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MIKAH CARPENTER
Mikah Carpenter was forced out of competition at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch last year due to an injury sustained in the month preceding the race, but he still maintains an impressive record at the Ranch. The Illinois native has raced there on two separate occasions, finishing on the overall podium at a fifty percent rate. The Co-
bra Elite rider has been one of the standouts in the 51cc ranks throughout the last couple of years and definitely had a chance
at the title last year; nonetheless, he’ll have his sights on the top step of the box in 2018. The youngster battled through a minor injury at the Daytona RCSX to come out with a title in the 51cc (7- 8) division and continued with a plethora of first place finishes at his Area Qualifiers. Carpenter finished every class on the podium at JuniorMotoX, drawing from the deposit of experience that he’s accumulated throughout his victories in the KTM Jr. Challenge and the Amateur Arenacross series. Carpenter laid down some impressive rides at the Sunday Creek Youth Regional in Millfield, Ohio, winning the 51cc (7-8) class with relative ease in addition to a third place result in the 65cc (7-9) class. Not only is Carpenter one of the heavy favorites to compete for a championship in the 51cc (7-8) class; he’s a serious podium contender and a dark horse for the title in the 65cc (7-9) class.
CARSON MUMFORD
Carson Mumford has only finished outside of the top ten once since 2011 at the Loretta Lynn MX Amateur National Championship, racking up seven podiums and two titles in the same amount of time. The Californian is one of the most consistently competitive riders compet- ing at the Ranch this year, doing so in the B class for the first time in his decorated amateur career. He did more than his fair share of quali- fying races, punching a ticket to the Ranch in four separate classes, but the AMSOIL | Fac- tory Connection | Honda rider chose to contest the electric Schoolboy 2 division as well as
the 250 B Limited class, providing himself
with a good opportunity to capture his third Loretta Lynn Amateur National Championship. Mumford collected a couple of championships throughout the beginning of the racing season, winning a pair of number one plates at both Spring A Ding Ding and the California Clas- sic. He continued to pop off wins left and right throughout his various Loretta Lynn’s Qualifiers and he added another tally to the win column in the Open B division at Mammoth Motocross. The Californian was a part of some outstand- ing battles in the mountains of Mammoth Lakes, battling fender to fender with some of the best in the division on multiple occasions. He seems capable of pulling exceptional starts with the help of his small frame and light stat- ure, making him one of the likely candidates to win some motos this year at the Ranch.
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