ROAD TO THE RANCH: KAEDEN AMERINE
Kaeden Amerine made his Loretta Lynn Amateur National Motocross Championship debut way back in 2013, finishing 25th place overall in the 65cc (7-11) class. The Kansas native came back on a whole new level the following year, staying consistent between both of the 65cc classes he entered with a pair of 10th place overall finishes. After moving up to the Mini Sr. class, it took Amerine a couple of years to get up to speed on the 85 but he had it figured out by the time he lined up on the gate at the Ranch in 2016. As a part of the Rides Unlimited KTM team at the time, he put them on the top step of the podium in the Mini Sr. 2 division with 2-1-2 moto finishes in order to capture the first Loretta Lynn title of his career. In 2018, Amerine competed in both of the Supermini classes, capturing a 4th place and a 3rd place overall, finishing the majority of the motos that he raced on the podium. Amerine signed with the EBR Performance Yamaha team in 2019 but an unfortunate injury kept him out of the Loretta Lynn Amateur National Motocross Championship in 2019. He began to develop quite the pattern of success at the Ranch and has looked strong in the B class since winning a title to start the season at the Daytona RCSX, so he’ll be looking to bring that same form to Hurricane Mills this year.
How’d the Regionals go?
The Ponca Regional was a tough weekend for sure. We came in ready and prepared, but a little bit of bad luck and mistakes on my end made it anything but a smooth sailing weekend. Fortunately, my hard work during the week came through with having nearly back to back motos. I had a couple of first turn pile-ups, leaving myself with the only option of picking off any and every guy I possibly could. It was a fight to the finish, and unfortunately my tickets came down to the third motos. Coming in it was a weekend set with high expectations and left with a whole lot of not giving up. If anything though, it showed me what I’m capable of.
What’s a typical day of training been like for you getting ready for Loretta’s?
A typical day for me at RTC begins with a morning trail run, a full day’s worth of riding on the bike doing lots of motos, section work, starts or whatever Robbie has planned for us each day. Then typically we finish with a mountain bike ride or a workout with our off the bike trainer, Angus, then a yoga class.
Do you have a pre-race routine?
I’m not much of a superstitious guy when it comes to my pre-race routine. I don’t have any ritual thing I do besides a couple of stretches and maybe some jumping jacks to get myself warmed up and ready to go.
How do you recover after a twenty-minute moto in the brutal heat and humidity?
I make sure I drink plenty of water and keep my body fueled with good food and electrolytes.
Is there one specific year at Loretta’s that stands out as the most memorable for you?
The year I won Mini Sr. 2 in 2017. It definitely stands out the most for me, because prior to that year, I had never been on the podium at Loretta’s. So to come out and get podiums, a moto win, and a title was an overwhelming feeling of excitement.
What do you think is the key to success at the Ranch?
The key to success at the Ranch is good starts and consistency. But honestly, above that, preparation is key. You prep the majority of the year for this one week of racing. It’s a long week and every start, lap, and moto finish matters. I try to always put myself in good positions by executing my starts then piecing every lap together for true consistency.