AMA honors 2018 amateur racing champions

A sellout crowd gathered in Columbus, Ohio, in December for the 2018 American Honda AMA Championship Banquet, which honored the year’s top-performing amateur motorcycle competitors.

About 200 riders were honored at the event, including those who earned AMA National No. 1 plates for winning AMA-sanctioned class championships during the year.

Several special awards were presented at the event, as well, including the AMA Athletes of the Year, AMA Youth Racer of the Year and AMA Female Racer of the Year.

The event, part of the 2018 AMA Legends & Champions Weekend, was at the Hilton Columbus/Polaris. Other weekend events included the 2018 American Honda AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and 2018 AMA Congress.

Motocross-Organizer-of-the-Year: Lincoln Trail Motorsports track owners Tim (left) and Drew Jackson (right) accepting the AMA Motocross Organizer of the Year Award.

Track-Racing-Organizer-of-the-Year: Flat Out Friday owner Jeremy Prach (left) is interviewed by event co-emcee Kevin Kelly after receiving the AMA Track Racing Organizer of the Year Award.

Rec-Off-Road-Organizer-of-the-Year: The Wisconsin Dual-Sport Riders club was named AMA Recreational Off-Road Organizer of the Year. Club founder John Newton (left) and founding member Andrew Jensen accepted the award on the club’s behalf

ATV-Organizer-of-the-Year:MX Sports Director Tim C0tter was on hand to accept the AMA ATV Organizer of the Year Award.

Kayla-Yuakov: 2018 AMA Novice Road Racer of the Year Kayla Yaakov won the AMA Lightweight Twins Superstock and AMA Lightweight Twins Superbike titles at the 2018 AMA Road Race Grand Championship.

The AMA Athlete of the Year from Grand Championship events was Dallas Daniels (right), who also won two Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Awards (Flat Track, Road Racing) in 2018.

Lifetime-Achevement: Kacy Martinez received an AMA Lifetime Achievement Award for winning championships in six off-road racing disciplines over her career. She announced her retirement from racing at the event. Also pictured is AMA Off-Road Manager Erek Kudla.

AMA Athlete of the Year from AMA National Championship Series Ryan Sipes (right) is pictured receiving his award from AMA Director of Racing Kevin Crowther.

ATV-Athlete-of-the-year: AMA ATV Athlete Of The Year Walker Fowler also won the 2018 GNCC XCI Pro ATV Class Championship.

Belen Wagner set three AMA National Land Speed Records and four FIM Land Speed World Records at the 2018 AMA Land Speed Grand Championship/Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials.

Youth-racer-of-the-year: AMA Youth Racer of the Year Caden Braswell won the 2018 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship 85cc Class Championship, as well as the Mini Senior 2 (12-14) Class title at the 2018 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship.

Female-Racer-of-the-Year: Jordan Jarvis was named AMA Female Racer of the Year. She won the Woman’s (12+) Class title at AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship and the Woman’s (12+) Amateur Class title at the AMA National Areanacross Championship.