by: Chelsea Taylor
Monday, January 25, 2016 | 5:10 PM
GNCC Racers Earn Top Honors at the 2015 AMA Championship Banquet
Ryan Sipes Takes Esteemed AMA Athlete of the Year Award
The 2015 American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Championship Banquet took place this past weekend in Columbus, Ohio. Many top racers from the AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC), presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, were in attendance to receive their 2015 AMA National No. 1 plates and compete for the AMA’s highest competitive honors.
The AMA Racing staff nominates riders for the AMA Athlete of the Year Awards, while AMA members vote for the final winner in each category. The AMA's highest recognition, the AMA Athlete of the Year Award, identifies riders from each of the two categories of national championship competition – AMA National Championship Series and AMA Grand Championships – as well as a rider from ATV competition. Also honored were the AMA Female, Vet/Senior, Sportsman and Youth Racers of the Year.
The coveted AMA Athlete of the Year: National Championship Series, is given to the racer elected by AMA members who excelled in the highest level of competition. This year, XC1 GNCC Racer Ryan Sipes took home this prestigious honor. The Husqvarna rider became the first American rider to win the individual overall at the International Six Days Enduro held in Kosice, Slovakia.
“I am truly honored to have been chosen for this award. I am thankful to all my sponsors for giving me a chance in off-road racing and making this possible, as well as all my fans for voting for me,” said Sipes. “It's nice to be acknowledged and appreciated for all the hard work we as a team put in this past year.”
The GNCC Overall ATV National Champion, Walker Fowler, was selected as the AMA ATV Athlete of the Year. After a tough battle for the championship lasting until the final round, the N-Fab/Am Pro Yamaha racer rose to the top, ultimately claiming his first ever GNCC Overall ATV National Championship.
“I am extremely honored to have been voted 2015 AMA ATV Athlete of the Year,” said Fowler. “It is great to think AMA members who voted for me value my 2015 championship as much as I do. Thank you to all who voted.”
Factory FMF/KTM’s Kacy Martinez was the recipient of the AMA Female Racer of the Year Award. This award is designed to identify an outstanding female racer, where Martinez was acknowledged for her 2015 GNCC Championship.
“To be named the 2015 AMA Female Racer of the Year is such an honor. I couldn't be happier with how everything went this past year, with my racing, training and team,” said Martinez. “I cannot thank the whole team, my family and all my sponsors enough for their support throughout the years to help me get to this point in my career.”
Racer Productions, organizers of the Grand National Cross Country Series since 1975 and ATVs since 1983, also received a great honor as the AMA’s 2015 ATV Organizer of the Year.
The 2016 GNCC series kicks off March 5 and 6 in Palatka, Florida with the Moose Racing Wild Boar GNCC. The series continues along the East Coast before ultimately concluding in Crawfordsville, Indiana with the AMSOIL Ironman GNCC October 29 and 30.
For more information on the series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.comor call (304) 284-0084. Join the conversation on the series Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to always hashtag #GNCCLIVE.