There’s only one place in amateur motocross where simply earning a ticket is almost as celebrated as winning a championship. Every summer, the fastest amateur motocross riders in the country make the journey to Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, for the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship. It’s a week racers dream about from the moment they throw a leg over their first bike. A week that represents years of early mornings, long drives, countless motos, sacrifices, setbacks, and victories. But once you pull through the front gates, you quickly realize Loretta’s isn’t just another race. It’s a village. A reunion. A proving ground. A place where lifelong friendships are made, dreams are realized, and lessons are learned sometimes the hard way. So, we asked riders who’ve lived it. Some are defending champions. Some have stood on the podium. Others have quietly built incredible résumés through years of consistency. Together, they’ve qualified for Loretta’s more than 50 times, earned multiple championships, and collected countless top-10 finishes. After asking a series of questions, we finished with the one we felt mattered most: “What do you wish every first time Loretta’s family knew?” Their responses were honest, insightful, and worth hearing before making the trip to the Ranch.
Lesson #1: Respect the Heat
If there was one answer every rider agreed on, this was it. The Tennessee heat isn’t just uncomfortable—it becomes another competitor. Christopher Harris called the heat and humidity the hardest part of the week. Kade Nightingale agreed, saying, “The track is demanding, but the heat makes those long motos even tougher.” Gauge Brown trains on rough tracks in hot, humid conditions before making the trip because he knows race week will demand every bit of fitness he’s built. For Jett Rau, surviving the week means more than just riding fast. “Hydrate, eat well, do a little exercise in the morning, and cold plunge.” Wyatt Thurman offered another piece of advice that many first-timers overlook: “Stay out of the heat. It’s easy to want to watch all the racing, but that’s the easiest way to burn yourself out.”
The takeaway? Fast riders can become slow riders by Thursday if they don’t recover. Hydration starts days before your first moto, not when you’re already thirsty.
Lesson #2: The Work Is Already Done
By the time you unload at Loretta’s, there isn’t much left to prove. As Jaci Brown mentioned “You’re one of the fastest 42 kids in the USA.”…Let that sink in.
Wyatt Thurman put it perfectly: “No worse feeling than going to race knowing you’re not prepared.” The common message wasn’t to train harder during race week. It was to trust the work you’ve already done. Kade Nightingale added another important reminder: “Don’t change things up—your diet, workouts, or effort. Stay balanced.” The riders who succeed at Loretta’s don’t reinvent themselves. They simply show up ready.
Lesson #3: Loretta’s Is Different… But It’s Still Just Racing
It’s easy to let the moment become bigger than the race. Thousands of spectators. Factory teams. The biggest names in amateur motocross. Championship pressure. It can all feel overwhelming. Wyatt Thurman has raced Loretta’s for 10 years, and his advice is refreshingly simple: “Treat it like another race because that’s all it is at the end of the day.” Loretta Lynn veteran Easton Graves said, “Stay focused and lock in when it’s time to race.” Gauge Brown echoed that same mindset: “Have no expectations. Try hard. Don’t quit. Just enjoy the experience.”
Jett Rau loves how rough the track becomes. “That’s what I’m good at.” Instead of fearing what makes Loretta’s unique, he embraces it. The lesson? Don’t race the reputation. Race the track in front of you.
Lesson #4: Parents Race Loretta’s, Too
While riders are preparing for motos, parents are preparing for everything else. Packing trailers. Stocking parts. Planning meals. Keeping bikes maintained and making sure everyone gets where they need to be. The Harris family had one word: Lists. Actually…“Lists, lists, and more lists.” The Rau family focuses on food, hydration, bike maintenance, and making sure everything—from gear to graphics—is ready before leaving home. The Nightingales bring extra fans, spare bikes for parts, clotheslines for wet creek clothes, and enough supplies to handle just about any situation.
The Browns recommend bringing more than you think you’ll need—extra canopies, shoes, sunscreen, water, generator fuel, and even a backup plan if someone gets sick. Ashlee Graves gives her pro tip by saying “ LL is normally a scorcher, so shade and fans are a must. Bring extra food, because there is good chance you will have extra kiddos in your camp!”Preparation doesn’t eliminate surprises. It simply makes them easier to handle.
Lesson #5: Don’t Miss the Best Part
When we asked every rider and family about their favorite part of Loretta’s, very few talked about trophies. Instead, they talked about the people: “The whole vibe.” “Hanging out with friends.” “Our race family.” “The atmosphere.” “Watching the best riders in the country.” “Catching up with our friends from all over the world.”
Those answers tell you everything you need to know. Loretta’s is about much more than the motos. It’s about being surrounded by people who understand exactly what it took to get there.
Lesson #6 Take It All In
This may be the most important advice we heard. Every experienced family echoed the same message: Take it all in. Christopher Harris’s family said, “Try not to put extra pressure on the kids. They’ll put enough pressure on themselves.” Jett Rau’s parents echoed that sentiment: “Don’t put too much pressure on anything—especially the riders.” Kade Nightingale’s family offered this reminder: “If you made it, your kid is obviously good.”
Easton Graves’ family stated, “The work is over. You have made it to the most honored race in our sport. The hard work has paid off. Now get out and have fun!” Straight from Wyatt Thurman: “Try and treat it like any other race because that’s all it is at the end of the day.” Before the gate even drops, you’ve already accomplished something extraordinary. So smile. Walk the track. Watch a few motos. Float the creek. Take the pictures. Make the memories. Because one day, you’ll wish you could experience your first Loretta’s all over again.
Lesson #7 Enjoy it.
After talking with riders who’ve qualified dozens of times, won championships, stood on podiums, and families who’ve spent years making the annual trip to Tennessee, one message came through louder than anything else: Enjoy it. The motos will come and go. But the memories of pulling through those gates, walking the track with your crew, cheering on friends, laughing around the pit after the racing is over, swimming in the creek, and taking golf cart cruises to the ice cream stand on the hill, those are the moments that stay with you forever.
From all of us at Elevated MX, congratulations on earning your ticket! Race hard. Stay hydrated. Trust your preparation. Cheer for your friends. Thank your family. And when the week gets long, remember one final piece of advice from the Brown family:
“The creek fixes everything at Loretta’s.”
We’ll see you at The Ranch!
A heartfelt thank you to the riders and families who shared their experiences to help the next generation of Loretta Lynn’s qualifiers. Christopher Harris, Jett Rau, Wyatt Thurman, Kade Nightingale, Gauge Brown, and Easton Graves. Your willingness to give back to the motocross community is what makes this sport so special.