Award nominees announced for 2017 AMA Championship Banquet
Voting for AMA Racers of the Year is open to AMA members

The American Motorcyclist Association has announced the nominees for the 2017 AMA Championship Banquet awards. The awards recognize individuals and organizations that excelled in AMA-sanctioned competition and recreational activity in 2017.

"The AMA Championship Banquet is one of the most prestigious events in motorcycle racing and riding," said AMA Director of Racing Kevin Crowther. "The racers and organizers honored at this event come from a variety of motorcycle, ATV, competition and recreational backgrounds and are among the country's best. We look forward to spotlighting their hard work each year."

AMA members help choose the winners of selected categories, including the coveted AMA Athlete of the Year award.

Visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com/raceroftheyear to cast your votes for the 2017 AMA racing awards. Voting ends Dec. 15.

The special award winners will be announced at the 2017 AMA Championship Banquet on Saturday, Jan. 20, at the Hilton Downtown Columbus in Columbus, Ohio.

Among those recognized at the banquet are top clubs and promoters in both competition and recreational riding categories.

Class champions from national and regional motorcycle and ATV championships will be honored with AMA National No. 1 plates at the banquet, while second- and third-place finishers also receive awards.

The AMA Championship Banquet -- which includes dinner, door prizes and refreshments -- spotlights hundreds of top racers from across the country in disciplines ranging from dirt track to motocross to woods racing, and everything in between, from 2017 competition.

Recreational organizers will be recognized in road-riding and off-road categories. And awards will be presented to the AMA Club of the Year and to the media.

To reserve your space at the event, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com/events/ama-championship-banquet. Tickets are $75 each. AMA Life Members receive a $10 discount and children 4 years old and younger are free.

Special room rates are also available for those attending the banquet at Hilton Downtown Columbus. Call (614) 384-8600 or use group code AMA18 online. Visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com/events/ama-championship-banquet to learn more.

2017 AMA Racing Award Nominees:

AMA Athlete of the Year: National Championship Series 
Billy Janniro - Champion, AMA Speedway National Championship Series 
Steward Baylor - Champion, AMA National Enduro Championship Series 
Gary Sutherlin - Champion, AMA Hare & Hound National Championship Series 
Gavin Faith - Champion, Arenacross National Championship Series 
Kailub Russell - Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series 
Pat Smage - Champion, AMA/NATC MotoTrials National Championship Series 
Cody Webb - Champion, AMA Endurocross National Championship Series; Champion, AMA Tennessee Knockout Extreme Enduro Grand Championship

AMA Athlete of the Year: Grand Championships 
Hunter Brooks - AMA Dirt Track Horizon Award Winner, AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship 
Joseph Blasius - AMA Road Race Horizon Award Winner, AMA Road Race Grand Championship 
Bodee O'Neil - AMA Hillclimb Racer of the Year, AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship 
Quinn Wentzel - AMA Vintage Off-Road Grand Champion, AMA Vintage Grand Championship 
Justin Cooper - AMA Motocross Horizon Award Winner, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship

AMA ATV Athlete of the Year 
Walker Fowler - Overall ATV Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series 
Colt Brinkerhoff - Pro ATV Champion, AMA National Hare & Hound Championship Series 
Noah Mickelson - Pro-Sport Champion, AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series

AMA Veteran/Senior Racer of the Year 
Pete Desantis - 60+ Vintage Open, 1980s Vintage 250cc, 1970s Vintage 360cc Champion, AMA Vintage Dirt Track National Championship Series 
Mike Brown - Junior 25+ Champion, Senior 40+ Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship 
Brian Storrie - Multi-time FIM ISDE U.S. Team member 
Destry Abbott - Vet Champion, AMA Endurocross National Championship Series 
Jeffrey Odell - Senior 40+ A Class Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series

AMA Youth Racer of the Year 
Ty Masterpool - Supermini 1 (12-15) Champion, Supermini 2 (13-16) Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship 
Mason Matthies - Big Wheel 150cc Champion, AMA Hare & Hound National Championship Series; Big Wheel 112cc 2t/150cc 4t Champion, AMA West Hare Scramble Championship Series 
Zack Davidson - Supermini Senior (14-15) Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series 
Sebastian Palmese - 250 Youth Champion, AMA Speedway National Championship 
Tyler Scott - 65cc Modified (7-11), 85cc DTX (7-11) and 85cc Modified (7-11) Champion, AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship

AMA Female Racer of the Year 
Tayla Jones - WXC Champion, AMA Grand National Cross Country Series; Women's Pro Overall Champion, AMA Full Gas Sprint Enduro Championship Series; Women's Elite Champion, AMA National Enduro Championship Series 
Kayla Yaakov - AMA Youth Road Racer of the Year, AMA Road Race Grand Championship 
Tayler Allred - Girls (11-16) Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship 
Kacy Martinez - Women 85cc-Open A Champion, AMA National Hare & Hound Championship Series

2017 AMA Organizer Award Nominees:AMA Motocross Organizer of the Year 
2x Promotions - Porterville, Calif. 
Victory Sports - Blountville, Tenn. 
Ohio Motocross Association - New Philadelphia, Ohio

AMA Off-Road Organizer of the Year 
Racer Productions Inc. - Morgantown, W.Va. 
National Enduro Promotions Group (NEPG) - Lansing, Mich. 
North American Trials Council - Mesa, Ariz.

AMA Track Racing Organizer of the Year 
Supermoto West - Saratoga, Calif. 
Belleville Enduro Team - Belleville, Ill. 
WERA Motorcycle Roadracing Inc. - Canton, Ga.

AMA ATV Organizer of the Year 
Iowa ATV Hare Scramble Series (IATVHSS) - Carlisle, Iowa 
Western New York Off-Road Association (WYNOA) - Newfield, N.Y. 
ATV Promoters Group - Morgantown, W.Va.

AMA Recreational Road Riding Organizer of the Year 
Greater Akron M/C - Akron, Ohio 
Southern California Motorcycling Association - Norwalk, Calif. 
York Motorcycle Club - York, Pa.

AMA Recreational Off-Road Organizer of the Year 
Lake County Off Road Conservation Inc. - Mentor, Ohio 
Family Riders MTC - Charleston, S.C. 
Penguins Motorcycle Club at Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo, Calif.

AMA Club of the Year 
Christian Motorcyclists Association - Hatfield, Ark. 
Square Deal Riders M/C - Binghamton, N.Y. 
Hi-Winders - Millville, Minn.

AMA Media Award 
Brian J. Nelson - Flagstaff, Ariz. 
Adventure Motorcycle Magazine (ADVmoto) - Chantilly, Va. 
Racer TV - Morgantown, W.Va.