This year marked the 16th year for the Monster Energy Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross, considered the highest-profile amateur supercross race in the world. Held at the iconic Daytona International Speedway on a Ricky Carmichael-designed course, this year’s race was made up of 1318 total entries and 35 classes, with each rider hoping to impress the agents and team managers that were on hand scouting future talent.
Photography by Alex Kelly
“I’m just blown away every time I see this event and what it’s grown from,” said Carmichael. “From the first time that we had it many years ago and just the vision and what that looks like and where we want to be. I’m just so thankful that we have a great group and an internal team that tries to put on the best race and the best experience at a fantastic venue.”
Though every race was exciting, the premier race of the day was the Road to Supercross Futures race (250 A). Landen Gordon, who won the SMX Next race Saturday night during the Monster Energy Supercross, was quick off the line in the 15-lap 250 A Futures race on Sunday, with Wyatt Bass (Husqvarna), Jordan Renfro (GasGas), Gavin Betts (Yamaha) and Jonathan Getz (Kawasaki) following the Team Green Kawasaki rider out of the first turn. Diesel Thomas (Husqvarna), one of the pre-race favorites, got off to a subpar jump, starting just inside the top 10 and finishing the lap in sixth.
Bass went down hard on lap two, moving Renfro to second, while Thomas worked his way into third a few laps later. On lap eight, Thomas passed Renfro for second, while Gordon extended his lead to 15 seconds.
At the finish, Gordon took the win over 20 seconds ahead of Betts, with Renfro, Getz and Carson Millikan (GasGas) rounding out the top five, while Thomas took a spill and finished the race in eighth.
Gordon, who was a popular choice as the standout performer of the weekend, added a win in the Open A class (riding his 250) to increase his list of achievements, capitalizing on great starts in both classes.
“I’m having a great time here at Daytona and I feel like my riding is very good right now,” said Gordon. “I feel like I’ve picked up a little more speed at the RCSX race and I executed that race well.”
The B classes are perhaps the most scrutinized races by the team managers and scouts, since most of the A riders have already established themselves. This year, the B classes were stacked with talent, including Christopher Harris (KTM), who won two of the four B classes and finished second in another. Harris’ two wins came in the 450 B Limited and 250 B Limited classes.
Harris came from behind to finish second in the 250 B class, passing Jayce Wolfe (Kawasaki) in the split lane near the end of the race to do so. Tomi Doble (GasGas) won the 250 B class and Austin Schafer won the 250 B Limited division.
Easton Graves (Husqvarna) was another double winner, taking titles in the Mini SR 1 (12-14) and in the Mini SR 2 (13-15) classes. Graves led start to finish in the Mini SR 1 (12-14) division, pulling the holeshot and gapping the field. Hudson Vagele (KTM), Nolan Ford (KTM) and Cooper Johnson (Yam) battled all race with the final order ending up with Graves at the front, followed by Johnson and Ford, while Vagele dropped back to fourth.
Graves was third into the first turn in the Mini SR 2 (13-15) race, behind leader Nolan Ford (KTM), Chase Moynihan (KTM) and Ford. Graves moved up into second on lap two just before Ford tucked his front end, moving Graves into the lead, where he stayed until the finish, leading Gauge Brown (KTM) and Moynihan to the checkers.
Dane Pappas dominated the Supermini classes, winning the Supermini 1 (12-15) and Supermini 2 (13-16) classes on his GasGas. Pappas led from start to finish in the Supermini 1 (12-15) division for the title, while Grant McDonald (KTM) passed Chase Moynihan on lap seven to finish the race in second. Moynihan finished third. In the Supermini 2 (13-16) race, Pappas again grabbed the holeshot ahead of Drew Marson (Husqvarna) and Chase Moynihan (KTM). On lap three, Moynihan passed Marson to move into second. Meanwhile, Grant McDonald (KTM) was also on the move and also passed Marson to move into third. A lap later, McDonald passed Moynihan to take second. At the finish, Pappas took an easy win, followed by McDonald and Moynihan.
The Schoolboy 1 (12-17) race was won by Tanner Dorman (Yamaha), while Graysen Townsend (Honda) won the Schoolboy 2 (12-17) class. The Schoolboy 2 (12-17) race was one of the most eventful of the weekend. Trinnytie Batchelor (GasGas) took the early lead over Chace Lawton (Yamaha) and Grayson Townsend (Honda) at the drop of the gate. Batchelor went down in a tight turn on lap seven, handing the lead to Lawton with Townsend close behind. On the next lap, Lawton tangled with a lapper and went down, allowing Townsend to inherit the lead with Batchelor in second. Townsend held on for the win with Batchelor in second and Lawton rebounding for third.
In the Women’s class, Kawasaki-mounted Shelby Rolen squeezed through the first turn to grab the holeshot ahead of Hannah Hodges (GasGas) and Lilly-Ann Pettus (Husqvarna), leading the pack through most of the first lap. Lilly-Ann passed Hodges for second midway through the first lap, but went down heading into the split lane, leaving Rolen in first and Hodges in second. Hodges managed to pass Rolen for the lead just before the finish line to start lap two. Meanwhile, Honda-mounted Brittani Majcher took advantage of the mayhem to move into third. On lap four, Kiana Kurtz (Husqvarna) started a move to the front and worked her way into third place on lap six. At the finish, the order was Hodges with an eight-second lead over Rolen, with Kurtz finishing third.
New Hampshire’s Tony Lorusso (Yamaha) won three titles in the Senior divisions, taking championships in the Masters (50+), Senior (45+) and in Senior (40+) classes.
Other multiple class winners included Boone Lloyd (Cobra), who took the win in the Mini-E (4-8) class and in the 51cc (7-8) Limited division; and Cooper Bergeron (Yamaha), who won the 250C and 450 C divisions.
Other Mini class winners included KTM rider Rydin Williams (51cc 4-6 Limited class); Yamaha’s Tate Brush (65cc 7-9); Cobra-mounted Kannon Zabojnik (65cc 10-11); Cobra’s Levi Geis (65cc 7-11); Husqvarna’s Tim Lopes (85cc 10-12); and Sawyer Gieck (85cc 10-12) on a KTM.
Additional winners included Michael Thomson (250 C Limited) on a Yamaha; Blake Marra (250 C Jr. 12-17) on a KTM; Paxton Zivitski (125 C) on a Yamaha; Diesel Thomas (College 18-24) on a Husqvarna; Cory Carsten (Junior 25+) on a Suzuki; and Dakota Kessler (Vet 30+) on a Yamaha. CN
2025 Ricky Carmichael Daytona Amateur Supercross Results
250A Road To SX Futures (Top 5)
- Landen Gordon (Kaw)
- Gavin Betts (Yam)
- Jordan Renfro (GG)
- Jonathan Getz (Kaw)
- Carson Millikan (GG)
OPEN A (Top 5)
- Landen Gordon (Kaw)
- Gavin Betts (Yam)
- Russell Buccheri (KTM)
- Thor Powell (Yam)
- Cory Carsten (Suz)
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