Penn Yan’s Mason Wager will be living the dream next week. The 7-year-old dirt bike racer has qualified for the largest amateur motocross race in the world, the 43rd Annual Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship presented by AMSOIL, to be held July 29th – August 3rd at the historic Loretta Lynn Ranch. Amateur racers have been working hard, competing since February to qualify for the world’s largest and most prestigious amateur motocross race in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.
“The Amateur National at Loretta Lynn’s is the best of the best motocrossers in America and around the world,” said Tim Cotter, Director of MX Sports. “Just being here makes you an elite racer and a top athlete. A solid finish at Loretta’s would give you instant National recognition and a possible professional career.”
Most of America’s top professional motocross racers, including James Stewart, Ricky Carmichael, Travis Pastrana and Ryan Dungey, have won AMA Amateur National titles at Loretta Lynn’s.
Wager, who attends Penn Yan Elementary in the first grade, has only been riding dirt bikes since April of 2023. He began drag racing snowmobiles at the mere age of 2 ½. Wager has always had a love of racing and pushing the limits as well as making his mom’s blood pressure skyrocket with every new adventure. He had begged to start racing motocross around the age of 4 however mom just wasn’t ready and after some long hard convincing by both dad and mason, He began his journey of motocross with the local Western New York Motocross Association. Mason finished his first WNYMA season with a 2nd place overall in the 51cc Shaft 4-8 class and a 4th place overall in the Pee Wee Jr. class. But his adventure and need for speed didn’t stop there. The lack of snow in the winter of 23’ and the cancelations of Jerry Rice Snowdrags’ provided an opportunity for the Indoor Amateur Winter Series at Route 62 MX in Martinsburg Ohio. Wager was able to advance his skill set and finished the winter series with a 1st overall in the 50 Beginner 4-6 1st year rider class and a 2nd place overall in the 50 Shaft 4-6 pw only class. At this point both Mason’s parents knew he had found his passion and sought expert classes from The MX Factory by Tyler Livesay. Classes from Tyler were absolutely incredible for not only Mason but as parents to know the proper techniques required to help our child advance his given skill set was such a blessing.
“I full-heartedly believe that the classes from Tyler truly set the foundation for Mason to make it to Loretta’s this year,” said Brian Wager. “At the beginning of 2024, we began chasing Mason’s dream of a Chance to Loretta Lynns and started with North East Area Qualifiers as well as Mid East Area Qualifiers. There were many high and low points throughout the qualifying journey but the one thing we learned is that Mason was bound and determined to make his dreams a reality. At the first North East Regional, Tomahawk, WV, Mason had his first real full gate drop with 40 of the best riders in the class. Many crashes, bruises and a broken finger did not stop the determined 7-year-old. He managed to finish his Micro 1 Shaft class in 17th place and set out to practice every day until his last chance at the Mid-East Regional Qualifier at Chillitown, OH. During the Mideast Regional, Mason had a few rough starts but managed to work his way up through the pack with pure determination. The top six kids at each regional get their tickets to advance to the ranch and Mason had an overall finish of 6th place, getting him his ticket for the Loretta Lynn Amateur National Motocross Championship. Many tears were shed watching him make his dreams a reality. We can’t wait to see where his future leads.”
With the help of sponsors such as BW Excavation & Construction LLC, Cady Contracting LLC, Craig Wager Farms, HANK Performance Horses, Quackenbush Hardware, FXR Racing, Twin Air, Matrix Concepts, Risk Racing, Spy, Ryno Power, Flo Motorsports, and Cardo Systems who help pay way to the races, parts, gear and all things necessary Wager has had the opportunity to pursue his dreams.
He has won 23 motocross races in the last year and competes nearly every weekend throughout the North and Mideast regions. Wager will make the long journey to Hurricane Mills, Tennessee along with mom, dad, brothers and best dog Charlie. The race runs from July 29 – August 3. Wager and his family will be camping onsite for the week-long event and will participate in many non-racing evening activities.
Racers may enter a wide variety of classes, from minicycle classes for children as young as four, all the way up to a senior division for riders over 50. There are also classes for women and classes for both stock and modified machines. In total, there are 36 different classes of competition. Wager will compete in the highly competitive Micro 1 (4-6) Shaft Drive Limited class.
The race action will be broadcast live daily at www.RacerTV.com, July 29 – August 3, for over 40 hours of live coverage throughout the week. In addition, highlight shows featuring the event will air on National Television in the fall.
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