Still weeks away from the 2012 season celebration with the annual awards banquet and as the championships have been decided, plans are being set for next season already.‚  Even though folks are looking ahead, the night of champions set for November 24^th is one folks are looking to celebrate as the festive Holiday season begins.

Last week we looked at the champions in each of our youth classes and took a little closer look at how things broke down there.‚  This week will feature the amateur champions and spotlight the route to number 1 for them.

A look into the Novice classes or ““C” classes shows a competitive season for all the champions.‚  There were a few multi class winners, but each came with a fight.‚  Matthew Keese out of Middleport Ohio was able to take the championships in Production C, and the 450 C class.‚ 

Keese had 3 wins this season in each class and along with consistent rides all year he was able to pull out the championship.‚  Keese had competition in both classes from different directions. The 450 C class saw competition out of Mike Sheldon, Tanner Stutzman and late in the season from Andrew Hixon. ‚ Regardless he was able to able to pull each one out in the end.

It appears that Dundee Ohio’s Tanner Stutzman turned his attention from the 450 C class to focus on the 4-Stroke C class.‚  It was a battle right down to the bitter end.‚  After finishing his worst race of the season in the 4-Stroke Class at Dirt Days the final round, it was apparently exactly what needed to happen for Bucyrus Ohio’s Brandon Weber to win the championship.

When the weekend began for Weber, he was looking at what seemed nearly impossible.‚  He would have to win and Stutzman would have to finish at least 18^th or worse.‚  A heavily stacked field of contenders meant qualifying into moto 2 was going to be tough.‚  Problems for Tanner in the first moto left him in 11^th and out of a qualifying position.‚  He won the LCQ but would only find troubles after a bad gate pick for moto 2 left him in 15^th at the checkers.‚  Amazingly for Brandow Weber a 2^nd in his division moto 1 race and a 2^nd moto win left him with 1^st overall and the impossible became possible.‚  Brandon Weber won the championship by only one point in the 4-Stroke C class.

As far as Open C class racing is concerned, Chris Miller from Martinez Georgia captured the championship by only 11 points over Stow Ohio’s Tyler Haehner.‚  Haehner found trouble in round 7 where he DNF’ed and didn’t race this class the rest of the season or may have been a different ending.

The Intermediate or ““B” classes also saw remarkable championship runs and seemed to create some future stars.‚  Probably the rider that turned more heads this season than any single rider on the track was Verdunville West Virginia’s young Brett Musick.

Brett only a year ago rapped up a championship in the 90cc Mod class and found himself dominating the competitive 450 B and Production B classes.‚  He also raced 3 races in the College class where he took a 3^rd, 2^nd and 1^st before moving up to the Pro Am class by seasons end.‚  Brett raced the Pro Am Unlimited where he ran up front and turned a few heads before a couple of get offs took him out of contention for podiums.

Probably one of the most impressive rides the young Brett Musick put together in 2012 was in his final two gate drops of the season when he lined up in the ultra-competitive Pro Am Production class.‚  The final step before going full on AMA Pro ATV!‚  In one of his most impressive performances of 2012, the 16 year old rode with as much maturity, confidence and skill of anyone on the line.‚  Who could have imagined him on a 90cc only a year before?‚  He rode with a fever actually seeming to match the great Cody Gibson’s pace in the early laps of the motos.‚ 

At the end of both 15 minute plus 2 lap motos, the young Musick finished 3^rd securing 3^rd overall for the day in one of the most impressive seasons in recent history.‚  Who knows what the future holds for him, but it will be fun to watch if he can keep this magic.

Open B class Champion, ““Little Guy” Ries Parvin captured the attention of the racing world this season as well.‚  Parvin moved up from the Novice class in 2011 and was a threat in several classes.‚  An early season injury left him with the option of focusing mainly on one class and having fun in the rest of the B classes and College Class.‚  He also switched to riding a Can Am about halfway through the season and said it made a world of difference in his program.

The 4-Stroke B class saw whale of a battle for that championship also. Altamont Illinois’ Mason Muchow found himself in a heated battle all season long. ‚ To his surprise he found competition in several different riders throughout the season. ‚ 2 race wins and a host of 2nds proved to be not only consistent but the right combination to win the championship.

John Burke from Strongsville Ohio showed as much speed as anyone this season but inconsistency steered him away from the championship.‚  Nashville Tennessee’s Carl ““CJ” Dollarhide was another racer with 2 wins on the season but plagued with the same problem never was much of a threat down the stretch as far as the championship was concerned. Both Mason and CJ opted to move into the A class at Loretta Lynn’s and CJ even stepped into the Pro Am Unlimited race to give that a try.

When we break it down like that, it all of a sudden starts to become obvious that the statement I made on numerous occasions this season of it being ““the most competitive season top to bottom in recent ATV Racing history” is one that rings as loud and true as any statement I have ever made.

That’s it for now!‚  Till next time, God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs.

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