This past year was full of personal accomplishments and unforgettable experiences. The most memorable races were at the AMA Winter Nationals, AMA Hole Shot National Qualifiers, and finally the AMA Grand National Championships!

AMA Winter Nationals:
The 2009 AMA Winter Nationals took place in Daytona, Florida in March. Nationals is a week-long event that comprises the the top amateur riders in the country. I raced in two classes, the 450 Modified and the 450 DTX class. I finished in the top of the field in all of the races I competed in, including an exciting victory in the 450 modified short track. Overall, I completed the week with a 2nd place standing in the 450 Modified class and a 3rd place standing in the DTX class.

AMA Hole Shot National Qualifiers:
In May of 2009, I headed over to the AMA Hole Shot National Qualifiers to compete for eligibility for the AMA Dirt Track Grand Championships. In this series, I won 1st place in the Half-Mile qualifier in York, PA and finished in 2nd place in the Short Track qualifier in Shippensburg, PA. These placements qualified me for the Grand Nationals in DuQuoin, Illinois.

Between the Races:
In order to tune up before Nationals, I decided to race in smaller competitions. In June, I raced a Doubleheader in Circleville, OH and secured a 2nd and a 3rd position. Then, I headed over to Lebanon, NY where I got 1st place in the 450 Modified class. In between these dirt track competitions, I was able to get in some road racing--another passion of mine. I had some great track days at New Jersey Motorsports Park, where I was lucky enough to get some unsurpassed one-on-one coaching from Larry Pegram, a world-renowned road racer with Team Ducati.

AMA Grand National Championships:
During the last weekend of June and the first week of July, DuQuoin, IL held The AMA Grand National Championships. These races were what I have been training for and focusing on all season long. The Grand National Championships invited the top amateur racers from the United States, Canada, and Europe. The competition here was fierce; you had to finish in the top three spots in your heat in order to qualify for the main events. I started out the week with a bang! I secured a victory in the 450 Modified Mile National. Next up was a the TT National race, which ended up being a bit of a struggle, but I still finished solid in 7th place. In the Short Track National I secured a 6th place position. The fiercest race was the Half Mile National, where I finished at an extremely close 2nd place. By the end of the week I had received two 3rd place finishes overall and was very proud of myself.

Another highlight of 2009 was the Doubleheader Half Mile in Richwood, OH in October. This was one of my best weekends of the year. I won 1st place in four races and finished 2nd in my other two races. It became clear to me that I was beginning to improve dramatically the more and more I raced. And at the end of the year, I feel as if I have grown as a person, a competitor, and as a rider. I am so excited, ready, and looking forward to my next challenge--turning Pro.