Ricky Carmichael thought he had arrived as a budding motocross prodigy when he made his first trip to Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., for the annual Amateur National Championships. Rolling into the sprawling compound about an hour west of Nashville, the then 10-year-old Carmichael took one look around and knew he still had plenty of work to do if he wanted to prove himself at amateur racing’s Super Bowl.
The weeklong event, now in its 28th year, has become the ultimate test for amateur riders all across the country. It’s also become motocross’ version of the Little League World Series, a place where the focus isn’t just on the competition, but also on providing a little something extra.
Over the years, while the sport has exploded in popularity, Loretta Lynn’s has remained largely the same event it was in 1982. Sure, the qualifying is bigger—over 23,000 began regional qualifying this year, up from 4,000 when it first started—but the field size remains largely intact.
Ask Carmichael what he remembers most about his time at Loretta Lynn’s, and the first thing that rolls off his tongue isn’t the nine titles he won there, but swimming in the creek that runs through the property and hanging out with the other kids. At least, when his parents let him.
“I tried to have as much fun as I could,” he said. “But if I had too much fun, my mom would crack the whip on me.”
Even now, 13 years after his last race there, Carmichael makes the annual pilgrimage to the ranch with his parents to get a look at the next wave of talent.
From Carmichael—a 10-time pro motocross champion—to Jeremy McGrath to Travis Pastrana—Loretta Lynn’s has paved the way for the “Who’s Who” of the motocross elite.
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