First Champions Crowned During Penultimate Day of Action at Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship

AMA #1 Plates Awarded to a Total of 19 Classes on Friday

HURRICANE MILLS, TN – August 6, 2022 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – The climax of the weeklong journey to crown 36 AMA National Champions at the 41st running of the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship got underway on Friday at Tennessee’s Loretta Lynn Ranch. A total of 19 classes contested their third and final motos on the penultimate day of the event, from which 18 different riders hoisted AMA #1 plates as new National Champions.

Moto 3: 250 Pro Sport

A solid week at the Ranch put Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Ryder DiFrancesco in position to wrap up one of Loretta Lynn’s most high-profile titles on Friday. A moto win and a runner-up finish provided a much-needed edge for the California rider entering Moto 3, but he still needed to put forth another high-level performance in order to potentially secure his first 250cc crown. Unfortunately for DiFrancesco, the heartbreak of racing left him wondering what could have been at the end of the moto.

For the second straight moto Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Talon Hawkins surged to the early lead with the STACYC Holeshot to open Moto 3, with DiFrancesco tucked into second and his main championship rival, GASGAS Factory Amateur Race Team’s Caden Braswell, in third. The top three were separated by mere bike lengths in the early stages of the moto, which allowed Braswell to pass DiFrancesco as the Kawasaki rider searched for a way around Hawkins. Braswell’s pursuit of the lead continued, and he soon seized control of the moto. The move by the GASGAS rider put the pressure on DiFrancesco to respond, but the Kawasaki rider lost ground to Hawkins in his pursuit of second.

As Braswell added to his lead out front, DiFrancesco started to receive pressure from fourth place and suddenly pulled off the track. He then removed his goggles and made the slow ride back to the mechanics area with an apparent issue with his motorcycle. DiFrancesco got off his bike and made a lonely walk to his pit.

Braswell’s already promising fortunes took a more positive turn with DiFrancesco’s heartbreak and put him in line for the biggest title of his amateur career. Braswell continued to add to his lead and never looked back en route to what is arguably his most memorable moto win, several seconds ahead of NSA Yamaha Factory Amateur Team’s Jayden Clough, who…