gave up and kept pushing to improve to a fifth-place finish in Moto 2. In the final moto, he continued his upward momentum and crossed the line third, securing the championship win. Roberts also showed strength in the 250 C Limited Championship with a runner-up overall finish.
“The whole experience means the world to me,” Roberts said about his week at Loretta Lynn’s. “Coming from a little town in northern British Columbia, Canada, I’ve dreamt of this moment. I’ve been working super hard, hoping to compete at a high level in the U.S. I thought I threw away my chances at a championship when I went down, but I pushed on until the checkered flag in every moto and never gave up, and I ended up on top! It means the world to have Yamaha backing me in this championship, as they have supported me for the last six years. I am very excited to continue racing in the U.S., and hopefully with hard work and dedication, I can continue winning.”
Rounding out this year’s Yamaha class champions was Wyatt Tedesco in the Micro 1 (4-6) Shaft Dr LTD class. The young rider from Checotah, Oklahoma, rode his PW50 to victory in the opening moto and then to a runner-up finish in Moto 2. In the final moto, he returned to the top step of the podium and claimed the crown.
The bLU cRU also earned 19 overall podiums at Loretta Lynn’s. In the prestigious Open Pro Sport class, NSA/Rock River/Yamaha Amateur Factory Team’s Avery Long and Leum Oehlhof finished second and third overall, respectively. Long also finished runner-up in the 250 Pro Sport class, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies joining him on the podium in third overall. Eathan Smith and Ryan Sampson also earned a double podium for the bLU cRU, finishing second and third, respectively, in the 250 C class.
NSA/Rock River/Yamaha Amateur Factory Team’s Tayce Morgan took home a pair of overall podiums, finishing second overall in the 85cc (10-12) class and third overall in the 85cc (10-12) Limited class. Earning runner-up overall finishes in their respective classes was Jordan Jarvis in WMX, Flynn Watts in 450 B Limited, Jason Norwood in 450 C, and Cole Martinez in Junior 25+. Ryder Malinowski in 250 B and Gavin Betts in 250 B Limited finished third overall, as did Alessandro Carminati in 125cc (12-17) B/C and McKayden Fitch in Schoolboy 1 (12-17) B/C. Rounding out the Micro 1 (4-6) Shaft Dr LTD podium was Lucas Bradshaw and Rivers Rice, finishing second and third, respectively.
Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship Results
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