Photography By Amanda Painter
For many, the Ponca City South Central Youth Regional served as the final hurdle on the road to the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Amateur Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. More than 600 entries gathered in Ponca City, Oklahoma, bringing together many of the South Central region’s top amateur motocross racers. Among them were more than 245 Texans, all determined to secure their place at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch later this summer.
With only six riders per class advancing, every moto was a high stakes battle from start to finish. Mother Nature delivered the first challenge of the weekend when an early Saturday morning storm swept across Ponca City MX. The opening motos were run in demanding conditions that rewarded patience, skill, and grit.
As the weekend progressed, the Moto Playground track crew worked their magic. By the final gate drop, the track was in exceptional condition, everything you would expect from a premier Regional LLQ qualifier.
The Texas contingent came ready to battle, and while only a select few secured their place at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, every youth rider who lined up proved they belonged among the best. Reaching this stage of the Road to Loretta’s is no small feat and reflects the dedication, preparation, and year-round commitment these athletes invest in the sport.
With that said, let’s take a look at some of the Texas riders who got the job done and punched their ticket to the Ranch.
Rance Tucker Makes It Happen On The P-Dub
His hometown may be listed as Ada, Oklahoma, but Tucker has enough Texas in him to know that quitting isn’t an option. The local P-Dub hero headed to Ponca and got the job done.
With 46 riders entered and the class split into two divisions, Tucker qualified for the final motos by finishing third in his opening moto. He battled his way to seventh in Moto 2 before saving his best ride for the final moto, where he charged from seventh to third. The result? Third overall, a ticket to the Ranch, and one very happy kid. Mom and Dad were probably excited too.
Gus Biesemyer Charges Back After Final Moto Adversity
Gus Biesemyer was the rider to beat all weekend in the Micro E (4-7) class, taking statement wins in the first two motos by more than 27 seconds each. But the final moto didn’t come nearly as easy.
After establishing himself at the front of the pack early, Gus was shuffled back to 10th midway through the race. Undeterred, he charged back to sixth by lap six. When the scores were tallied, Gus’s consistency and speed throughout the weekend were enough to secure second overall and a ticket to the Ranch.
Double Punch: Roberts Secures Two Tickets to Loretta Lynn’s
With top-10 starts in all six motos across both classes, Bodie Roberts consistently put himself in position to qualify for Loretta Lynn’s. That consistency paid off as he punched two tickets to the Ranch in the 65cc 7-9 and 65cc 7-9 Limited classes.
Competing against some of the toughest riders in the region, Roberts never finished worse than seventh all weekend, with that result coming in the final moto of the highly competitive 65cc 7-9 Limited class. At the regional level, a top six overall finish is considered a win, and Bodie accomplished that in both classes.
Now, the focus shifts to preparation as he gets ready to make the trip to Tennessee and line up against the nation’s best in just a few months.
Landon Lee Shines in Ponca City with Five Moto Victories
If there was any doubt that Landon Lee belongs among the favorites heading into Loretta Lynn’s, he erased it this weekend in Ponca City.
Lee put together a dominant performance in the Mini Sr. 1 (12-14) class, sweeping all three motos. He followed that up with victories in the final two motos of the Mini Sr. 2 (13-15) class, further proving he has the speed to contend for national championships this summer.
Mission Accomplished: Moore and McCleskey Earn Loretta Lynn’s Tickets
Zoe Moore and Paetyn McCleskey will be carrying the Texas flag to Loretta Lynn’s Ranch this August after strong performances at Ponca City. Moore put together an impressive and consistent 2-2-2 scorecard to finish second overall, while McCleskey overcame a seventh-place finish in Moto 2 to post 3-7-3 finishes and secure third overall.
Texas Riders Who Qualified To The Ranch
| 24. 65cc (7-9) Limited | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd #12 |  | BRYSON SMITH AMARILLO, TX | Div 2:1stMoto 1:1stMoto 2:3rdMoto 3:4th |
| 6th #25 |  | BODIE ROBERTS POINT, TX | Div 2:2ndMoto 1:2ndMoto 2:5th Moto 3:7th |
| 25. 65cc (7-9) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd #25 | | BODIE ROBERTS POINT, TX | Moto 1:4thMoto 2:4th Moto 3:5th |
| 5th #156 | | KELLAN COOPER FRIENDSWOOD, TX | Moto 1:7th Moto 2:9th Moto 3:3rd |
| 26. 65cc (10-11) Limited | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd#710 | | SHANNON TARNOW THRALL, TX | Moto 1:2ndMoto 2:2ndMoto 3:3rd |
| 6th #52 |  | PATRICK PASTUREAU SMITHVILLE, TX | Moto 1:8th Moto 2: 6th Moto 3:9th |
| 28. 85cc (10-12) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st#226 |  | DIEGO CABILDO BUCERÍAS, TX | Moto 1: 2ndMoto 2:3rd Moto 3:6th |
| 5th #73 | | KYLER PREWITT PITTSBURG, TX | Moto 1: 7th Moto 2: 6th Moto 3: 7th |
| 29. 85cc (10-12) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd #52 | | JOHN EVERETT PASTUREAU SMITHVILLE TX | Moto 1: 1st Moto 2: 1st Moto 3:11th |
| 6th #73 | | KYLER PREWITT PITTSBURG, TX | Moto 1: 4th Moto 2: 12th Moto 3:4th |
| 33. Supermini 2 (13-16) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st#70 | | JACKSON VICKHIGHLAND VILLAGE, TX | Moto 1:1stMoto 2:1stMoto 3:1st |
| 6th #81 | | BRYCEN DEJONGE | Moto 1: 8th Moto 2: 6th Moto 3: 6th |
| 34. 125 Jr. (12-17) B/C | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st#129 |  | GAUGE BROWNCYPRESS, TX | Moto 1:1stMoto 2:1stMoto 3:2nd |
| 4th #29 | | HUDSON SHORT SMITHEVILLE, TX | Moto 1: 3rd Moto 2: 3rd Moto 3:10th |
| 35. Schoolboy 1 (12-17) B/C | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd#129 | | GAUGE BROWNCYPRESS, TX | Moto 1:1stMoto 2:2ndMoto 3:2nd |
| 3rd # 29 | | HUDSON SHORT SMITHEVILLE, TX | Moto 1: 3rd Moto 2: 3rd Moto 3: 3rd |
| 36. Girls (11-16) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd#63 | | ZOE MOORE SPRINGTOWN, TX | Moto 1:2nd Moto 2: 2nd Moto 3:2nd |
| 4th # 227 | | PAETYN MCCLESKEY AIBREY, TX | Moto 1: 3rd Moto 2: 7th Moto 3: 3rd |
