AMA Announces Award Nominees For 2014 AMA Championship Banquet

TimeMonday, December 1, 2014 | 5:05 PM

The American Motorcyclist Association is announcing the nominees for 2014 year-end awards, which recognize individuals and organizations that excelled in AMA competition and recreational activity during the previous 12 months. 

All AMA members are invited to help select the winners of the competition categories, including the prestigious AMA Athlete of the Year honors. 

The awards will be presented at the 2014 AMA Championship Banquet on Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Aladdin Shrine Event and Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio. 

"AMA-sanctioned events are the gold standard of motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle racing," said AMA Chief Operations Officer Jeff Massey. "These are the greatest grassroots motorsports disciplines in the world. The racers and organizers nominated for these awards have all exhibited poise, dignity and excellence, while helping to advance the AMA's mission to promote and protect motorcycling." 

AMA members can vote at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Racing/RacerVote.aspx through Sunday, Dec. 7. All AMA members who vote will be entered in a drawing for AMA-branded gear. 

The AMA's highest competitive honor, the AMA Athlete of the Year, recognizes two categories of outstanding AMA racers. One award honors an athlete who stands atop an AMA National Championship Series. Another recognizes one of the amateur racers who has excelled at an AMA Grand Championship event. 

All honorees will be announced at the 2014 banquet. The program -- which includes dinner, door prizes, refreshments and a bike show -- will recognize hundreds of top competitors in disciplines ranging from land-speed racing to motocross to woods racing and everything in-between. An open house the day before the banquet at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, will be free for all attendees. 

Class champions will receive medals and No. 1 plates at the banquet, while second- and third-place finishers also will receive awards. 

Columbus' Aladdin Center, located a short distance from the expansive Easton Town Center shopping complex and only 20 minutes from AMA headquarters and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, offers free parking, easy access to Interstate 270 and is a short drive from Port Columbus International Airport. 

For event and registration information, see www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Racing/RacingBanquet.aspx

2014 AMA Rider of the Year Nominees 

AMA Athlete of the Year: National Championship Series 

  • Tyler Bowers, Champion, AMA Arenacross National Championship Series
  • Ricky Brabec, Champion, AMA Hare & Hound National Championship Series
  • Andrew Delong, Champion, AMA National Enduro Championship Series
  • Billy Janniro, Champion, AMA Speedway National Championship Series
  • Kailub Russell, XC1 Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series; Top American, International Six Days Enduro
  • Pat Smage, Champion, AMA/NATC MotoTrials National Championship Series
  • Cody Webb, Champion, AMA EnduroCross National Championship Series

AMA Athlete of the Year: Grand Championships. 

  • Logan Cipala, AMA Hillclimber of the Year, AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship
  • Hunter Edwards, AMA Dirt Track Horizon Award Winner, AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship
  • R.J. Hampshire, AMA Motocross Horizon Award Winner, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship
  • Anthony Mazziotto, AMA Road Race Horizon Award Winner, AMA Road Race Grand Championship
  • Allen Rabinette, AMA Ice Racer of the Year, AMA Ice Race Grand Championship

ATV Athlete of the Year 

  • Chris Borich, XC1 ATV Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series
  • Walker Fowler, XC1 ATV Runner-Up, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series
  • Brad Riley, Pro and Pro-Am Champion, AMA ATV Extreme Dirt Track National Championship Series
  • Samuel Rowe, 450 A and Open A Champion, AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series

AMA Female Rider of the Year 

  • Hannah Hodges, Girls Sr. (12-16) Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship
  • Erin Hunter Sills, Land-speed competitor and AMA and FIM world record holder, AMA Land Speed Grand Championship
  • Megan Manshack, Women's Champion, AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series
  • Kacy Martinez, WXC Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series

AMA Veteran/Senior Rider of the Year 

  • Steve Bromley, 750 Hotshoe, 250 Hotshoe and 50+ Open Champion, AMA Vintage Dirt Track National Championship Series
  • John Grewe, 40+ and 45+ Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship
  • John Nunes, AMA Vet/Senior Rider of the Year, AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship
  • Mike Wheeler, Five class champion, AMA Vintage Motocross National Championship Series

AMA Youth Rider of the Year 

  • Dallas Daniels, AMA Youth Dirt Tracker of the Year, AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship
  • Jordan Jarvis, Girls Jr. (9-13) Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship
  • Garrett Marchbanks, Mini Sr 1 and Mini Sr 2 Champion, AMA Youth Motocrosser of the Year, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship; Team World Championship, FIM Junior Motocross World Championship
  • Bode O'Neill, AMA Youth Hillclimber of the Year, AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship
  • Cole Sepesi, Schoolboy Jr and Schoolboy Sr Champion, AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series

2014 AMA Organizer of the Year Categories and Nominees 

AMA Motocross Organizer of the Year 

  • 2X Promotions, Porterville, Calif.
  • Freestone MX, Wortham, Texas
  • MX Sports, Morgantown, W.Va.

AMA Off-Road Organizer of the Year 

  • East Coast Enduro Riders Association
  • Motorcycle Racing Association of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • Racer Productions, Morgantown, W.Va.

AMA Track Racing Organizer of the Year 

  • Bonneville Speed Trials
  • Industry Speedway, City of Industry, Calif.
  • Steve Nace Racing, Paducah, Ky.

AMA ATV Organizer of the Year 

  • Iowa ATV Hare Scrambles Series
  • Western New York Off-Road Association
  • ATV Promoters Group

AMA Recreational Road Riding Organizer of the Year 

  • Dixie Dual Sport, New Port Richey, Fla.
  • Family Off-Road Adventures, Stockton, Calif.
  • Tri-County MC, Hibernia, N.J.

AMA Club of the Year 

  • Blue Comet MC, Skippack, Pa.
  • San Jacinto High Rollers, Houston, Texas
  • Square Deal Riders, Port Crane, N.Y.

AMA Media Award 

  • Cycle USA
  • Thunder Roads Magazine
  • Vurb Moto

About the American Motorcyclist Association

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world's largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders' interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.