American Motorcyclist Association crowns 12 national champions at 2018 AMA Road Race Grand Championships
Rider Dallas Daniels wins his second Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Award of 2018
PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association congratulates the 12 riders who won class championships at the 2018 AMA Road Race Grand Championship, as well as the four riders who won AMA awards at the event, at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., Oct. 25-28.
Dallas Daniels won the Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award; Kayla Yaakov was named AMA Novice Road Racer of the Year; Blake Davis won the AMA Youth Road Racer of the Year Award; and Greg Melka was named AMA Vet/Senior Road Racer of the Year.
For Daniels, of Mattoon, Ill., it was a history-making weekend. He became the first person to win two Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Awards, having won the Nicky Hayden AMA Flat Track Horizon Award in June at the AMA Flat Track Grand Championship. Daniels competed in the MotoAmerica Junior Cup in 2018, and is planning to return to the class in 2019.
“I was just expecting to try and do my best this weekend,” Daniels said. “I had a goal to win two [AMA] Horizon Awards, since no one has ever done that before.”
Daniels’ father worked as a mechanic for the Hayden brothers early in their career, and was elated to see his son win his second AMA Horizon Award.
“Honestly, to win these awards in [Nicky’s] honor means the world to us,” Nick Daniels said. “Nicky was a good friend of ours.”
It was Yaakov’s second time winning an AMA award. She won the AMA Youth Road Racer of the Year Award in 2017. The 11-year-old Biglerville, Pa., resident also won the AMA Lightweight Twins Superstock Novice Class and AMA Lightweight Twins Superbike Novice Class championships.
“Every year, I just try to do my best,” she said. “Just to get another one of these big and important trophies is very important to me.”
For 12-year-old Davis, of Lynchburg, Va., it was his first time winning an AMA award. He also won the AMA 300 Superstock Expert Class title.
“It was fun out there,” he said. “I was just hoping I would get some podiums this weekend.”
Melka, 50, of Tampa, Fla., was not expecting to win the AMA Vet/Senior Road Racer of the Year Award. He finished second in the AMA 600 Superstock Expert and AMA 600 Superbike Expert races, beating almost all of his younger competition.
“I am humbled a little bit and shocked, but I appreciate it,” he said. “I definitely run with the younger guys. I try to push them, and it gives me a lot of pleasure. I have been road racing since 2003.”
The AMA Road Race Grand Championship is the United States’ premier amateur road racing event. The 2018 edition of the event was held in conjunction with WERA Motorcycle Roadracing’s Grand National Finals event. The event featured 14 races and 155 entries.
“It was a great weekend of road racing competition,” AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant said. “I offer my congratulations to Dallas, Kayla, Blake, Greg and each of the class champions, and thank WERA Motorcycle Roadracing for putting on a phenomenal event.”
The winners of each competition class are recognized as AMA national champions and are awarded AMA National No. 1 plates. They will be honored as part of the AMA Legends & Champions Weekend in Columbus, Ohio, Dec. 7-9. The AMA Championship Banquet will be Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Hilton Columbus/Polaris in Columbus, Ohio. Room reservations can be made at www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/C/CMHPOHF-AMOTOA-20181205/index.jhtml. Banquet tickets are available at www.americanmotorcyclist.com.
2018 AMA Road Race Grand Championship Class Champions
AMA 300 Superstock Expert: Blake Davis
AMA 300 Superstock Novice: Isaiah DeBusk
AMA Lightweight Twins Superbike Expert: Kris Turner
AMA Lightweight Twins Superbike Novice: Kayla Yaakov
AMA Lightweight Twins Superstock Expert: Daniel Adams
AMA Lightweight Twins Superstock Novice: Kayla Yaakov
AMA 600 Superbike Expert: Deion Campbell
AMA 600 Superbike Novice: Caleb Odom
AMA 600 Superstock Expert: Deion Campbell
AMA 600 Superstock Novice: Jose Lloreda
AMA 1000 Superbike Expert: Geoff May
AMA 1000 Superbike Novice: Jan Satori
AMA 1000 Superstock Expert: Vasiliy Zhulin
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. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.
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