The first day of the Air Nautiques Loretta Lynn's Amateur Nationals is all about familiarizing yourself with the the lay of the land. For years, companies like Kawasaki, Honda and Yamaha have all been in the same location, but each year, new sponsors sign on and new vendors arrive on the scene, so it's always good to take time to figure out where everyone is.
The old mill (left), although no longer active, still stands along side Hurricane Creek. A replica of Loretta Lynn's house (right) she grew up in is just down the road. The tourist sites here are all about the Coal Daughter's daughter.
The biggest change to this year's event, however, has to be the track design which has a more open feel and greater passing opportunities. The dirt here is "magic," at least that is the way most riders like to describe it. And there are plenty of difficult sections to separate the amateurs from... well... the real fast amateurs. Riders like Blake Baggett and Dean Wilson are expected to dominate the A class while younger sensations, Eli Tomac and Adam Cinciarulo continue to march their way to the top ranks of amateur status. There is no better amateur event to showcase your talent and that's exactly why this championship continues to grow in size and stature. Virtually every OEM is here to discover who the next Ricky Carmichael or James Stewart will be.
Campers line up along the creek (left). Closer is better, especially when temps starts to hit triple digits. Hanging out at the creek is the best way to beat the heat (right).
Between the racers, their family and friends, there are thousands of motocross enthusiasts on site. The nearby Hurricane Creek is full of kids and adults alike - all attempting to escape the Hurricane Mills heat and humidity. Actually, this first day of Loretta's Amateur Championships has offered up some of the best weather conditions we have seen in years. Let's hope it holds up for the entire week.
At night, the kids come out of the woods (literally as the camping sites are spread throughout the hills and forested areas) exploring the grounds and hooking up with their friends. Loretta Lynn's is all about the golf carts and just about every kid has one, either that or a Rhino, a Teryx or a Polaris RZR - tricked out with paint jobs, over-sized wheels and purpose-built engines. No cart - no cool factor! There are easily close to a thousand of these four-wheeled beasts roaming the campgrounds.
Racing starts Tuesday morning at 7:30 sharp. Eighteen 20-minute motos throughout the day, starting out with the Senior 40 Plus class and ending up with the 85 (9-11) Modified class. That means 18 MotorcycleUSA Holeshot Awards. It's gonna make for a long day!
