AMA Congratulates 2023 AMA Road Race Grand Championship Special Award Winners

Trenton Keesee brings home prestigious Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Award

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — After an exciting weekend of road-racing action at the 2023 AMA Road Race Grand Championship, which ran Oct. 19-22 in Daytona Beach, Fla., the American Motorcyclist Association offers its congratulations to the multitude of winners from the event.

Standing apart from the rest, however, was Trenton Keesee, whose victories in the 400 GP Expert and ASRA 400 Expert classes secured him the 2023 Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award, which is earned by the racer best equipped to excel in the professional ranks.

“Trenton is lightning quick on the track, and that was apparent this weekend,” AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant said. “Beyond his success as a racer, Trenton is a wonderful kid with a great head on his shoulders. I expect nothing but success for him as moves up to the Junior Cup full-time next season.”

The Melbourne, Fla., native also collected podium finishes in the 400 GT Expert, AMA 400 Expert, 400 Supersport Expert and 400 Superbike Expert classes during the event. After his strong weekend of racing in Daytona Beach, Keesee was proud to obtain the highest honor in amateur road racing.

“I am humbled and honored to have received this award,” Keesee said. “Nicky Hayden has been one of my heroes since I was little. It is an amazing feeling to have my hard work and effort acknowledged. I am going to put in maximum effort on and off the track to make sure that I live up to this award.”

Elsewhere at the event, Chyler Weatherford — a native of Southwest Ranches, Fla., and previous Amateur Racer of the Year winner — claimed the Expert Racer of the Year Award, largely thanks to his victory in the AMA 1000 Supersport Expert class.

Palm City, Fla., native Dave West secured the Amateur Racer of the Year Award after winning the Unlimited Superbike Amateur class and picking up podium finishes in the Unlimited Supersport, Unlimited F40 Amateur, AMA 1000 Supersport Amateur and AMA 1000 Supersport V40 Amateur classes.

Claiming the Vet/Senior Racer of the Year was Antal Halasz of College Point, N.Y., who won the AMA 600 Supersport V40 Expert and AMA 1000 Supersport V40 Expert classes during the event.

For more information, visit https://americanmotorcyclist.com/racing/road-racing/. 

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. Besides offering members money-saving discounts on products and services, the AMA also publishes American Motorcyclist, a recently revitalized and monthly full-color magazine (and digital version of same) that covers current events and motorcycle history with brilliant photography and compelling writing. American Motorcyclist is also North America’s largest-circulation magazine. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Not a member? Join the AMA today: AmericanMotorcyclist.com.