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AMA Racing
End-Of-Year Awards Banquet Honors Season
Standouts
PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The stars of AMA Racing
gathered at the stunning Barber Vintage
Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, Ala., on
Saturday, Nov. 22, to celebrate the successful
seasons of some of the country's best motorcycle
and all-terrain vehicle racers.
Champions in disciplines ranging from
land-speed racing to motocross to trials and
everything in between were honored at the
end-of-year banquet. In addition, a number of
special awards were presented to those who went
above and beyond this season to elevate 2008 to
one of the most memorable in recent history.
The AMA Racing Athlete of the Year award was
awarded to Ricky Dietrich, top American at the
2008 International Six Days Enduro in Serres,
Greece, as well as the champion of the 2008 AMA
Maxxis EnduroCross Championship Series.
Dietrich, who wrapped up the EnduroCross title
the same night of the banquet, led the Team USA
Trophy Team to its best finish in years at the
ISDE after an injury took overall leader and
Team USA Captain Kurt Caselli out of the race.
Harold Goodman was honored with the ATVA
(All-Terrain Vehicle Association) Athlete of the
Year award. Goodman, who was competing in the
Baja 1000 the night of the banquet, won four of
the seven rounds of the Duro Extreme Dirt Track
ATV National Championship Series en route to the
title.
Destry Abbott was honored with the AMA Racing
Sportsman of the Year award. Abbott demonstrated
utmost sportsmanship when one of his competitive
rivals, Josh Morros, was seriously injured and
knocked unconscious in the next-to-last round of
the AMA FMF Racing National Hare & Hound
Championship Series. Abbott, who was racing for
the title at the time, remained with Morros to
aid the injured rider as best he could until
medics arrived. Abbott ultimately continued and
finished fourth in that round to clinch his
fifth AMA Hare & Hound National Championship,
tying the record held by Danny Hammel and Dan
Smith.
"This is definitely a highlight for me. It's
something I've never gotten before," Abbott
said. "I've always tried to represent the sport
well, and it's neat to be recognized for that.
The important thing, though, is that Josh is
doing a lot better. He has a tough road ahead,
but he wants to be back on a bike. I told him
he's welcome to come to Phoenix and train with
me as soon as he's able."
The AMA Racing Female Rider of the Year was
Leslie Porterfield. Porterfield became the
official fastest female motorcyclist in America
this summer at the International Speed Trials by
BUB with a top speed of 232.523 mph.
"It was something that took a lot of
determination and hard work," said Porterfield.
"I had a really great crew and friends and
family behind me. It's an honor to get this
award."
Heather Byrd was honored as the ATVA Female
Athlete of the Year. Byrd was the champion in
the Pro-Am Women class in the ITP Moose Racing
ATV National Motocross Series. She claimed the
title in impressive fashion, winning all 10
rounds of the series.
"Racing just gets in your blood, and it
becomes something that you just do," Byrd said.
"People who leave the sport for whatever reason,
always come back. I'm just proud to be part of
the sport. You meet so many great people in AMA
Racing and the ATVA. It's just great to be a
part of it."
The AMA and ATVA Youth riders of the Year
were Anson Maloney and Jesse Skvarek. Maloney,
who moved up from the mini-bike ranks and topped
the field in the 200 B class in the AMA Western
Hare Scrambles Championship Series, scoring four
wins in the five rounds he contested. Skvarek
received the ATVA award for a performance that
landed him the 90 CVT class in the ITP
Tires/Moose Racing AMA/ATVA National
Championship.
Other special awards were presented to Jeff
Fredette, AMA Racing Vet/Senior Rider of the
Year; Ken Marcou, ATVA Vet/Senior Rider of the
Year; and Thomas Brown, ATVA Amateur Rider of
the Year.
In addition to top competitors, the AMA
Racing end-of-year banquet honors those whose
contributions to the sport are made off the
racetrack. Winners of these awards were National
Enduro Promotions Group, AMA Racing Off-Road
Organizer of the Year; Belleville Enduro Team
Inc., Track Racing Organizer of the Year; MX
Sports LLC, Motocross Organizer of the Year; Red
Bud Recreation Inc., ATVA Organizer of the Year;
and Mark Kariya, AMA Racing Journalist of the
Year.
About the American Motorcyclist
Association
Since 1924, the
AMA has promoted and protected the motorcycling
lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of
life and they navigate many different roads on
their journey to the same destination: freedom
on two wheels. As the world's largest motorcycle
organization with nearly 300,000 members, the
AMA advocates for motorcyclists' interests in
the halls of local, state and federal
government, the committees of international
governing organizations and the court of public
opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and
partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports
competition events than any other organization
in the world. Through its Motorcycle Hall of
Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of
motorcycling for future generations. For more
information, visit
www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com.
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