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KAWASAKI TEAM GREEN™ RIDERS COLLECT 26 PODIUM FINISHES AND TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS AT LORETTA LYNN’S
Kawasaki Team Green™ riders showcased their speed and determination throughout the 45th annual Monster Energy® AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, collecting 26 moto podium finishes and two national championships across five days of racing. Monster Energy® Kawasaki Team Green™ rider Dane Pappas captured two overall podium finishes, claiming second overall in Schoolboy 2 (12-17) B/C and third overall in 250 B. Teammate Kade Johnson battled through lingering injuries to finish a respectable fourth overall in Open Pro Sport and fifth overall in 250 Pro Sport, while Jett Rau and Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green™ rider Caleb Wood battled throughout the 85cc and B divisions, respectively. Adding to Kawasaki’s success at the Ranch, first-time Loretta Lynn’s competitor Evan Witham delivered a breakout performance aboard his KX™250, finishing on the podium in all six motos and capturing national championships in both 250 C and 250 C Jr. Limited.
Dane Pappas entered the week with the King of the West honors from Mammoth Motocross, which set the stage for his return to The Ranch in the 250 B and Schoolboy 2 (12-17) B/C classes aboard his KX™250. Pappas faced adversity early with a 40th gate pick and first turn crash in the opening 250 B moto, finishing 12th but quickly turned his week around. In Moto 2, Pappas found his rhythm and charged to a runner-up finish, placing himself firmly in contention for an overall podium heading into the final moto. The Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green rider backed up the performance with another second-place finish in Moto 3 to secure third overall with 12-2-2 scores. Pappas showed similar consistency in Schoolboy 2, beginning the week with a fifth-place result before racing to second in Moto 2. A fourth-place finish in the final moto completed a 5-2-4 scorecard and secured second overall in that class as well. After a challenging start to the week, Pappas closed out his Loretta Lynn’s campaign with four consecutive Top 4 moto finishes and two overall podiums.
Kade Johnson arrived at Loretta Lynn’s facing a different challenge after suffering a significant crash while racing in Canada only weeks before the event. With limited time back aboard the bike, Johnson lined up in the highly competitive Open Pro Sport class aboard his KX™450, and 250 Pro Sport class aboard his KX™250. Johnson immediately demonstrated his pace in the opening Open Pro Sport moto, running near the front of the field and finishing third. In Moto 2, the Team Green rider once again spent a portion of the race in podium position before ultimately finishing seventh as he managed the physical demands of the week. Despite competing at less than full strength, Johnson continued to battle among the front of the field throughout the event, concluding his Loretta Lynn’s campaign fourth overall in Open Pro Sport and fifth overall in 250 Pro Sport. Johnson will now shift his focus toward the SMX Next Scouting Moto Combine at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, IN.
Jett Rau competed aboard his KX™85 in the 85cc (10-12) and 85cc (10-12) Limited divisions. Challenging starts and several early-race setbacks forced Rau to work his way through the field throughout the week. In the Limited division, Rau opened with a 15th-place finish before making significant progress in the remaining motos. The young Team Green rider raced to ninth in Moto 2 and matched the result with another ninth-place finish in the final moto, giving him 15-9-9 scores and seventh overall. Rau also competed in the 85cc (10-12) division, recording 17-26-16 moto finishes for 21st overall. Despite the setbacks, Rau continued to fight through the field throughout all six motos and gained valuable experience stepping up to the 85cc class on his Team Green ride.
Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green rider Caleb Wood returned to Loretta Lynn’s during a break from his off-road racing schedule to compete in the 250 B and 450 B classes. Wood started the week strong aboard his KX™250, racing near the front of the field in the opening 450 B moto to secure fourth place. He followed with a ninth-place finish in Moto 2 before a challenging final moto resulted in 19th, giving him 4-9-19 scores for ninth overall. In 250 B, Wood faced adversity in the opening moto and finished 20th before rebounding with a strong seventh-place ride in Moto 2. A difficult final moto left Wood 24th, completing the week 15th overall with 20-7-24 finishes. Despite an up-and-down week at the Ranch, Wood displayed his versatility as he transitioned from his regular off-road racing program to compete among the nation’s top amateur motocross racers.
Kawasaki Team Green rider Evan Witham emerged as one of the biggest success stories of the week. Making his first-ever appearance at the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, Witham lined up in the 250 C and 250 C Jr. Limited classes and left Loretta Lynn’s as a two-time AMA Amateur National Champion. Witham was forced to overcome challenging starts throughout the week, frequently entering the opening turns near the middle of the field and charging his way toward the front. In 250 C, Witham began his Loretta Lynn’s debut with a runner-up finish before breaking through for his first moto victory in Moto 2. Another second-place performance in the final moto completed a consistent 2-1-2 scorecard and earned Witham his first national championship at the Ranch.
Witham followed a nearly identical path of consistency in 250 C Jr. Limited. After finishing second in the opening moto, the Kawasaki rider charged to his second moto victory of the week in Moto 2 and entered the championship-deciding finale with an opportunity to leave the Ranch undefeated in overall titles. Witham secured third in the final moto to complete a 2-1-3 scorecard and captured his second AMA Amateur National Championship of the week. Across six motos in his first appearance at Loretta Lynn’s, Witham never finished outside of the Top 3, collecting six moto podium finishes, two moto victories and two national championships aboard his KX™250.
Kawasaki Team Green™ riders continued to fill the overall podium across several classes at Loretta Lynn’s. Easton Edgar led the group with second overall in the 450 C Class, taking the opening moto victory and following with a pair of fourth-place finishes. Lincoln Green earned two overall podiums, overcoming a 17th-place finish in the opening 250 C Jr. (12-17) Limited moto to finish second and first in the remaining motos for third overall, while also taking third overall in 250 C after closing out the week with a Moto 3 victory. Carter Clay finished third overall in 250 C Limited with 4-7-2 scores, and Wyatt Duff earned third overall in Schoolboy 2 B/C after back-to-back third-place moto finishes. Christopher Hunter claimed the opening Senior (45+) moto victory on his way to third overall, while Kris Keefer delivered a consistent performance in Masters 50+, finishing third in all three motos to secure third overall.
“Loretta Lynn’s is always a tough week, and I definitely didn’t start the way I wanted to, but I’m proud of how we turned it around. Once I found my rhythm, I felt stronger every time I went on the track. To finish with two overall podiums is a great way to end the week. I can’t thank everyone at Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green enough for all of the work and support they put in throughout the week.”
- Dane Pappas
“Coming into Loretta’s, I knew I wasn’t going to be at 100 percent, so my biggest goal was to make the most of what I had and keep improving every time I got on the bike. There were definitely some tough moments, but we also showed that we had the speed to run up front. Leaving with two Top 5 overall finishes gives me a lot to build from, and I’m grateful to the entire Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green crew for sticking behind me and helping me through the week.”
- Kade Johnson
“This week didn’t go exactly how I wanted it to, but I learned a lot. I had some tough starts and made a few mistakes that made me work through the pack, but I kept fighting every moto and felt like my riding got better as the week went on. I’m really thankful to Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green and everyone who helped me get here. I’m already excited to take what I learned and come back stronger."
- Jett Rau
“It’s always special getting the chance to come back to Loretta Lynn’s and race motocross again. I spend most of the year racing off-road, so coming to the Ranch is a completely different challenge, but that’s part of what makes it so much fun. I felt like I showed some good speed and had some strong moments throughout the week. A huge thank you to Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green and everyone who helped make it possible for me to line up.”
- Caleb Wood