Page 45 - MPG-ISSUE-MARCH18

CARSON MUMFORD
Barring a challenging year at Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National Championship in 2014, Carson Mumford has finished in the top five at the Ranch in every class that he’s entered since 2011, including two overall victories as a complement
to the rest of his stellar results. The Californian ended the 2016 season with four titles at the Thor Winter Olympics, but his 2017 campaign got off to a rocky start after he broke his arm at Motofest
in February. Mumford was able to make
a quick recovery and rebound in time
for the California Classic, recording second place overall finishes in both of the Supermini divisions. Another podium was in store for the AMSOIL | Factory Connection | Honda rider at Mammoth Mountain Motocross and he was able to close out his time on the Supermini with a pair of third place overall finishes at the Ranch. Mumford finally took the stage on the CRF250R at the beginning of the new year, contesting both Monster Energy Amateur Supercross rounds on the west coast, earning three main event victories in the process. The Team Dunlop Elite alum is looking incredibly comfortable on the big bike heading into spring nationals and it’s undeniable that he’ll be mixing it up at the front of the field when the gate drops in March.
KAED KNIFFING
Kaed Kniffing is easily one of the most popular riders currently competing in amateur motocross due to his closeness with fellow Monster Army athletes such as Axell Hodges and Nyjah Huston. Social media is all a part of the game in 2018 and Kniffing knows how to play the game well, keeping himself in the limelight. Nonethe- less, the young Californian has the skills
to back it up on the track as he proved throughout the 2017 season underneath the Rides Unlimited | BTO Sports Amateur Racing | KTM canopy. Kniffing had a solid run throughout the beginning of spring na- tionals in 2017, building up to an impres- sive second place finish in the Schoolboy 1 class at the California Classic in his home state. He took a digger at Mam- moth Mountain Motocross and didn’t race Loretta Lynn’s at one hundred percent fit- ness, but Kniffing was still able to contest for top ten finishes at the Ranch. He had a couple of solid results at Mini O’s to end the 2017 season, pushing him to another level coming into the new year. Kniffing contested multiple Monster Energy Ama- teur Supercross rounds at the beginning of the season, most notably winning the main event in the 125 B/C class ahead of Max Miller and Ty Masterpool at Anaheim. His skills on a supercross track may be one of his strongest assets heading into the spring nationals, making him a major threat when the racing gets underway at the Daytona RCSX.
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