PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association is announcing the nominees for 2013 year-end awards honoring standout individuals and organizations in AMA-sanctioned competition and recreational events, as well as inviting all AMA members to help select the recipients of the prestigious AMA Athlete of the Year honors.

The awards will be presented at the 2013 AMA Championship Banquet on Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Aladdin Shrine Event & Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio.

“AMA-sanctioned events are the gold standard of organized motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle competition, and represent the greatest grassroots motorsports disciplines in the world,” said AMA Vice President of Operations Jeff Massey. “The organizers and individuals nominated for these special awards have gone above and beyond to represent their clubs, their regions, their fellow competitors and the AMA with poise, dignity and excellence. They have all advanced the AMA’s mission to promote and protect the motorcycling lifestyle.

“We’re particularly excited to invite AMA members to help us select the AMA Athletes of the Year for 2013,” Massey added. “With the GEICO AMA EnduroCross Series just wrapping up with a thrilling finale in Las Vegas, the ballot is now complete. AMA members should vote now for the top racer in each category.”

AMA members can vote at www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Racing/RacerVote.aspx through Sunday, Dec. 1. All AMA members who vote will be entered in a random drawing to win tickets to premier AMA-sanctioned events and AMA-branded gear.

The AMA’s highest competitive honor, the AMA Athlete of the Year, recognizes two categories of outstanding AMA racers. One award honors an athlete who stands atop an AMA National Championship Series. Another recognizes one of the amateur racers who has proven his or her mettle at an AMA Grand Championship event.

All honorees will be announced at the 2013 banquet. The program — which will include dinner, door prizes, refreshments and a bike show — will honor hundreds of top competitors in disciplines ranging from land-speed racing to motocross to woods racing and everything in between.

Class champions will receive medals and No. 1 plates at the banquet, while second- and third-place finishers also will receive awards.

Columbus’ Aladdin Center, located a short distance from the expansive Easton Town Center shopping complex and only 20 minutes from AMA headquarters and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, offers free parking, easy access to Interstate 270 and is a short drive from Port Columbus International Airport.

For event and registration information, see www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Racing/RacingBanquet.aspx.

AMA Athlete of the Year Award Nominees

AMA Athlete of the Year: National Championship Series
Taddy Blazusiak, Champion, AMA EnduroCross National Championship Series
Tyler Bowers, Champion, AMA Arenacross National Championship Series
Kurt Caselli, Champion, AMA Hare & Hound National Championship Series
Jedediah Haines, Champion, AMA East Hare Scrambles Championship Series
Billy Janniro, Champion, AMA Speedway National Championship Series
Charles Mullins, Champion, AMA National Enduro Championship Series
Pat Smage, Champion, AMA/NATC MotoTrials National Championship Series
Gary Sutherlin, Champion, AMA West Hare Scrambles Championship Series

AMA Athlete of the Year: Amateur Grand Championships
Matt Bisceglia, AMA Motocross Horizon Award Winner, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship
Logan Cipala, AMA Hillclimber of the Year, AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship
Jeffery Lowery, AMA Dirt Track Horizon Award Winner, AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship
Parker Norris, AMA Ice Racer of the Year, AMA Ice Race Grand Championship
Ian Tetrick, AMA Road Race Horizon Award Winner, AMA Road Race Grand Championship
Quinn Wentzel, AMA Vintage Grand Champion, AMA Vintage Grand Championship

AMA ATV Athlete of the Year
Harold Goodman, Champion, AMA ATV Extreme Dirt Track National Championship Series
George Loring, Multi-class Champion, AMA ATV Hillclimber of the Year, AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship
Brett Musick, Pro-Am Champion, AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series
Paula Shank, Women’s Class Champion, AMA ATV Extreme Dirt Track National Championship Series

AMA Female Racer of the Year
Chantelle Bykerk, Women’s Class Champion, AMA EnduroCross National Championship Series
Shawn Davidson, Women’s Class Champion, AMA National Enduro Championship Series
Hannah Hodges, Girls Sr. (12-16) Class Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship
Kate Mette, Women’s Class Champion, AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series
Maggie Pearson, Women’s A/B Class Champion, AMA Hare & Hound National Championship Series

AMA Vet/Senior Racer of the Year
Steve Ellis, Super Senior A, 201-250cc A Class Champion, AMA Vintage Motocross National Championship Series
Jeff Fredette, AMA Vet/Senior Vintage Grand Champion, AMA Vintage Grand Championship
Arnold Hastings, AMA Vet/Senior Rider of the Year, AMA Road Race Grand Championship
Dallas Mayer, AMA Vet/Senior Rider of the Year, AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship
Bill Woods, Four AMA-certified land speed records, AMA Land Speed Grand Championship

AMA Youth Racer of the Year
Tommy Edwards, AMA Youth Dirt Tracker of the Year, AMA Dirt Track Grand Championship
Anthony Mazziotto III, AMA Youth Road Racer of the Year, AMA Road Race Grand Championship
Nathan Gross, AMA Youth Ice Racer of the Year, AMA Ice Race Grand Championship
Andrew Putt, Youth A 15 Champion, AMA East Youth Moto Trials National Championship; 4th, Expert Class, AMA/NATC Moto Trials National Championship Series
Cale McCutcheon, AMA Youth Hillclimber of the Year, AMA Hillclimb Grand Championship
Cole Sepesi, Schoolboy Sr. (14-17) Champion, Schoolboy Jr. (13-15) Open Champion, AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series
Aiden Tjiero, 65cc (10-11) Limited Class Champion, AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship; 65cc World Champion, FIM Jr. Motocross World Championships
Benjamin Wright, 85cc (7-11) Class Champion, AMA East Hare Scrambles Championship Series

AMA Sportsman of the Year
TBA

AMA Racing Organizer Award Nominees
AMA Motocross Organizer of the Year
2x Promotions
Feld Motorsports
MX Sports

AMA Off-Road Organizer of the Year
East Coast Enduro Association
Arizona Cycle Park
WFO Promotions
AMA Track Racing Organizer of the Year
American Sportbike Racing Association (ASRA)
North American Action Sports (NAAS)
Quaboag Riders

AMA ATV Organizer of the Year
ATVPG
Iowa ATV Hare Scrambles Series
Michael Coburn Racing

AMA Recreational Road Riding Organizer of the Year
Americade
Iron Butt
Laconia

AMA Recreational Off-Road Organizer of the Year
Arizona Trail Riders
Dust Devils
Tri-County MC

AMA Club of the Year
Emerald Trail Riders
Polka Dots Michigan
Square Deal Riders

AMA Media Award
Cycle USA
Steve Berkner
Mark Kariya

About the American Motorcyclist Association
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com.